When can EMERCOM employees go abroad? To which countries can employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs travel on vacation? Customs officers

In 2014, rumors began to spread that civil servants and employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations would be prohibited from traveling abroad. Today, employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations can really only vacation in the CIS countries.

The official reasons given were security: the dissemination of classified information outside the state zone. In order not to once again provoke situations that jeopardize the security of the state. According to official representatives, our compatriots abroad are subject to recruitment by the secret services of other states.

What remains for the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations? Travel throughout the CIS countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.

Although the Black Sea resorts cannot satisfy the level of service that Turkey and other Western countries offer, the incredible beauty of nature can compensate for this shortcoming. If you go to Azerbaijan, then the culture of this country, nature and indescribable cuisine will leave only pleasant memories of your vacation. And perhaps you will want to come back here just for the barbecue, wine and khachapuri.

If among the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations there are connoisseurs of history and they relax by learning new nuances of the development of other civilizations, then Uzbekistan and Armenia will fill the gap caused by the travel ban. You can also go to Belarus - the history of the Great Patriotic War opens here from a new, even more truthful and terrifying side. And the female half will like to choose natural cosmetics at bargain prices.

Sochi today is gaining momentum in welcoming tourists. New ones are being lined up hotel complexes, entertainment centers, beaches are equipped. And the proximity of Abkhazia will give you the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature.

Of course, this is not Italy with its level of service and ancient civilizations, but the sea air, historical sights and delicious cuisine There are also in nearby countries.

According to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, since 2014, police officers and military personnel are not allowed to travel outside the country. Previously, it was recommended to limit the holidays of these citizens abroad, but no fines or other sanctions were imposed for violations.

What is the situation today?

Ban on tourist trips, naturally, caused a negative reaction in society. However, even such harsh measures may become even more stringent. This is the opinion of experts in the field of politics and legislation for 2020. The reason for these actions was the complex relationship between Russia and European countries and the United States. International conflicts may lead to the introduction of new restrictions on the travel abroad of law enforcement officers with access to classified information. And since the political situation in the world remains unstable, it is unknown when employees of these structures will receive permission to travel abroad.

Now the police and military are subordinate to the Ministry of Defense, which characterizes the travel of security forces around the world as extremely undesirable.

So, you have no right to leave the country:

• police officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs;
• FMS employees;
• serving in the armed forces;
• Federal Drug Control Service of Russia.

The total number of these categories of citizens is at least 4 million.

This problem has worsened most strongly in Kaliningrad region and Far Eastern regions. Previously, residents of these settlements often traveled abroad, since other countries are located closer to them than to the rest of Russia.

Are there any changes for the better?

The list of countries prohibited from leaving includes members of the UN, the European Union, the USA, South America and Australia. Travel to alternative destinations is permitted. For example, security forces can freely vacation in the Maldives, Tunisia and Vietnam. The list of countries allowed for employees to travel to in 2020 (according to Order No. 360 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation) also includes:

• India;
• Cambodia;
• Israel;
• Morocco;
• Indonesia;
• Myanmar;
• Bosnia and Herzegovina;
• Macedonia;
• Croatia;
• Palestine;
• Puerto Rico.

Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Armed Forces can also go on vacation to warm CIS countries, for example, Georgia, Ossetia and Abkhazia. Those who are passionate about history and architecture will be interested in Armenia and Uzbekistan, and those who like a more European way of life will be interested in Latvia, Belarus and Moldova. The list of taboo powers and those to which law enforcement officers can travel changes over time, as the situation in the international arena is unstable.

Which countries can you still travel to without hindrance, but are not recommended? These include African states. The political situation there is always difficult.

To go on a trip abroad, a serviceman must submit a report and obtain approval from his superiors. However, department management is not loyal everywhere. In one region it is easy to obtain permission, in another you need to fulfill several conditions, in a third it is completely impossible. The order of the Ministry of Defense, which formally is still a recommendation, is interpreted differently in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

Is it possible to travel to a “forbidden” country? Only under special circumstances. These include serious illness or death of a relative living abroad.

A trip to a taboo country

It is still possible to travel to some countries despite the ban on staying there.

For this purpose, an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Armed Forces must obtain approval from management in a timely manner; it can be issued only in exceptional cases.

