Russia
Last update 21 April 2023Diplomatic missions
Risk index
Level 4: Termination warning throughout the country (except in case of extreme necessity)
4
Select passport type
Russian Federation
Diplomatic representations of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Russian Federation
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria
Address: Moscow 119590, 66, Mosfilmovskaya Street
Telephone: + 7 495 234 02 26; Fax: +7 495 232 33 02
Оut-of-hours hotline: + 7 495 234 02 26
Office hours: 09:00 - 17:30 h
Е-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.mfa.bg/embassies/russia
Consular section
Office hours - 09:00 - 11:30 h
Information and consultation, Telephone : +7 499 143 62 30 ; 15:00 – 17:00 h
Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Moscow
Consulate General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Sankt Petersburg, Russian Federation
Saint Petersburg, 191014, 11 Saporny pereulok
Address: 190 000 San
Telephone: +7 812 401 01 52
Fax: +7 812 272 57 18
Out-of-hours hotline: +7 921 633 6116
Office Hours: Mon to Fri, 09.30 - 12.00h.
Every Friday – visiting day of the Consul for consultations, appeals, complaints and signals.
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mfa.bg/embassies/russiagc3
Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Bulgaria
Address: 1113 Sofia, 28 „Dragan Tsankov” Boulevard
Telephone: +359 2963 0914; +359 2963 4458; +359 2963 1314; +359 2963 4021
Fax: +359 2 963 4103
Office Hours: Mon - Thu, 08.45 - 13.00 h; 14.00 - 18.00 h; Fri, 08.45 - 13.00 h; 14.00 - 16.45 h
Consular Office
Address: 1113 Sofia, № 30 „Nikola Mirchev” Str.
Telephone: +359 2963 4021; +359 2963 2879
Fax: +359 2963 4116
Office hours: 09.00 - 12.00 h.
E-mail: [email protected]
The Russian Federation opened two additional outsourcing centers in Bulgaria, situated in Sofia and Varna on the following addresses:
Address: Sofia, 28B "Samokov" Str.
Tel.:+ 359 2 492 83 37
Е-mail: [email protected]
Office hours: Monday to Friday from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM
Address: Varna, 20 "Michael Koloni" Str.
Tel.:+ 359 52 91 82 03
Е-mail: [email protected]
Office hours: Monday to Friday from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM
Honorary Consuls of Russia in Bulgaria
Tonko FOTEV
8000 Bourgas, 111, rue Tsar Siméon I
Tél: +359 56 83 07 07
Fax: +359 56 83 07 33
E-mail: [email protected]
Georgi Gergov
4000 Plovdiv, 16, rue Tsar Ivailo
Tél./Fax: +359 32 62 20 93
E-mail: [email protected]
General information
Local currency
Russian ruble (RUB)
Currency is to be exchanged only in exchange offices and banks. At the exchange in a bank the presentation of a personal identification document is obligatory. Hotels, restaurants and bigger shops and department stores accept credit cards.
Crimе and security
High risk of terrorist attacks, especially in places with bigger agglomeration of people – railroad stations, airports, market places, subway stations etc.
In Russia various petty thefts and lottery fraud often take place, drugs are offered to visitors.
Customs requirements
Upon enetering into Russia the accompanying luggage of the arriving physical person is completely exempt of customs duties, if it contains non-commercial items with a total value of up to 1000 USD and its weight does not exceed 50 kg (for every kilogram over this limit customs duty of no less than 4 Euro is paid).
Up to 1000 pieces of cigarettes, 5 litres of alcoholic beverages, 20 l of gasoline per one motor vehicle (apart from the quantity in the vehicle’s tank), 5 items of jewellery can be brought in exempt of duty.
After 31.07.2005, in case the total value of the foreign currency brought in exceeds 10000 USD, it is obligatorily declared.
Passage is through the red customs corridor where the declaration is checked by a customs officer.
Attention! Items prohibited for import are: weapons of any type and ammunition for them, narcotic and psychotropic substances, as well as appliances for smoking of opium and hashish, printed products, audio-visual material and other information carriers, which can inflict damage on the security of the state, the health and morals of the population, other items the import of which is explicitly forbidden by the laws of the Russian Federation.
The luggage of physical people on departure is exempt from duty tax if it is of permitted character, is not intended for production purposes or other commercial activity and if its total value does not exceed 10 000 USD.
The total value of the foreign and local currency that is taken out cannot exceed 10 000 USD. An exception is only made for the currency earlier brought in, if it has entered in the customs declaration. Currency of a total value of up to 3 000 USD does not have to be declared. Amounts of foreign currency and Russian rubles have to be declared if their total equivalent exceeds the amount of 3 000 USD, moreover, the total amount has to be declared and not only the portion that exceeds 3 000 USD. If the value of the rubles is over 10 000 USD, the money above that amount has to be left for safe-keeping at the customs office.
