Leaving Russia
You packed a suitcase in February 2022 "for two weeks" and it's been four years. Time to stop pretending this is temporary and figure out where you're actually building a life.
This page exists because Townleap was built for you — literally. The site started as a spreadsheet comparing cities for people who left Russia after 2022. Then it turned out Americans were leaving too, and Brits, and everyone else who suddenly realized their country wasn't what they thought it was. But you were first.
Your situation is different from everyone else's. Half of Europe won't issue you a visa. Your bank cards don't work. Your pension is locked in a country you can't go back to. SWIFT transfers from Russian banks are blocked or glacially slow. And every country treats your passport differently — Georgia rolls out the welcome mat, Estonia won't let you in the door.
Below: every destination that actually works for Russian citizens in 2026, ranked by our data. Visa access, banking status, cost of living — all real numbers, nothing invented. Plus the Schengen suspension map, special routes, and the stuff your Telegram group argues about at 3 AM.
The Schengen wall
Which EU countries still process visas for Russian citizens, and which ones have shut the door
| Country | Status | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| 🇫🇮 FI | Closed | Near-total suspension — border closure + consular restrictions |
| 🇪🇪 EE | Closed | Total suspension — entry banned even with other Schengen visas |
| 🇱🇻 LV | Closed | Total suspension — no new visas or residence permits |
| 🇱🇹 LT | Closed | Total suspension — no new visas or residence permits |
| 🇵🇱 PL | Closed | Total suspension for tourism. Work/study permits may still be possible case-by-case. |
| 🇨🇿 CZ | Closed | Total suspension — no path in |
| 🇩🇪 DE | Restricted | Fee doubled, processing tripled, multiple-entry gone, biometric passport mandatory |
| 🇫🇷 FR | Restricted | Fee and processing increased but France remains comparatively liberal |
| 🇪🇸 ES | Restricted | Fee and processing increased but Spain remains comparatively liberal |
| 🇵🇹 PT | Restricted | Standard post-suspension restrictions |
| 🇮🇹 IT | Restricted | Fee and processing increased but Italy remains comparatively liberal |
| 🇳🇱 NL | Restricted | Standard post-suspension restrictions |
| 🇦🇹 AT | Restricted | Standard post-suspension restrictions, no country-specific additions |
Status for Russian passport holders. Verified May–June 2026. "Restricted" = single-entry, €80, 45+ day processing, heavy scrutiny.
The real options
Countries where Russian citizens can actually get in, open a bank account, and start building — sorted by livability
| Country | Visa | Banking | Path to PR | Citizenship | Avg rent/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇩🇪 Germany | Restricted | Caution | 5 yr | 5 yr | $1,296 |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | Unknown | Caution | 5 yr | 5 yr | $1,358 |
| 🇫🇷 France | Restricted | Caution | 5 yr | 5 yr | $1,110 |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Restricted | Caution | 5 yr | 10 yr | $1,355 |
| 🇷🇸 Serbia | Unknown | Open | 3 yr | 6 yr | $904 |
| 🇦🇲 Armenia | Unknown | Open | 3 yr | 3 yr | $680 |
| 🇬🇪 Georgia | Unknown | Open | 6 yr | 10 yr | $571 |
| 🇮🇱 Israel | Unknown | Caution | 7 yr | 7 yr | $1,723 |
| 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Unknown | Open | — | — | $2,288 |
| 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | Unknown | Open | — | — | $756 |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | Unknown | Open | 8 yr | 5 yr | $1,070 |
Visa and banking status for Russian passport holders. Rents are city-centre 1BR averages. Countries without visa status data shown as visa-free / open banking by default.
Where Russians actually went
The post-2022 diaspora destinations, in the order the data recommends them — not the order your Telegram group hypes them
Germany is the EU destination that still works for Russians, barely. Long-stay visas are processed but with heavy scrutiny, 45+ day processing, and biometric passport required since January 2026. Banking is 'caution' — enhanced KYC, not blocked. Berlin has the largest Russian-speaking community in the EU. Expensive, bureaucratic, but a real path to permanent settlement.
Portugal's D7 visa works for Russians with passive income, and the Digital Nomad Visa for remote workers. Processing is slower and more scrutinized than pre-2022, but it's still possible. Lisbon is expensive (thanks to everyone else discovering it), but Porto and the Algarve are more reasonable. Five years to citizenship.
France issues more long-stay visas to Russians than most EU countries. The Talent Passport works for tech workers. Paris is Paris — expensive, bureaucratic, incredible. Banking requires enhanced due diligence but isn't blocked. Five years to citizenship, language requirement is real.
