Russia

Russia

Regulations on the Items Taken into and out of Russia

Entry:

Upon entry, visitors can carry tax-free merchandizes whose value does not exceed RUB 65000 and whose weight does not exceed 35 kilos.

1. Less than 2 liters of alcoholic drinks (including beer)

2. 50 cigars, 100 thin cigars, 200 cigarettes and 250 grams of tobacco are allowed. If a visitor carries just one of the above categories, at most 100 cigars, 200 thin cigars, 40 cigarettes, and half a kilo of tobacco are allowed.

3. 250 grams of sturgeon seeds

4. Merchandizes whose value exceeds RUB 65000 and whose weight exceeds 35 kilograms are taxable. In the case where the value of all the merchandizes does not exceed RUB 650,000 or their total weight does not exceed 200 kilos, every kilo in excess is subjected to a customs tax of 30%, but the tax is not less than EUR 4 per kilo.

Exit:

1. On exit, personal items are not taxable.

2. Visitors who carry historical artifacts and artworks must produce a written declaration form as well as the photos and certificates issued by the relevant departments of the Russian Ministry of Culture. If the goods are cultural treasures, the exit permit issued by the Russian Ministry of Culture must be provided.

3. Weapons must not only be declared in writing, but also be accompanied by the Special Permit issued by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

4. Bowed and stringed musical instruments must not only be declared in writing, but also be accompanied by a Musical Instrument Certificate stamped with the seal of and issued by the Russian Ministry of Culture. If a musical instrument in question was manufactured 50 years ago, then the Special Permit issued by the Russian Ministry of Culture must be produced.

Visa

1. In the case of a visa of multiple entries, within every 180-day period after the first entry, the visitor can make one stay or several stays in Russia for no more than 90 days.

2. The original invitation letter is not returned.

3. The visa application form must be filled in properly.

4. If necessary, the applicant might be required to provide supplementary materials or come for an interview.

5. Each applicant in a group should provide his/her own complete set of materials.

6. The applicant should come in person to submit the visa application materials or pick up the visa, or provide a notarized letter of authorization.

7. Citizens from the Schengen countries, Israel, Finland, Estonia and Lithuania should provide a valid health insurance policy or a letter of guarantee to cover the medical costs from the organization which invites the applicants to Russia.

Customs

The Russia's main religions include Eastern Orthodoxy and Islam. A 2001 sample survey by a highly recognized Russian social survey agency suggests that 55% of the Russian residents believe in a religion, of which 91% believe in Eastern Orthodoxy, 5% in Muslim, 1% in Catholicism and Judaism respectively, 0.8% in Buddhism, and the rest in other religions.

The diet of Russians is mainly Western food, which features meat, milk, egg, bread, butter, jam, pickled cucumber, potato, onion and cabbage. In winter vegetables and fruits are in short supply and are expensive. Typical Russian dishes include caviar, red soup, braised beef and chicken braised with butter.

The Russians' taboo number is 13. But the Russians like the number 7 which is considered a symbol of happiness and success. When giving out gifts, they prefer odd numbers; they think even numbers are unlucky.

The Russians are known worldwide for alcohol drinking. Most men and some women like to drink spirits. Vodka is the best favorite of many. When toasting, people use their right hand to hold the glass. Usually, the first glass must be emptied.

Embassy and Consulates General

Consulate General of Russia in Shenyang

Add：31 Nan Shisanwei Road, Heping District, Shenyang 110003, Liaoning

Tel：+86-24-23223927

Fax：+86-24-23223907

Website：http://www.rcsy.org

E-mail：info@rcsy.org

Consular regions：Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang

Consulate General of Russia in Shanghai

Add：20 Huangpu Road, Shanghai 200080

Tel：+86-21-63248383，+86-21-63242682

Fax：+86-21-63069982

E-mail：gkshanghai@mail.ru

Consular regions：Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui

Consulate General of Russia in Hong Kong, China

Add：Sun Hung Kai Center, 30 Harbor Road, Hong Kong, China

Tel：+852-28777188, +852-28775024

Fax：+852-28777166

E-mail：russia@hknet.com，rusvisahk@hknet.com 

Consular regions：Hong Kong, China and Macao, China

Consulate General of Russia in Guangzhou

Add：3 Linjiang Avenue, Guangzhou, Guangdong

Tel：+86-20-85185001，+86-20-85185002，+86-20-85185003

Fax：+86-20-85185099，+86-20-85185088

E-mail：info@rfcg.org

Website：http://rfcg.org.cn

Consular regions：Guangdong, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hainan, Yunnan, Guangxi

Voltage and Plugs

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* The above information is for reference only. For more, contact the embassy.

* For more information on visa, head to the Star Alliance website.