Airport Arrival & First Week Guide

What to Expect When You Land

Arriving in a new country for the first time — often on your first international flight, sometimes alone — is the most nerve-wracking part of the whole MBBS-abroad journey. The good news: it's also the most predictable. Every year tens of thousands of Indian students land, register and settle in within a week, and your university has done this hundreds of times before. The key is to know the sequence before you board.

Use the selector above for country-specific airport names, pickup costs, transport options and emergency numbers. The sections below apply wherever you're headed — your first 72 hours, the documents to keep within reach, and the questions students ask most.

1. 1
   Complete university registration and enrollment
2. 2
   Submit original academic documents for verification
3. 3
   Apply for the mandatory migration registration (registration slip)
4. 4
   Open a local Russian bank account
5. 5
   Purchase a local SIM card (MTS, MegaFon, or Beeline)
6. 6
   Complete the medical check-up and health screening
7. 7
   Exchange currency at an official bank for Rubles
8. 8
   Purchase winter clothing and thermal wear from local markets
9. 9
   Register with the Indian Embassy/Consulate
10. 10
    Obtain a student ID card and hostel allotment

• Download Yandex Go and Yandex Maps before landing for navigation and transport
• Carry a physical copy of your passport and visa at all times
• Learn basic Russian phrases (Hello, Thank you, Where is...) as English proficiency varies
• Carry a universal power adapter and a high-capacity power bank
• Keep a small amount of USD or Euros as a backup for currency exchange

• Passport with valid student visa
• Original university admission / invitation letter
• NEET scorecard
• 10th & 12th mark sheets and certificates
• Passport-size photographs (10–15)
• Medical / HIV test reports (if required)
• Printed copies of all of the above
• Some local currency or USD to exchange

If your checked baggage is delayed or lost, these are the items you need to register and prove your status — so they travel with you in the cabin, every time.