Spain's Digital Nomad Visa has a lower income threshold than Portugal's (€2,334/mo). Barcelona and Madrid are world-class but pricey. Valencia is the value play. Ten years to citizenship is a long wait. Banking status: 'caution' — enhanced KYC for Russian passports but not blocked.
Belgrade was the surprise winner of 2022 — 67,000 Russians in a city of 1.7 million. Visa-free for 30 days (extend at the border), banks accept Russian passports, and the cost of living is genuinely low. No EU sanctions alignment means your money moves freely. The catch: Serbia's EU accession talks mean this may not last forever.
Yerevan peaked at 100,000 Russians in late 2022 and has settled around 60,000. Visa-free for 180 days, EAEU membership means pension credits transfer (sort of), and the tech sector is booming. Downsides: small country, limited EU path, and the geopolitical situation with Azerbaijan is a real concern.
The default destination for the first wave. Visa-free for one year, banks open same-day, Russian is widely spoken, and Tbilisi has a tech scene that didn't exist before 2022. Cost of living is climbing fast (blame yourself) but still 40–60% cheaper than Western Europe. The catch: Georgia's EU application means visa rules may tighten for Russians eventually.
Israel's Aliyah program brought 37,000+ Russians in 2022 alone — a 400% increase. If you're eligible (Jewish ancestry), it's the fastest path to citizenship in the world: immediate residency, citizenship within 3 months. The catch: everything else — cost of living, security situation, and the fact that 'eligible' is defined by the rabbinate, not by you.
Dubai is where the money went. 300,000 Russians by some estimates, though no one really counts. Zero income tax, banks work, flights to everywhere. The price tag is the opposite of Georgia — budget $3,000+/mo minimum. No path to citizenship, ever. You're renting your existence. But if you're making good money and want stability without democracy, it's hard to beat.
Almaty was the emergency landing strip — 146,000 in the 2022 surge. Most have moved on, but ~40,000 remain. EAEU means no visa needed, Kaspi Bank is the best fintech you've never heard of, and salaries in IT are competitive. Downsides: Almaty is far from Europe, the political system is authoritarian, and winters are brutal.
Istanbul absorbed more Russians than any other city — 78,000+ by 2025. Visa-free for 60 days, residence permit (ikamet) is straightforward, and Turkish banks accept Russian passports without drama. The economy is volatile (inflation hit 85% in 2022 and is still elevated), but the city is world-class and strategically positioned between continents.
Special routes for Russian citizens
Paths that exist specifically because of who you are or where you came from. Some are golden, some are narrowing fast.
Descendants of Poles from former USSR, Baltics, and diaspora. Primary beneficiaries: BY citizens with Polish ancestry. Some RU citizens with documented Polish descent also eligible.
Status 2026: Active but reform pending. Q2 2026 draft law will restrict eligibility to documented Polish ancestry only — cultural engagement pathway being eliminated. ~40% of 2025 issuance went to BY citizens (~28,000 cards). · Verified 2026-05
IT sector professionals. Requires: university IT degree, OR 1+ years IT employment contract, OR 1+ years freelance IT services. Originally for BY/UA/GE/AZ/MD/AM, now open to all nationalities.
Status 2026: Active and expanding. 55,000+ visas issued over program lifetime. ~35,000 issued post-2022. · Verified 2026-05
Family reunification — the exception that still works
Non-EU nationals legally residing in an EU country with a residence permit valid 1+ year can sponsor family reunification for: spouse, children under 21, dependent parents, and other family members case-by-case.
The key exception: In countries that suspended visa issuance to RU/BY (EE, LV, LT, CZ, PL), family reunification remains an explicit exception — it is the one visa category still available.
Requirements
- Sponsor must have valid residence permit (1+ year remaining)
- Family member must have valid travel document
- Proof of financial means to support family
- Adequate housing in some countries
Processing: 45–120 days · https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/legal-migration-and-resettlement/family-reunification-non-eu-nationals_en
Banking with a Russian passport
Your Russian bank cards stopped working in Europe the week everything happened. Four years later, the workarounds are well-established — but the landscape keeps shifting.
EUR/GBP/USD IBAN. Opens with Russian passport if you have a non-Russian address. The single most useful financial tool for the Russian diaspora. Some transfers from Russian banks get flagged.
TBC Bank, Bank of Georgia — open accounts same day with Russian passport. The banking hub for the post-2022 wave. Mir card acceptance declining but SWIFT incoming works.
Ziraat, İş Bankası — accept Russian passports. Open with ikamet (residence permit). SWIFT works for incoming transfers.
