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Travel Summary & Local laws and customs

You should not become involved with drugs. Penalties are severe and the courts impose long sentences for those found in possession of even small quantities of drugs, regardless of whether they are "hard" or "soft"

It is a legal requirement that you carry your passport at all times in the Russian Federation. A copy will not be sufficient. If you are asked for ID and cannot produce your passport, you will be fined. It is standard practice for Russian immigration services to retain copies of visiting cruise passengers passports for immigration purposes. Information from the photocopied documents is entered onto the Russian Immigration Service computer system at a later date; photocopies are destroyed after 6-12 months.

Homosexuality is legal in Russia and there is a reasonably tolerant attitude to homosexuality in major urban areas. There is still, a degree of intolerance amongst some sections of the population, and you should however be careful about open displays of affection in public.

The photographing of any military installation, establishment or site of strategic importance is prohibited; this includes airports. You are likely to have your film confiscated, be detained for questioning and possibly arrested if you do not observe this rule.

We advise against all travel to Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan because of the security situation in the North Caucasus. This also includes the regions of Budyonnovsky, Levokumsky, Neftekumsky, Stepnovsky and Kurskoy in east and south Stavropol Krai, which border Dagestan and Chechnya. See the Terrorism and Local Travel sections of this advice for more details.

We advise against all but essential travel to North Ossetia, Karachai-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria (including the Elbrus area) as terrorism and kidnapping in these regions remain a serious problem. See the Terrorism and Local Travel sections of this advice for more details.

There is a general threat from terrorism. Attacks cannot be ruled out and could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. Attacks have occurred most frequently in Moscow and in the North Caucasus.

Around 233,300 British nationals visited Russia in 2006 (Source: Russian Federal Agency for Tourism). Most visits are trouble-free. The main types of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in Russia in 2007 were for replacing lost or stolen passports; hospitalisations; and deaths, mainly from natural causes . You should be aware of the risks of crime. See the Crime section of this advice for more details.

Since 2005 there has been an increase in racially motivated attacks: visitors of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent should take extra care. See the Crime (Racially Motivated Attacks) section of this advice for more details.

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you may wish to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for further details.

Safety and security

Terrorism / Security

There is a general threat from terrorism. Attacks cannot be ruled out and could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

On 9 December 2007, a bomb exploded on a bus in the southern Russian town of Nevinnomyssk, which killed two and injured seven. The Russian authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion.

On 31 October 2007 there was an explosion on a bus in Tolyatti. Media reports have suggested that seven were killed and up to forty injured. The Russian authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion.

On 13 August 2007 there was an explosion in Novgorod Region which derailed and seriously damaged a train travelling from Moscow to St Petersburg. No British citizens were injured.

In July 2007 fighters linked to the rebel cells in Chechnya and elsewhere in the North Caucasus issued generic statements warning tourists not to visit Kabardino-Balkaria, listing casinos, hotels and bars as legitimate targets for terrorist-style activity. But it is unclear whether these groups have the capability to mount such operations.

Over the past two years particular threats have come from suicide attacks in public places in Moscow, including the Metro system, and hostage taking. The risk of terrorism in Moscow could rise quickly in relation to any escalation of violence in the North Caucasus.

You should remain vigilant in all public places, including tourist sites and crowded places, particularly where access is not controlled e.g. open-air events, markets, etc.

We advise against all travel to Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan because of the security situation in the North Cacasus. This also includes the regions of Budyonnovsky, Levokumsky, Neftekumsky, Stepnovsky and Kurskoy in east and south Stavropol Krai, which border Chechnya and Dagestan. We also advise against all but essential travel to North Ossetia, Karachai-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria (including the Elbrus area), since terrorism and kidnapping in these regions remain a serious problem. You should seek security advice before travelling.

As well as the ongoing conflict in Chechnya, terrorist attacks have occurred throughout the North Caucasus, including incidents in Beslan and Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia, Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, and Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan. Further violence in the North Caucasus region is likely.

Kidnapping in the region is common and Westerners are particularly vulnerable: four Western hostages, including three Britons, were murdered in Chechnya in December 1998 and a Dutch aid worker was kidnapped in Dagestan in August 2002, spending 21 months in captivity. You should be aware that the long-standing policy of the British Government is not to make substantive concessions to hostage takers. The British Government considers that paying ransoms and releasing prisoners increases the risk of further hostage taking.

