MOSCOW, August 19. /TASS/. UK national Kennon Wong has shared with TASS his experience of obtaining a temporary residence permit in Russia under Presidential Decree No. 702, signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 19, 2024. The decree offers a simplified path to residence for foreigners who share traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.
Wong said he had learned about the program while living in the United Kingdom. "I had to leave Russia a couple of years earlier due to international business difficulties, as my company had to close," he recalled. "I heard the news from a friend who shared a post. It looked interesting, so I spoke to my wife, and we decided to find out whether it was official. We were very happy to learn that it was real and that there was an official process for me to come back and apply for residency."
The British national noted that the decree drew his attention because of its streamlined approach. "It simplified many processes. You didn’t have to go through as many steps as before. The information was already available and everything was clear. My family and I share traditional values, and I agree with the direction Russia is heading in," he said.
Wong applied for the visa through the Russian embassy, navigating what he described as a "new and evolving" process. While waiting for approval, he obtained a UK criminal record certificate. "That’s important — when you come to Russia, you are fully vetted," he explained.
Once in Russia, he began the procedure to receive a temporary residence permit. "It took longer than I expected, about a month instead of two weeks, due to logistics. I worked with a great agency that guided me through each step, from registration to medical and psychological checks, and ensuring my biometrics were correct," he said.
Speaking about the broader impact of the decree, Wong stressed that it gives people from unfriendly countries "a new perspective and an opportunity to stay" if they have a genuine connection to the country. "It’s not a place to come just to ‘have a great time.’ You come here as an investment in yourself and in Russia," he added.
Looking back, he considers the program timely, though he wishes it had been introduced earlier. "Russia is a great country, and people who choose to come here should have every right and all the means to stay here and contribute fully," he said.
As of June 2025, some 1,500 nationals of unfriendly countries have applied for temporary residence permits in Russia under the program, Valentina Kazakova, the head of the Russian Interior Ministry’s migration department, said at the 2025 International Economic Forum in St.Petersburg.