Revolut (LT entity) requires EU address proof. N26 requires EU residence permit valid 1+ year. Both do enhanced KYC on Russian passports. Functional once you're in, but getting in is the hard part.
UBS, cantonal banks — reject Russian passports outright. Not changing anytime soon.
Getting money out of Russia
SWIFT from Russian banks is either blocked (sanctioned banks) or unreliable (non-sanctioned but correspondent banks keep dropping them). The routes people actually use:
Crypto bridge (common)
RUB → USDT on a Russian exchange → USDT → local fiat via a local exchange or P2P. Legally grey everywhere, practically universal. 1–3% total spread. Tax implications vary by destination.
Georgian corridor (established)
SWIFT from a non-sanctioned Russian bank → Georgian bank account → Wise or direct transfer to destination. Works but slow (3–7 business days per hop). Some Georgian banks add 1% incoming fee.
Kazakhstan route (for large sums)
Russian bank → Kazakh bank (Kaspi, Halyk). KZT → USD → destination via SWIFT. Works for $10k+ transfers. Kaspi Gold card is useful for day-to-day in the region.
Direct SWIFT (unreliable)
Non-sanctioned banks (Raiffeisen RU, Tinkoff) can sometimes send SWIFT. But correspondent banks drop transactions unpredictably. Budget 2–4 weeks and a 30% chance of return.
Russian tax residency — the 183-day clock
Russia taxes residents (183+ days in Russia per calendar year) at 13–15%. Non-residents pay 30% on Russian-source income. The math is simple but the implications are not.
If you left and stayed away
- Non-resident after 183 days abroad in a calendar year
- Russian-source income taxed at 30% (up from 13%)
- This includes rental income from Russian property
- Foreign income: Russia can't practically collect
What most people do
- Sell Russian property before non-residency kicks in
- Close Russian IP (ИП) or convert to self-employed
- Keep one Russian bank account for pension / property
- File in new country to establish tax residency there
Russia has double-tax treaties with most destinations on this page, but enforcement is practically nil for emigrants. The real risk is the 30% rate on any Russian income you still have.
Where did everyone go?
We track the post-2022 Russian diaspora by city — estimated populations, growth rates, and which waves they arrived in. Tbilisi went from 8,000 Russians to 73,000. Belgrade from 2,500 to 67,000. The numbers are wild.
Full diaspora data: Russians abroad after 2022 →Head-to-head
The comparisons the Russian diaspora actually argues about
Not sure where to start?
15 questions. 2 minutes. We'll rank every city for your priorities — with your Russian passport constraints baked in.
Take the quiz →❓ Leaving Russia — Common Questions
Какие страны ещё выдают визы россиянам в 2026?▾
Most Western European countries (Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands) still process long-stay visa applications for Russian citizens, though with heavy restrictions: single-entry only, €80 fee, 45+ day processing. The Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), Finland, Czech Republic, and Poland have fully suspended visa issuance. Visa-free destinations include Georgia (1 year), Armenia (180 days), Serbia (30 days), Turkey (60 days), and Kazakhstan (30 days).
Can I open a bank account abroad with a Russian passport?▾
It depends entirely on the country. Georgia, Turkey, Serbia, Armenia, UAE, and Kazakhstan accept Russian passport holders with minimal friction. EU countries range from 'caution' (enhanced KYC, longer processing) to 'blocked' (Switzerland, Czech Republic, Baltics). Wise works in most countries as a bridge. Poland's mBank is the most accessible EU banking option for Russian citizens.
What happens to my Russian pension if I move abroad?▾
Russia has no bilateral pension agreements with most countries, so your pension stays in Russia. Withdrawals require a Russian bank account. Some settlers maintain Russian bank cards that work in Georgia via Mir, but Mir acceptance is declining under secondary sanctions pressure. Germany, UK, and US have 'none' or 'partial' status for Russian pension portability.
Is it safe to go through Russia's borders in 2026?▾
Land borders with Finland are closed. Air travel from Russia remains possible to most destinations via Istanbul, Dubai, Yerevan, or Tbilisi. Direct flights to EU from Russia are suspended since 2022. Draft-age men (18-30) face exit restrictions — check current mobilization status before traveling.
Нужен ли загранпаспорт нового образца?▾
Germany requires biometric passports since January 2026 — non-biometric Russian passports are rejected for visa applications and permit renewals. Most other EU countries haven't followed yet, but it's coming. If you're planning an EU move, get a biometric passport before leaving Russia — getting one abroad through Russian consulates takes 3-6 months and requires an appointment that may be months out.