Crossing Russia-Belarus Border by Foreign Citizens and Persons without Citizenship
The Russian legislation (The Federal Law No. 114-FZ dated 15 August 1996 On Procedures to Enter and Exit the Russian Federation, Russian Federation Law No. 4730-1 dated 1 April 1993 On the State Border of the Russian Federation) provides that foreign citizens and stateless persons are eligible to enter the Russian Federation only through authorized checkpoints at the state border and must go through the border control.
There are no authorized checkpoints designed for international connections on motorways and railways crossing Russia-Belarus sector of the State Border of the Russian Federation and there is no border control checkpoints for international travel of individuals and vehicles.
Till a complete settlement of this matter crossing of Russia-Belarus state border by all categories of foreign citizens and persons without citizenship, regardless having valid Russian or Belarus visas or resident permits, using railway or motorway transport will be violation of the established in accordance with international norms procedure of crossing the State Border of the Russian Federation.
Since May 2017, it has become possible for third-country nationals to cross Russian-Belarus border using direct flights between Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. The border control in Russian airports is carried out with regard to all foreign citizens and stateless persons arriving from Belarus and departing backwards.
Foreign citizens and stateless persons travelling by air in transit via the territory of the Russian Federation to Republic of Belarus still have to obtain Russian transit visas.
According to the international norms and the national legislation of the Russian Federation all third-country nationals and stateless persons can enter and leave the Russian Federation through multilateral (bilateral) checkpoints open for international travel (international flights).
In accordance with the current Russian legislation, there is no provision for foreign nationals to enter the Russian Federation possessing a cancelled passport with a valid Russian visa together with a new passport without one.
A foreign national should preliminarily transfer his/her Russian visa from cancelled passport to a new one, before he/she visits Russia.
On 27 November 2018 the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Jamaica on conditions of the waiver of visa requirements for mutual visits of the nationals of the Russian Federation and the nationals of Jamaica entered into force.
On June 1, 2018 the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Belarus on certain issues related to the entry of foreign citizens and stateless persons to international sports competitions came into force.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation has published guidelines for foreign nationals travelling to Russia for the FIFA World Cup 2018.
As a result of the irresponsible actions of the UK Government, which lead to an expulsion of 23 diplomats of the Russian Embassy, including a number of Consular Section staff, the Embassy is temporarily limiting the number of all visitors.
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