Border control

THE LAW OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
April 1, 1993

“THE STATE BORDER OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION”
ARTICLE 9. CROSSING THE STATE BORDER BY PERSONS AND VEHICLES

When aircraft fly from the State Border to point of entry across the State Border and back, as well as during a transit flight through the airspace of the Russian Federation, the following is prohibited:

a) landing at airports and on the airfields of the Russian Federation which are not approved by the Government of the Russian Federation for international flights;

b) departure from airports and aerodromes of the Russian Federation, which are not approved by the Government of the Russian Federation for international flights;

c) flying through prohibited areas, which are reported to the public;

d) other actions prohibited by the legislation of the Russian Federation, international treaties of the Russian Federation. To ensure safety in the Russian Federation, as well as by the request of foreign states, the Government of the Russian Federation has decided that crossing the State border may be temporarily restricted or terminated in the particular sections upon notice of the authorities of the states concerned. In the case of natural and man-caused emergencies, rescue, rescue and recovery teams (forces) cross the state border to localize and eliminate such situations in the manner specified by international treaties of the Russian Federation and acts of the Russian Federation Government.

It is not a violation of the rules of crossing the State Border if aircraft has made a forced entry into the Russian airspace due to the following extraordinary circumstances:  an accident or natural disaster threatening the safety of a foreign aircraft; delivery of rescued people; providing emergency medical care to a crew member or passengers, as well as due to other extraordinary circumstances.

In case of forced border crossing or induced failure to comply with the rules established by this Law while flying from the State Border to a point of entry and back, according to the procedure for staying in the Russian airspace, the captain of the aircraft must immediately inform the relevant authority of the unified ATM system, that notifies the border service agencies and forces of the Russian Federation and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation about such crossing of the State border and then the pilot will continue to act in accordance with their instructions or instructions of the Russian aircraft captain who arrives to assist or clarify the circumstances of the incident.

ARTICLE 11. THE ENTRY OF PERSONS, VEHICLES, CARGOES, GOODS AND ANIMALS ACROSS THE STATE BORDER

The established official border posts allow persons, vehicles, cargo, goods and animals to enter across the state border. This procedure includes:

The recognition of the legality of the State Border crossing by people, vehicles arriving to the Russian Federation territory and the legality of movement of cargo, goods, animals across the State border to the Russian Federation territory;

The permit for the border crossing by persons  departing from the Russian Federation and to move vehicles, cargo, goods, animals across the State border to the Russian Federation territory.

The grounds for authorizing persons, vehicles, cargo, goods and animals to cross the border is the presence of valid documents permitting people to enter the Russian Federation or to leave the Russian Federation and documents for vehicles, cargo, goods and animals.

Foreign citizens and stateless persons who are not permitted to enter the Russian Federation in accordance with the Laws of the Russian Federation and also people who are banned to depart from the Russian Federation in accordance with the procedure established by the Laws of the Russian Federation, are not allowed to cross the State Border.

The entry of people, vehicles, cargo, goods and animals across the State Border includes border control (checking the grounds authorizing persons, vehicles, cargo, goods and animals to cross the border, examining vehicles, cargo and goods in order to detect and detain a trespasser, transported goods, goods and animals which are prohibited to be imported into the Russian Federation or exported from the Russian Federation according to the legislation of the Russian Federation).

ARTICLE 22. CONTENTS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REGULATIONS AT THE POINTS OF ENTRY ACROSS THE STATE BORDER

The regulations at points of entry across the State Border includes the rules of entry, stay and exit for persons, vehicles, and cargo, goods and animals into and out of such points. These rules are established only to create the necessary conditions for the implementation of border, customs and other types of control. The regulations at points of entry across the State Border is established by transport federal authorities in accordance with the provisions of this Law and the international treaties of the Russian Federation by regulatory, enactments agreed with the authorities and forces of the Federal Border Service and the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation. Based on the enactment of the federal transport executive authority, the head of the airport and airfield issues the order to establish the regulations at this point of entry across the state border according to local conditions and coordinated with the appropriate officials of the border service agencies and forces of the Federal Border Service of the Russian Federation, customs and other agencies exercising control at the State border.

ARTICLE 24. PERSONS AND VEHICLES STAY AT POINTS OF ENTRY ACROSS THE STATE BORDER

The places and stay duration of vehicles traveling abroad at points of entry across the State Border are determined by the administration of airports and airfields in coordination with the agencies and forces of the Federal Border Service of the Russian Federation and customs authorities.  Persons’ access to means of transport and to foreign destination transport is limited or prohibited if it is necessary during the border and other types of control. Passengers’ embarkation on transport when departing from the Russian Federation and disembarkation upon arrival in the Russian Federation, as well as loading (unloading) baggage, mail and cargo are made with the permission of the agencies and forces of the Federal Border Service of the Russian Federation and customs authorities.

ARTICLE 26. ADDITIONAL RULES OF REGULATION AT POINTS OF ENTRY ACROSS THE STATE BORDER

The territories, rooms for border and other types of controls are determined at the points of entry across the State Border. Additional regulation restrictions are implemented in these places.

ARTICLE 36. APPLICATION OF SPECIAL MEANS

When performing duties to protect the State Border within the border area, as well as to ensure the own security of the Federal Border Service system of the Russian Federation, military personnel use special means (handcuffs or expedients for tying, rubber truncheons, CS, light and sound devices with distracting effects), physical strength , including combat techniques, and working dogs in accordance with part number three of article 12 and parts number four and five of article 14 Law of the RSFSR "About Police".

ARTICLE 43. RESPONSIBILITY FOR OFFENSES AT THE STATE BORDER

Persons who are guilty to break the rules of the State Border crossing, the border regulations and the regulations at points of entry across the State Border are criminally prosecuted according to federal laws or administratively liable as required in federal laws or laws of the subjects of the Russian Federation.

President of Russian Federation,
Moscow, April 1, 1993.

Telephone in case of inquiry +7 (3467) 354-011