Removal of certain restrictions on crossing the Russian border

The Government of the Russian Federation has issued Directive No. 1175-r of 14 May 2022 removing restrictions to enter the Russian Federation for the following categories of foreign citizens:

• for citizens of the Republic of Armenia and the Kyrgyz Republic entering the Russian Federation from third countries
• for citizens of Ecuador. Entry restrictions are also removed for persons who possess a residence permit or another document conferring the right of indefinite stay in Ecuador and are entering Russia from their home state or another state included in Appendix No. 1 to Government Directive No. 635-r of 16 March 2020 or from the Republic of Belarus via air border crossing points on the Russian state border.

Ecuadorian citizens and residence permit holders will be able to obtain visas through diplomatic missions and consular institutions of the Russian Federation which are accredited in the foreign states specified in Appendix No. 1 to Government Directive No. 635-r of 16 March 2020.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and its territorial agencies are to resume accepting documents required for the issue of Russian visa invitation letters for Ecuadorian citizens and residence permit holders.

In addition, restrictions are being lifted on travel across the land section of the Russian state border to depart from the Russian Federation for Russian citizens:

• travelling to Georgia. However, the entry of Georgian citizens into the Russian Federation remains restricted
• entering the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic (citizens of Ukraine, the DPR and the LPR have the right to enter the Russian Federation, inter alia, from the territory of third states, as we reported previously in our alerts dated 21 March and 1 April 2022)
• entering from the territory of the Kaliningrad Oblast via the territory of the Lithuanian Republic into another part of the Russian Federation or travelling from one part of the territory of the Russian Federation to the Kaliningrad Oblast via the territory of other states, provided that they produce documents proving that they are registered at a place of residence or place of stay in the territory of the Kaliningrad Oblast or own property situated in the territory of the Kaliningrad Oblast. Separate requirements are laid down for rail travel on the route concerned.

Entry requirements for Russian citizens should be checked with the competent authorities of the above states.

We are continuing to monitor the situation and will keep you informed of any further developments in the law.