Countries to which travel is permitted. Countries prohibited for visiting. The procedure for obtaining permission to leave the Russian Federation

10.10.2019

During the time that has passed since the collapse of the USSR, many of our fellow citizens have developed the habit of spending their summer (or winter) holidays outside their country, at one of the foreign resorts. It is known that not all categories of Russian citizens can afford such a vacation, and not only due to lack of funds: they are forced to vacation within home country representatives of a number of professions, usually associated with government or military service. The ban on traveling abroad for a number of categories of civil servants and representatives of law enforcement agencies today is of particular relevance in connection with the imposition of sanctions against our country by the West. It is generally accepted that such measures, among other things, should represent some kind of response to the unfriendly actions of Western countries.

Who is restricted from traveling abroad?

Currently, certain restrictions on foreign travel are applied to civil servants, military personnel and representatives of various security forces. It is not recommended for these categories of citizens to travel abroad on vacation or for other purposes, but if the trip cannot be postponed, then it is necessary to obtain the appropriate permission from the command. Persons serving in the following organizations are required to receive it:

Ministry of Defense,
Ministry of Internal Affairs,
Federal Security and Protection Service,
Foreign Intelligence Service,
Penitentiary Service,
Ministry of Affairs civil defense, emergencies and disaster relief.

The restrictions also apply to persons entering the civil government service, that is, officials.

Video: proposal to ban civil servants from traveling abroad

Why is there a ban on travel abroad for civil servants and military personnel?

There are two main reasons for restrictions on foreign travel of civil servants and representatives of law enforcement agencies. The first is related to the protection of state secrets.

Citizen's right Russian Federation exit from the Russian Federation may be temporarily restricted in cases where, upon access to information of special importance or top secret information classified as state secrets in accordance with the law of the Russian Federation on state secrets, he has concluded an employment agreement (contract) that implies a temporary restriction of the right to leave the Russian Federation, provided that the period of restriction cannot exceed five years from the date of the last acquaintance of the person with information of special importance or top secret information - until the expiration of the period of restriction established employment contract(contract) or in accordance with this Federal Law.

Art. 15 Federal Law dated August 15, 1996 N 114-FZ “On the procedure for leaving the Russian Federation and entering the Russian Federation”

Persons with documents classified as “top secret” are restricted from traveling abroad by law

Another reason is related to the complicated political situation. The authorities explain the undesirability of foreign travel with the safety of the state representatives themselves. They are also concerned about the possibility of Russian citizens being drawn into espionage and the interest of foreign intelligence services in the situation inside Russia. A legislative ban on travel on such grounds would limit the constitutional right of citizens to freedom of movement. Therefore, it is advisory in nature. However, in practice it can be difficult to get around.

Military personnel

As of 2018, the rules for the departure of military personnel from the territory of the Russian Federation are regulated by Law 114-FZ, according to which certain restrictions on foreign travel can be applied to persons:

having access to state secrets. Information classified as a state secret is defined by the relevant Law. Restrictions are valid, as a rule, for five years from the date of last acquaintance with classified information, but in some cases they can be extended up to 10 years;
undergoing compulsory or alternative service in the ranks Armed Forces RF;
in the civil service in the ranks of the FSB, if the contract has not yet expired.

Military personnel have restrictions on foreign travel, but this does not apply to their family members

The procedure for military departure

If a serviceman needs to leave the territory of the Russian Federation for some time, he must obtain permission from the command in the prescribed manner. In this case it is necessary:

submit a report addressed to a competent person requesting permission to travel abroad and provide a foreign passport. If the command does not object, the serviceman receives a certificate of the possibility of issuing a foreign passport;
submit an application and fill out a form for a foreign passport, attach the received certificate to the documents.

The ban on traveling abroad does not apply to wives of military personnel, other members of their families and close relatives, provided that they themselves do not have access to state secrets.

If a travel ban is imposed on a serviceman, he puts his signature under it and undertakes to comply

How long can you not travel abroad after serving in the army?

