The need to travel to another country may arise for various reasons - work, treatment, study, tourism, sports, etc. One of the important questions before a trip is how to find out if there is a ban on traveling abroad. Having overdue debts to individuals or organizations may cause you to fail passport control. It will not be possible to pay off the debt on the spot and continue on your way, so the check must be carried out in advance.
Legislative regulation of the ban on travel outside the Russian Federation
Crossing the border of the Russian Federation by citizens of the country and foreigners is regulated by Federal Law No. 114 of July 18, 1996 “On the procedure for leaving the Russian Federation and entering the Russian Federation.” Whether a person travels abroad or not is determined by executive authorities based on this document. The procedure for imposing a ban is regulated by Federal Law No. 229, Art. 67 of October 2, 2007 “On enforcement proceedings.”
The ban on traveling outside Russia is imposed for the following reasons:
- The amount of overdue debt on loans, fines, taxes, utilities and other obligatory payments is 30,000 rubles or more. A ban can also be imposed if the debt amount is 10,000 rubles, if more than 60 days have passed since the expiration of the voluntary repayment period and the funds have not been transferred to the recipient.
- The amount of debt for alimony, compensation for harm to health, moral or property damage exceeds 10,000 rubles.
- The executive document of the FSSP contains a requirement to transfer the child, evict the debtor, reinstatement, etc.
Only bailiffs have the right to impose a ban. Read more about restrictions on travel in the article “With what kind of debt can you not go abroad?”
Providing false information
If you filled out documents (passport, international passport, etc.) and provided false information, you will not be able to cross the border for 30 days.
Here you will have to prove the fact that you obviously did not know about this - this will play a decisive role. Read also: How to check the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation for authenticity and validity
Checking for a travel ban
Verification of overdue financial obligations is carried out by full name. and date of birth of the debtor. Not always the presence of debts can block the way abroad. To do this, a court decision on forced collection of debt is necessary, and bailiffs must initiate enforcement proceedings.
The Federal Bailiff Service is the only department that has the right to restrict travel abroad due to overdue debt.
The decision to impose a ban on leaving the Russian Federation is made by FSSP employees on an individual basis. This is reported:
- in the GUMVD of the Russian Federation for migration issues (formerly the Federal Migration Service) - it is prohibited to issue a foreign passport;
- to the Border Service of the FSB of Russia - it is prohibited to cross the border.
When contacting these two departments, the check is carried out by last name, first name, patronymic and date of birth. In this case, only the fact of the existence of a prohibition matters, and not the circumstances of the debt. Therefore, before traveling, you need to independently check whether the bailiffs have initiated enforcement proceedings.
Until the court decision comes into force, no one will be able to restrict your freedom of movement, even if you have a significant amount of debt.
Instead of restricting travel, bailiffs can seize bank accounts, valuable property of the debtor, or send his employer a request to withhold part of his wages.
Request to the FSSP
On the bailiffs website you can independently, without registration and for free, check the availability of existing enforcement proceedings. To do this, you need to open the “Data Bank of Enforcement Proceedings” section.
Here you need:
- ABOUT.
- Select the name of your region from the list (you can search throughout the country).
- Enter full name in full and date of birth according to your passport.
- Click the “Find” button.
The system will automatically check your data through the register of debtors for enforcement proceedings and instantly provide the result. When enforcement proceedings are initiated against you, you will see information about it on the monitor. To repay it, you need to contact the territorial body of the FSSP that is handling your case.
It is important to enter your data carefully. If there is an error, the information received will be unreliable.
On the portal “State Services”
On the Gosuslugi website you can check both overdue debt and other payments, if payment deadlines are violated, you may be prohibited from leaving the Russian Federation. In your personal account you will find:
- Judicial debt, for which FSSP employees initiated enforcement proceedings against an individual.
- Debt for overdue transport, land and property taxes, as well as amounts accrued based on the 3-NDFL tax returns you submitted. Debt to the tax authorities, information about which is available on the State Services website, may prevent you from traveling abroad if employees of the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation filed a lawsuit against you and its decision has already been submitted to the FSSP.
