Visa-free countries for Russians in 2020: a list where a visa is not needed

Content

1 Free entry countries
2 Countries where you do not need a passport
3 Visa-free countries
4 Simplified visa application

In 2020, many countries of the world open to Russians, supporting a visa-free regime. Usually, a visit to a country involves preparing a solid package of documents, applying to the consulate (including personal), paying fees, with a further long-awaited response (which will not always turn out to be positive). Permission to freely visit the state makes it more attractive for tourism, gives you the opportunity to know it better, carefully familiarize yourself with the sights and study the culture. Also, the lack of a visa makes meeting with foreign business partners easier. Therefore, Russians are increasingly choosing for vacation and business trips the country where you can get only by presenting a passport or a small amount of documents.

Free entry countries

The list of visa-free countries for Russians in 2020 totals more than 100 states. Conventionally, they can be divided into several categories:

border crossing does not require a passport;
countries with a visa-free regime, visits to which are possible only with a passport;
A simplified procedure for obtaining a visa is provided.

Usually a bilateral agreement is signed with these countries at the state level, allowing citizens to freely cross borders subject to certain conditions. Requirements for travelers will vary depending on the legislation of a particular state. The conditions may differ by the permissible length of stay and the presence of mandatory documents that the traveler must present at the time of entry or send it to the consulate in advance. Therefore, before the trip should clarify all the bureaucratic nuances. It will also be useful to study local rules and regulations so as not to get into a difficult situation.

Note. Features of entry for Russians into all countries of the world are described on the official portal of the Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry www.kdmid.ru.

Girl travels

Countries where you do not need a passport

There are a number of states that provide free entry for residents of Russia without a passport. Most of them are neighbors, former republics of the USSR. When crossing the border, it will be enough only to present the usual passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation. Accordingly, it is not required to notify the consulate in advance or to collect a package of documents.

A country	Duration of stay (number of days)	Special requirements
Abkhazia	up to 90	Mandatory registration within 3 days
Armenia	with no restrictions	The civil passport of the Russian Federation can only be used for air travel; allowed to stay without registration up to 30 days
Republic of Belarus	with no restrictions	Allowed to stay without registration up to 30 days
Kazakhstan	up to 90	Allowed to stay without registration up to 30 days
Kyrgyzstan	with no restrictions	If a citizen plans to stay longer than 30 days, then he needs to register within 15 days
South Ossetia	with no restrictions	-

Girl sitting on a suitcase

Visa-free countries

A visa-free regime works for citizens of Russia in many states. To use it, you must have a passport. Its validity should continue for at least 3 months after the end of the trip.In some states, this period is at least six months.

However, the presence of a visa-free visa does not mean that a person can stay for any period in the country, or his registration, or additional documents will not be required. Most often, a traveler can be asked for a return ticket or confirmation of their reservation, hotel reservation, an invitation from an organization or local resident. This is necessary to clarify the purpose of the trip. Also, sometimes at the border it is necessary to confirm your solvency by providing the relevant securities from the bank (statement of account availability with the amount indicated on it, credit card availability, etc.). Compliance with the terms and rules of entry is very important if the traveler plans to ever return here. For violation of the requirements established for foreign citizens, a fine may be imposed (most often it is substantial amounts), deportation or even arrest.

Even if there is a visa-free agreement in many states, a visa is necessary if the purpose of the trip is to carry out work or study.

Baggage

The countries of visa-free regime with Russia include:

A country	Duration of stay (number of days)	Special requirements
Europe
Bosnia and Herzegovina	30	The presence of a driver’s license, a registration certificate and an international medical insurance policy when traveling by car
Moldova	90	-
Serbia	30	Registration is required within 24 hours at the police station (in hotels this is done by the administrator)
Ukraine	90	You may need to confirm the availability of funds for the period of stay in the country, justification of the purpose of the stay (tourism, invitation, business trip) hotel reservation, return ticket
Montenegro	30	Registration is required within 24 hours at the police station or travel agency (the administrator does this in hotels), and also at check-out - deregistration
Asia and Oceania
Azerbaijan	90	Registration within 15 days
Brunei Darussalam	14	Proof of solvency for the period of stay in the country, confirmation of the purpose of the stay, availability of hotel reservation, return ticket
Vanuatu	90	-
Vietnam	15	Passport expiration - no less than six months later; 30 days have passed since your last trip
Georgia	1 year	-
Israel	90	Will require a return ticket and health insurance policy
Indonesia	30	Passport validity is at least six months. Entrance to Indonesia is allowed only through the following points: Sukarno-Hatta (Jakarta), Ngurah Rai (Bali), Kualanamu (Medan), Juanda (Surabaya) and Nang-Nadim () airports Batam Island), seaports of Sri Bintan, Secupang, Batam Center and Tanjung Uban
China (China)	- up to 15 days: tourist groups traveling with the support of tourism organizations; - up to 30 days: tourists traveling in Hainan province (while the organizing travel agency must be registered in this province)	-
Hong Kong (PRC)	14	-
Macau (PRC)	30	-
Taiwan (PRC)	21	No criminal record in Taiwan
The Republic of Korea	60	You will need proof of solvency for the period of stay in the country, confirmation of the purpose of your stay, hotel reservation, return ticket
Laos	15	-
Malaysia	30	Confirmation of solvency for the period of stay in the country, a return ticket (or its cash equivalent) will be required
Maldives	30	Passport validity - at least six months
Mongolia	30	-
Nauru	14	-
UAE	90	Passport validity - at least six months. At the entrance, an iris scan is performed, therefore, citizens with ophthalmic diseases should consult a doctor before traveling
Palau	30	Passport valid for at least 6 months
Samoa	60	Entrance tax is charged $ 12
Thailand	30	Passport valid for at least 6 months
Tajikistan	with no restrictions	Registration is required for 3 days at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (in hotels where they have the right to accommodate foreigners, this is done automatically)
Turkey	60	-
Uzbekistan	before the end of the registration date	Registration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs is required within 3 days (in hotels where they have the right to accommodate foreigners, this is done automatically)
Fiji	90	Passport valid for at least 6 months
Philippines	30	Return ticket availability
Africa
Botswana	30	-
Mauritius	60	You will need proof of solvency for the period of stay in the country, confirmation of the purpose of the stay, availability of the hotel, return ticket
Morocco	90	Passport valid for at least 6 months
Namibia	90	Passport validity - at least six months
Esvatini (Swaziland)	30	-
Seychelles	30	You will need proof of solvency for the period of stay in the country, confirmation of the purpose of the stay, availability of the hotel, return ticket
Tunisia	90	Validity of a passport - at least 3 months
South Africa	90	Validity of the passport is at least 30 days. It should have two blank pages
Central America
Antigua and Barbuda	30	-
Bahamas	90	Entry is by biometric passports. You need to have a return ticket with you, confirmation of hotel reservation, confirmation of solvency, a certificate of employment with an indication of salary
Barbados	With no restrictions	Return flight
Guatemala	90	-
Honduras	90	-
Grenada	90	Passport validity - at least 6 months
Dominican Republic	90
Dominican Republic	30	Return flight
Costa Rica	90	-
Cuba	90	Availability of medical insurance policy. Validity of the passport - at least 1 month
Mexico	180	Mandatory electronic authorization is required, which must be issued online before travel.
Nicaragua	90	-
Panama	90	Return flight
Salvador	90	-
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	90	You will need a return ticket, availability of hotel reservation, proof of solvency
Saint Kitts and Nevis	90	You will need a return ticket, availability of hotel reservation, proof of solvency
Saint lucia	6 weeks	You will need a return ticket, availability of hotel reservation, proof of solvency
Trinidad and Tobago	90	Return flight
Jamaica	30	The validity of the passport is at least six months. Mandatory return ticket
South America
Argentina	90	Will require a return ticket, confirmation of solvency
Bolivia	90	Will require a return ticket, confirmation of solvency
Brazil	90	You will need a return ticket, confirmation of solvency, hotel reservation
Venezuela	90	-
Guyana	90	Return ticket
Colombia	90	Return ticket required, hotel reservation
Paraguay	90	-
Peru	90	-
Suriname	90	-
Uruguay	90	-
Chile	90	At the entrance, a single-type declaration is necessarily filled in and customs and sanitary control is carried out
Ecuador	90	-

Simplified visa application

In some states, border crossing by foreign persons, including citizens of the Russian Federation, is carried out according to a simplified scheme. In this case, the visa is issued either directly at the airport or remotely.