Does studying abroad give you a respite from service?

Does university study abroad provide a respite from the army? The answer to this question is quite simple: studying abroad does not provide a respite from service, but at the same time, there is still a completely legal way to avoid being drafted into the Russian armed forces.

But first things first. First of all, you need to understand that a deferment from conscription is provided only if a potential soldier is studying at a Russian university. This information is generally known, and this is what the military registration and enlistment office will probably tell you if you decide to clarify your rights there. At first glance, this may mean that studying abroad is evasion of military service, and at the moment when you decide to visit relatives at home, representatives of the military registration and enlistment office may meet you at the airport with a summons (such frightening stories are really found on the Internet, beatingmany people even want to try to enter foreign universities). In fact, the situation is not so terrible: you have a completely legal way not to serve in the army while you are studying abroad.Here are just about how to do this, in the military registration and enlistment office, you most likely will not be told.

Russian citizens temporarily residing abroad have the right to deregister at their place of residence. To do this, you need to contact the FMS authorities (you can also use the state services website to simplify the procedure). This procedure shouldn't be too complicated. After that, you need to deregister at the military registration and enlistment office: here employees can inquire about the reasons for such a decision and ask for supporting documents.You need to prepare a certificate of admission to the university, translate it and notarize it. After that, your registration certificate will be taken from you and a deregistration document will be given.

Until you re-register at your place of residence, the military enlistment office will not send you summons. This means that when deregistered, you can safely come home for the holidays. If after graduation you decide to return to Russia, you will need to re-register at the place of residence and register with the military registration and enlistment office.