In some cases, the law restricting the right to travel abroad for 5–10 years may include persons who returned home after completing conscript service in the ranks of the RF Armed Forces. This applies to those military personnel who had access to classified information and signed a non-disclosure agreement to state secrets. The ban on travel for contract soldiers is determined by the terms of the contract; for those serving in conscript (including alternative) service - the conditions of entry and the form of access to classified information.

Persons liable for military service, for whom the restriction period has expired or has not been established, can travel abroad without any special obstacles.

The ban on military travel outside the Russian Federation is related to the protection of state secrets

In addition to existing legislative norms, deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation have repeatedly made proposals to further complicate the procedure for traveling abroad for employees of law enforcement ministries, but at present the legislative ban has not been officially adopted.

In March 2017, State Duma deputies were asked to consider a bill that would impose temporary restrictions on the right of police officers and persons holding “certain positions in the Ministry of Internal Affairs” to travel abroad. In addition, it was proposed to exclude from the ranks of the Ministry of Internal Affairs employees who have a residence permit or other right to reside in other countries. According to the authors of the bill, the purpose of the proposed changes in legislation was to strengthen measures to combat corruption, as well as increase the responsibility of department employees. After carefully studying the document, the Federation Council rejected it.

At the same time, travel abroad for Russian security officials is still limited. Back in April 2015, recommendations not to travel to Western countries were sent to their employees by the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the FSB and the Federal Drug Control Service (later included in the Ministry of Internal Affairs), and later a list of countries undesirable to visit was secretly distributed among security forces. Those wishing to leave the country are advised to refrain from traveling and are ordered to hand over their passports to the command. In other words, a law prohibiting employees from traveling abroad has not yet been adopted, but at the level of recommendations it is proposed to postpone departure until more prosperous times. The decision on whether to send a subordinate abroad or not is currently made by the immediate superior.

Currently, restrictions on foreign travel for employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are advisory in nature.

Are we all done? Those who have international passports are required to keep them in the personnel. You can ask for a foreign passport from the personnel only through a report addressed to the manager, and only when traveling abroad on vacation. But we were categorically “not recommended” to travel abroad since 2012. The cadres fucked everyone who had foreign passports so that they could hand them over for safekeeping. Getting a new passport is a pain in the ass. In 90% of cases the general does not give permission.

Video: is there a ban on security forces traveling abroad?

FSB employees

Foreign trips of FSB employees are regulated by Order No. 179 of 04/17/12, which provides for the imposition of restrictions on travel abroad before the expiration of the contract. An employee can obtain permission from management to travel abroad only if there is a compelling reason, for example, the need to undergo treatment or the illness of loved ones. The request must be submitted three months before the trip, unless the health condition of the applicant or his relatives requires urgent measures. Supporting documents are attached to the report, and based on the results of consideration of the application, a decision is made to grant the right to travel or to refuse. If management’s response is positive, the employee receives a foreign passport (or a certificate with permission to issue it), becomes familiar with the contents of the permit and signs the document. After returning from a trip, an employee of the department must hand over his passport to the personnel department for safekeeping. In addition to illness, the reason for filing a petition may be:

resolving inheritance issues;
visiting the graves of close relatives;
issues of alienation of property registered outside the Russian Federation;
visiting relatives living abroad.

Video: restrictions on traveling abroad for security forces

Where are police officers allowed to travel in 2018?

If the police officer is not a holder of state secrets, the travel ban is advisory in nature. There are certain criteria when this recommendation is equivalent to an order, and when an exception can be made. The strictest restrictions apply to NATO countries and those states with which the United States has an extradition treaty. But it is likely that the leadership will allow a trip to a country friendly to Russia.