- Outstanding traffic fines. They must be paid within 60 days from the date of the decision. Otherwise, the case will be transferred to bailiffs, who may decide to restrict the right to leave the country.
In order to check debts online through “State Services” before leaving Russia, it is enough to have a registered personal account without a confirmed status. The profile must be completely filled out. To obtain information on taxes, you need to indicate your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) in the “Documents” section, and in the case of traffic police fines, your driver’s license details, vehicle registration certificates and vehicle registration number.
Through “State Services” you can not only obtain information about the debt, but also pay it off online.
Checking traffic police fines
To independently check traffic police fines, log in to your personal account and through the “Services” tab, enter the “Transport and Driving” section.
Select the "Car and Traffic Fines" category.
Open the “Vehicle and Driver Data” tab. If your profile is fully completed, all fields will be filled in automatically. In the request form, you can, if necessary, correct the driver's license number, vehicle registration certificate and license plate number. To send a request, click the “Find” button.
The State Services portal will conduct the check not through the FSSP blacklist of debtors, but in the GIS GMP system. You will see information about the violation and the amount of the fine on the monitor in a few minutes.
Checking tax debt
To check your overdue debts to the tax authorities, open the “Taxes and Finance” section.
Inside the section, select the “Tax debt” category.
Open the “By personal data” tab. The request form is filled out automatically. Check that your Taxpayer Identification Number is correct and click “Find Debt”.
After a few minutes, information about the amount of debt, if any, will appear on the monitor.
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The tax amount and accrued penalties are paid separately (in two payments).
Checking legal debt
To check judicial debt, the unified FSSP debtor system is used. Consequently, in this case you will receive information about your overdue debts, for which the bailiffs initiated enforcement proceedings. To perform a check on the debtor database, open the “Judicial Debt” section.
As in previous cases, personal information is filled in automatically from the user profile. Check their correctness and click “Find debt”. Information on all your current enforcement proceedings (if any) should appear on the monitor.
On the website of the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation
In order to check whether there is a risk of being included in the list of debtors who are prohibited from traveling abroad due to a claim by tax authorities, you can also use the taxpayer’s personal account on the official website of the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation.
Unlike the Gosuslugi portal, information is available here not only on overdue debts, but on new charges that must be paid on time to avoid problems when crossing the border.
A taxpayer’s personal account can be registered remotely using your account on State Services, which was confirmed in one of the portal’s service centers. Otherwise, you need to contact the nearest tax office and get a login and password for your account.
In the “Accrued” section you will find all unpaid accruals – type of tax, amount due and repayment deadline.
All charges, as well as late fees, can be paid here online using a bank card and some payment services.
Other verification methods
You can also check for restrictions on the right to cross the border using special paid services.
A request to the Border Patrol for a travel ban will not yield any results at this time.
The Border Service of the FSB of Russia fulfills only the requirements of FSSP employees when it comes to overdue debts, but does not provide information about citizens who are subject to restrictions on freedom of movement outside the country. Therefore, reliable information should be sought from bailiffs.
Border guards have the right to check a foreign passport. And if there is a FSSP request for a travel ban, seize the document until the debtor fully fulfills his overdue financial obligations.
In addition to debtors, a ban on traveling abroad is legally imposed on certain categories of citizens due to their professional activities. In this list:
- Military personnel who are in the ranks of the Russian army on conscription.
- Military personnel and other persons with access to state secrets.
- FSB officers, including civilian personnel.
- Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
- Persons whom investigative authorities are looking for or suspect of committing a crime.
- Citizens with an outstanding criminal record.
- Persons subject to bankruptcy proceedings.
- Minor citizens who do not have the official consent of their legal representatives to travel outside of Russia.
Military personnel (except for those called up for military service), officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB can travel to the territory of states approved for visiting, but only with the consent of the leadership.
Online check of a ban on entry into the Russian Federation
A more convenient and accessible way to obtain information is to submit a request on the web portal page of the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Previously, information could be clarified on the official portal of the Federal Migration Service of Russia. From May 5, 2021, the Russian Federal Migration Service portal ceased its work.
