Immigration & Passport Control

  We insistently advise that you familiarize yourselves with the applicable RF Immigration Statute and regulations before your trip. This will prove a major hassle saver for you upon clearing the Immigration & Passport Control at the Airport.  

• Federal Law on the State Boarder, Cap. 11
   
• Federal Law On Leaving and Entering the Russian Federation
  
  
• Documents Required Upon the RF State Border Crossing by Minors
  
  
• Federal Law on The Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation

For more information please contact the Vnukovo International Immigration Service at  : 

+ 7 (495) 436-78-73

The entry and exit rules depend to a great extent on the applicable agreements between states and are subject to change on a regular basis. The most complete and accurate current information can be received at any of the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs , Consulates or the RF Embassy in your country.    

The carriers (airlines) are responsible for ensuring that the citizens outbound to destinations abroad have all the required visas and permissions to enter their country of destination. Subject to a check by the Immigration Control upon any person’s departure from the Russian Federation is only the right of that person to reside in the RF permanently or stay here temporarily and expressly not the right of or permission given to that person to enter a foreign state.

  An RF citizen cannot be denied the right of entry into the Russian Federation.  In the event of ID loss while abroad an RF citizen must contact the nearest RF Embassy or Consulate General. 

  Failure to comply with the rules of entry into or transit via the RF can result in a penalty payable by the offending airline at the rate of RUR 30,000.00 per passenger. The passenger shall also face personal liability at the rate of RUR 1,000.00 with his/her ensuing indefinite detention at the point of entry or their deportation from the RF on the same airline’s next returning flight.  

PASSPORT INFORMATIONThe following documents are deemed acceptable as constituting an RF citizen’s proof of identity: 

  a passport 
  a diplomatic passport
  a service passport
  a seaman’s passport (seaman's ID). 

All foreign citizens entering and leaving the RF shall be asked to produce valid documents (as per validity period stated therein and issued by respective authorities) as proof of their identity and recognized as such in the Russian Federation as well as a valid RF entry visa.   

  All foreign citizens entering the Russian Federation are required to have valid RF entry visas.

  Only the CIS citizens with the exception of those of Georgia and Turkmenistan are allowed to enter the Russian Federation without the otherwise mandatory entry visas.   

RF entry visas can be obtained at an RF Consulate or Embassy in the applicant’s country of permanent residence. For a visa to be issued a formal Letter of Invitation from the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs or an authorized Russian travel agency or a business company is required.       

Minor RF citizens normally leave the RF accompanied by at least one of their parents, adoptive parents, guardians or custodians. In the event of a minor citizen’s leaving the RF unaccompanied, he or she is required to have on hand and in addition to his/her passport a notarized consent by any of the above persons (as the case may be) to such a leave of absence specifying its length and listing the country (countries) to be visited by the minor in question.     

VISA INFORMATION

  All the persons entering the Russian Federation under any circumstances are required to have RF entry visas except when the above persons happen to be:

   RF citizens

   CIS citizens, barring Georgia and Turkmenistan     

 ALL RF ENTRY-VISA ISSUANCE PRIOR TO ARRIVAL IN THE RF is via the RF consulates and embassies abroad     

Applicants shall be expected to submit a letter of invitation from friends, relatives or a business letter of invitation. The documents are to be duly registered by respective organizations and/or agencies. For more information please contact the nearest RF embassy or consulate.    

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  All visas except for multiple-entry ones are valid for one trip only. They must be used in strict compliance with the terms and conditions set forth therein. Expired visas and passports or those bearing marks and notations by any unauthorized agencies shall be considered invalid.

  Passengers holding tourist visas must also have confirmed hotel reservations on hand.

  All the foreign citizens remaining in the RF for a period exceeding three days shall have to register by submitting their migration cards at an appropriate Interior Ministry agency or at the hotel of their stay.         

  We insistently advise that all foreign citizens arriving in the Russian Federation hold a valid medical or tourist insurance policy covering any possible medical emergencies and services throughout their stay in the RF.

  We strongly caution against enlisting the services of suspicious registration companies that have no formal operating license.