U.S. citizens should leave Russia via commercial options still available. The situation on Russian borders is always changing.

Air travel options for U.S. citizens:

• Be aware the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgraded the air safety rating for Russia, as a result of Russia’s Federal Agency for Air Transport failing to meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards. For more information on this matter, click here.
• Explore commercial air routing through non-European destinations.
• Ask family and friends outside of Russia to help buy airline tickets. This is especially helpful if credit/debit cards are not working, as described below.
• Consider contacting a global travel company to buy airline tickets.

Travelers may also depart via some of Russia’s land borders. More information is below.

Use of Credit/Debit Cards & Access to Foreign Currency: International sanctions have been imposed on Russian banks due to Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. As a result, U.S.-issued credit and debit cards will not work in Russia. Travelers may consider using local credit cards, cash, or other forms of payment. Travelers can also ask family and friends outside of Russia to buy their ticket. U.S. citizens should take this into account when making plans.

Be aware the exclusion of Russia from the SWIFT system has made money transfers to/from the United States impossible. The Bank of Russia announced that non-residents from “both friendly and unfriendly countries” may transfer funds abroad in the amount of their wages although there remains a ban on transferring funds abroad for non-residents from “unfriendly countries” that do not work in Russia, as well as legal entities from such states. In addition, non-residents may have difficulty withdrawing foreign currency, including USD, from accounts held in Russian banks.

We encourage you to enroll in our Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates and makes it easier for the U.S. Embassy in Moscow to contact you in an emergency. U.S. citizens in Russia can email moscowACS@state.gov for assistance.

Click here for more updates from the U.S. Embassy in Russia.

KEY LINKS

Latest Travel Advisory and Alerts

Security Alert

Departing Russia by Air:

If you want to leave Russia by air, be prepared to comply with your destination's entry requirements. Direct flights are now operating from Moscow and other major Russian cities to Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Thailand, India, and other destinations.

Departing Russia by Land:

If you want to leave Russia by land, be prepared to comply with your destination’s entry requirements, which may differ from the entry requirements for travelers arriving by plane. Travelers should also be aware that not all border crossings may be open. Travelers should check the website of the U.S. Embassy in the country you wish to visit for more information.

Visa Requirements for Families with U.S. and Russian Citizen Family Members

The following information may be useful to families with both U.S. and Russian citizen family members that are considering departure options:

No Visa Required for Russian Citizens

Azerbaijan: Russians do not need a visa to enter Azerbaijan and can stay for up to 90 days.

Bahrain: Russians can get visas on arrival.

Georgia: Russian citizens do not need a visa to enter Georgia.

Kazakhstan: Russian citizens can enter Kazakhstan without a visa by air for up to 90 days but not more than 90 days within a 180-day period.

Mongolia: Mongolia does not require a visa for temporary (30-day) stays of Russian nationals. It only requires a passport with at least six-months validity.

Qatar: Russian citizens can enter Qatar visa free for an initial 30-day stay. They have the possibility to extend 30 additional days.

Serbia: Russians do not need visas to enter Serbia and can stay for up to 30 days.

UAE: UAE offers visas on arrival for Russian tourists with authorization for a 30-day stay. Russian tourists can extend these visas to 90 days.

Visa Required for Russian Citizens

Estonia: The Estonian government does not allow Russian citizens with short-term Schengen visas to enter Estonia for tourism, sports, or culture.  The entry restrictions do not apply to Russian citizens who are long-term residents of Estonia or to individuals traveling to Estonia to visit family who are Estonian citizens or long-term residents.  The rules also exempt workers involved in transporting goods and passengers, and also include individuals in certain humanitarian circumstances. The Estonian Police and Border Guard website has more information. 

Finland: Russian citizens need a visa to enter Finland. Priority is given to those applying for a visa due to family reasons, work, or study. In extreme cases, the Finnish Border Patrol will consider parole entry if the person is transiting Finland or has other extraordinary circumstances.

