COVID-19 test upon arrival in the Russian Federation and compulsory isolation
As the ban on entry to Russia has been eased, more foreign nationals have arrived in the country, so in view of this greater flow of people arriving from abroad, the Chief Medical Officer of Russia issued Order No. 22 on July 27, 2020. This order became effective on August 01, 2020 and requires foreign nationals to:
- Have with them when boarding a plane going to Russia, including for transit purposes and when crossing the Russian border, a medical document (in Russian or in English) confirming they have passed a COVID-19 test by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and that this test is negative and was done no earlier than 3 calendar days before their arrival in Russia;
- Fill out a questionnaire before arriving in Russia;
This order also requires foreign nationals to self-isolate for 14 calendar days if they have come to Russia to work.
Compliance with the self-isolation obligation is not currently monitored in practice, and the medical document confirming a negative COVID-19 test is not requested in practice at least when crossing the Russian border and entering the country by car. However, this practice could change at any moment.
We recommend taking these requirements into account when entering Russia. If you need assistance in obtaining an entry permit for highly qualified specialist, please contact us. We will be happy to help.
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,