The function for posting applications for verification has begun to be located on the portal of the Main Directorate for Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. It is carried out automatically, using current information from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
To send you need:
- Go to the information resource of the Main Department of Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
- Go to the “Online Services” page
- Select “Migration Services”
- Fill out all form fields
- Enter the numbers that appear in the picture
- Click “Send request”
Having processed the request, the system will provide a response, which is issued in the form of an information certificate. In case of a ban, the reasons will be indicated. If there are no obstacles, it will be reported that there is no obstacle. It is necessary to understand that this service is for reference only.
Official verification of the ban on entry into the Russian Federation
An official answer about the possibility of crossing the Russian border can be obtained from the migration control authority. To do this, you must submit a written application and contact the territorial administration.
If you are outside Russia, you can find out official information by contacting the nearest consular or diplomatic office in your host country.
You can contact:
- In person, by submitting an information request
- Through a representative, having previously issued a power of attorney
The application requirements are the same in both cases and contain the following details:
- Name of the authority to which the appeal is sent
- Address of the authority to which the appeal is sent
- Sender's address and contact phone number
- Text of the appeal
The text of the appeal must contain:
- Full name in respect of whom the audit will be carried out
- Date of Birth
- Indication of citizenship
- Applicant's gender
- Information about the document (passport)
- Series and document number
- Document validity period
- State and authority that issued the document
For convenience and to speed up the inspection, it is recommended to attach copies of documents with translations into Russian that have been certified by a notary. Officials are required to report in writing the results of the inspection. The response will be sent by mail to the specified address.
How to remove the ban
Only the agency that imposed it can cancel a travel restriction. In the case of debtors, this is the FSSP.
To lift the ban, you need to completely repay the debt or achieve its restructuring or deferment.
The restriction is also canceled upon appeal and cancellation of the court decision.
It is possible to pay off your debt at the border or at the airport, but this does not mean that you will be allowed through. Border guards must receive a notification from the bailiffs about the lifting of the sanction.
No later than the next day after the execution of the court decision, the bailiffs issue a decision to lift the previously imposed restriction. A certificate from the FSSP stating that there is no ban on traveling abroad will not help you leave the Russian Federation without hindrance. Therefore, you need to wait 2-3 days before going on a trip. You will be able to go through passport control only after the border guards receive information from the FSSP about the lifting of the ban through official channels. Read more about this procedure in the article “How to lift the ban on traveling abroad.”
How to protect yourself from being banned
For many Russians, traveling abroad is not a major event. Frequent flights and trips are perceived as commonplace, especially for those citizens whose work involves regular business trips. Therefore, a ban on crossing the border may come as a real surprise to a traveler.
In order for the process of passing the checkpoint and traveling abroad to be successful, you should not break the law and take care of timely payment of fines, alimony and loans. Otherwise, the trip abroad may be disrupted. A failed flight often entails financial losses, as well as disruptions to negotiations, vacations, and important business meetings. To avoid such situations, it is better to take seriously checking your data and once again make sure that you can leave the territory of Russia.
Check for debts yourself
You can check the possibility of traveling abroad online on several websites. The procedure for searching for information is quite simple and only requires registration. All Russian citizens can find out their debts; there are no restrictions. This information is especially relevant for borrowers, alimony payers and people who often violate driving rules. On any trip, it will not be superfluous to clarify the data. It is advisable for bank clients to contact the company’s office and also find out if the bank has any claims against the borrower. These basic rules will help you plan your trip and successfully travel abroad.
Pay debts in advance
If there are fines and other late payments, it is important to pay debts in advance, avoiding legal proceedings. If it was not possible to avoid the trial, and the bailiffs took over the case, you should also hurry to pay off the debt.
When a ban on traveling abroad is imposed, this fact must be taken very seriously. It is worth realizing that the day after debt obligations are repaid, the restrictions will not be lifted. The main reason is the bureaucratic procedure for lifting the ban, which lasts up to two weeks. Therefore, you should find time and pay all debts in advance. Only this approach will allow you to fly or go abroad on time without disrupting the planned route.
