Travel advisory: governments advise against all travel

The UK FCDO advises against all travel to Russia, and the US State Department advises: Level 4 – Do Not Travel. Check the latest advice before booking.

UK FCDO (updated 18 Sept 2026) · US State Department (29 Dec 2025) – level not re-checked on travel.state.gov

🇷🇺 Russia

Russia is no. 35 in our list of the 50 most visited destinations, with 9.1 million international arrivals in 2024. Below: visa rules for every passport, cash limits at customs and the tourist traps official travel advice warns about.

Rank 35 of 50 by international arrivals (9.1 million, 2024) · Source: Rosstat – "Туризм в цифрах" / World Tourism Day bulletin 2025 (inbound tourist trips 2024)

Visa rules for your passport ↓

Explore Russia: things to do, shopping, food and getting around

⚠️ The UK FCDO advises against all travel to Russia

The UK FCDO advises against all travel to Russia, and the US State Department advises: Level 4 – Do Not Travel. Check the latest advice before booking. This guide is for reference only and is not a recommendation to travel.

UK FCDO travel advice (official) · updated 18 Sept 2026

A short guide based on UNESCO's World Heritage listings. The UK FCDO advises against all travel here (see the warning above), so this is for reference only.

Places to visit

Moscow Kremlin and Red Square
Moscow
The Kremlin was built between the 14th and 17th centuries. St Basil's Cathedral stands on Red Square, at the foot of its walls.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre – Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow
Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
The 'Venice of the North', founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, with canals, more than 400 bridges, the Winter Palace and the Hermitage.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre – Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg

Summarised in our own words from the linked pages, official tourism boards and transport authorities first; items marked "Not official" come from other guides. Prices and opening times change, so check the source before you go. Last checked 24 Oct 2026.

Common tourist traps and how to avoid them

Scams and risky spots named in official travel advice for Russia, in our own words.

Fake police checks
How it works: People posing as police harass and rob tourists.
How to avoid it: Insist on identification and report incidents at a police station.
Dating scams
How it works: Online "partners" ask for money or gifts.
How to avoid it: Never send money to anyone you have not met.
Money-transfer scams
How it works: Visitors lose money sent through untraceable services to unknown recipients.
How to avoid it: Do not send money to people you cannot verify.
Unregistered taxis
How it works: Cars that look official may be unlicensed; crimes have occurred.
How to avoid it: Use a local app or a firm called by your hotel and agree the fare or check the meter.
Spiked drinks
How it works: Victims are robbed and sometimes left unconscious outside, which can be deadly in winter.
How to avoid it: Buy your own drinks and keep them in sight.
Methanol in bootleg alcohol
How it works: Bootleg vodka and counterfeit cider have killed dozens.
How to avoid it: Avoid unbranded or suspiciously cheap alcohol.
"Hold this" and new-friend invitations
How it works: Strangers ask you to mind their belongings or come to a bar.
How to avoid it: Decline both.

Areas flagged in official advice

Whole country: FCDO advises against all travel (war-related risks, drone attacks, arbitrary detention)
Restricted military and border zones
North Caucasus (very limited consular help)

Official advice: FCDO advises against all travel to Russia.

Emergency numbers in Russia

Emergency 112

Paraphrased from official travel advice: FCDO travel advice – Safety and security · FCDO travel advice – Warnings and insurance · FCDO travel advice – Getting help (emergency numbers) · FCDO page updated 18 Sept 2026 · Last checked 2 Nov 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Cash you can bring in and take out

Customs rules for banknotes and other cash when you enter or leave Russia.

Not yet confirmed — check the official customs page. We couldn't confirm Russia's cash limits on an official page yet, so we don't show a number. Check the current rules on gov.uk →

Official source: gov.uk · consultant.ru · Last checked 4 Oct 2026

Russia visa rules by passport

The general rule for each passport, from official sources. Open a passport to see conditions and options that depend on where you live.

Visa-free68 passports

eVisa60 passports

Embassy visa70 passports

Verified rules for Russia: 195 of 198 passports; awaiting verification: 3; not yet covered: 0. A rule that is awaiting verification or not yet covered is not a negative visa decision: it only means we haven't confirmed it on an official source yet.

⚠ Unofficial sources: 3 rules for Russia are not from an official Russia government source (based on other governments' travel advice or secondary research). They are labelled on each page, are not counted as verified above, and should be confirmed with the embassy before travel.

Nearby destinations

Official travel advice

Suggest something for our Russia guide

A place, a tip or a correction. We check every suggestion against a reliable source before anything is published.

Verify with the embassy before you book. Visa rules change without notice. We link every rule to its official source and last checked it on 2 Nov 2026, but the embassy, official e-visa portal and your airline have the final say. MyVisaPort is not a visa agent and is not affiliated with any government.