How to Check an Entry Ban to Russia via the MVD and FSB
Many people only find out about an entry ban at the border—when boarding a flight or at a border crossing point. There is no need to take risks: a free service from the MVD will show in advance whether there is information in the database about an entry ban. The registry of controlled persons is checked separately, and there is no public database for the FSB—only a written inquiry.
The online check is only a guide: it shows the record in the MVD database at the time of the inquiry. The final decision is made by border control, some grounds (e.g., related to national security) are not visible online, and legally significant details—the issuing authority, grounds, duration—are provided only in official documents.
In Brief: What to Do
- Open the official entry ban verification service of the GUVM MVD —free, no registration required.
- Enter your details exactly as they appear in the passport you are using to enter: last name, first name, date of birth, gender, citizenship, document type, number, and validity period.
- If your passport or the spelling of your name has changed, repeat the check for each variant: the ban might be recorded under the old document.
- Take a screenshot of the result showing the date: it will be useful during an appeal.
- If a ban is found, request an official decision via the online reception of the MVD : authority, grounds, duration, and reference details. They are required to respond within 30 days.
- If you are currently in Russia without legal grounds, also check the registry of controlled persons .
- Next—wait for the ban to expire, ask the authority to cancel the decision, or go to court. Show a disputed case to a lawyer before buying tickets.
What Checks Exist and How They Differ
| What to check | What you will find out | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Entry ban (MVD database) | Whether there is a decision prohibiting entry | GUVM MVD service |
| Registry of controlled persons | Whether you are included in the registry—it is for those already in Russia without legal grounds | MVD service or Gosuslugi |
| FSB entry ban | No public online service | Written inquiry to the FSB only |
FSB decisions are not reflected in the MVD service, and an “FMS database check” does not exist: the FMS was abolished in 2016 and its functions were transferred to the MVD, so up-to-date data is only available in MVD services.
How to Check an Entry Ban Online: Step-by-Step
- Go to the entry-ban page of the GUVM MVD services (direct link above).
- Fill out the form: last name and first name, date of birth, gender, citizenship, document type, number, and passport expiration date. Write it exactly as in the document—in Latin or Cyrillic characters.
- Submit the request and take a screenshot of the result showing the date.
- If your trip is far off, repeat the check right before departure: the database does not update instantaneously.
If the service does not open, it does not mean there is no ban—submit a written inquiry: it provides a legally binding response.
What the Check Result Means
No information found. Most likely, there is no ban decision in the MVD database. However, this is not a guarantee: the service does not show all grounds, and an error in a single letter can produce a “clean” result. If you have had overstays, fines, or an expulsion, or if you were previously turned away at the border, obtain an official document in advance.
Ban found. The fact is confirmed: the decision is in the database. The service does not disclose the reason, issuing authority, or duration—these are obtained via an official inquiry: without details, you cannot calculate the expiration date or choose a method of appeal. How to find out the reason is explained in the article who banned entry and why .
Grounds for Entry Bans: Periods Under Federal Law No. 114-FZ
The grounds are listed in Articles 26 and 27 of Federal Law No. 114-FZ :
| Situation | Legal Basis | Ban Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Did not leave within 30 days after the end of the permitted stay period | Art. 26, Clause 8 | 3 years from the date of departure |
| Exceeded 90 days of stay within a calendar year | Art. 27, Clause 12 | 3 years from the date of departure |
| Illegal stay exceeding 180 days | Art. 27, Clause 13 | 5 years from the date of departure |
| Illegal stay exceeding 270 days | Art. 27, Clause 14 | 10 years from the date of departure |
| Two or more administrative offenses within three years | Art. 26, Clause 4 | 3 years |
| Two or more stay regime violations within one year | Art. 27, Clause 11 | 5 years |
| Administrative expulsion or deportation | Art. 27, Clause 2 | 5 years from the date of execution |
| Two or more expulsions or deportations | Art. 27, Clause 2.1 | 10 years |
Three common misconceptions:
- Paying fines clears the debt, but does not cancel an already issued ban decision.
- “Two fines automatically mean a ban” is an oversimplification: under Article 26, the authority has the right, but not an obligation, to ban entry.
- The period following expulsion (Art. 3.10 of the Administrative Offences Code ) is counted from the date of its execution, not from the date of the violation.
