Russia travel advisory today

This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK who choose to travel against Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advice. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Russia’s current rules for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in Russia set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Russian Embassy or a consulate in the UK.

Biometrics

Foreigners entering Russia will be required to register, on arrival, their biometric details such as fingerprints and photographs.

Passport validity requirements

To enter Russia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date your visa expires.

You cannot enter Russia using a visa in an expired passport, even if you’re also carrying a new, valid passport. You will need to apply for a new visa or visa transfer.

Sign your passport before you travel if it was issued after January 2017. Some British nationals have been denied entry for not signing their passports.

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.

Traveling with children

Children under 18 years old must carry a notarised travel permission from one of their parents or legal guardians if they’re travelling out of Russia without their parent or legal guardian.

Dual nationals

When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.

British-Russian dual nationals

If you have dual British-Russian nationality and travel to Russia to renew your Russian passport, it may take up to 4 months to get your new passport. You will not be able to leave Russia on your British passport if you entered Russia on your Russian passport. You will have to stay in Russia until your new Russian passport is issued.

Children born outside of Russia and added to their parents’ Russian passports may need their own passport to leave Russia. Check with the Russian Embassy in the UK before you travel.

See Warnings and insurance page for information about severely limited UK government support and compulsory military service for British-Russian dual nationals.

Visa requirements

You must get a visa before you travel.

Applying for a visa

See the Russia Visa Centre for further information on how to apply for a visa, including processing time and fast track services.

If you live in the UK and are aged 12 or over, you must go to a visa application centre in London, Manchester or Edinburgh to submit biometric data (fingerprints).

If you’re a British national with a Russian national in your immediate family, you can apply for a multi-entry private visa for up to one year. Check what you need for your stay with the Russian Embassy in the UK.

The Russian authorities strictly enforce visa and immigration laws. Before you travel, check:

• your visa details are correct
• the terms and conditions of your visa

Overstaying your visa

If you overstay your visa, you may face fines, court hearings, deportation or a ban from re-entry.

Foreign nationals who have exceeded the terms of their legal stay in Russia and don’t have the necessary permits or visa will be entered on an official surveillance register, deported from Russia, and banned from re-entering.

Leaving Russia

You may not be able to exit Russia if you have any unpaid debts, fines or penalties in Russia. Check if you have any outstanding payments using the Russia State Bailiff’s Services portal (in Russian) or Russian State Services portal (in Russian). You may not be able to access these portals from outside of Russia.

Immigration cards

You must sign an immigration card at passport control every time you enter Russia.

Immigration officials keep one half. They return the other half to you. You must keep it and show it at passport control when you leave Russia, or your departure could be delayed.

You will need to show your immigration card when you exchange money or check into your accommodation.

Questioning on arrival in Russia

There have been intensive security checks on foreign nationals at the Russian border. Some British and dual British-Russian nationals have been:

• stopped and questioned about political views or contacts with Ukraine or Ukrainians

• had fingerprints and DNA swabs taken

• asked to provide data from phones and other electronic devices

• held for many hours for identity and electronic device checks, sometimes without access to refreshments

Under Russian law, you do not need to release your electronic device for checks unless you are presented with a search warrant. However, if you refuse to release your device, you may face substantial delays entering Russia due to continued questioning and pressure to cooperate, including threats of legal action.

You should:

• tell family, friends or colleagues about your travel plans and explain that the arrival process might take longer than usual

• stay calm and avoid confrontation if you are stopped

• be prepared for a long delay, and potentially to be refused entry to Russia

The UK government cannot interfere in Russian immigration decisions and cannot help you during questioning.

Registering with the authorities

You must register with the local authorities if you’re staying anywhere for more than 7 working days. Your hotel will do this automatically. If you’re staying with someone, check that they’re doing this.

You must show evidence of your registration at passport control when you leave Russia. Police also carry out routine checks. If you cannot show your registration and passport, you may be detained for up to 48 hours for identity checks or get a fine.