If a loved one of a military or police officer needs urgent treatment or has died, the security officer will be released to the country where he is located. But the facts must be confirmed by relevant certificates. A notice is attached to them. Sometimes consent is obtained only after reviewing the report by senior management.

Having traveled to a taboo country, the employee must immediately surrender his passport and submit a report to management.

Laws

A document that has an ambiguous interpretation depending on settlement, has a legal basis and is based on regulations, which indicate employees of the following structures:

• FSIN;
• armed forces;
• people who have access to information of particular importance: state secrets, classified information.

The territorial restriction is usually set for a maximum of 5 years. The countdown begins from the date when the intelligence officer learned about the ban, but only if the data has already lost its secrecy. Otherwise, the period of non-exit increases, and the Russian will not be able to go abroad.

In order for the condition to be met, the foreign passports of police officers and military personnel are kept by the FMS, which makes it all the more difficult for workers of these services to travel abroad.

Reasons for restrictions

The ban on visiting other countries for law enforcement officers did not arise out of nowhere. There are two problems because of which the authorities are trying not to release these citizens to other countries:

• presence of state secrets;
• insecurity for the Russians themselves.

The letter, which is of an advisory nature, explains that it is necessary to prohibit foreign travel in order to avoid disclosure of information if the security officer is aware of state or official secrets. The situation is quite serious, but the last word remains with the employee’s management and is bound by his form of access to secret documents. At the same time, it is difficult for a police officer who has the right to work with “special” papers to prove that in fact he does not touch them.

Secrecy in security forces is divided into 3 main groups:

• 1 admission form. This is particularly important data. They are available only to officials and heads of departments.
• 2nd category. Information classified as “Top Secret”. It can be received by ordinary operational workers.
• 3 form of admission. Secret information used for official purposes.

The authorities respect the principle of protecting Russian citizens, and therefore attach importance to the safety of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This is relevant due to the fact that residents of the Russian Federation may have trouble in countries that have signed an extradition agreement with the United States. After all, being within these states, Russians are forced to obey their laws. Therefore, the recommendation in fact became an order, and the security forces took away their foreign passports. The travel ban has, first of all, a moral basis. It appeared with the aim of protecting the life and health of citizens of the Russian Federation.

In a number of countries (there are 120 of them) it is unsafe for military personnel to stay, since US intelligence services operate there.

The restriction on travel abroad also applies to family members of Russian security forces - parents, children and spouses.

Documents for departure

According to the law, today there is only a warning about possible liability for crossing the border. Various departments and regional authorities give consent to the departure of employees depending on their professional merits, the form of access to classified information and the destination of the trip.

Let's consider the stages of document preparation for this purpose:

1. Submission of a report by military personnel or an application by employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the head of their unit.
2. Management independently makes a decision on consent or refusal. The applicant receives a notice, which he signs and puts a number on. This paper looks like a certificate approved by the department. There is also a sample restriction and exit permit.
3. If the head of the institution agrees, the employee comes to the personnel department with a signed notice, and then temporarily takes away the international passport that was in storage. The identity card will be returned to the citizen only upon presentation of the specified certificate. If he has never issued a foreign passport, he will need to do so on the basis of the same permit attached to the set of other documents.

Important: as a rule, the certificate indicates the length of stay of the security officer abroad (the maximum period is 2 weeks).

If a government employee plans to spend more than 15 days in another country, his superiors cannot give consent to this on their own, without consulting with senior management.

Basic Rules

When employed, police officers and military personnel must submit their foreign passports to the FMS or the personnel department within 5 days.

Security forces do not have the opportunity to go abroad during vacation only at their own request. The trip is related to the Official Secrets Act, regulations and official instructions.

Citizens who have received permission to leave from their authorities must immediately hand over their foreign passports upon arrival in the Russian Federation. Even if the trip was only for tourism purposes, an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Russian Armed Forces must report to management.

In 2020, high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation may need to not only submit a report, but also write an application addressed to the Minister of Defense. At the moment this is just speculation, but such conversations are already underway.

So, the recommendation to ban travel to other states for police and armed forces personnel has in practice become a real restriction. The reason for this is the protection of secret information and the safety of Russian security forces.

Will the ban be lifted?

Information periodically appears in the media that the restriction on holidays abroad for employees of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation will soon be lifted. Not long ago there were rumors that it would become possible to visit 30 “forbidden” states.

