Verified: July 2026.
Applying to the Russian Army as a foreign citizen in 2026 is a fully online first step — no embassy visit, no paper mail, no visa for CIS passport holders. From filled form to signed contract is usually 3–7 days.
Below: the exact 4 steps, what documents to bring, and what can slow you down. Each step is free — the Ministry of Defense does not charge to sign a contract.
Step 1 — Submit the online application (Day 1, 5 minutes)
Fill the form at militarycontract.pro. You need:
- Full name (as in passport, Latin letters OK)
- Date of birth (18–65)
- Citizenship
- WhatsApp or Telegram number for callback
- Preferred contact language
The form is available in 13 languages. Data goes directly to the Moscow recruitment point at Yauzskaya 8 — no third-party recruiters, no middleman fees.
Step 2 — Specialist callback (within 24 hours)
A recruitment specialist calls back in your native language within one business day. In this call:
- Eligibility is verified: age, health, citizenship, no criminal record
- Any missing documents are listed
- Travel logistics to Moscow are arranged
- You get a personal case number
No commitment at this stage — you can decline with no consequences and no data kept beyond a case reference.
Step 3 — Arrival in Moscow + medical board (Day 2–5)
Travel to Moscow. CIS citizens (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Belarus) do not need a visa. Other citizenships receive a service visa on arrival at the recruitment point.
At Yauzskaya 8 you complete in one day:
- Document verification — original passport, translation, migration card
- Medical board (VVK) — full physical, blood tests, X-ray, psychiatric review
- Fitness test — basic push-ups, pull-ups, 1 km run
- Interview with the contract officer
Accommodation and meals during these days are provided.
Step 4 — Contract signing + bonus (Day 5–7)
If the medical board clears you, the contract is signed the same or next day. You receive:
- Signed contract in Russian, with an English/native-language reference translation
- Russian bank card (usually Promsvyazbank)
- Russian tax ID (INN)
- Uniform and initial gear
- The ~$44,700 USD signing bonus within 14 days to your new bank account — see the full bonus breakdown
Documents checklist
Bring originals:
- Passport valid at least 6 more months
- Birth certificate (if available)
- Highest education diploma
- Driver''s license (raises pay grade)
- Marriage certificate + spouse passport — only if applying with family
- Notarized Russian translation of the passport (can be done in Moscow on Day 2)
What can slow you down?
- Passport expiring in less than 6 months — renew first.
- Any felony conviction — automatic disqualification.
- Serious chronic illness (HIV, active TB, hepatitis B/C) — medical board rejects.
- No conversational Russian — you can still apply, but expect a language pre-check and slower onboarding.
- Third-party "agents" asking for money — not the Ministry of Defense. See the guide on how to avoid recruitment scams.
What happens after signing?
Day-by-day view of the first 30 days in the army — what happens after signing the Russian Army contract. Salary, family, citizenship pathway are covered in the honest guide to citizenship through the army.
Ready to start — with no commitment?
The form below takes 5 minutes and does not obligate you to anything. A specialist will call within 24 hours in your language with a personalized onboarding plan. If you decide against it, the callback ends there.