For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

As in most countries, cities in Russia have their fair share of petty crime. You should be alert at all times to the possibility of mugging, pickpocketing and theft from vehicles or hotel rooms. Be particularly alert to groups of women and children who beg, and pickpockets around the main railway concourses.

Take care when drinking with or meeting casual or new acquaintances in bars, restaurants or night-clubs, as there have been incidents of robbery and violence involving foreigners, amongst them British nationals. Pay particular attention when drinking alcohol. Drink spiking followed by robbery is prevalent and can also lead to violence and/or abuse. Unconscious victims are often left outside, which can be life threatening in the winter months. Beware of drinks which have not been poured in your sight, do not leave your drink unattended and do not accept any drink given to you by a stranger or someone you have just met.

In St Petersburg there has been a sharp increase in street crime since April 2004; tourists have been specifically targeted. Since April 2005 the number of cases of tourists being held up at knifepoint on the metro and buses have increased. These crimes are carried out by well-organised gangs. You should be especially aware of pickpockets in the main tourist areas. Incidents of bogus police officers harassing and robbing tourists have also been reported. If you are stopped always insist on seeing ID. Avoid openly carrying expensive items, or anything that might easily identify you as a tourist.

Incidents of armed violence in major cities are usually linked to criminal/business activities and are not usually directed against foreign visitors. There have also been bomb attacks linked to criminal disputes.

Racially Motivated Attacks

Racially motivated attacks by racist "skinhead" groups do occur in Russia. Racially motivated attacks increase around 20 April, the anniversary of Adolf Hitler’s birthday. Although the great majority of visitors experience no difficulties, there has been a substantial increase in the number of attacks on foreign nationals, especially in large urban areas. We recommend that travellers of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent take extra care.

On 21 August 2006 an explosion in a Moscow market caused approximately twelve fatalities, with thirty-five injured. No British citizens were among the casualties. The authorities have established that this was a racially motivated act and two men have been arrested.

Scams

There are a number of services offering addresses and contact information for Russian women who are looking to become romantically involved with Western Europeans. A number of prospective suitors have entered into correspondence, only later to be defrauded. If this occurs, there is little that the British Government can do to assist in the recovery of any capital outlay. We advise that you exercise the appropriate level of caution if entering into correspondence.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Russia Country Profile.

Local Travel

We advise against all travel to Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan. This also includes the regions of Budyonnovsky, Levokumsky, Neftekumsky, Stepnovsky and Kurskoy in east and south Stavropol Krai, which border Chechnya and Dagestan. We also advise against all but essential travel to North Ossetia, Karachai-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria (including the Elbrus area) (see Terrorism above).

You should be aware of travel restrictions for foreigners in North Ossetia. You should travel only to the towns of Vladikavkaz, Beslan, Alagira and Ardona along the following connecting roads: Nazran – Besland – Nalchik (road M-29); Varkhny Lars – Vladikavkaz (roadA-301), Nizhny Zaramag – Alagir (road R297); Alagir – Ardon – road M-29 (road R-298); roads connecting Vladikavkaz with road M-29; and the road connecting Vladikavkaz airport (Beslan) with road M-29).

The following railway connections are also permitted: Nazran-Beslan-Murtazovo; Vladikavkaz-Beslan; Alagir-Elkhotovo; and Gudermes-Mozdok-Prokhladnaya.

The North Caucasus remains an unstable and potentially dangerous region. The Russian authorities take a particularly strict attitude towards security and compliance with official regulations. If you intend to travel to the North Caucasus region, it is vital that you have the correct documentation including an appropriate visa for the purpose of your visit, and that you comply fully with registration requirements.

If you travel to these parts of Russia despite this advice, you are taking a serious risk, and must accept that the ability of the FCO and the British Embassy in Moscow to help in the case of an emergency is severely limited.

Cross-border traffic with Georgia and Azerbaijan is also subject to restrictions.

Road Travel

You may drive a car in Russia for a limited period if you hold an international driving licence. For further information on driving restrictions, check with an international driving organisation.

Road conditions can often be poor, especially outside the major cities.

You should comply with all local speed limits. The standard speed limit for built-up areas is 60 kph (37 mph), outside built-up areas 90 kph (55 mph) and 100 kph (62 mph) on motorways (Brest-Moscow). Visiting motorists who have held a driving licence for less than two years must not exceed 70 kph (43 mph). It is common practice for traffic police to stop motorists for spot checks. You should be aware that there is a zero tolerance policy towards drinking and driving.

