General questions and contact information
The most important thing is to inform the Dutch embassy that you are in Russia and how you can be reached.
Sign up for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Service. Select ‘Aanmelden + registratie bij ambassade’ (sign up and register with embassy). This will help you stay up to date on the latest developments. It also lets the Ministry of Foreign Affairs know you are in the country.
You can also download the Travel App (Reisapp) and add Russia as a favourite. You will then receive a notification whenever the travel advisory changes. Follow@247BZ on Twitter to get the latest travel advice.
The ministry can be reached at any time of the day or night by calling +31 247 247 247.
That is correct. There are currently no flights between Russia and the Netherlands. There are no flights between Russia and many other EU countries either.
Yes, this is possible. Passengers can fly to the Netherlands from Russia via certain other countries, including the United Arab Emirates.
The Russian side of the border is currently closed for EU citizens travelling by train. EU citizens can still cross the Russian-Finnish border by car. The driver/owner must have a green card, which can be obtained at petrol stations near the border.
The Dutch government is not going to evacuate people. Dutch nationals are urgently advised to make their own way out of Russia. Some airlines are still operating and there are alternative routes for leaving Russia, for example via the United Arab Emirates or other countries.
Contact your bank to ask about alternatives. You can still make online payments, for example to buy airline tickets. There are no Dutch banks on the sanctions list.
The government will not be evacuating people. We are providing advice, however, on the best way and time to leave the country. That is why the embassy is asking you to consider whether your stay in Russia is necessary, and if it isn’t, to leave the country soon.
When is my stay in Russia necessary?
This is a decision you have to make personally. The embassy can’t advise you in this regard.
The embassy is currently fully operational. It follows the travel advisory. If a red travel advisory is given for all of Russia, the embassy and the consulate-general may have to scale down their operations or close completely.
The Netherlands consulate-general in St. Petersburg will be temporarily closed from 20 February 2023.
Read more about this in the travel advisory for Russia (in Dutch).
There are no longer any direct flights from Russia to most countries in Europe. You can still reach the EU from Moscow and St Petersburg via countries that have not closed their airspace, such as the United Arab Emirates. The travel distance will be much longer, so expect higher costs and longer travel times. The situation can change suddenly.
The Russian side of the border is closed for EU citizens travelling by train.
It is currently still possible to leave Russia by crossing the border into Finland, Estonia or Latvia in your own car. Check the Russian exit rules and the entry rules of your country of destination carefully before departure.
Take into account that it may get very busy at border crossings if the situation gets worse. Be prepared: make sure you have enough fuel and cash. And remember that not all bank cards and credit cards may be accepted. Don’t forget the green card for your car, and remember that in many European countries driving with studded winter tyres is not allowed.
Travelling and travel documents
No, per April 27, 2022, you can not apply for a Schengen visa.
As a result of the decision of the Russian authorities to declare the Dutch consular staff of the embassy in Moscow persona non grata, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has had to suspend the regular Schengen visa granting.
No, you cannot apply for a visa at the moment.
Yes you can apply for a MVV.
You can submit your long-stay visa application at the embassy in Moscow. For more information, go to Applying for a long-stay visa (MVV) for residents of the Russian Federation.
Yes. You can still go to the Netherlands. Make an appointment at the embassy via our online appointment system to collect your long-stay visa (MVV).
If you want to move your appointment for a long-stay visa, please send an email to the Dutch embassy (mos-ca@minbuza.nl) where you made the appointment. The embassy can discuss the options with you. EU citizens cannot cross the border from Russia into EU countries by train or air.
Yes. You can still go to the Netherlands. Use the online appointment system to make an appointment at the embassy in Moscow to collect your long-stay visa (MVV).
You can contact the embassy in Moscow (mos-ca@minbuza.nl).
Yes, you can currently apply for a passport at the Dutch embassy in Moscow. Please bear in mind that it will take longer than usual for you to receive your new passport. This is because passports currently can’t be sent from the Netherlands to Russia. You can also collect your new passport outside Russia.
You can apply for a (one-way) laissez-passer at the Dutch embassy in Moscow. You can then apply for a regular passport at a border municipality in the Netherlands.
Yes, you can collect your passport from any Dutch diplomatic mission or from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague. You must indicate where you want to collect your passport when you submit your application. You cannot change this later.