Russia considers charging citizens to leave country
Photo: Russia considers new tourist fees (Getty Images)
Russian officials are discussing the possibility of introducing a fee for citizens traveling abroad. This is allegedly intended to ensure their evacuation in emergency situations, Verstka reports.
According to the outlet, State Duma deputies and representatives of the tourism industry, against the backdrop of the war in the Middle East, have proposed creating a unified guarantee fund for evacuating Russian tourists.
The President of the Russian Union of Travel Industry, Ilya Umansky, suggested that the fund be financed through contributions from every tourist leaving the country. In his view, the fee should amount to 300 rubles (about 3.5 USD).
"It would be accumulated bit by bit from every tourist, regardless of how they traveled abroad," Umansky said.
On March 14, the head of the State Duma Committee on Tourism, Sangadzhi Tarbayev, stated that the idea of introducing a fee for Russians traveling abroad "is worth discussing." This could supposedly support domestic tourism and the economy.
He said that in 2024, Russian citizens spent approximately 700 billion rubles abroad, and that this money "could have remained inside the country."
Later, Tarbayev walked back his remarks, saying that fees or taxes for tourists are not being considered and are not planned to be introduced.
Verstka noted that the idea of charging Russian citizens when leaving the country has been discussed for several years. In 2019, there was a proposal to introduce a fee of about 500 rubles for crossing the border; in 2023, an initiative for exit visas was raised; and in 2025, a possible tax on tourist travel was discussed.
Notably, the Russian Foreign Ministry recently advised its citizens against traveling to Germany, citing an unfavorable environment for Russians there.