Civil servants

There is currently no strictly legally prescribed ban on traveling abroad for government civil servants, but just like military personnel, officials are recommended to spend vacations within their native state. Civil servants have the right to ignore such a recommendation, especially since the Constitution of the country guarantees them freedom of movement. But this is only in the case when the official does not have access to classified information that constitutes a state secret, and the vast majority of representatives have access to such information state power. Consequently, most officials fall under the scope of Law 114-FZ, which restricts the rights to travel abroad to persons related to state secrets.

The head of the committee's apparatus reminds of the existing restrictions for officials: they are prohibited from having accounts in foreign banks, and they are also required to declare family foreign property and the sources of income from which it was acquired. In this regard, it seems possible to assert that the current legislation defines a reasonable limit for the delimitation of public and private interests in the area under consideration.

www.rbc.ru/politics/28/06/2018/5b3380e19a79470bbe4011a4

Of course, almost every official at any level has the opportunity to bypass such restrictions, especially since everyone has foreign passports in their hands. However, in recent years more and more government agencies imposes a strict ban on traveling abroad for its employees. This is being done in order to counter anti-Russian sanctions, under which most of the largest state corporations are today. For example, the leadership of Roscosmos explains the ban on traveling abroad for its employees by the fact that too many Western companies are making efforts today to master Russian space technologies, but since sanctions have been imposed on Russia, cooperation with Western partners in the space field has limitations . Thus, the management of large state-owned enterprises, whose activities are of strategic interest for the country, decides whether to let their employees go on vacation abroad or not.

As an exception, persons who require urgent treatment, as well as if the applicant urgently needs to visit relatives living abroad, can obtain permission to travel abroad.

Customs officers

Like most other government and law enforcement departments, the Federal Customs Service (FCS) received a letter of recommendation, in which department employees are asked to refrain from traveling abroad when planning vacations. Practice shows that in order to avoid troubles in the service, such recommendations should be considered mandatory.

Russian National Guard

The National Guard troops of the Russian Federation (Rosgvardia, National Guard, internal troops) were created by order of the President in 2016 on the basis of the Ministry of Internal Affairs troops. Their activities are regulated by 226-FZ dated July 3, 2016. The personnel of the Russian Guard are composed of military personnel (conscript and contract) and civilian employees who enter the civil service. Consequently, the procedure for traveling abroad for these categories is different and is subject to the corresponding rules.

Ministry of Emergency Situations employees

Emergency Situations Ministry employees were not spared the restrictions on foreign travel. Recommendations regarding abstaining from such trips were received by the Ministry of Emergency Situations almost simultaneously with other law enforcement agencies in 2015, but this topic acquired particular relevance after the crash of a Russian plane over the Sinai, when 2 employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation were killed. If, at the legal level, the rules for travel of Ministry of Emergency Situations employees outside the Russian Federation are regulated today by Order No. 360 dated June 4, 2013, which generally simplifies the procedure for obtaining a travel permit, then at the level of government recommendations, department employees are instructed not to travel abroad unless absolutely necessary.

When I served in the army, they directly said that since you were all required to familiarize yourself with documents marked “state secret” (I don’t know if there is one, but that’s what they told us in class), then you were prohibited from traveling abroad for 5 years. During the two years of service, I held in my hands only documents marked “Top Secret”. I remember how I once typed on a cipher machine short story about our life. So I got three outfits. And not for what he typed, but for the fact that he took the paper out of the classroom on which everything was written and in typewriter font (everything is individual there). Honestly, I plowed them in a day. Although encryption was taught to us as an additional course. science. The basis was the encoder. To the encoder. The machine could only print words on punched paper tape, but even then it was necessary to select groups of numbers to make at least one word.
I think that I didn’t give away military secrets. Yes, and this was in 1991.
And I also remembered how the temporary detention facility guards on duty were transferred to Form 3 of admission. So, in the questionnaire it was necessary to indicate previously admitted secrets. I honestly told the personnel officer that I had clearance. She made big eyes and said to forget, “otherwise I’ll be tortured running around the FSB and military registration and enlistment offices with your documents” and received my legal 10% for the “security and defense” plan that was classified as secret in my safe.

https://police-russia.com/showthread.php?t=93423&page=29

Belonging to government and security forces is not the only reason for a ban on travel abroad. When planning a vacation abroad, a Russian must remember whether the loan for the car has been paid off, whether the debts for public utilities whether there is any mortgage debt, etc. Those who have been convicted or are under investigation will not be able to leave the country.

Video: how security forces bypass the ban on traveling abroad

Despite the fact that the temporary ban on traveling abroad, provided for by law, applies only to persons related to state secrets or serving in the ranks of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, there is currently a recommendation not to leave the territory of Russia unless absolutely necessary for absolutely all representatives of law enforcement agencies and government employees. This measure is designed to solve several problems - to systematize measures to combat corruption, to promote the development of the resort business in Russia, and to increase the responsibility of every official and military personnel. It should be noted that representatives of government agencies and law enforcement agencies are not the only ones who are restricted in travel: travel outside the territory of the Russian Federation may be prohibited for credit debtors, persons evading payment of alimony, suspects of crimes who have registered travel documents fraudulently.

According to a 2014 government decree, military and police personnel. Prior to this, these citizens were recommended to limit their holidays abroad, but no sanctions or fines were imposed for this. How are things now? Which countries can police officers travel to? You will learn about this from today's article.

Brief description of the situation

It's obvious that The ban on tourist travel provoked a storm of indignation, but, nevertheless, even such harsh measures in the future may become even more stringent. Law and policy experts talk about this in 2018. What is the reason for such actions? Extremely simple - the complexity in the relationship between the Russian Federation and Western countries. Due to tense relations with other countries, new restrictions may be introduced on the travel of citizens who possess classified information abroad. And given the instability of the political situation in the world, there is no point in even guessing when law enforcement officers will be allowed to travel abroad again.

Today, the police, as well as the military, are subordinate to the Ministry of Defense, which considers it undesirable for security forces to travel to other countries.

Pay attention! Of course, this is, in fact, not, but still a recommendation, but the heads of the departments still decided to take extreme measures, taking away the foreign passports of their subordinates to prevent them from leaving the country.

So, who should not leave Russia:

police officers;
FSKN employees;
FMS employees;
military.

It is curious that the total number of all these citizens is at least 4 million.

Are you traveling abroad: checking restrictions on traveling abroad. Downloadable file (click on the link to open the article in PDF format in a new window).

The greatest aggravation of the problem is observed in the Kaliningrad region, as well as in Far East. Previously, residents of these regions of the country often traveled to other countries due to their proximity to the border.

Has anything changed for the better?

States included in the list of prohibited countries include members of the EU and UN, the USA, Australia and countries South America. But police officers may well travel in alternative directions. So, they are not prohibited from going to, to Vietnam, etc. In accordance with the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in 2018, security forces can also visit:

Puerto Rico;
Palestine;
India;
Croatia;
Cambodia;
Macedonia;
Israel;
Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Morocco;
Myanmar;
Indonesia.

List of countries in which employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are prohibited from taking vacations in 2018. Downloadable file (click the link to open the PDF in a new window).

In addition, security forces are allowed foreign holidays in warm CIS countries, including Abkhazia, Ossetia and Georgia. And those police officers who are interested in architecture and history will certainly like Uzbekistan and Armenia; supporters European image life can visit Moldova, Latvia and Belarus. The list of countries that law enforcement officers can and cannot visit is constantly changing due to the instability of the political situation on the world stage.

Where else can you go, but is extremely undesirable? These are, first of all, African countries, where the political situation is permanently difficult.

Important information! To travel abroad, a security officer must submit a corresponding report and receive the go-ahead from management. But not every boss is loyal to this. In some places it is easy to obtain permission, in others it is more difficult, with the obligatory fulfillment of certain conditions, and in others it is completely impossible. Simply put, in different regions of the country the order of the Ministry, which is still a recommendation, is interpreted differently.

