Russia and Belarus visa-free

Voyager2002
Voyager2002 Posts: 15,271 Forumite
Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
in Report holiday deals, bargains & special offers
Under normal circumstances a visa to visit Russia costs more than 100 pounds, as well as considerable hassle.


For a month this year (10 June -- 10 July) we will be able to visit without a visa, so long as have a ticket for one of the sessions of the European Games. Ticket prices start from 3 Euro.


https://minsk2019.by/en/news/755

Comments

  • EveryWhere
    EveryWhere Posts: 3,249 Forumite
    Not clear as to how Russia fits into this. It states you can visit Russia only on the way to Minsk. Not sure that you can disembark and stay in Russia for any amount of time.
    Do you know more?
  • Voyager2002
    Voyager2002 Posts: 15,271 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    EveryWhere wrote: »
    Not clear as to how Russia fits into this. It states you can visit Russia only on the way to Minsk. Not sure that you can disembark and stay in Russia for any amount of time.
    Do you know more?


    I am afraid that is the limit of my knowledge, except that since there is no border control between Russia and Belarus presumably once you are in either country you can move around freely.
  • EveryWhere
    EveryWhere Posts: 3,249 Forumite
    Voyager2002 wrote: »
    I am afraid that is the limit of my knowledge, except that since there is no border control between Russia and Belarus presumably once you are in either country you can move around freely.

    I'm not even sure that Russians can travel around their own country that freely; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_passport_of_Russia
  • Voyager2002
    Voyager2002 Posts: 15,271 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Voyager2002 wrote: »
    I am afraid that is the limit of my knowledge, except that since there is no border control between Russia and Belarus presumably once you are in either country you can move around freely.


    To add to that, under normal circumstances foreigners (ie us) are not allowed to use the land borders between Russia and Belarus. For the one-month period of the concession, we will be allowed to cross this border by train and at certain road crossing points.
  • Voyager2002
    Voyager2002 Posts: 15,271 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    I have now heard from people who have used this concession...

    No problem boarding Russia-bound transport with a registered games ticket but no visa; at some border crossings a need for patience as immigration officers make a telephone call before allowing you to enter the country: BUT hotels in Moscow do not allow you to check in if you don't have a visa! So this would only work if you were staying in Air BnB or similar, or were spending every night on a long-distance train.
  • logderson
    logderson Posts: 7 Forumite
    Well it's at least visa free now, although I've heard that people have to wait tons of hours in the border to get in
  • Barny1979
    Barny1979 Posts: 7,921 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    For Visa free travel in Russia, they are doing the same as for the World Cup and if you have a Fan ID for Euro 2020 and a ticket for one of the matches in SPB, you won't need a Visa.
  • Voyager2002
    Voyager2002 Posts: 15,271 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Barny1979 wrote: »
    For Visa free travel in Russia, they are doing the same as for the World Cup and if you have a Fan ID for Euro 2020 and a ticket for one of the matches in SPB, you won't need a Visa.


    And how much is the cheapest ticket?
  • Barny1979
    Barny1979 Posts: 7,921 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Voyager2002 wrote: »
    And how much is the cheapest ticket?

    Think around 100 euros
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.1K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173K Life & Family
  • 247.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards