Visa-free regime implies obtaining a visa at the border or at land checkpoints (checkpoints, airports, etc.). There is automatically no need to contact the embassy, provide a lot of documents and wait for the long-awaited exit permit. .
However, many European countries are not part of the EU. Many of them have a visa-free regime with the Russian Federation. In these countries, Russians will not have to register an entry permit in advance in 2020. Know more about Mojkovac.
List of countries without visas to enter Europe:
- Abkhazia (90 days);
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (30);
- Macedonia (30);
- Moldova (90);
- Transnistria (180);
- Republic of Belarus (90);
- Serbia (30);
- Turkey (60);
- Ukraine (90);
- Montenegro (30).
All these countries are not part of the European Union. Although Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Macedonia and Serbia are considered potential candidates for membership. Today, active negotiations on their accession to the EU are underway. But until those countries become members of the European Union, Russians are free to enter those republics.
Visa-free countries for Russians on the world map
Visa for entry into the territory of Ukraine
The rules for crossing the border have been simplified for Russians. They put the stamp of the crossing in the foreign passport at the customs crossings. A prerequisite for crossing the border is filling out a migration card.
Previously, Russians had the right to enter Ukraine only with internal passports. But since 2015, the situation has changed due to military operations on the territory of Ukraine. From 2015, Russians can cross the Ukrainian border only if they have a foreign passport.
Conditions for entry into Ukraine for Russians in 2014 became stricter against the background of the armed conflict in Donbas and the annexation of Crimea. Now entry is not possible from the Crimea, as well as from the Lugansk and Donetsk republics. Those Russians who violate this rule are subsequently not allowed to enter Ukraine.
Entry into Moldova
The Russian Federation and Moldova have signed an agreement on a visa-free regime. Therefore, the citizens of the Russian Federation in 2020 should not issue a preliminary entry permit. Crossing the border is done only with a foreign passport. The allowed period of stay on the territory of Moldova without a permit for Russians is 3 months.
If the border crossing is carried out with a minor child, the parents must submit to the border services not only the child’s foreign passport, but also the original of his / her birth certificate.
Checkpoint Berestovitsa, Belarus
When crossing the border by land, ie by personal vehicle, the owner of the car is obliged to submit to the customs officers a driver’s license, registration certificate, personal documents and compulsory car insurance.
Citizens of the Russian Federation can stay in the country without a visa for no more than 90 days. But if a citizen of the Russian Federation intends to stay in Belarus for more than a month, he is obliged to register at the place of residence. Otherwise, the Russian will be fined when he leaves the country.
Entry into Abkhazia
To travel to Abkhazia in 2020, Russians will need a foreign or general passport. A prerequisite for this is life insurance for a Russian in the amount of more than 30 thousand rubles. The insurance covers the accommodation of tourists in the territory of Abkhazia in the amount of 1000 rubles per day.
That is, the amount of insurance should be equal to the estimated period of stay in Abkhazia. Children under the age of 6 are exempt from insurance. Persons working in the territory of Abkhazia for more than 6 months are also exempt from insurance.
Persons who have subsequently visited Abkhazia cannot obtain a visa to travel to Georgia.
Entry into Serbia
Entry into the country is done on a foreign passport. The main thing is that the period of validity should be at least a month after the end of the intended trip. You will need to provide $ 50 per day per person when crossing the border. Also, to enter Serbia, you will need to take out insurance with coverage of at least 20 thousand euros.
Since September 2015, the rules for obtaining a Schengen visa for Russians have changed. In order to buy it, all citizens over the age of 12 must go through the procedure of taking a fingerprint. Unfortunately, not all Russian regions have visa centers that issue such biometric documents. To do so, many will have to travel to neighboring regions, which, of course, can be financially difficult and inconvenient.
But it happens that a person has the opportunity and desire to go abroad quite unexpectedly. It may or may not be time to apply for a visa. In that case, he can always go to those places where no permits will be required. There are enough such countries. There are about a hundred of them and they are on all sides of the globe.