Is visiting “prohibited” countries allowed? In principle, yes, but only in emergency cases such as death or serious illness loved one living in another country.

How to go to a “forbidden” state?

Some countries can still be visited, even despite the ban.

Pay attention! To visit, a police officer requires approval from management. Please note that such approval is issued only in extreme cases.

If a relative of a security official has died or needs urgent treatment, the person can still be released abroad. But this fact must be documented. Sometimes the report is additionally reviewed by senior management.

After arriving from a “forbidden” country, a security officer must immediately return his foreign passport and also submit a report to management.

Letter of the law

The document, which is interpreted differently depending on the specific locality, is based on regulations that specify employees of such structures:

Armed Forces of the Russian Federation;
FSIN;
citizens with access to special important information(secret data, state secret).

As for the duration of territorial restrictions, this is usually 5 years. This period is counted from the moment when the security officer learned about the ban, however, provided that the information has already lost its secrecy. Otherwise, the period of non-exit increases and the person, accordingly, cannot leave the country.

Note! To comply with the condition, the employee’s foreign passport is stored in the Federal Migration Service, which makes the departure of employees of these departments even more difficult.

Why did this ban arise?

The limitation described in this article appeared for a reason. There are several problems due to which the government is trying to prevent these individuals from going abroad:

insecurity for them (citizens);
state secret.

We also note that the letter of recommendation explains that it is necessary to limit visits abroad in order to avoid disclosure of data if the citizen is aware of the secret. Everything is very serious, and last word, as mentioned earlier, is still up to senior management and it depends on the level of access to secret data.

Table. Security groups in the departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The Russian government protects its citizens, and therefore is sensitive to the safety of law enforcement officers. After all, if a Russian is in one of the states that have signed an extradition agreement with the United States, then he will have to obey local laws. It is for this reason that the letter of recommendation actually became an order, and the policemen’s passports were taken away. Travel is prohibited, first of all, for moral reasons - this will protect the life and health of Russian citizens.

Typically, the described restriction also applies to family members of police officers - children, parents, spouses.

Video – About the ban on the departure of security forces from the Russian Federation

List of documents and design features

In accordance with the law, you can now “get off” with only a warning for crossing the border. Various departments approve the departure of security forces based on their professional merits, the purpose of the trip and the form of access to secret information.

The procedure for preparing documents consists of several stages, let’s get acquainted with them.

Stage 1. The policeman submits a report to the head of his department.
Stage 2. The manager decides whether to approve the trip. The policeman, in turn, receives a corresponding notification, where he puts a number and signature. This document is similar in appearance to a certificate approved by the department. There are official forms for both prohibition and permission to travel.
Stage 3. After receiving consent, the policeman goes to the personnel department with this notification, after which he takes the foreign passport that is in storage. It will not be possible to obtain the latter without the specified certificate.

Pay attention! Often, the certificate indicates how much time the security officer will spend in another country (in any case, no more than 14 days).

If a police officer intends to stay there for more than two weeks, his superior does not have the right to approve this on his own without consulting with senior management.

Key rules for visiting foreign countries by security forces

When applying for a job, a police officer must submit it to the personnel department or the Federal Migration Service no later than five days later.
Law enforcement officers cannot leave the Russian Federation for recreation, guided only by by one's own desire. We have already described in detail the reasons why this happens above.
If a security officer is allowed to travel abroad, upon arriving back in Russia he must immediately surrender his foreign passport. In addition, the policeman must report to his superiors, even if his trip was for tourism purposes.
If a person holds a high position in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, then it is possible that he will need to submit, in addition to the report, an application addressed to the Minister of Defense.

Well, the recommendation regarding restrictions on the travel of employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs abroad is, in fact, a true restriction. Why? It’s simple – for the safety of Russian citizens and the preservation of classified information.

Is it possible to lift the ban?

The news keeps saying that the foreign travel restrictions affecting security forces will soon be lifted. Just recently, rumors were circulating around the country about the impending permission to visit 30 “forbidden” states. According to unofficial sources, a corresponding document lifting the ban on travel to some countries is in fact being prepared. However, official sources from the Ministry emphasize that this document needs careful verification.

It is still difficult to say when exactly police officers will be able to freely cross borders with other states. But many security officials who communicate on the Internet assure that such an opportunity will appear only after the political situation in the world has stabilized.

Video – Military travel abroad

IN modern conditions Due to political tensions, not all categories of Russians can go on a trip abroad. However, deterioration international situation, along with the financial component, are not the only reasons, preventing travel. Russians involved in work in law enforcement agencies also cannot afford a trip abroad. Travel abroad for employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and their colleagues is not open today, since the first and second have special information.

The ban applies to representatives of a number of special departments (Ministry of Internal Affairs, FSB, Ministry of Defense, FSIN, SVR, Ministry of Emergency Situations, FSSP and others). It is recorded in Article 15 of Federal Law No. 114 of 08/15/96. Service in these structures provides access to information that is strictly confidential, and its disclosure could cause serious damage to national interests.

Restrictions on freedom of movement are imposed not only on conscripts, but also on contract military personnel. The issue of the possibility of civilian personnel traveling abroad in the RF Ministry of Defense is decided on a purely individual basis. Heads of departments, by local acts, have the right to establish or lift a ban on visiting foreign countries.

Duration of restrictions

When joining the department, its future representative signs the employment contract and the non-disclosure agreement of special information. The latter indicates the time period during which restrictive measures are in effect. As a rule, The ban on employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs traveling abroad is lifted after 5 years from the date when the person last time looked through secret papers.

The issue is resolved taking into account the level of data confidentiality. If the information held by the employee has the third level of secrecy, then the period of non-travel abroad can be reduced (Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 870 of September 4, 1995). In some cases, on the initiative of the Interdepartmental Commission, it can be increased, but not by more than 10 years. Decision made can be appealed in court.

Reasons for the ban

Restrictions on freedom of movement for representatives of law enforcement agencies are introduced due to two circumstances:

access to information of extreme importance;
preventing threats to personal safety.

Theoretically, in the first case, there is a possibility of disclosure of secret information, and in the second, there is a risk of not returning from the country with which the United States has signed an extradition agreement.

List of countries

The list of foreign places where it is recommended/prohibited for subordinates working in special institutions to stay is determined by internal orders and regulations. Department heads regularly monitor the situation and make decisions on the need for foreign holidays for employees, taking into account the military-political, sanitary-epidemiological, and crime situation in a particular territory.

Where entry is prohibited

In 2019, the list of foreign locations in which the presence of representatives of Russian law enforcement agencies is undesirable is quite extensive. Its main part consists of countries experiencing US pressure in domestic and foreign affairs - France, Latvia, Finland, Japan, Germany, Belgium, Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Jamaica and others. The blacklist is represented by more than 150 states, which is associated with a regular increase in international tension.

Where allowed

The question of which countries military personnel can travel to remains relevant. There are an order of magnitude fewer places available for holiday abroad. This year Russian soldiers and police officers can travel to 13 countries, most of them former Soviet republics(South Ossetia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, others).

You can visit relatives living in these countries by spending a relatively small amount. Holidays in Vietnam, Tunisia, China and Cuba will cost a little more. The list of permitted countries for military personnel is similar to that provided for police officers. Previously, security forces were allowed to vacation in India, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates.

Rules for military personnel

When agreeing to the terms of the contract by signing it, the soldier must remember that the document imposes on him certain obligations related to the inability to leave the Russian Federation. Moreover, travel abroad of a person liable for military service in 99% of cases is a priori impossible, despite the presence whitelist countries The fact of access to information of extreme importance in this case does not matter.

The soldier is given the opportunity to review in advance a non-disclosure agreement, which certifies that the soldier has reviewed confidential data. Moreover, relatives of a contract soldier have the right to go abroad without restrictions. The departure of military personnel abroad in 2019 is carried out only if there is good reasons and with the permission of a superior commander.