Violation of the rules for customs declaration is penalised with a fine amounting to 75-100%of the sum of the illegally conducted operation. If the currency or rubles illegally taken out are in especially big amounts, the act could be qualified as a criminal violation – smuggling, the penalty for which is fine from 100 to 300 000 rubles, or imprisonment of up to 5 years. Securities and stock, precious metals and items made of them, goods of cultural, historical and artistic value are obligatory to declare.
Road traffic
The use of non-conventional taxies is not recommended.
When travelling with personal transport all restrictions must be observed, and hitch-hikers must not be taken on board.
Stop-over should be undertaken in suitable places in the vicinity of posts of DPS (the Road Patrol Service at the Ministry of Interior), motels, gas stations and other busy locations. Travelling at night should be avoided.
For driving a motor vehicle in Russia, the following documents have to be presented to the authorities:
- registration of the vehicle;
- valid insurance document;
- driving license and passport
The motor vehicle must be obligatorily declared with the customs authorities on entry into the Russian Federation.
The standard speed limit is 60 km/h in town, 90 km/h out of town, and 120 km/h on highways.
There is a policy of zero tolerance to drunk driving.
Healthcare
No specific vaccinations are required, but it has to be borne in mind that at the moment AIDS spreads out in the Russian Federation at an accelerated rate.
Periodically in various places in the country mass epidemics burst out. Before travelling, one should get information from printed and electronic media.
The possession of a medical insurance valid for the territory of the Russian Federation is obligatory for everyone.
Climate
There are no areas with increased threat of natural disasters. There are regions with more severe climate where very good equipment is necessary.
Travel papers and visas
Travel is carried out with a valid passport for travelling abroad and a visa for the country.
The minimal recommended validity of the passport is 6 months of the date of expiration of the term of validity of the visa.
During their stay in Russia the Bulgarian nationals must observe the order established in the country with regard to registration, stay and movement of foreigners.
Important! A Russian visa cannot be extended! Exception is permitted only in exclusive cases for a term of up to 10 days, provided a motivated request is filed and documents confirming the necessity of such an extension are available.
An application for a Russian visa can be filed with every diplomatic of consular representation of the Russian Federation.
Entry to the territory of the Russian Federation is not permitted with a valid passport and a visa placed in an invalid passport. The mandatory requirement is that the visa is placed in a valid travel document. In the case of the issuance of a new passport, people holding valid visas in their old passports should contact the consulate of the Russian Federation, where on the basis of holding a valid visa, a new visa sticker will be placed in the travel document free of charge.
Working in Russia
According to the adopted amendments to the Law on Legal Status of Aliens and the Law on Education of the Russian Federation, from December 1, 2012 new requirements for foreign nationals in the country entered into force.
A requirement is enacted for foreign nationals employed in construction, retail trade and services to have at least a basic command of the Russian language.
Knowledge of the Russian language is proven by submission of certificate for passed state test in Russian at specialized centres or a document of at least primary level of education that is recognized on the territory of the Russian Federation.
The requirement for proving level of command of the Russian language does not apply to citizens of countries where Russian is the official language or if this is stipulated for in an international agreement.
Practical advice
Within 7 working days after the arrival in Russia you must get registered at the local branch of the Federal Migration Service. The majority of the big hotels would do that for you automatically. But if you are staying in a private home, the owner of the property shall have to do that for you. You may not register if your stay is shorter than 7 days.
When necessary, the following telephone numbers are dialed free of charge:
- Fire-brigade: 01
- Police: 02
- Medical emergency: 03
Competitive service
Want can consular officers do for you:
- Issue you a travel document if you do not possess any;
- Inform your relatives in case of accident, serious illness or death and ensure the assistance possible;
- In case of arrest – inform your relatives, assist them to visit you in custody,guarantee for you the same treatment as for the citizens of the receiving country;
- Provide assistance in case of unforeseen circumstances, such as natural disasters or civil unrest;
- Provide you with the most up-to-date information when travelling;
- Certify and authenticate a signature;
- Issue acts of civic status (birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate);
- Forward civic status acts already issued by the local authorities to the municipality in Bulgaria by your permanent address.
Certification and Legalisation:
The Republic of Bulgaria has concluded with the Russian Federation a bi-lateral agreement according to which documents issued by the competent authorities specified therein in each of the two countries do not need additional legalisation by the other country. The documents obligatorily have to bear an original seal.