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for citizens of several countries it is possible to apply for a free e-Visa for the Russian region of Kaliningrad (certain restrictions apply). However most of the flights to Khrabrovo airport in Kaliningrad originate in Moscow.

It is possible to do a TWOV (transit without visa) at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, if the following three Timatic conditions are met:

  • Confirmed onward ticket to a third country
  • Onward flight within 24h
  • Onward flight from the same terminal/terminal complex

Sheremetyevo airport currently has four terminals, whereas B is separated and solely used for domestic flights, while the Southern complex of D-E-F is mostly used for international flights. The majority of the Moscow-Kaliningrad flights depart from terminal B for which a Russina visa would be needed, since one needs to go landside to reach this part of the airport. However, Rossiya airlines operates two daily flights to Khrabrovo (FV6161 and FV6163) from terminal D, so passengers arriving from international flights could remain airside.

So my question is the following: Having an e-Visa for Kaliningrad, is a TWOV at SVO possible without having a visa for the rest of Russia?

Regards

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  • How would you meet the first condition? I know Kaliningrad is an exclave and is treated somewhat specially, but it's certainly not a third country.
    – Chris H
    Jul 10, 2019 at 10:05
  • That's the point. And I guess at the end of the day it is the boarding agent at the airport from where you depart to SVO who decides whether you are allowed to board or not. At SVO it won't be an issue since one can remain airside and has the necessary documents for the destination.
    – uu974
    Jul 10, 2019 at 10:08
  • Hello from Kaliningrad. I don't see it possible. You can't use internal flights with e-visas. Where are you traveling from, maybe I can advise an alternative option for you?
    – Nick Kharchenko
    Jul 10, 2019 at 12:17
  • Hi Nick! I would be traveling from ZRH, so SU via SVO would be the most convenient way. But BT via RIX would work as well and the e-visa would be sufficient for sure.
    – uu974
    Jul 10, 2019 at 21:48
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    You said you can stay airside because Rossiya operates flights from terminal D and terminal D is used for international flights. It's not as simple as that. Terminal D has international and domestic zones. You can't cross between them without passing immigration.
    – Chris H
    Jul 11, 2019 at 14:03

1 Answer 1

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No. Since the final destination is not a third country, this does not even begin to fulfil the TVOW requirements presented in the question. You must enter and exit the region directly and not transit anywhere else in Russia.

Also, generally when you have a stopover in the same country as your final destination, immigration formalities are processed on the first port, not at the end. There is a high chance that same is the case with this itinerary. Immigration will be processed in Moscow, and Moscow to Kaliningrad will be a domestic flight.

Thanks @Michael Hampton for the following:

The official web site states: "Виза разрешает туристу находиться исключительно в Калининграде и области. Въезд по ним на остальную территорию Российской Федерации с целью транзитного проезда в Калининградскую область или выезда из нее, в том числе через аэропорты в беспересадочном режиме, невозможен." Translated: "The visa allows the tourist to be exclusively in Kaliningrad and the oblast. It is not possible to enter on the e-visa to the rest of the Russian Federation territory for the purpose of transit to or from Kaliningrad Oblast."

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  • The official web site states: "Виза разрешает туристу находиться исключительно в Калининграде и области. Въезд по ним на остальную территорию Российской Федерации с целью транзитного проезда в Калининградскую область или выезда из нее, в том числе через аэропорты в беспересадочном режиме, невозможен." Translated: "The visa allows the tourist to be exclusively in Kaliningrad and the oblast. It is not possible to enter on the e-visa to the rest of the Russian Federation territory for the purpose of transit to or from Kaliningrad Oblast."
    – Michael Hampton
    Jul 10, 2019 at 15:17
  • Thanks Michael. But don‘t you think this refers to travelers arriving by car or train? Because when connecting through SVO, one does technically speaking not enter Russia. I did that several times (OSL-SVO-ZRH, ZRH-SVO-NRT etc.)
    – uu974
    Jul 10, 2019 at 21:51
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    @uu974 you don't enter Russia (in the sense of passing immigration) if you're transiting between international flights. You do if you're making an international-domestic connection, such as to Kaliningrad.
    – Chris H
    Jul 11, 2019 at 14:02

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