For law enforcement officers

Formally, for representatives of special structures the ban on traveling abroad is not imperative. But for many years, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB have provided for the organization of a secrecy regime when traveling abroad, and no one has the right to violate it. There is an unspoken rule that prohibits traveling to certain countries unless absolutely necessary.

Moreover, even in the presence of the latter, one must strictly adhere to a certain procedure, ignoring which is fraught with adverse consequences for the law enforcement officer or agent. For example, they occur if there is no report for traveling abroad. Without this document, it is impossible to obtain a visa. Moreover, the civil servant must additionally fill out applications to travel abroad (see sample below). Management makes decisions based on specific circumstances.

Ministry of Internal Affairs

Given that the list of foreign locations where police officers can go on holiday is not extensive, representatives of the legislative branch came up with a new initiative in 2019. Deputies want to completely prohibit senior and ordinary officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs from going on trips abroad.

If the draft law is agreed upon, restrictions on freedom of movement will be reflected in labor agreement, signed upon admission to service. Many people are interested in whether prosecutors can travel abroad? They also become aware of secret information within the framework of their official powers, therefore the ban on visiting certain states is provided for by order of the Prosecutor General of January 24, 2014 No. 201.

Internal troops are the main component of this structure. Are employees of the Russian Guard allowed to travel abroad? Contract soldiers may also have information that is not subject to disclosure. This circumstance imposes a ban on them, but the final decision is made by the management (Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation dated August 21, 2019 No. 360).

FSB

Specialists of this structure are not allowed to leave Russia until the validity period expires labor contract(FSB order No. 179 dated April 17, 2012). Moreover, management can send an employee abroad for no more than 15 days. Can FSB officers travel abroad for a longer period of time? Only in exceptional cases - for rehabilitation, resolving issues related to inheritance, caring for relatives experiencing serious health problems. Moreover, under standard conditions it is necessary to follow a certain procedure - submit a petition to the authorities 3 months before the planned border crossing.

Customs officers

Representatives of the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation are also subject to restrictions related to access to information of special importance. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, due to growing international tension and the threat of terrorist attacks, recommended that customs representatives refuse tours to some foreign countries. And at present, the specialists of this department adhere to this proposal.

To employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations

Those involved in the prevention of emergency situations and liquidation of emergency situations are also among those restricted from traveling abroad. The list of countries allowed for employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations to travel is not as impressive as that of the military and police. When resolving an issue, the degree of political tension in a particular region and personal nuances are taken into account as a priority.

Order No. 244 of the Ministry of Emergency Situations on traveling abroad in 2019 was issued based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the inappropriateness of tourist voyages. The document obliges unit commanders to take the most balanced approach to the problem of the relevance of employees departing on foreign tours.

Features of obtaining permission to leave the Russian Federation

If desired, a civil servant has the right to apply to management with a request for approval of a foreign travel agency. On initial stage a report or statement is drawn up in the prescribed form. If the request is granted, the future vacationer receives a special certificate confirming permission to travel abroad. WITH the specified document the interested person contacts the HR department to obtain a foreign passport.

After the trip, the employee is required to report in writing to management about the results of the trip. The passport will be returned to the HR department. In some cases, a foreign tour is not possible due to existing outstanding obligations of a material nature (housing and communal services, traffic police fines, tax deductions, etc.). available on the Internet resources of the FSSP, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Federal Tax Service.

Required documents

Obtaining a foreign passport is not a sufficient measure to ensure that a police officer or military man can freely leave the Russian Federation. other than those described? In certain cases, the following are required: an invitation from the host party, a visa, a tour package or a voucher. You should also take care of obtaining health insurance in advance.

