Customs regulations for your trip to Russia

Customs regulations

Customs

Import regulations:

Free import by persons of 18 years and older:

• 400 cigarettes or 200 cigarillos or 100 cigars or 500 grams of tobacco products if only one type of tobacco products is imported (otherwise only half of the quantities allowed);
• only for persons of 21 years and older: alcoholic beverages: 3 liters;
• a reasonable quantity of perfume for personal use;
• goods up to an amount of EUR 10,000.- for personal use only;
• caviar (factory packed) max. 250 grams per person.

Prohibited:

• Photographs and printed matter directed against Russian Fed.
  Acipenseridae family (sturgeons) fish and any product made thereof and live animals (subject to special permit). Military arms and ammunition, narcotics, fruit and vegetables.

Dairy and meat products from Armenia and Georgia. Poultry and poultry products from China (People’s Rep.).

Arms and Ammunition regulations:

Import and export permit required. Arms and ammunition can only be carried as checked baggage. Import and export of military arms and ammunition is prohibited.

Additional Information on regulations:

The customs declaration, filled out on entry of the Russian Fed., must be handed in on departure.

Dairy and meat products are permitted (except from Armenia and Georgia), if packed in original factory packing and in quantities that can be considered for personal use. Larger quantities must be accompanied by the appropriate documentation, including veterinary health documents.

Export regulations:

• Archeological, historical and artistic objects require a written permission from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and a photograph of the exported object.
• A permit from the Internal Affairs Ministry required for import of weapons.

Prohibited:

• Precious metals, stones, pearls and articles made thereof, except when belonging to the imported personal effects of the passenger (e.g. jewellery) and declared upon arrival.
• Acipenseridae family (sturgeons) fish and any product made thereof (subject to special permit).
• Antiquities (i.e. any article older than 50 years) and art objects (subject to duty and special permit from the Ministry of Culture), furs.

Pets:

Cats, dogs and birds must be accompanied by an international veterinary passport or veterinarian health certificate (nationals of C.I.S. countries may present a veterinary license instead) with seal of local Board of Health and issued no more than five days prior to arrival. Pets must have been vaccinated against rabies within 12 months and 30 days prior to entry. Pigeons must be accompanied by a certificate which proves they are free from bird flu.
Special import permission from Veterinary dept. Ministry of Agriculture is required for import of more than 2 animals of any type.

Baggage Clearance regulations:

Baggage must be cleared at the first airport of entry in the Russian Fed.

Exempt:
1. baggage of passengers arriving on certain airlines. Contact your airline for further details;
2. baggage of transit passengers to Sochi if airline conforms to Customs procedures. Contact your airline for further details;
3. baggage of transit passengers continuing to a third country. The baggage must be checked through to its final destination irrespective of terminal of arrival/departure.
If traveling onward to Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, please contact your airline for further details.

For travelers entering the Russian Fed., a limit of baggage allowance of 50 kilograms and/or a value of RUB 65,000.- exists.

Exempt: nationals of the Russian Fed. whose stay abroad exceeds 6 months.

Currency

Currency Import regulations:

Import allowed.
Local currency: (Russian Rouble – RUB): and foreign currencies: no restrictions.
Written import declaration may be needed on export.

Currency Export regulations:

Export allowed.
Local currency (Russian Rouble – RUB) and foreign currencies: Written declaration required for amounts over 3,000.-. Import declaration / confirmation of import or transfer required for amounts over 10,000.-. Traveler’s cheques are allowed up to amounts imported. Declaration required for traveler’s cheques purchased in Russia.

Airport Tax

No airport tax is levied on passengers upon embarkation at the airport.