If travelling by taxi, use officially marked taxis and do not share them with strangers. We advise against flagging down unofficial taxis.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

Rail Travel

If you are travelling by overnight train and have the use of a sleeping compartment, store valuables in the container under the bed/seat.

Do not leave your sleeping compartment unoccupied as some compartments only have a simple lock on the sliding door. On some trains there may be an additional security device, which can be attached to the fitted handle/lock unit. There may also be a steel switch at head-height on the door panel which, when pulled down, prevents the closed door from being slid open.

Air Travel

Evidence suggests that some non western aircraft types used mainly on domestic routes by smaller airlines in Russia do not always comply with international safety standards. In August 2004 a Pulkovo Airlines flight from Anapa to St Petersburg crashed near Donetsk (Ukraine). All 170 passengers died in this incident. There have also been air crashes in Irkutsk in July 2006 and Samara in March 2007.

You should be aware that security on Russian internal flights is not as high as that for international flights

Local laws and customs

You should not become involved with drugs. Penalties are severe and the courts impose long sentences for those found in possession of even small quantities of drugs, regardless of whether they are "hard" or "soft"

It is a legal requirement that you carry your passport at all times in the Russian Federation. A copy will not be sufficient. If you are asked for ID and cannot produce your passport, you will be fined. It is standard practice for Russian immigration services to retain copies of visiting cruise passengers passports for immigration purposes. Information from the photocopied documents is entered onto the Russian Immigration Service computer system at a later date; photocopies are destroyed after 6-12 months.

Homosexuality is legal in Russia and there is a reasonably tolerant attitude to homosexuality in major urban areas. There is still, a degree of intolerance amongst some sections of the population, and you should however be careful about open displays of affection in public.

The photographing of any military installation, establishment or site of strategic importance is prohibited; this includes airports. You are likely to have your film confiscated, be detained for questioning and possibly arrested if you do not observe this rule.

For more general information for different types of travellers see Travel Advice Relevant to You.

Entry requirements

Visas

Visas are required to enter Russia. During periods of high demand, for example during the summer holidays, you should apply for your visa well in advance. If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland you should apply to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in London. If you live in Scotland, you should apply to the Russian Consulate General in Edinburgh.

The Embassy in London can normally process visas in 15 working days, and you can submit an application by post or in person. If you want to get a visa more quickly it is possible to queue in person and pay an extra fee, though the numbers processed in this way per day are limited. You must have an exit visa to leave Russia. Most entry visas include an exit visa. However, some entry visas including certain types of student visas, do not include an exit visa. If this is the case your sponsor, not the Embassy or Consulates, will need to obtain the exit visa for you before you can leave the country. Before you travel to Russia ensure that you are aware of the terms and conditions attached to your visa and check that the dates and details which have been entered on your visa are correct. Presenting documentation which contains incorrect information to immigration officials can lead to severe inconvenience and in some cases could result in refusal of entry.

For stays of more than three days

You must register your visa within three working days of arrival in Russia with the local branch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Most major hotels will do this automatically. If you are staying in private accommodation the owner of the property must do this for you. You need not register a visa if your visit is for less than three days.

Passport validity

If your passport has less than six months to run, you may be refused entry to Russia. You are advised to get a replacement passport before travelling.

Migration Cards

All foreign nationals entering Russia must fill in a migration card. The card is in two identical parts. One part will be retained by the Immigration Officer on arrival. You should keep the other part with your passport and show it, along with your passport, to the police, if they stop you for an identity check during your stay. You should hand in the second part to the Immigration Officer on your departure from Russia. You must complete a new migration card each time you enter Russia, even if you have a multiple entry visa. If you lose the second part of the card you will be fined, and your departure from the country could be delayed.

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that some countries require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country. For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Embassy of the Russian Federation in London.

Parents should note that children born overseas and added to their Russian passports by Russian Embassies may now have to obtain their own passport to exit Russia. There have been instances where a parent has renewed their own passport but the authorities have refused to add the child to it until the childs claim to Russian citizenship is properly substantiated. Parents should check the Russian Nationality Act and contact their nearest Russian Embassy or Consulate to ensure that their child has a claim to Russian citizenship, and that they have the necessary paperwork to prove this before travelling to Russia to renew passports.