Travelling between Russia and Belarus

As of 11 January 2025, foreign citizens with a Belarusian or Russian visa may enter, leave, stay or transit through either Belarus or Russia during the period of validity of the visa. This is limited to certain international border crossing points. For more information, see the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

By air

You will need to go through immigration control if you fly to Russia from Belarus or from Belarus to Russia.

By road

You can only cross the land border between Russia and Belarus by road through a limited number of authorised crossing points. Crossing at any other place is prohibited. Authorised crossing points are:

• Yukhnovichi-Doloscy (A-117)
• Ezerische – Nevel’ (M-20)
• Liozno-Kruglovka (A-141)
• Red’ki-Krasnaya Gorka (M-1)
• Zvenchatka- Dubovichka (A-101)
• Selische-Novozybkov (M-13)

By rail

Contact your train or tour operator before booking your travel to make sure you enter Russia through an immigration checkpoint. Contact the nearest Russian embassy or consulate for advice on rail travel.

Vaccine requirements

For details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Russia guide.

Customs rules

There are strict rules on what you can take into and out of Russia.

If you fail to comply with Russian customs regulations, you may face fines, confiscation of goods or prosecution. Check the Federal Customs Service of Russia guidance for details (the site may not be accessible from outside Russia).

Goods requiring a customs declaration

You must complete a customs declaration form if you import goods worth more than 10,000 US dollars (or the same amount in other currencies).

You must also complete a customs declaration when bringing any of the following into Russia, regardless of their value:

• items of cultural and historical significance
• rare plants or animals
• vehicles
• Russian state awards
• weapons or their components
• medicines containing potent, toxic, or psychoactive substances

Russian law requires accompanying documentation for many of these items.

Possessing even small quantities of any illegal drugs, including cannabis, carries severe penalties. See ‘Illegal drugs’ for more information.

Cannabidiol (CBD)

Cannabidiol (CBD) is illegal in Russia, even in products purchased legally elsewhere. This includes oils, edibles and vapes. If you’re found with CBD products you may be sentenced to several years’ imprisonment.

Cash and financial instruments

You may bring cash in any currency and travellers’ cheques into or out of Russia without declaring them if their combined value does not exceed the equivalent of 10,000 US dollars.

You cannot leave Russia with cash in any currency or travellers’ cheques if their combined value is more than the equivalent of 10,000 US dollars, even if you complete a customs declaration.

Electronic items

You must obtain a licence before travelling if you plan to take certain electronic equipment with you to Russia, including GPS devices. The number of electronic items you can bring for personal use is limited.

Check the requirements for entering and exiting Russia with electronic items on the Federal Customs Service website (the site may not be accessible from outside Russia).

Antiques and art

Russia has strict regulations on the import and export of antiques, artwork, and items of historical significance.

You must get an export permit from the Ministry of Culture (the site may not be accessible from outside Russia) and declare each item when you leave. It is illegal to import or export items without a permit.

Customs declaration forms

Make sure a customs official stamps your customs declaration form when you enter. If you do not get a stamp, the authorities may confiscate your money or goods when you leave, and you may be fined.

Keep receipts of any purchases in case you need to show them when you leave Russia.

Money and banking

The Russian economy is unstable. This could make access to goods and services difficult.

Mastercard and Visa are not operating in Russia. Mastercard and Visa cards issued outside Russia will not work at Russian shops or ATMs. Cards issued inside Russia will work in, but not outside, Russia. You may not be able to access your money through Russian banks or make payments to Russian businesses with non-Russian credit or debit cards.

For all other credit or debit cards, let your provider know you’re travelling to Russia to avoid your card being blocked for anti-fraud reasons.

There are few remaining methods of transferring money to Russia. UK Banks may refuse to transfer funds to even non-sanctioned banks. There have also been several cases of UK bank accounts of non-UK residents being closed at short notice. Make sure that you have enough money to cover your stay and have plans on how to access funds if your current methods become unavailable.

