Russia: travel laws for tourists, topic by topic

💊 Drugs · Guides by topic

• Almost every country separates use, possession and trafficking — and the line between them is a weight, not an intention.
• Being caught with several bags, a scale or cash next to the drug will usually reclassify "use" into "dealing".
• Carrying for a friend counts as your possession. There is no shared-responsibility defence.

❤️ Sex & dating · Guides by topic

• The age of consent is the first thing to check, and it varies from 13 to 21 depending on the country and sometimes the region.
• Some countries criminalise sex outside marriage, which can affect an unmarried couple sharing a hotel room.
• Same-sex relations remain a criminal offence in around 60 countries, with sentences up to life in a handful.

📷 Photo & video · Guides by topic

• Military sites, police, airports, borders, ports and government buildings — this is the classic espionage accusation.
• People without asking, especially children, and above all in indigenous or religious communities.
• Protests and police operations: your phone can be seized and its contents searched.

🔪 Weapons · Guides by topic

• Pocket knives, multi-tools and even a corkscrew can be classified as a weapon depending on blade length and lock type.
• Pepper spray and personal alarms are banned or restricted in a surprising number of countries.
• Tasers and knuckledusters are prohibited essentially everywhere.

🛂 Visa & customs · Guides by topic

• Most countries require a passport valid at least six months beyond your arrival date.
• Airlines refuse boarding without proof of onward travel where the destination requires it.
• Electronic authorisations are not visas and can be refused — apply days ahead, not hours.

🤝 Behavior · Guides by topic

• Insulting the head of state, the royal family or the flag is a criminal offence in a number of countries.
• Losing your temper in public — shouting, aggressive gestures — is treated far more seriously in Asia than in Europe.
• Rude gestures that are trivial at home can be a public order offence elsewhere.

Is Russia strict with tourists?

Overall verdict: Extreme. 10 of 23 topics are flagged as banned or a serious risk (Drugs, Sex & dating, Photo & video, Weapons, Visa & customs, Behavior, Jail risk, Internet & VPN, Drones, Politics & protest), 8 require caution.

What can get me fined or arrested in Russia?

The strictest topics for travellers in Russia are: Drugs, Sex & dating, Photo & video, Weapons, Visa & customs, Behavior, Jail risk, Internet & VPN, Drones, Politics & protest. Each has specific thresholds and penalties, detailed in the app.

Where do I find the exact rules for Russia?

In LawsTravels: open Russia, each topic shows the level, the rule, the thresholds and what to do at customs, offline. Your home country is free; a destination is unlocked for the price of a coffee.