The most popular destinations without a visa
Traditionally, the countries of the former Soviet Union remain centers of attraction for Russians. They are nearby, many relatives or friends live there.
It is not yet possible to give an exact list of countries to which it will be possible to travel without a visa, as laws are constantly changing everywhere, as is the political situation in the world. But I must say that this list can be divided into two parts. One includes countries to which you can travel with an internal passport, the other part – countries that need a foreign passport to visit.
With internal passport
Every citizen of Russia with a passport can freely enter the territory of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan , as well as two republics not recognized by the world community – Abkhazia and South Ossetia . By the way, the last two have been really in demand among Russian tourists lately. There is much to see in the republics, the locals are always kind and happy when they come to visit.
Other countries of the former USSR (except the Baltic countries and Turkmenistan, which require a visa) are ready to accept Russians with a valid foreign passport, which will remain valid for at least 90 days. This applies to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Uzbekistan and Ukraine, where the conditions for entry of Russian citizens have also recently become stricter and a foreign passport is required.
All visa-free countries for Russians can also be divided into separate categories. There are countries and dependent areas where our compatriots can rest freely for three months, in others the agreed periods of stay of tourists are more modest.
Up to 15 days
If this is an ordinary tourist trip, then 14 or 15 days are quite enough to get acquainted with the main sights and culture of the chosen country. Today (and, temporarily, for 2016), the following countries and state entities provide such conditions:
Many people would dream of spending a whole month traveling through a distant land. True, it is unlikely that towards the end of that period there would be those among them who would not begin to long for their homeland.
In special cases, tourists plan to spend more time traveling, for example, up to 45 or 60 days. Some countries give the Russians such an opportunity:
There are many countries that allow Russians to stay on their territory for 90 days without a visa. And it’s not just the former Soviet republics.
In some countries, residents of Russia may stay longer. For example, in the Republic of Fiji, Russians can legally stay without a visa for up to 120 days, and in Armenia – up to 180 days.
The tourist reception system in China is also interesting. If Russians are allowed to stay in Hong Kong without a visa for 14 days, in Macau – 30, then on the island of Hainan – 21, and in Shanghai, Beijing, Harbin and Guangzhou – only 72 hours, and this privilege applies only to travelers who are there in transit. The fact is that in China, every province, and sometimes even a city, has its own set of laws and its own rules for accepting tourists, and in most Chinese territories, Russians will still have to submit visa documents.
In addition, there are about fifty other countries where visas for Russians are issued upon arrival. By the way, this list also includes countries that are formally considered visa-free. For example, a visa is not required for Syria, but many passengers are not allowed to go beyond the airport, so insiders advise in advance to issue permits at the embassy.
Of course, it is too early to think about it, but in the highest echelons of power, they are seriously considering abolishing short-term visas for Russians who want to visit France. This was recently reported by Jean-Maurice Ripert, who is the French ambassador to the Russian Federation. According to him, in his homeland they are interested in increasing the tourist flow between the countries, but so far other members of the Schengen zone are preventing that.
It is possible that by 2016, many countries will revise the system of entry of citizens of the Russian Federation into their territory.
Before you go to any country, find out in more detail how the visa-free program is implemented there. After all, some of them have special rules, compliance with which is mandatory for all tourists, especially those who come under the simplified scheme.
Sometimes tourists may be required to show return tickets, confirm a hotel reservation, and also prove their ability to pay. Such conditions can be applied to the vast majority of territories that allow people to come on holiday without special permits.
But there are more subtle features.
In Tunisia, visas are not only needed for organized tourists who come by direct flight from Russia. And that in South Korea – only to those who landed on Jeju Island, and that is in the case when the guest can prove that he has visited Korea at least 10 times or at least four times in the last two years.
And our tourists may also face such a problem that airport employees simply will not know that there are some special conditions for Russians, it is more about small exotic countries, and then you will have to urgently inquire and prove your right to the territory without special permits.
