Russia Travel Guide
Visa summary
247 passport nationalities researched for entry into Russia.
Official government links
View official visa and immigration links for RussiaTravel news
No travel news yet for Russia.
Guide
Russia is still issuing visas and still open to tourism in 2026, even though the surrounding picture has changed a lot since 2022. The e-Visa, reinstated on 1 August 2023, is now valid for 120 days from issue and allows a stay of up to 30 days, and it covers a long list of nationalities including most of the EU, though not the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom, whose citizens still need a full consular visa with an invitation letter. The catch is not the visa, it is getting there and back.
Since February 2022, the EU has banned Russian carriers from EU airspace and EU airports, and Russia reciprocated by banning EU carriers, so there is no direct flight between Russia and the EU, and most Western airlines route well around Russian airspace entirely. Travelers from Europe typically fly via Istanbul, Dubai, or a similar hub, or arrive overland. Sanctions also mean Western bank cards, Visa and Mastercard included, do not work inside Russia, so cash or a locally issued card is the practical answer for money.
Border crossings
- Nordic and Baltic rail crossings, closed since July 2026
Russia suspended all railway border crossings with Finland, Estonia, and Latvia from 1 July 2026, closing seven checkpoints along its northwestern frontier, five on the Finnish border and one each with Estonia and Latvia. The Ivangorod crossing to Estonia and the Sebezh crossing to Latvia were reported to stay open for the road route, so check the current status of your specific crossing before planning an overland trip from the Baltics.
- Georgia, the Verkhny Lars crossing
The land crossing between Russia's North Ossetia and Georgia remains one of the few open routes between Russia and a country most Western travelers can reach without a Russian transit visa problem. This site's Georgia guide covers the other side.
- Flying is the realistic way in for most Western travelers
With EU airspace closed to Russian carriers and vice versa, plan on a connection through a hub like Istanbul or Dubai rather than a direct flight from Western Europe or North America.
Transit routes
- Sort out money before you land
Visa and Mastercard issued outside Russia do not work in the country because of sanctions, so bring cash to exchange or arrange a workaround in advance, not something to figure out on arrival.
- Check your airline's routing
A flight that used to cross Russian or Ukrainian airspace now goes around it, which can add real time to a route between Europe and Asia, so look at the actual routing, not just the airline.
Entry point notes
- US, UK, and Canadian citizens need a full consular visa
The e-Visa list does not cover these nationalities, so budget time for an invitation letter and an embassy application.
- Read your government's current travel advice
Several Western governments maintain do not travel or reconsider travel advisories for Russia, separate from the question of whether a visa is available, so check both.