MOSCOW, July 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden has filed an official request for temporary asylum in Russia, lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said Tuesday.
"Because Snowden cannot leave the transit area of the Sheremetyevo (Airport), he completed all necessary forms, wrote a request and gave it to a Russian Federal Migration Service employee invited there for that purpose," the Interfax news agency quoted Kucherena as saying.
According to the lawyer, Snowden filled in the application in his presence at 11 a.m. Moscow time (0700 GMT).
The former spy agency contractor had no plans to go for Latin America after receiving temporary asylum in Russia, the lawyer noted. "Obviously, he hasn't made up his mind yet," he added.
The lawyer said earlier in the day he had explained to Snowden the Russian law on refugees, the president's decree on political asylum and the government's resolution on temporary asylum, hinting the whistleblower will make his decision soon.
Kucherena and a number of other lawyers as well as rights campaigners met with Snowden in the transit zone of Sheremetyevo Airport on Friday.
The Russian Federal Migration Service (FMS) confirmed it has received an application for asylum from Snowden.
"We confirm the papers have arrived," Interfax news agency quoted FMS spokeswoman Zalina Kornilova as saying.
According to the FMS head Konstantin Romodanovsky, the application would be considered in three-month time.
Usually, the applicants for asylum in Russia may expect the decision within three to six months.
According to Kucherena, who has been soliciting Snowden's request, the ex-National Security Agency employee has fears that he could face torture and persecution in the United States.
"He wrote that he has fears for his life and security, and that he could be subjected to torture or face the death penalty," Kucherena told Rossiya 24 TV channel.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that President Vladimir Putin knows about Snowden's application, but the matter is being handled by the FMS, not even at the director's level.
Putin has no time to follow what Snowden has been doing, Peskov said, adding the president "is hoping for positive development of relations with the U.S.."
Putin said Monday that Snowden arrived in Russia territory without invitation as a transit passenger to other countries, and he will "leave Russia when opportunity emerges."
The president noted that Snowden was blocked from further travels after Washington revoked the 29-year-old whistleblower's passport.
"They (the U.S. authorities) scared off all other countries, so no one wants to accept him (Snowden). So, in effect, they've blocked him on our territory themselves," Putin said.
According to head of the FMS Public Council Vladimir Volokh, Snowden could be transferred from the Sheremetyevo transit zone to the FMS temporary shelter for refugees while waiting for the authorities' decision.
"He will be obliged to register at the temporary address and obey the rules (for temporary residents)," the Interfax news agency quoted Volokh as saying.
Volokh noted that no restrictions on Snowden's movements within Russia would be imposed.
Normally, the process of granting refugee status takes from three to six months in Russia. The law does not set definite timing for the procedure but reads that the status is granted for one year with possible annual extension.
The refugee automatically obtains a right to seek employment in Russia.
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