And of course, don’t forget about travel insurance. With a doctor’s shelf abroad, you will feel much more confident, and in that case you will save significantly.
Every year, visa requirements change, some countries become more open, while others become more difficult to enter. Let’s look at where a Russian citizen can come in 2016 without applying for a visa at all or by applying for it in a simple way (right at the border or online).
In fact, there are many such countries, so a Russian passport is not so bad for a traveler – there are only a huge number of possibilities to go somewhere without a visa!
You can visit South America, Africa and some European countries, even go to distant exotic islands. The only continent you can’t reach without a visa is Australia:
let’s see, which countries citizens of the Russian Federation in 2015 you can enter without a visa, and where it is easy to get by issuing an electronic visa or visa at the border.
- Albania (May 25-September 25, 2016)
- Belarus (up to 90 days, passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation or international passport)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (up to 30 days)
- Macedonia (up to 90 days, visa is not required until March 15, 2016, in addition to the passport you also need the required amount of money for accommodation)
- Moldova (up to 90 days)
- Transnistrian Moldavian Republic (PMR)
- Serbia (up to 30 days)
- Turkey (up to 60 days)
- Ukraine (up to 90 days, international passport)
- Montenegro (up to 30 days)
- Cyprus (up to 90 days, a request for a special pro-visa can be submitted online, it is necessary to fill in the form on the website of the embassy)
2. Asia
- Abkhazia (up to 90 days, passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation or international passport)
- Azerbaijan (up to 90 days)
- Armenia (up to 180 days per year, up to 30 days without registration)
- Bangladesh (up to 90 days, visa issued at the border)
- Bahrain (up to 14 days, visa issued at the border if there are return tickets, hotel reservations and the required amount)
- East Timor (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border)
- Vietnam (up to 15 days without a visa, free visa up to 90 days can be obtained at the airport with a letter of confirmation)
- Hong Kong (up to 14 days)
- Georgia (up to 360 days, but entry into the country with stamps on crossing the borders of Russia and Abkhazia or South Ossetia is prohibited)
- Israel (up to 90 days)
- India (up to 30 days, visa issued at the airport if visa permit is issued online)
- Indonesia (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border)
- Jordan (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border)
- Iran (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border)
- Kazakhstan (up to 90 days, passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation or international passport)
- Cambodia (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border or online)
- Qatar (up to 14 days, visa is issued at the border, permission from the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required to enter)
- Kyrgyzstan (up to 90 days, international passport)
- China (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border, or visa-free entry with a tourist group or during a business trip)
- Kuwait (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border, invitation from Kuwaiti tour operator required)
- Laos (up to 15 days)
- Lebanon (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border)
- Macau (up to 30 days)
- Malaysia (up to 30 days)
- Maldives (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border, return ticket required)
- Mongolia (up to 30 days)
- Myanmar (visa can be issued up to 28 days in advance online )
- Nepal (up to 90 days, visa issued at the border)
- Syria (up to 15 days, visa issued at the border only for men, women must apply for a visa in advance)
- Tajikistan (3 days without registration, passport)
- Thailand (up to 30 days)
- Turkmenistan (up to 10 days, visa issued at Ashgabat airport)
- Uzbekistan (up to 90 days)
- Philippines (up to 30 days)
- Sri Lanka (up to 30 days, you must apply for a visa in advance online)
- South Korea (up to 60 days)
3. South, Central and North America
