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Visa requirements for Russian citizens

Visa requirements for Russian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Russia.

A Russian passport for international travel

As of 2024, Russian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 120 countries and territories, ranking the Russian passport 52nd in the world according to the Henley Passport Index.[1]

History edit

 
Henley & Partners Passport Index. 2007 – Q1 2018. Russia.

Visa requirements for Russian citizens were lifted as the Soviet Union by the following countries/territories: Micronesia (18 December 1980);[2] as the Russian Federation by

Mexico has introduced Electronic Authorization for Russian citizens from 1 November 2010.

Visas on arrival were introduced by Iran (July 2005), Zimbabwe (20 November 2007), Bahrain (November 2008), Guinea-Bissau (April 2012), Mozambique (resumed in February 2017),[47] Gabon (12 October 2017), Rwanda (1 January 2018),[48] Benin (15 March 2018),[49] Taiwan (6 September 2018), Sierra Leone (5 September 2019), Saudi Arabia (28 September 2019), Myanmar (1 October 2019), Iraq (15 March 2021).[50]

Russian citizens were made eligible for eVisas by Singapore (December 2009), Sri Lanka (January 2012), Montserrat (September 2012), São Tomé and Príncipe (2012), Myanmar (1 September 2014), India made Russian citizens eligible for the e-Visa (27 November 2014), Kenya (2 July 2015), Gabon (15 June 2015), Australia (Electronic Visitor visa from 1 October 2015),[51] Uganda (1 July 2016).[52] Lesotho (1 May 2017), Saint Helena (2018), Djibouti (18 February 2018),[53] Oman (7 May 2018),[54] Tanzania (26 November 2018),[55] Papua New Guinea (17 June 2019),[56] Saudi Arabia (28 September 2019), Guinea (October 2019), Malawi (November 2019), South Sudan (29 September 2020), Anguilla (January 2021).[57] Equatorial Guinea (July 2023).[58]

The following countries / territories have reinstated visa requirements for Russian citizens: Estonia (1 July 1992),[59] Latvia (20 March 1993),[60] Lithuania (1 November 1993),[61] North Korea (22 May 1997), Turkmenistan (June 1999), Slovenia (December 1999),* Czech Republic (29 May 2000),* Slovakia (1 January 2001),* Hungary (14 June 2001),* Bulgaria (October 2001),* Poland (1 October 2003),* Cyprus (1 January 2004),* Romania (October 2004),* Croatia (1 April 2013),* Kosovo (1 July 2013),[62] Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (3 October 2019), North Macedonia (21 March 2022), Ukraine (1 July 2022)[63] and Taiwan (31 July 2022).[64][65]

* - Visa policy has been synchronized with the visa policy of the EU because of accession of these countries to the European Union.

The provision of visas on arrival to Russian citizens were discontinued by Mali (9 March 2015).

Visa requirements map edit

 
Visa requirements for Russian citizens holding ordinary passports
  Russia
  Unlimited
  Visa not required
  Visa on arrival
  eVisa
  Visa available both on arrival or online
  Visa-free for group tourists
  Visa required
  Admission generally refused

Visa requirements edit

Visa requirements for holders of ordinary passports traveling for tourist purposes:

Dependent, disputed, or restricted territories edit

Unrecognized or partially recognized countries
Territory Conditions of access Notes
  Abkhazia Visa not required 90 days; internal passport can be used.
  Kosovo Visa required[349] Visa is not required (in theory) for holders of a valid Laissez-Passer issued by United Nations Organizations, NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe or European Union a holder of a valid travel documents issued by EU Member and Schengen States, United States of America, Canada, Australia and Japan based on the 1951 Convention on Refugee Status or the 1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons, as well as holders of valid travel documents for foreigners (max. 15 days stay).[350]
  Northern Cyprus Visa not required[351]
  Palestine Visa not required[352] Arrival by sea to Gaza Strip not allowed.[353]
  Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Undefined visa regime in the Western Sahara controlled territory.
  Somaliland Visa on arrival 30 days for 30 USD, payable on arrival.[354][355]
  South Ossetia Visa not required[356][357] Freedom of movement. Internal passport can be used.
  Taiwan Visa Required[358] Taiwan suspended visa free entry for Russian citizens.
  Transnistria Visa not required[359] Registration required after 24 hours.[360][361]
Dependent and autonomous territories
Other territories

Visa replacement edit

Certain countries waive the visa requirement if the visitor is in the possession of a valid visa or residence card of another country.

Non-ordinary passports edit

 
Visa requirements for Russian citizens holding diplomatic or official / service passports based on bilateral agreements
  Russia
  Visa-free for holders of both diplomatic and service passports
  Visa-free for holders of official passports only
  Visa-free for holders of diplomatic passports only

Holders of Russian diplomatic or official / service passports may enter the following countries without a visa for 90 days (unless otherwise stated):

  •   Kyrgyzstan
  •   Laos6
  •   Maldives
  •   Mali
  •   Mauritius5
  •   Mexico
  •   Moldova
  •   Mongolia6
  •   Montenegro
  •   Morocco
  •   Mozambique6
  •   Myanmar
  •   Namibia4
  •   Nauru7