Customs regulations
Starting March 15th 2003, Russian customs regulations were simplified.
Money:
Import:
Since March 15th 2003 you only have to declare sums higher than $ 10000. For this you will have to fill out a form available at the customs and go through the red corridor. You will also have to see that your customs declaration gets stamped by the border control! You should carefully store the declaration, because only that will allow you to take the money out of the country again.
Export:
You can leave the country with sums up to $ 3000 free of charge. With sums between $ 3000 and $ 10000 it is enough to declare the money at the customs, which means you will exit through the red corridor.
Should the sum be higher than $ 10000, additionally to the declaration you will have to prove the previous entrance with the money (by means of the stamped customs declaration or through a bank transfer statement).
Drugs/alcohol:
Import:
3 liters of alcoholic drinks can be imported without paying taxes, up to 5 liters after declaration. The import of tobacco goods is also duty free for amounts less than 50 cigaretts, 200 cigars or 250 cut tobacco. Import and export of hard drugs like marihuana... is strictly forbidden and can end up in prison!
Export:
There are no limitations on the export of alcohol or cigarettes from the Russian Federation, but you`ll have to know the limitations of your destination country. It` s allowed to import 1 liter of hard licor and 2 liters of alcoholic drinks (22 % maximum) into the EU. The limitations on tobacco are the same as in Russia.
Art pieces:
It is generally forbidden to take out antiquities from before 1945 and this is strictly controlled especially in the case of Russian icons.
