Having the necessary knowledge in the field of Russian Federation custom structure, you can protect yourself from unpleasant situations when crossing the country’s border. Below is a useful memo that helps to understand what is permitted and what cannot be imported & exported from Russia.

 What goods are required permission from the relevant organizations when importing them?

There is a list of goods subject to mandatory declaration for persons crossing the Russian border at the entrance. Otherwise, customs officers will confiscate the goods. It can be explained by the lack of rights to such an action for individuals. 

 - Both firearms, cold steel, gas or pneumatic weapons, and their spare parts, are not allowed to be imported without special permission.

 - Seeds of any kind

 - Supporting documents are also obliging for psychotropic & narcotic substances and their precursors and drugs used in the treatment process.

 - Animals & plants listed in the Red Book

 - Products with pornographic character, information sources with extremist literature in print, audio & video formats

 - Propaganda materials of all formats that violate the legislation of the Russian Federation on elections and referenda, including Nazi symbols; information threatening the political & economic interests of countries that are members of the customs union and their security, as well as the health and morality of individual citizens, containing calls for hostility

 - Photo & video equipment with a handed down pupil, disguised as other objects; equipment for phones wiretap

 - Blood, organs, human tissues

 - Toxic fertilizers

 - Food products without the manufacturer’s packaging (* Products from lands in which an epidemic is currently rampant may fall under the complete ban).

 Personal supplies are exempted from customs duties if their customs value is in the range of 10,000 euros - for air carriers (!). For another way of crossing the border - 1,500 euros, and the total weight doesn’t exceed 50 kilograms;

 - alcoholic beverages, including beer in an amount of not more than 3 liters, 200 cigarettes / 50 cigars (cigarillos) / 250 grams of tobacco or products in assortment with a total weight of not more than 250 grams per individual

 Please note: according to the general rule, 5 or more copies of one trade name are considered as commercial shipment.

 Food & goods whose weight doesn’t exceed 5 kilograms, but which are subject to sanctions against the Russian Federation, are enabled to be imported. 

What is forbidden for export from the Russian Federation?

 

 - Non-ferrous & ferrous metals (waste and scrap) + untreated precious metals and their components

 - Medicinal raw materials growing in wild and used in perfumes, pharmaceuticals, for fungicidal & insecticidal purposes, regardless of type in which they were found - fresh, dried, grounded, crushed.

 - Living wild animals, as well as wild plants, if their number exceeds more than 3 copies of 1 species.

 - Gemstones and metals that cost more $ 25,000 in equivalent: natural diamonds, natural pearls, raw gold, silver, platinum, as well as emeralds, sapphires, alexandrites, amber stones, weighing more than 1 kilogram.

 - Fish and seafood, in an amount of more than 5 kilograms, sturgeon caviar weighing more than 250 grams.

 - More than 10 liters of fuel in a separate tank. You can take out a full tank of fuel in car (regardless of tank volume), plus a 10-liter canister.

 - Cultural values ​​(rare paintings, icons, figurines, caskets, etc. older than 45 years). They must be declared necessarily.

- Ethyl alcohol & alcoholic products with a total proportion of more than 3 liters per person

 - More than 200 cigarettes / 50 cigars / 250 grams of tobacco, or the set from these products with a whole weight more 250 grams per man

 - Goods for personal use weighing more than 35 kg.

 

 Regulations for export/import of currencies

 While leaving Russia

 There are no strict rules regarding the one-time import or export of foreign currency. But there is a nuance, that is necessary to take into account. The rules are aimed only at an adult person.

 Funds equal to or not exceeding the equivalent of $ 10,000 are not subject to written declaration.

If exceeding the standard quantity, don’t forget to declare this in writing. Submit a passenger customs declaration for the full cash amount that you import.

 While coming to Russia

 • When importing foreign valuta, the same system applies as when exporting

 ! Foreign currency smuggling is punishable by fines depending on amount of illegally smuggled funds, forced labour and even imprisonment for 2 years.