Be aware of all your debts, manage your finances wisely and take the time to check all possible restrictions on movement!
Procedure for checking debtors at the border or at the airport
The website of the Russian Border Service today does not provide any information about debtors who were prohibited by bailiffs from leaving Russia. Such a procedure is not within the powers of this department, which only performs the role of executor of the requirements of another government agency authorized to forcibly collect debts - the Federal Bailiff Service.
Surely you are interested to know how debtors are checked at the border. This happens during passport control, when a border service officer checks a citizen's passport. At the same time, personal data and date of birth are verified through the debtors’ stop list. If a ban is detected, the citizen is sent home, regardless of whether he is going on an urgent business trip or on vacation. The seizure procedure for overdue financial obligations does not apply.
How the border guards learn about the flight ban has already been discussed above. In relation to a certain debtor, as a measure of influence, the bailiff issues a ruling prohibiting his release from the country. Copies of the document are sent to the border and migration services. These two departments cannot ignore the FSSP requirement.
How to lift a ban on entry into Russia: grounds for lifting the ban on entry
Common reasons are:
- Close relatives of Russian citizens who are supported or dependent also need to confirm the fact of cohabitation
- Work under a labor patent, provided that violations arose during the validity period of the patent and payments and re-registration were made on time
- Possession of a residence permit or temporary residence permit from a foreign person
- Need for medical treatment
- Obtaining education at a state-accredited university
- Error by government officials
- Actions of government officials in violation of the law
The reason for cancellation must be documented. Thus, only documented facts will be verified by the court and migration registration authorities. All documents must be provided in Russian, and if they were issued outside the borders, they must be notarized.
Traveling outside the Russian Federation if you have debts
The Russian border is not completely closed to debtors. If you have a lot of debts, but no legal proceedings have been opened and there is no resolution on a temporary ban on traveling abroad, you can safely leave the Russian Federation at any time.
Traveling abroad during the period of enforcement proceedings will only be possible in exceptional cases. This can be done if it is necessary to undergo treatment in a foreign country under a quota or if a relative has died abroad. The reasons must always be documented (certificates from a doctor, death certificates, confirmation of family ties, etc.). Read more about this procedure in the article “How to travel abroad with debts.”
Military service
If you serve in the army, or are called up for alternative service, you are prohibited from traveling outside Russia, and there are no exceptions. In our country, a soldier in conscript service does not actually belong to himself, and in almost all cases he always remains in a barracks position. But if you are serving under a contract, you may well cross the border if you receive appropriate permission from your immediate superiors. Typically, contract employees are prohibited from leaving even the city or region without permission, not to mention entering another country.
Read also: Filling out an application for obtaining a temporary residence permit in Russia
You might be interested to know
Where can I check if I have any outstanding traffic fines?
You can quickly check the presence of traffic police fines without registration on the official website of the traffic police in the “Checking fines” section. To complete the request, it is enough to indicate the car number and the vehicle registration certificate number. It is not possible to pay on this site. But you will have the opportunity to print a receipt and deposit money through the cash desk of any bank or use payment services via the Internet.
Where can I check if there is a ban on a child traveling abroad?
A travel ban for a minor citizen can be considered valid if the child is traveling with only one parent, and the other has not given his official permission or has written a statement about the ban on crossing the border. You can check whether there is a ban by contacting the Main Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The topic is discussed in more detail in the article “Ban on a child traveling abroad.”
How to pay off debts
This can be done using a receipt provided by the bailiff. It indicates the amount of debt, the timing of its repayment, as well as the necessary details for payment. You can transfer funds either online on the bank’s website or directly at the cash desk of a banking institution.
The receipt of payment must be submitted to the FSSP. On its basis, enforcement proceedings will be terminated and a document will be issued that testifies to this. But here it is worth considering that it will take some time to receive the long-awaited resolution to lift the ban: 5-14 days. This period must be taken into account when planning a trip abroad.