Buying Russian roubles

It is illegal to pay directly for general transactions in Russia using foreign currency. It is difficult to get Russian roubles in high street banks in the UK. If you want to buy roubles in Russia, you must take US dollars or euros to exchange.

Only change money at banks, hotels and exchange bureaus. It is illegal to change money from street traders.

The UK government has sanctioned several major Russian banks. This means British nationals are banned from making funds available to these banks. See more information about Russian sanctions and what this means for British nationals.

Some countries have imposed measures in response to the Ebola disease outbreak. These can include restrictions on entry and health screening measures for travellers having recently visited an affected country. If you are suspected of having symptoms, you may be subject to isolation, quarantine and/or travel restrictions. Contact the authorities of the country you are travelling to for more details.

The authorities of a country or territory decide who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from local authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the Foreign Representatives in Canada.

Land border crossings

Finnish authorities have closed border crossings along the land border with Russia. Since April 15, 2024, land and maritime border crossings are closed to vehicles and personal watercraft. Vehicles registered in Russia can no longer enter Finland, even if entering from a third country.

Polish authorities have closed certain border crossings with Russia (Kaliningrad). If you intend to travel from Russia to Poland, you must apply for a humanitarian permit. If you plan to cross from Poland to Russia, only the following border crossings remain open for cars and buses:

• Grzechotki/Mamonovo
• Bezledy/Bagrationovsk

Starting February 24, 2026, Estonian authorities will close the Luhamaa-Shumilkino and Koidula-Kunichina border crossings to all overnight traffic. The Narva-Ivangorod border crossing will remain open at all times.

Only local residents are allowed to travel by land from Russia to Belarus. This restriction applies to cars, tour buses and trains. If you intend to travel between Belarus and Russia, you must have visas for both countries and travel by air.

Useful links

• Contact information and hours of operation – Finnish Border Guard
• Entry to Poland through external borders – Polish Border Guard
• Border crossing information – State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus
• Border crossing information – Estonian Police and Border Guard Board

Passport

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you're travelling with.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country's entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Russia.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, verify this information with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

You should also be aware that current systems used by some countries and travel companies may not recognize the “X” gender identifier. You may still be asked to provide your sex/gender information as either male or female when travelling.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, verify this information with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics
• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports and other travel documents

Visas

Tourist visa: required for stays in commercial accommodations (exceptions apply)
Guest visa: required for stays in private accommodations
Business visa: required
Student visa: required
Transit visa: required (exceptions apply)
Exit visa: required

You must submit your visa request online to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Canada.

You must leave Russia once your visa expires. You can extend your visa by applying to the territorial units of the migration service before your active visa expires

Tourist visa

You need a tourist visa if you are staying at a hotel or other rented accommodations. Ensure that the hotel registers your visa when you check in.

You should book your travel through a travel agency, which will submit a tourist visa application on your behalf. Certain Canadian travel agencies work with Russian travel agencies or companies that act as sponsors for tourist visas.

In cases of expired tourist visas or lost or stolen Canadian passports, only the visa-sponsoring travel agency is authorized to apply for a new tourist visa on your behalf. Extensions are not issued. Holders of expired visas face heavy fines or detention upon departure.

Private visas

You need a private visa if you intend to stay in private accommodations.

Business visa

To get a business visa, you need to be sponsored by a Russian individual or organization (your host).

Exit visa

You must have a valid visa to be allowed to leave Russia. To avoid problems, including deportation, make sure your visa is valid beyond your intended departure date. For more information, confirm with the Embassy of Russia in Canada.

Visa exceptions

Contact your cruise company to find out if you need to apply for a Russian visa before your cruise starts.

Some Russian international airports have transit areas that allow for visa-free travel through Russia. If you plan to transit through Russia, check with your transportation carrier to see if transit visa exceptions apply to you.

