Russia opens air borders to citizens of Finland, India, Vietnam, and Qatar
A document expanding the list of countries whose nationals are allowed to enter Russia was posted on the Russian Government website on January 25, 2021.
The relevant changes were introduced to notorious Government Decree N 635-r dated March 16, 2020 On the Temporary Restriction of Entry of Foreign Nationals and Stateless Persons to the Russian Federation and the Temporary Suspension of Processing and Issuance of Visas and Visa Invitations.
According to the new rules, foreign nationals may freely enter Russia if:
- They are citizens of Finland, India, Vietnam, and Qatar, or they hold a residence permit or other document confirming their right to permanent residence in these countries;
and
- They have a valid Russian visa (any type of visa) or Russian residence permit;
and
- They are entering Russia through air checkpoints (i.e. by plane) from the country of their nationality/permanent residence.
If foreign nationals meet all above conditions, then such foreign nationals will no longer require a special permit to enter Russia.
However, when Russian borders are crossed through checkpoints other than air checkpoints, the previous rule remains unchanged. So, when arriving in Russia by road or water transport, nationals and people permanently residing in the countries listed above still need a special permit to enter the country. They also still need to be included in the lists maintained by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB. Only time will tell what the reason is for this difference when crossing borders by air or other transport, and whether this will be strictly observed in practice.
As always, we will be pleased to address any legal issues you may have, so please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to assisting you.
If you have any questions or you would like to discuss this further, please feel free to email Julia Talagaeva or Mika Kokkonen.
Truly yours,