Visa-Free Transit Through Russia

Key rules for visa-free transit:

• •You must have a confirmed ticket for an onward flight departing within 24 hours
• •You must remain in the international transit zone of the airport
• •You cannot leave the airport or pass through Russian border control
• •Your transit must be through an airport with an international transit zone (Moscow Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo; St. Petersburg Pulkovo)
• •You must have all required documents for your final destination

Important exceptions:

• •If your flight is delayed and you miss your connection, you may need an emergency transit visa
• •If you need to change terminals (e.g., domestic to international), you may need to pass through border control
• •Some nationalities require a transit visa regardless — check with the Russian consulate
• •If you want to leave the airport (even briefly), you need a full transit visa