ESW Q&A: How to Obtain a Sim Card as a Foreigner Staying in Russia

1. Are there sim cards or even mobile phones in Russia?

Yes, Russia has wireless Internet and of course, 2G to 4G mobile coverage in most of its regions (with Moscow having 5G even inside the Metro). Though considering the sheer size of Russia, more isolated regions such as the Kola Peninsula in the north, the Caucasus Mountains, Siberia and the Far East may not be covered or have spotty coverage. Four major network providers cover the vast majority of Russian territory, and all major cities have excellent coverage.

Above image: Russian mobile provider Megafon sim cards

2. Can foreigners acquire sim cards? Is it easy to do?

Foreigners may acquire sim cards in Russia, however, due to the threat of cellular devices being used in assassinations, drone and car-bombing attacks posed by CIA and MI6-trained Ukrainian Banderites and various radical Islamists, laws have recently been passed that have made this process strict and time consuming. If you're coming to Russia as a tourist for just a few days or weeks, then you're better off staying in roaming or using the various free WiFi networks which are everywhere in major cities, even on the Moscow Metro and other cities' subways.

3. Even if it takes time, I still want a sim card, what do I need to do?

Your first step in getting a sim card is to obtain a notarized translation of your passport. If you plan on staying in Russia for any period of time beyond the 90 day visa-free period for many friendly countries, you will need this anyways and it's best to make several copies of it.

The translation and notarization must be done in Russia and with a certified notary. Normally this will run between 2,000 rubles ($22) to 3,500 rubles ($39) and take 1 to 3 days, depending on which office it is. Make sure to get 3 or 4 copies, you will need them.

4. Ok, the Russian translations of my passport are completed and notarized, now what?

With translations in hand, head to the MFC (My Documents Center). No reservations are needed, it’s a first-come, first-serve concept. However, if you do not speak and understand Russian, do bring an interpreter or a Russian friend with you.

Here you'll initiate the process of getting a SNILS, which is the Russian version of your pension/Social Security Number (SSN). Yes, this is critically needed to confirm your ID and to whom the sim card will be registered. Putting your paper in will take about 40 to 50 minutes, getting the SNILS takes between 2 to 5 days, depending on what area of Russia you put the paperwork in and how busy the office happens to be.

5. Good grief, I obtained my Russian social security number, my SNILS. Now what? Can I finally go buy my Russian sim card at an MTS or Megafon store or kiosk?

Alas, not that fast. Now you get to go back to MFC and receive your SNILS and once you have done that, sit down, get comfortable, you are about to create your account on the Gosuslugi.ru (Government Services) website. The nice, smiling and pleasant people at MFC will go through the login process with you. This is the e-gov site where Russians can do a lot of their needed government paperwork, without visiting various government offices. You can pay your taxes here or your traffic and parking fines, register for social services, and much more.

In your case, the key thing you need is the government email account that will be created for you. Now once you have put all this in, expect another 2 days for all of it to come online. Sometimes it’s the same day, but I would not bet on it…but who knows? You could get lucky.

6. Ok, I've got my SNILS, and now my Gosuslugi account….can I please buy my Russian sim card now?

Nope, sorry, one more step. Now, if you have already opened a bank account with one of Russia’s myriad of banks, you may have already completed this step. If you have not, choose a bank. Sberbank and Alfa Bank are the two most customer-friendly megabanks, especially if you are a foreigner from Asia. But we should advise American visitors to Russia that Sberbank and Alfa Bank are both under U.S. sanctions.

There you'll open an account, get a card and most importantly log your biometrics into a unified system: face scan, fingerprint scan and voice recording. Allow for 1-2 hours to have your biometric data to be loaded.

7. Now can I do it?

Yes, now. Now you can go to your wireless operator of choice, buy the sim card and register it. The operator will input your passport information into your account and should add the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) address of the smart phone to the sim card. Make sure that they do this.

And voilà…you are now the proud owner of a Russian sim card and phone service. Believe me, you will most definitely appreciate your sim card and connection after all these tedious steps. You'll cherish it and be proud of it. You are a survivor!