Transit through Belarus

If you intend to travel by train on popular routes such as Warsaw-Moscow or St Petersburg-Kiev you will need to obtain a transit visa for Belarus before travelling.

Dual Nationality

Under international law, the British Embassy or Consulates cannot formally intervene with the Russian authorities on behalf of dual Russian/British citizens who encounter difficulties whilst in Russia.

If you come to Russia to renew your Russian international passport, you should be aware that it may take up to four months for a new passport to be issued. You will have to remain in Russia throughout this period. If this happens, the British Embassy or Consulates cannot obtain an exit visa for your British passport.

Customs

You may import into the country up to 3,000 US dollars (or equivalent) without declaring it. You may export from the country up to 3,000 US dollars without declaring it. If you export from the country currency or travellers cheques worth between 3,000 and 10,000 US dollars, it must be declared on departure. Since 31 July 2005, a limit of the equivalent of 10,000 dollars has been set on the amount of roubles and foreign currency that can be taken out of or brought into Russia.

If you import into the country a sum of money between 3,000 and 10,000 US dollars or certain categories of goods such as more costly electrical items, jewellery or antiques and valuable musical instruments you must complete a customs declaration form (available at all ports of entry) on arrival.

If you wish to import certain sophisticated electronic items (e.g. Global Positioning System instruments), you must get an operating licence from the Russian authorities before you travel. If you are unsure whether you should declare an item or need an operating license you should check with the Embassy of the Russian Federation before your departure.

If you complete a declaration form you must ensure that it is stamped by a Customs official at your port of entry or it will not be valid. If you fail to complete a declaration form on arrival or to get it validated by Customs officials your foreign currency and non-declared items may be confiscated when you leave Russia and you may be fined.

There are also strict regulations governing the export from Russia of antiques, icons, medals, artwork and other items of historical significance. This includes modern art and even posters if they are particularly rare or valuable. If you wish to export such material from Russia, you must receive approval from the Ministry of Culture. This may be requested at the point of departure. Infringements of these regulations are treated seriously and may result in imprisonment.

Health

A Reciprocal Health Care Agreement operates between the UK and Russia. This entitles British nationals to free treatment in a Russian hospital. However, any treatment you receive is likely to be limited.

Food poisoning, TB, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis are common to Russia. The latter is common to rural and wooded areas, especially in the summer months. Tap water is not drinkable anywhere in Russia. Bottled mineral water is widely available.

In the 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 940,000 adults aged 15 or over in Russia were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 1.1% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Russia and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the NaTHNaC and NHS Scotlands Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

In December 2007 an outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza in chickens on a farm in Rostovskaya province was reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health. In mid-February 2007 the Russian authorities confirmed a number of outbreaks of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in the area around Moscow. The virus has currently only been found in household flocks, and no cases have been reported on commercial farms. The Russian authorities have taken action to control the outbreak, and have placed several areas under quarantine. At present we have no evidence that the outbreaks pose a risk to humans.

In 2005 there were reports of outbreaks of avian influenza in a number of other regions in Russia, including Tula, Tambov, Kurgan, Chelyabinsk, Novosibirsk and Krasnodar. The European Union has banned imports of live birds and feathers from Russia (with the exception of Kaliningrad and some areas adjacent to the Finnish Border) as a precautionary measure. No human infections or deaths have been reported.

The risk to humans from avian influenza is believed to be very low. As a precaution, you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked.

You should read this advice in conjunction with Avian and Pandemic Influenza, which gives more detailed advice and information.

Natural Disasters

There are occasional occurrences of flooding in Russia, mainly in Siberia, and also earthquakes in the North Caucasus and in the Far Eastern region.

General

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for any activities you may wish to undertake. As well as full insurance cover for medical treatment and accidents, we recommend that you obtain cover for unexpected losses such as cancelled flights, stolen cash, cards, passport or luggage. For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How We Can Help.

Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Money

Russian currency (roubles) is not widely available in the UK, although the Post Office can order it in (this takes up to three days). If you wish to purchase roubles in Russia, we advise that you take US dollars or Euros to change. All dollar or euro notes should be in good condition. You should only change money at banks, hotels and recognised exchange kiosks. It is an offence to change money from street traders. It is illegal to pay directly with dollars or Euros.

Most hotels, restaurants and larger shops accept credit cards, but smaller shops do not. ATMs exist in most major cities. Travellers cheques are not widely accepted.

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