Anatoly Kucherena, a lawyer who has been representing Mr. Snowden in Moscow, said the U.S. fugitive received so-called “temporary asylum” for a period of one year that allows him to remain and live on Russian territory. Temporary asylum is usually issued in Russia for renewable one-year periods.

The 30-year-old former national security contractor, who is wanted by U.S. authorities for leaking documents related to the NSA’s foreign and domestic surveillance operations, left Sheremetyevo Airport after spending more than a month stuck in the transit zone, Mr. Kucherena said in a brief interview with The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.