How to Obtain an Official Decision: MVD and FSB
- Submit an inquiry through the MVD online reception or in person at a migration department. The response time is 30 days (Art. 12 of Law No. 59-FZ).
- Be specific in your questions: whether there is an active decision, which authority issued it and when, reference number and date, legal grounds, period of validity, and how to obtain a copy and appeal.
- Attach identification details: passport, citizenship, date of birth, previous documents, entry and exit dates—without this, you will receive a boilerplate brush-off response.
- If you are in Russia, the decision must be handed over in person against a signature (the procedure is specified in Government Decree No. 12).
- Regarding the FSB, inquiries are submitted to its border guard agencies: classified information will not be disclosed, but you can request confirmation of the decision and the procedure to follow.
How to Write to the MVD if the Check Shows a Ban
If the service shows a ban, the online result is only indicative. A legally binding document is provided through a written inquiry: via the MVD online reception , a response arrives within 30 days (Art. 12 of Law No. 59-FZ). In your inquiry, ask specifically: whether there is a decision, which authority issued it and when, reference number and date, grounds, validity period, and appeal procedure—without these details, it is impossible to calculate the duration or prepare a complaint.
If you don’t want to wait or don’t know what to write in the inquiry, message the VisitRF bot on Telegram: it will guide you through the verification process and what to attach to the request. @visitrfbot —24/7, free of charge, in Russian, Uzbek, and Tajik.
How to Lift a Ban: Four Realistic Ways
- Wait for the period to expire. Three, five, or ten years; counted from the date of departure, the date of expulsion execution, or the date the ruling enters into legal force. The exact date is calculated using the decision details—how to do this is described in the article on the entry ban period .
- Request the issuing authority to reconsider the decision. If circumstances change (family in Russia, medical treatment, studies, correction of erroneous data), the authority can cancel its own decision. There are no guarantees, but this route is provided for by regulations.
- Court. The decision is challenged under the Code of Administrative Procedure of the Russian Federation (CAS RF); the deadline to file is 3 months from the moment you learned about the violation of your rights (Art. 219 CAS RF). The court reviews both the procedure and circumstances requiring humanitarian consideration.
- Correct an error. A ban is sometimes recorded under an old passport, a namesake with the exact same name, or with an incorrect date of birth—in this case, what is needed is not an appeal, but an application to correct data; read more in the article on errors in MVD data .
There is no legal way to “remove a ban from the database for money.” What to do if a ban is already in place is detailed in a separate guide.
FAQ
Is checking an entry ban free?
Yes. The official MVD service is free and operates without registration. Paid websites simply resell a free inquiry and collect personal data—you should not enter your passport details there.
Will the MVD service show a ban issued by the FSB?
No. The service only checks the MVD database. FSB-related grounds and restricted categories are not included—their existence is clarified via a written inquiry.
Can I check a ban in the FMS database?
No. The FMS was abolished in 2016, and its functions were transferred to the MVD, so up-to-date ban data is only available in MVD services. Offers to “check via the FMS database” are either outdated or fraudulent.
After how many years is a ban lifted automatically?
It depends on the legal grounds: three, five, or ten years. The countdown starts from the date of departure, the date of expulsion execution, or the date the ruling takes effect—the exact date is determined from the details of the decision.
I paid my fines—is the ban gone?
No. Payment clears the debt under the penalty order, but does not cancel an already issued entry ban decision. Cancellation is a separate procedure via the issuing authority or a court.
The service shows a ban without stating a reason. What should I do?
Request an official decision via the MVD online reception: reference details, grounds, duration. After that, the choice between waiting, requesting reconsideration, and going to court depends on the specific grounds.
If the check is clean, am I guaranteed to be allowed in?
Not necessarily: the final decision is made by border control based on up-to-date data, and some grounds are not visible online. If the risk is high, obtain an official document in advance—how to check a ban before traveling is described in a separate article.
How We Can Help
Describe your situation to an immigration lawyer in the form on this page: what the check showed, what violations occurred, whether the passport was changed, and if there were any border refusals. A lawyer will help draft an inquiry to the MVD or FSB to obtain the details of the decision rather than a generic brush-off response, and assess the prospects of lifting the ban.