The 2026 Russia Survival Pocket Guide

Visa and Mastercard issued outside Russia — Does not work

Declined at Russian terminals and ATMs since March 2022. The same card works again the moment you leave the country.

UnionPay card from Kazakhstan, Armenia or Kyrgyzstan — Works with a workaround

Accepted in most Russian terminals, but coverage is not universal — never rely on it as your only payment method.

Cash in euros or dollars — Works

Exchange at any bank or official exchange office — the airport kiosk gives a worse rate. Arriving with €1,500–€2,000 covers the first two weeks.

MIR card with a Russian bank account — Works

Needs a Russian account and an INN tax number. T-Bank is app-driven with an English interface; Raiffeisenbank is the easiest for incoming transfers from Europe.

SBP instant transfer by phone number — Works

Free up to 100,000 RUB a month between any Russian banks, with a small fee above that. Restaurants, taxis and kiosks take SBP QR codes.

Apple Pay and Google Pay — Does not work

Not available in Russia. Locals pay with MIR Pay, SBP QR codes or face payment in the metro.

SWIFT transfers to the largest Russian banks — Does not work

Sber, VTB, Sovcombank, Otkritie, Promsvyazbank, Novikombank and VEB are cut off from SWIFT.

SWIFT through a non-sanctioned Russian bank — Works with a workaround

Still possible, most often through Raiffeisenbank for money coming from Europe. Expect compliance questions and slower processing.

USDT as a bridge in and out — Works with a workaround

P2P desks match rubles sent over SBP with a USDT seller. Transfer is instant and all-in fees are typically 1–2%.

Russian SIM card (MTS, Beeline, Megafon, Tele2) — Works

Cheap, sold on arrival, and needed for bank apps and SBP. 5G in the big cities.

Tourist eSIM bought before the flight — Works

Buy and activate it before flying so you land connected, then add a local SIM if you stay.

Google, GitHub and Telegram — Works

Reachable directly, no VPN needed. WhatsApp works partially.

Instagram, Facebook and several Western news sites — Does not work

Blocked or slowed inside Russia; a VPN is effectively required to use them.

VPN — Works with a workaround

Outline (self-hosted), AmneziaVPN and V2Ray-style protocols work; mainstream commercial apps are throttled. Set it up before you fly.

Russian e-visa (about 60 nationalities) — Works

$52, single entry, up to 16 days, standard decision in 4 calendar days, applied on the official portal.

E-visa for US, UK, Canadian and Australian passports — Does not work

Not eligible. A consular paper visa applies instead: confirmed invitation, 7–20 working days, €80–€200 depending on the country.

Migration registration after arrival — Mandatory

Within 7 working days at your address. Hotels file it automatically within 24 hours; a private host files it at an MFC or post office. Fines run 2,000–7,000 RUB.