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Money, banks and taxes after leaving

Draft First minutes: what human rights defenders usually advise

Money, banks and taxes after leaving

Draft. Compiled from human rights groups' guides but not yet reviewed by a lawyer. This is not legal advice — check the linked sources and consult a lawyer.

  • The EU's 19th sanctions package (October 2025) restricted cards for Russians without a right to reside. Blocks mostly hit people awaiting a residence permit renewal or living on a D visa.
  • According to the European Commission, everyone lawfully in the EU has a right to a basic account; Russian citizenship alone is not a reason to close one. Keep proof of your status to hand.
  • From Russia you can send up to $1m a month to your own foreign accounts, and up to $10,000 via money transfer services. Many Russian banks are cut off from SWIFT.
  • After 183 days abroad in a year you lose Russian tax residence. Remote work under a contract with a Russian company is taxed at 13–22% regardless of status.
  • Since March 2025 'foreign agents' receive Russian income only into a special account. Donations from Russia and via exchanges are traced: Binance handed data to Russia's Investigative Committee.

current as of September 25. More: Oninvest: Commission guidance for banks; Bank of Russia: transfer restrictions; T-Bank: income tax for non-resident remote workers; First Department: Binance and data for investigators (foreign agent)

Draft First minutes: what human rights defenders usually advise

Seizure of property and accounts of those who left

Draft. Compiled from human rights groups' guides but not yet reviewed by a lawyer. This is not legal advice — check the linked sources and consult a lawyer.

  • Since 1 September 2026 courts can freeze property of people abroad punished under certain 'political' administrative articles (foreign agents, 'undesirables', 'disrespect for authorities', sanctions calls, etc.): first accounts, then homes and cars.
  • It's a freeze, not confiscation: you can't dispose of the property. The court decides within one working day, without the person present.
  • With unpaid fines over 30,000 roubles, bailiffs can ban leaving Russia. Enforcement proceedings are listed in the bailiffs' database — see 'Check yourself'.
  • Lawyers usually advise arranging powers of attorney, property deals and moving savings out of Russian banks in advance — before you're added to the 284-FZ register.
  • If an account is frozen: some money is protected from seizure — OVD-Info explains how to get it back. Where to turn: First Department, Reforum Help.

current as of September 25. More: OVD-Info: seizure of emigrants' property (extremist); First Department: the law on seizing emigrants' property (foreign agent); OVD-Info: my bank account was frozen (extremist)

Who helps

3 organisations

First Department

Lawyers for treason, espionage, state secrets and extremism cases, including closed trials. Advice on digital security.

If Telegram doesn't open: website

abroad foreign agent link checked September 25
Message the bot @deptonebot

The Ark (Kovcheg)

Legal advice for people who have left (documents, residence permits, visas, asylum, extradition risk), temporary housing, free psychologists, mutual-aid chats by city.

Lawyers via the Telegram bots @kovcheglive_bot and @EmigrantHelpBot; psychologists and housing via forms on the website. The project was set up with support from the Anti-War Committee, designated 'terrorist' in Russia in March 2026; The Ark itself is a 'foreign agent'.

If Telegram doesn't open: team@kovcheg.live

abroad foreign agent link checked September 25
Get in touch kovcheg.live

Reforum Help

Free psychologists and lawyers for forced emigrants: migration and visas, taxes, civil law, humanitarian residence; groups and seminars.

A Reforum project of the Free Russia Foundation, designated 'undesirable' in Russia.

online; Berlin, Vilnius, Warsaw, Paris, Tbilisi undesirable
Get in touch help.reforum.io

Lawyers for political cases →

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