| Submit your comments on this article | |
| -Short Attention Span Theater- | |
| They quit the West for Russia's traditional values, but it wasn't what they expected | |
| 2026-06-28 | |
The father of three threw himself into his new life: sampling dumplings, milking goats on a farm and filming videos about life in Russia for his online followers. Leo is a devout Christian who had become increasingly disillusioned with everything from political division in the US, to genetically modified food and what he sees as the rise of the LGBTQ movement. At the time, he believed Russia offered an attractive alternative: a society built on Christian faith and family values – a view heavily promoted by the Russian state. But over time he has also become increasingly concerned about elements such as restrictions on access to information. He is part of an unlikely migration. As Russia faces international isolation, a few thousand people from countries including Canada, Britain, the United States and parts of Europe are choosing to move there. Their view of Russia differs sharply from the one many in the West might be familiar with: a country that invaded Ukraine and occupies large parts of it, jails political opponents, places heavy restrictions on civil liberties and faces a raft of international sanctions. Many of the would-be migrants are attracted by Russia's Shared Values visa, sometimes called the "anti-woke" visa, which was introduced a month after Leo was granted asylum. Introduced by President Vladimir Putin in 2024, the visa offers temporary residency for up to three years to citizens of 47 countries Russia considers "unfriendly". There is no limit to the number of people who can apply and applicants do not need to pass the usual Russian language, history or law tests. Instead, they must declare that they share Russia's traditional spiritual and moral values and reject what the Russian government describes as the "destructive neoliberal ideology" of their home countries. After three years, those on the Shared Values visa must either convert it into a Permanent Residence Permit (PRP) or leave the country. The PRP requires people to sit a language and history exam and more thorough documentation. Unlike some immigration programmes, the Shared Values visa does not come with housing or financial assistance from the Russian government. Applicants must pay an administrative fee of 1,600 roubles (£17 or $22) and pass medical and criminal records checks. Russia says nearly 3,400 people have applied under the scheme as of spring 2026. However, these figures are difficult to verify independently, and do not reveal how many applications were approved. The visa reflects a broader effort by the Kremlin to present Russia as a defender of traditional values in opposition to what it sees as the moral decline of the West. In a 2022 decree, Putin warned that Western ideological influence threatened Russian values including marriage and the traditional family and called for Russia to promote a more positive image of itself abroad. Two years later, the Shared Values visa offered a practical expression of that vision. An online ecosystem of relocation agencies and influencers promote Russia as a place where family values remain strong and everyday life feels safer. Ilja Belobragin, general managing partner at Move To Russia, a company which helps foreigners relocate to Russia, says something he frequently hears from his clients is that they "don't recognise the community around me anymore". Some prospective migrants complain about high immigration in their own countries or what they see as declining living standards, he says. Russia's war in Ukraine, which has dominated international perceptions of the country since 2022, does not appear to be a decisive factor for many of those making the move. Philip Hutchinson, a Moscow-based former Conservative Party candidate from the UK who now helps other Westerners relocate to Russia, says he avoids discussing the war. "What are my thoughts on it? Look, I don't really get involved in that," he says. "I'm not here as a politician. I'm here to live a nice quiet life with my family." When asked whether helping Westerners relocate to Russia under the Shared Values visa is itself a political act, Philip disagrees. "We guide a lot of people towards the Shared Values visa because it's the easiest way to become a full resident here right now. It's not political helping people move to Russia." Following their move to Russia, Leo's family became one of the most visible examples of Western migration. | |
| Posted by:Skidmark |