Starting from June 30, 2025, foreign nationals entering Russia under a visa-free regime will be required to register in advance in Gosuslugi RuID mobile app and obtain a digital QR code to pass border control.
This measure is part of an ongoing pilot program initiated by the Russian government. The resolution on testing new entry and exit rules for foreign citizens and stateless persons was adopted in November 2024.
Brief instructions for those intending to travel to the Russian Federation in ten different languages are available on Gosuslugi portal.
Foreigners will have to register in Gosuslugi RuID mobile application and create a personal account, upload a photo and personal data to it.
No later than 72 hours before the planned entry, you will need to fill out an application for entry and expected duration of stay in Russia.
The received QR code will need to be presented at border control. When entering the Russian Federation in emergency cases, such as illness or death of a relative, the application can be filled out four hours before entering the country.
Citizens of Belarus, children under six, and foreigners entering Russia on a visa or temporary residence permit are exempt from pre-registration.
An application for children aged from 6 to 18 years can be filled out by parents or legal guardians only if they themselves have a valid application for entry into the Russian Federation.
This is the second stage of the experimental rules for entry into Russia. The first stage, launched on December 1, 2024, required foreign nationals arriving through four Moscow airports (Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky) and Mashtakovo land checkpoint in Orenburg Oblast to undergo mandatory biometric screening (face photo and fingerprints).