Latvia: Visas are required for Russians to enter Latvia. They are currently not being issued except for some specific funerals. For more information, please contact the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Lithuania: Russian citizens need a visa to enter Lithuania. Lithuania is no longer issuing visas to Russian citizens. Lithuania does not allow Russian citizens with short-term Schengen visas to enter Lithuania for tourism, sports, or culture. Exceptions apply for family members of EU nationals, seafarers, people transiting to Kaliningrad, and in other humanitarian situations. 

SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON ENTERING NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES FROM RUSSIA:

Azerbaijan
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Baku, call +994 12 488-3300, or email the American Citizens Services unit at BakuACS@state.gov

Click here to see all Messages and Alerts for U.S. Visitors to Azerbaijan.

• Azerbaijan's land borders with its neighboring countries remain closed, except for freight transportation. Entry into Azerbaijan is possible only by air.
• Azerbaijan’s national air carrier, AZAL (Azerbaijan Airlines), operates regular flights from Moscow's Domodedovo and Vnukovo airports, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan, Kazan, Mineralniye Vody, Makhachkala, Novosibirsk, Samara, Sochi, Ufa, Volgograd, and Yekaterinburg.

Belarus
Do not travel to Belarus due to the Belarusian authorities’ continued facilitation of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the buildup of Russian military forces in Belarus, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, the potential of civil unrest, the risk of detention, and the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Belarus. U.S. citizens in Belarus should depart immediately. Read the travel advisory for Belarus here.

Estonia
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Estonia, call 372-668-8100, or email ACSTallinn@state.gov.

Click here to read all Messages and Alerts for U.S. Visitors to Estonia.

• Estonia does not allow air traffic from Russia due to EU sanctions. U.S. citizens may cross into Estonia but family members of other nationalities may need Estonian visas to enter.
• Estonia no longer allows vehicles with Russian Federation license plates to enter Estonia. Drivers and passengers of Russian-plated vehicles may cross the border on foot and must leave the vehicle behind in Russia. The ban does not apply to international passenger transport buses.
• Lux Express continues to offer bus service between St. Petersburg and Tallinn. If you travel by bus from Russia to Estonia, expect longer than normal wait times to cross the border.
• Dual U.S.-Russian citizens have reported difficulties entering Estonia. U.S. citizens with other nationalities should be ready to prove their citizenship and show travel details to Estonian border guards.
• There are currently no ferries operating from Russia to Estonia.
• As of February 1, 2024, the Russian Federation closed the Narva-Ivangorod border crossing for construction. It is closed to all motor vehicle traffic in both directions. Russian authorities say the border may be closed for approximately two and a half years. It is still possible to cross the Narva-Ivangorod border on foot but crossing by vehicle is not possible. Buses still travel between Russia and Estonia, as noted above, but passengers will have to cross the border on foot and transfer to a different bus. In addition, as of May 1, 2024, the Narva-Ivangorod border crossing will be closed at night between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. and no crossings will be permitted during that time, including for pedestrians.
• Vehicles can still cross the Estonian-Russian border at the Koidula-Kunitsina Gora and Luhamaa-Shumilkina border crossings, with limitations imposed on Russian Federation license plates as noted above.

Finland
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Finland, call +358-9-616-250, or email HelsinkiACS@state.gov

Click here to read all Messages and Alerts for U.S. Visitors to Finland.

• All land border crossing points between Finland and Russia are closed. Check the Finnish Border Guards website for updated information regarding Finland’s borders and entry requirements, check the Finnish Border Guards website.
• Finland’s national railway operator has suspended service between
• No air travel between Finland and Russia is possible.
• There are currently no ferries operating from Russia to Finland.
• When the border is open, travelers may not cross the land border on foot.

U.S. citizens with expired passports may transit Finland to the United States, but they must contact the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki at HelsinkiACS@state.gov in advance and provide the traveler’s name, arrival time, vehicle information, and U.S. airline ticket information.

