The Change
As of January 1, 2025, Federal Law No. 260-FZ, signed by President Putin on July 8, 2024, reformed the rules governing visa-free stays in Russia. The law introduces a strict 90-day-per-365-rolling-day limit for nationals of countries that have bilateral visa-free agreements with Russia.
Under the previous system, the rule was 90 days within each 180-day period, calculated from the date of first entry. This created a well-known loophole: travelers could leave Russia for a single day after their 90-day stay, re-enter, and restart the clock. This practice, commonly known as a "border run" or "visa run," was widely used by long-term visitors, remote workers, and informal residents from CIS and other visa-free countries.
The new law eliminates this possibility by switching to an annual calculation: a maximum of 90 days of total presence within any rolling 365-day window.
How the New Calculation Works
The Rolling Window
The 365-day rolling window is not tied to a calendar year. Instead, it counts backward from any given day. On any date that a foreign national is present in Russia, the system calculates how many of the preceding 365 days were spent on Russian territory. If that total reaches 90, the individual must leave and cannot return until enough days have "expired" from the rolling window.
Practical Example
Consider a citizen of Serbia (visa-free entry to Russia for up to 90 days):
- January 15, 2025: Enters Russia.
- April 15, 2025: Departs after 90 consecutive days. The 90-day quota for the rolling window is now exhausted.
- April 16, 2025: Cannot re-enter under visa-free rules. Must wait until January 15, 2026, when the first day of the previous stay falls outside the 365-day window. However, they would only gain one additional day of authorized stay per day that passes.
In practice, someone who uses all 90 days in a single block must wait approximately 275 days before being eligible for another visa-free entry.
Split Stays
Travelers who split their visits face the same arithmetic. For example:
- 30 days in February 2025 + 30 days in June 2025 + 30 days in October 2025 = 90 days used within a 365-day window.
- The next available visa-free entry would not be possible until February 2026, when the February 2025 days begin falling outside the rolling window.
Countries and Nationals Affected
The reform applies to all countries with which Russia maintains bilateral visa-free agreements. The major ones include:
CIS Countries (Most Affected)
- Ukraine (despite the ongoing conflict, the visa-free regime technically remains in force)
- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus (Belarus has a separate Union State arrangement with Russia, and its citizens are generally not subject to the 90-day limit)
- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Moldova
Other Visa-Free Countries
- Turkey (bilateral agreement since 2011, tourist stays up to 60 days, but the 90-day annual cap now overrides longer arrangements for extended stays)
- Serbia (30 days per visit, now subject to the 90/365 annual cap)
- Israel (90 days visa-free)
- Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Chile (various bilateral agreements)
- South Korea (60 days visa-free)
- Thailand, Cuba, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia
Who Is Not Affected
- Citizens of countries requiring visas for Russia (including EU member states, the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and Japan) are not directly affected, as their stay is already governed by the terms of their visa.
- Citizens of Belarus are generally exempt under the Russia-Belarus Union State framework.
- Holders of residence permits (VNZh) or temporary residence permits (RVP) are not subject to the 90-day visa-free limit.
Enforcement Mechanism
Digital Tracking
The implementation relies on Russia's existing electronic border control system, which records all entries and departures. The MVD's migration database now automatically calculates the cumulative days spent in Russia within the rolling 365-day window for each foreign national.
Border officers have access to this calculation in real time. A foreign national who attempts to enter Russia after exhausting their 90-day quota will be refused entry at the border.
Penalties for Overstays
Foreign nationals found to have exceeded the 90-day limit face the following consequences:
- Administrative fine: 2,000 to 5,000 rubles (approximately $20-$50) under Article 18.8 of the Code of Administrative Offences.
- Entry ban: Overstays of more than 30 days beyond the authorized period result in an automatic three-year entry ban. Overstays exceeding 180 days trigger a ten-year ban.
- Deportation: In cases of significant overstays or repeat violations, the individual may be formally deported, which carries a five-year entry ban and is recorded in the person's immigration file.
These penalties are not new — they existed under the prior law — but their practical impact increases significantly now that the border-run workaround is no longer available.
Impact on Long-Term Visa-Free Residents
The reform's most significant impact falls on three groups:
1. Central Asian Labor Migrants Without Work Permits
Hundreds of thousands of citizens from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan previously maintained long-term presence in Russia through border runs while working informally. The new law forces these individuals to either obtain a work patent (patent na rabotu) or leave Russia for extended periods between stays.
2. Remote Workers and Digital Nomads
A growing number of foreigners from visa-free countries had been using Russia as a low-cost base for remote work, cycling in and out to reset their visa-free period. This is no longer viable under the 90/365 system.
3. Bi-National Families
Families where one spouse holds Russian citizenship and the other is from a visa-free country but has not obtained a residence permit are affected. The non-Russian spouse can now spend a maximum of 90 days per year in Russia without a visa, making continuous family life impossible without a formal immigration status.
Alternatives for Those Affected
Foreign nationals who need to spend more than 90 days per year in Russia have several legal options:
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Obtain a work patent (patent na rabotu): Available to citizens of visa-free countries. Costs approximately 6,000-8,000 rubles per month depending on the region. Allows legal employment and stay for the duration of the patent.
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Apply for a temporary residence permit (RVP): Grants the right to live in Russia for up to three years, with the possibility of progressing to a permanent residence permit.
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Apply for a permanent residence permit (VNZh): Provides indefinite residence rights, subject to renewal every five years (or ten years under recent amendments).
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Obtain a visa: Some nationals of visa-free countries may apply for a work, study, or private visa through a Russian consulate, which provides a separate legal basis for stay that is not subject to the 90-day visa-free limit.
Key Legal References
- Federal Law No. 260-FZ of July 8, 2024, amending Federal Law No. 115-FZ "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation."
- Federal Law No. 114-FZ of August 15, 1996, "On the Procedure for Exit from the Russian Federation and Entry into the Russian Federation."
- Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation, Article 18.8 (violations of entry, stay, or residence rules by foreign nationals).
The new rule represents a clear signal that Russia intends to formalize the status of long-term foreign residents. Those who previously relied on the border-run system should seek legal immigration status or adjust their travel plans accordingly.
