Entry Rules to Samara are Toughened

News by Way to Russia (04/11/2003)

Effective November 1, 2003, all foreign citizens travelling on tourist visas and entering Russia through Samara (Samara being the first point where the Russian border is crossed, eg. passengers on direct international flights ) will face new entry rules.

A foreign tourist entering Samara will have to present the original tourist invitation and tourist voucher mentioning full itinerary, hotel address and the telephone number and address of a local tourist company.

In case a tourist cannot present the documents mentioned above, he/she may be denied entry to Russia.

Foreign tourists, who travel to Samara by domestic transport (internal Russian trains or airlines) are unlikely to be checked in this way.
In case a foreign tourist cannot present original invitation from a tourist company in Samara, it is highly advisable to enter Russia in Moscow or Saint-Petersburg and get to Samara by domestic transport.