Russia's New Regulations Have Caused A Wave Of Chinese Citizens Returning Home, Making Air Tickets Difficult To Buy And Prices Rising

Recently, Chinese citizens in Russia have clearly felt a "tide of returning home." Since late February, the price of air tickets from Moscow to major domestic cities such as Beijing and Shanghai has increased rapidly. Economy class has been frequently sold out during popular periods, and many flights have only high-priced business class or connecting tickets that require multiple transfers. Some international students and Chinese people who have been working and living in Russia for a long time said that ticket prices, which were relatively stable in previous years, have now almost doubled, and tickets need to be purchased more than half a month in advance.

This change is closely related to a new regulation in Russia targeting foreigners’ long-term residence. On November 5, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed Presidential Decree No. 821 "Provisional Regulations on the Acceptance of Applications for Citizenship of the Russian Federation and the Issuance of Long-term Residence Permits in the Russian Federation."

According to the regulations, when eligible foreign men apply for a long-term residence permit in Russia, they need to choose between "signing a military service contract for at least one year" or "providing a certificate of exemption from service." Although the decree came into effect last year, after February 2026, the implementation has become significantly stricter in some areas. Applicants in the Far East have been asked to sign a service contract on the spot, and the impact of the policy has quickly emerged.

At the same time, on February 22, 2026, the Chinese Consulate General in Vladivostok issued a reminder and officially posted it on the official website on February 24, reminding Chinese citizens in the consular district to pay attention to relevant policy changes and make prudent decisions based on their own circumstances. The official reminder further amplified public attention and prompted some people who originally planned to stay for a long time to reassess their future arrangements and speed up their return trip.

It should be noted that this new regulation is not “one size fits all”. Those who have obtained a long-term residence permit or permanent residence status in Russia are not affected; Chinese citizens holding student visas, tourist visas or short-term business visas are also not within the scope of application. Those who are really affected are foreign male groups aged 18 to 65 who are applying for long-term residence permits. Public information shows that there are currently about 220,000 to 270,000 Chinese citizens in Russia, including about 110,000 to 135,000 men. However, those who actually need to choose between military service and residence are only some people who are applying for permanent residence.

In the departure hall of Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport, the number of Chinese faces dragging suitcases increased significantly. Some people originally planned to settle down for a long time, but now they have changed their plans temporarily; some people stayed up late refreshing the ticket purchase page, just to get back home as soon as possible. "It doesn't matter if you spend more money, as long as you get home safely." This sentence expresses the true feelings of many people.