- Antigua and Barbuda (up to 30 days)
- Argentina (up to 90 days)
- Bahamas (up to 90 days)
- Barbados (up to 28 days, visa issued at the border)
- Belize (up to 30 days, visa issued at the land border)
- Bolivia (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border, return tickets required, certificate of vaccination against yellow fever)
- Brazil (up to 90 days)
- British Virgin Islands (arrival visa for cruise entry)
- Venezuela (up to 90 days)
- Haiti (up to 90 days)
- Guyana (up to 90 days)
- Guatemala (up to 90 days)
- Honduras (up to 90 days)
- Grenada (up to 90 days, visa issued at the border)
- Dominica (up to 21 days, return ticket, hotel reservation, proof of solvency required)
- Dominican Republic (up to 30 days, visa on arrival)
- Colombia (up to 90 days)
- Costa Rica (up to 30 days)
- Cuba (up to 30 days, return tickets required, solvency proof)
- Mexico (up to 180 days, it is necessary to apply for an electronic entry permit via the Internet)
- Montserrat (1 year, visa issued online)
- Nicaragua (up to 90 days)
- Panama (up to 180 days, return ticket and proof of solvency required)
- Paraguay (up to 90 days)
- Peru (up to 183 days, return ticket required)
- El Salvador (up to 90 days)
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (up to 30 days, return ticket required)
- Saint Kitts and Nevis (up to 90 days)
- Saint Lucia (up to 42 days)
- Suriname (up to 60 days, visa issued at the border with a visa permit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Suriname)
- Turks and Caicos Islands (up to 30 days, visa on arrival)
- Trinidad and Tobago (up to 90 days)
- Uruguay (up to 90 days)
- Falkland Islands (up to 7 days, visa on arrival for cruise passengers)
- Chile (up to 90 days)
- Ecuador (up to 90 days)
- Jamaica (up to 90 days, return ticket required)
4 Africa
- Botswana (up to 90 days, return ticket required)
- Burundi (up to 1 week, visa issued at the border)
- Gabon (up to 90 days, visa issued at the border or online)
- Gambia (up to 56 days)
- Ghana (up to 90 days, visa issued at border with visa permit from Ghana Immigration Department, yellow fever vaccination certificate required)
- Guinea-Bissau (up to 90 days, visa issued at the border)
- Djibouti (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border)
- Egypt (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border)
- Zambia (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border)
- Zimbabwe (up to 30 days)
- Cape Verde (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border)
- Kenya (up to 90 days, visa issued online)
- Chambers (up to 45 days, visa issued at the border)
- Ivory Coast (visa on arrival with electronic authorization)
- Mauritius (up to 60 days)
- Madagascar (up to 90 days, visa issued at the border)
- Morocco (up to 90 days)
- Namibia (up to 90 days)
- Saint Helena (up to 90 days)
- Rwanda (up to 90 days)
- Sao Tome and Principe (up to 30 days, visa is issued at the border, it is necessary to register an electronic permit in advance on the website of the Migration Service )
- Swaziland (up to 30 days)
- Seychelles (up to 30 days)
- Senegal (up to 90 days)
- Somalia (up to 30 days)
- Sierra Leone (up to 30 days, visa can be obtained online on the websites of accredited travel agencies)
- Tanzania (up to 90 days, visa issued at the border)
- Togo (up to 7 days, visa issued at the border)
- Tunisia (up to 90 days)
- Uganda (up to 90 days, visa issued at the border)
- Central African Republic (up to 7 days, visa issued at the border)
- Eritrea (up to 30 days, visa is issued at the border at Asmara Airport with a pre-arranged invitation)
- Ethiopia (up to 180 days, visa issued at the border at Bole Airport, Addis Ababa)
5. Australia and Oceania
- Vanuatu (up to 30 days)
- Guam (up to 45 days)
- Marshall Islands (up to 90 days, visa on arrival)
- Micronesia (up to 30 days)
- Nauru (up to 14 days)
- Niue (up to 30 days)
- Cook Islands (up to 31 days)
- Palau (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border)
- Pitcairn (up to 14 days, for cruise passengers)
- Samoa (up to 30 days, visa issued at the border)
- Northern Mariana Islands (up to 45 days)
- Tonga (up to 31 days, visa issued at the border)
- Tuvalu (up to 30 days)
- Fiji (up to 90 days, visa issued at the border)