Useful links

• Embassy of the Russian Federation
• Foreign diplomatic missions and consulates in Canada

Migration card

You should receive a migration card upon your arrival in Russia. These cards are usually distributed on flights and trains entering Russia or at points of entry, but sometimes they are not available, even at major international airports. Even if that’s the case, you are responsible to find a migration card and fill out a migration card. You must keep and carry the stamped part of the migration card throughout your stay. The card is required for hotel registration.

If the police request to see your migration card, you must comply. You must present it, your passport and your registered visa. You must also present the card to border officials upon departure.

If you hold a multiple-entry visa, you must fill out a new migration card every time you enter Russia.

Failure to present this card upon departure may result in fines, serious delays or imprisonment.

Registration

All foreign visitors staying for more than 7 days in Russia must register their arrival within 72 hours of entering the country (excluding weekends and national holidays). If you are staying at a hotel for your entire trip, the hotel will take care of registering your stay with the authorities. You should confirm with hotel staff that they registered your stay as soon as you arrive.

Visitors staying in private accommodations must register with the territorial office of the Federal Migration Service. Any Russian citizen with a resident registration (“propiska”) can register a foreigner staying at their home at a local police station or any post office. A small registration fee may apply. The visitor’s Russian host must be present during the process.

Violation of the rules of migration registration may result in a fine. In some cases, visitors may face expulsion from Russia and a ban from re-entering of up to 5 years.

Customs declaration form

Upon arrival in Russia, you must fill out a customs declaration form, then go through the red customs line and have the form stamped by a customs official. Without the stamp, any undeclared currency and valuables, including items that could be considered antique, may be confiscated upon departure.

You must declare amounts of currency exceeding US$10,000 at border crossings. You may also be required to provide information on the origin of the money and its intended use. Any amount not declared on the form will be confiscated if you have not obtained an official bank receipt authorizing the clearance of these sums. You must keep your declaration form until you leave the country.

You must fill out a second customs declaration form when you leave the country and present the two forms to a customs official. You must declare any amount greater than RUB 3,000. If you fail to declare in writing the amount of currency in your possession, the undeclared currency and valuables may be confiscated and you may be detained and charged with criminal offence, which may result in imprisonment.

Special permits and restricted areas

Travel to and residency in several Russian cities and regions is restricted. You must obtain permission from local authorities prior to entering a restricted city or region. Failure to do so may result in arrest, fines and/or deportation. Attach an itinerary to your visa application to avoid delays. Some areas must be specifically indicated in the visa, and you may have to pay an extra fee to include them.

Passport requirements for individuals holding both Canadian and Russian citizenships

If you have dual citizenship, you must enter and leave Russia on a Russian passport.

If your Russian passport expires before you travel to Russia, Russian authorities in Canada can extend it for entry into Russia only. If the passport expires during your stay in Russia, you must obtain a new one before you leave. Renewing a Russian passport may take several months.

If you enter Russia with a repatriation certificate issued by Russian authorities abroad, you may not be allowed to leave on a Canadian passport. This certificate is only valid for one-way travel into Russia.

Entry ban on vehicles with Russian license plates

In September 2023, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Finland announced a ban on vehicles with Russian license plates entering their respective territories. The ban is enforced at the border as a result of existing European Union sanctions on the Russian Federation. Lithuania allows an exception for travellers able to prove transiting Lithuania to and from the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

Other countries from the EU or the Schengen area have introduced similar bans. You should confirm with local authorities before travelling to the EU or Schengen area.

Health entry requirements

If you are planning to remain in Russia for more than 3 months, you must provide a medical certificate of a negative test for HIV infection. The certificate must be valid for 3 months from the date of testing and include:

• passport details (full name, date of birth, passport number and country of residence)
• HIV test information (date of test, test results and signatures of the doctor who performed the test and the person examined)
• the length of your intended stay in Russia

Other tests (such as for tuberculosis and leprosy) may be required for individuals staying in Russia for more than 3 months.

Children and travel

Learn about travelling with children.

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).