Conclusion

The question of lifting measures restricting the freedom of movement of representatives of certain services and departments of the Russian Federation currently remains open. It is possible that the restrictions will be lifted after the intensity of international tension subsides. Today individual categories civil servants with access to state secrets are recommended to relax at Russian resorts.

Due to the difficult geopolitical situation between Russia and Ukraine that developed in 2014, many Russian residents currently have restrictions on traveling abroad. First of all, this affected officials with free access to state secrets, classified information and FSB employees. In addition, ordinary employees of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as their close relatives, were also subject to these “sanctions.” However, these strict measures do not mean that Russian police officers will no longer be able to visit exotic countries during their well-deserved vacation. There is a list of permitted countries for employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 2019, which the above-mentioned persons and members of their families can use without jeopardizing their safety and personal peace.

After media reports appeared about raising the issue of a ban on foreign leave for employees civil service, the Russians became worried, are all police officers now restricted from traveling abroad?

Three years ago, the order of the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia was rather advisory in nature, but now the scope of the ban threatens to become more widespread and serious. The order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation was approved by the heads of many departments, sometimes with a radical approach, prohibiting travel altogether. Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, regardless of clearance levels, were prohibited from traveling abroad, insisting on holidays within the country, thereby supporting domestic tourism.

If the bill restricting the travel of employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs abroad is adopted, the “sanctions” will affect almost the entire staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which includes police officers, employees of the migration department, the State Drug Control Service and investigators. The specified professions, due to the duty of their activities, are admitted or can be admitted at any time to secret and classified information, which has three degrees of access.

Since the bill banning employees of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs from traveling abroad was not adopted (withdrawn), there is no strict ban on visiting foreign countries. However, for employees with access to classified documents of the first and second forms, the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs remains relevant. An exception is for a valid reason: an emergency need for treatment abroad and the death or serious illness of a close relative living in another country.

Classified as "Top Secret"

The reason for the travel ban lies in the desire to protect Russian police officers from potential provocations by foreign intelligence services, as well as in order to preserve state secrets that may be known to an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The higher the clearance, the more difficult it is to travel abroad.

According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the Federal Law “On State Secrets” the right Russian citizen exit from the country may be restricted if the citizen has or had access to information of “special importance” or “top secret information.” This restriction is valid for no more than 5 years from the date of last acquaintance with classified information, with the possibility of extending the ban to 10 years.

The first form of clearance is received only by high-ranking department heads, for example, such as heads of departments and heads of operational departments of the prison department. The second form of admission is received by managers and employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs who are engaged in operational investigative work. The second form of clearance is also available to operational employees of the penitentiary system. The third form of access can be granted to any employee who has access to documents marked “for official use.”

In migration departments, only heads of regional departments, deputy heads of departments, as well as individual employees working with classified documents, including classified statistics, have access to classified information.

Countries prohibited for visiting

Employees with first and second degree clearance are strictly prohibited from traveling abroad. Persons with a third degree of clearance or who do not have it, but who still work in departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, are not recommended to visit EU countries and those that are bound by contractual agreements with the United States.

List of foreign countries that are not worth visiting: Bulgaria, Great Britain, Egypt, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Turkey, Czech Republic, Japan, as well as island states: Seychelles; Bahamas; Marshall Islands and Micronesia.

List of allowed countries

In the fall of 2015, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia issued the so-called Order 360, which published a list of countries that are not prohibited for employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to visit. These are countries such as Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, South Ossetia; Brazil, Vietnam, Dominican Republic, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nicaragua, UAE, Oman, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, South Africa.

Procedure for obtaining permission

The law restricting the movement of Russian police officers has not yet been adopted, however, many employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs still face problems in obtaining permission to travel. There is the following procedure that will help you avoid problems with the management before or after your trip.

Submitting a report.
Request permission to travel from the headquarters of your unit, with a detailed indication of the route in the country to which you plan to travel.
Waiting for management's decision.
Obtaining a foreign passport at OdiRe, if it was submitted there.
Trip report.
Returning the passport back to the appropriate department.