Passengers transiting Finland may not cross the border outside regular opening hours except to make connecting flights/ferries.

You can find requirements for entry from the Finnish Border Guards website.

Georgia
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Georgia, call +(995 32) 227-70-00, or email the American Citizens Services unit at askconsultbilisi@state.gov.

For information on the Georgian border, please visit the Georgian State Commission on Migration Issues.

Kazakhstan
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan, call +7 (7172) 70-21-00, or email the American Citizens Services unit at USAKZ@state.gov.

Click here to see all Messages and Alerts for U.S. Visitors to Kazakhstan.

• While Air Astana and FlyArystan have suspended flights between Russia and Kazakhstan, other airlines may continue to fly between the two countries. U.S. government personnel are prohibited from using Kazakhstani airlines for official travel without prior approval, except for Air Astana and FlyArystan, due to safety concerns. For more information about travel, see Kazakhstan’s Country Information Page.
• U.S. Citizens with expired passports will not be admitted to Kazakhstan, including for transit.

Latvia
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Latvia, call +371 6710 7000, or email askconsular-riga@state.gov.

Click here to read all Messages and Alerts for U.S. Visitors to Latvia.

• The Russia-Latvia border remains open, but border crossing points may be limited. Travelers to Latvia should check with Latvian Border Police before starting travel. U.S. citizens may cross into Latvia with U.S. passports that have a validity of at least six months.
• Latvia no longer allows entry for Russian-registered and plated private vehicles. This includes those owned or driven by U.S. citizens. We recommend traveling via plane or bus.
• There is direct bus service from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Riga via the Ecolines buses, which depart daily.
• There is no train or ferry service which travels directly from Russia or Belarus to Latvia.
• Latvia is not issuing visas to Russian citizens to enter the country at this time, including for accompanying Russian family members of U.S. citizen minors. 
• Latvia currently allows U.S. citizens to cross into Latvia from Belarus through only one land border crossing. Please check hours and locations as they may change without notice.
• There are extended waits to cross the land border from Russia to Latvia. The wait time can be as long as 72-96 hours, with limited or no access to food, water, or sanitary facilities.

Lithuania
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Lithuania, call +370 5 266 5600, or email VilniusACS@state.gov

Click here to read all Messages and Alerts for U.S. Visitors to Lithuania.

• Russian citizens need a visa to enter Lithuania. Lithuania is no longer issuing visas to Russian citizens. Lithuania does not allow Russian citizens with short-term Schengen visas to enter Lithuania for tourism, sports, or culture. Exceptions apply for family members of EU nationals, seafarers, people transiting Kaliningrad, and in other humanitarian situations. 

Mongolia
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, call +976-7007-6001, or email the American Citizens Services unit at UlaanbaatarACS@state.gov.

Click here to see all Messages and Alerts for U.S. Visitors to Mongolia.

• There are no reports of any border/Point of Entry closures.
• The Mongolian government requires those entering to be in possession of a passport with at least six month validity.
• U.S. and Russian nationals can travel and enter Mongolia visa-free, but may be required to register after arrival depending on the length of stay.
• There are flights every Wednesday and Saturday operating on IrAero from Irkutsk to Ulaanbaatar. These tickets can only be purchased inside Russia.
• See Mongolia’s Country Information Page for more information about travel to Mongolia, and entry and exit requirements for U.S. citizens.

Poland
To reach the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, call +48 22 504-2000, or email the ACSWarsaw@state.gov.

Click here to read all Messages and Alerts for U.S. Visitors to Poland.

• U.S. citizens are restricted from entering Poland from Belarus and Russia unless they meet one of the exceptions currently in place.  You may find the list of exceptions on the Polish Border Guard website.
• U.S. citizens who do not meet one of the listed exceptions, but who want to return/evacuate from Belarus to the United States in transit through Poland, or who need to enter Poland for humanitarian reasons, may apply for a special permit to enter Poland only at the border crossing point in Brest-Terespol.