Lawyers of the RRC Help Service provide initial counseling to people who face legal challenges. Legal support is available to all Russian citizens and foreign subjects, including refugees and internally displaced people, in difficult life circumstances.
The experts’ primary objective is to explain the laws and regulations that apply in the areas of public health, social security and migration law.
“People are often at a loss, not knowing where to start – which documents they need, how to fill in a request, where to go, or which cash benefits they are entitled to. Russian Red Cross lawyers address each request on a case-by-case basis, to give beneficiaries not merely recommendations but a specific action plan. This is especially vital for those who face bureaucratic or migration procedures for the first time,” said Pavel Savchuk, President of the Russian Red Cross and member of the RF Civic Chamber.
Lawyers of the RRC Help Service give advice on the procedure to apply for public pension, benefits and other entitlements, register a disability, obtain an obligatory health insurance policy, and request medicines provided on a preferential basis and rehabilitation equipment for individuals with health limitations. In addition, they work with applicants in matters of social security, such as access to social housing, compensation for lost housing, staying at temporary accommodation points, formalizing state benefits and accessing educational services. Counseling also concerns migration law, which is of special relevance to refugees. Applicants can learn about procedures regulating foreigners’ stay in Russia and preparation of documents for temporary registration, and get briefed on legal status of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation.
In the course of initial counseling experts can also help with other legal matters, however they do not draft claims or complaints, neither do they represent applicants before the court, government institutions and other establishments. In some special cases which require the provision of legal services the applicant will be referred to partner organizations.
To request legal counseling one has to send an email to help@redcross.ru, briefly describe the issue at hand and leave a contact phone number. RRC specialists will get in touch with the applicant and conduct substantial consultation. Sometimes the applicant will be asked to attach scanned copies of relevant documents, however in most cases a detailed description of the situation will be sufficient. Time frames for request processing may vary depending on the nature and complexity of the case: some issues require in-depth examination and will take more time, but most of requests are processed in a matter of days.
All the RRC lawyers regularly take enhanced training courses, including refresher programs and webinars. This guarantees to-the-point and professional legal support. Russian Red Cross staff are always eager to assist anyone who faces a challenging life situation. Any citizen can count on professional legal advice and competent clarifications that will enable them to navigate with confidence through a complex legal landscape.
