I want to move back to Russia for good

• First check yourself before buying tickets, ideally through a lawyer in Russia: a certificate of criminal record and prosecution (a trusted person can request it for you), the bailiffs' and police wanted databases, court websites, the Rosfinmonitoring list, the summons register, the Justice Ministry's 284-FZ list. More in 'Am I on a list?'. The authorities can see Gosuslugi logins.
• A check gives no guarantee. First Department warns that you can be named a suspect at any moment, including right after the border. In Memorial's new review of 24 people prosecuted after returning, 16 of the 22 charged face treason charges, 11 were detained at the border itself, and those convicted got 11.5 years on average (The Insider, 24 Sep 2026).
• Think about what could be used against you: transfers to Ukraine and to organisations the authorities call 'extremist' or 'terrorist', even small and old ones, posts, subscriptions, chats with Ukrainians. Mikhail Loshchinin got 16 years for a 2022 transfer to his ex-girlfriend in Ukraine: the chat was found on his phone at the border.
• 'Carousel' arrests happen: at least ten people in Memorial's review were detained again as soon as an administrative arrest ended, seven were held this way for months and then sent to pre-trial detention. Agree with your family who calls a lawyer and when, if you don't get in touch.
• What happens to old cases and fines. While a person evades investigation or trial, the criminal limitation period does not run; it resumes only on arrest or voluntary surrender (Criminal Code art. 78(3)). The two-year period for enforcing an administrative fine is interrupted by evasion (Administrative Code art. 31.9). Returning does not close a case by itself.
• How to test the ground through a lawyer. Before the trip they can check the courts and databases, review your documents, sign an agreement with you and be on call on the day you enter. If there is already a case, discuss with them whether returning makes sense at all. Pre-trip advice: First Department (foreign agent), Network Freedoms, OVD-Info (bot).
• The border. You'll be asked about your job, relatives in Ukraine and the war; your phone may be checked; a 'talk' can last many hours (see 'Planning a trip back to Russia'). After roaming, a Russian SIM card has no mobile internet or SMS for 24 hours, but calls work: agree a voice check-in call.
• Military registration. Men of conscription age should check the summons register before the trip: if a summons is there, leaving is banned from the day it was posted. After entering you must tell the enlistment office within 2 weeks (see 'Military registration when you are abroad').
• An honest view of the risk: if doubts remain after checking, rights groups consider it safer not to go. If you do go, don't plan your route through Belarus: it shares an entry and exit ban database with Russia.

Designations of organisations in this guide: OVD-Info (foreign agent, extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list); Memorial Human Rights Defence Centre (extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list); Memorial Political Prisoners Support (extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list). Contacting them carries a risk: do not write from a phone that may be seized, and do not repost their materials.

current as of 26 September 2026. More: First Department: assessing the risks before returning to Russia (in Russian) (foreign agent); The Insider: share of treason charges among returnees rose to 73% (24 Sep 2026, in Russian) (foreign agent, undesirable); OVD-Info: questions asked at the border (in Russian) (foreign agent, extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list); Criminal Code art. 78: limitation periods (ConsultantPlus, in Russian); Administrative Code art. 31.9: time limit for enforcing a penalty (ConsultantPlus, in Russian); Interfax: SIM 'cooling period' for people entering Russia (in Russian); OVD-Info: the new law for Russians abroad (updated 25 Aug 2026, in Russian) (foreign agent, extremist, on Rosfinmonitoring list)