There is unofficial information that a document on lifting the ban for some countries is actually being prepared. But according to Interior Ministry officials, it must be thoroughly checked. Such data cannot be distributed among ordinary employees bypassing management.

No one has yet predicted when exactly free border crossing with other countries will be allowed. Many police officers and military personnel, communicating on forums on the Internet, write that such an opportunity will arise only after the political situation in the world has stabilized.

Not all Russians have the opportunity to visit other countries. The travel abroad of civil servants, military personnel and employees of various law enforcement agencies is limited by the legislation of our country. Some of these prohibitions are enshrined at the legislative level, although some of them are advisory in nature.

Who is not allowed to leave?

The regulations for travel abroad by employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other structures are shown in According to it, the following entities are limited in their right to travel outside the country:

• persons who, on duty, have open access to materials of extreme importance or absolutely confidential information constituting a state secret;
• persons mobilized for military or alternative service;
• persons serving in institutions of the Federal Security Service;
• persons to whom anti-Russian sanctions have been applied foreign countries.

It is worth clarifying that there is a ban on travel abroad for employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as a similar one that applies to employees of the Ministry of Defense, the FSB, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Penitentiary Service, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In addition, it is also applicable to the staff of officials registered in the civilian government service, i.e., for example, the travel abroad of civilian personnel of the RF Ministry of Defense is also limited.

List of states

The emergence of the mentioned list is associated primarily with the need for the state to protect information related to sovereign secrets, and in addition, with the complication of relations in the modern political arena. Thus, the countries that have concluded extradition treaties with the United States of America and the powers that are members of the North Atlantic Alliance are subject to the most severe restrictions. But those who are friendly towards Russia are open to entry.

Where is prohibited

The list of states that are strictly prohibited from visiting includes more than 150 countries around the world. In light of the constantly changing political situation, it is recommended to clarify the information on the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Where allowed

Which countries can military personnel travel to is determined by the priority of their friendly attitude towards Russian Federation. Unfortunately, the list of permitted countries for military personnel, officials and government employees is not very extensive. An alternative to holidays abroad for these categories of people is the vast expanses of our homeland.

Civil servants were asked to forget about going abroad: Video

Rules for military personnel

The ban on military personnel traveling abroad in 2019 is regulated by the same rules, which means it concerns:

• persons mobilized for military or alternative service;
• persons serving under contract;
• military personnel admitted to special (stamped) information.

The travel ban is documented, certified by the signature of the serviceman and is valid for 5-10 years from the time of the last study of confidential information. It is worth noting that the ban on a person liable for military service traveling abroad does not apply to his relatives.

If travel abroad is still necessary (for example, due to the illness/death of one of the relatives living in another country), the serviceman must obtain official approval from the commander in accordance with the regulations. To do this, you will need, firstly, to provide a report addressed to the responsible person with a request to authorize the foreign trip and issue him a foreign passport.

With the consent of the leadership, the serviceman is issued a certificate authorizing the receipt of a document to cross the border.

Secondly, submit an application and fill out a questionnaire for a foreign passport, attaching a certificate issued by the command to the documents. The length of the ban on traveling abroad after the end of service varies depending on the following circumstances:

• if a serviceman was allowed access to classified materials during his service, then upon completion of his service the period of restriction is extended to another 5-10 years;
• If a citizen served under a contract, then the period of the ban on traveling abroad is regulated by the contract.

Military personnel whose service period has ended, provided they do not have access to certified materials, are allowed to freely visit other countries.

For law enforcement officers

There is currently no strict ban on entry into other countries for law enforcement officers. However, the organization of a secrecy regime when traveling abroad imposes similar restrictions on security officials who have access to classified information.

However, back in 2015, on the initiative of State Duma deputies, the Ministry of Internal Affairs advised its employees not to leave the country unless absolutely necessary. If, nevertheless, there is an urgent need to travel abroad, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs must also follow the above-described scheme. First of all, they are required to submit a report to travel abroad to the responsible officer and only after receiving official permission to prepare documents for traveling abroad.

Ministry of Internal Affairs

Can employees of the prosecutor's office travel abroad? Let us repeat that there is no law prohibiting employees of law enforcement agencies from traveling abroad (except for the ban for persons authorized to have access to top-secret information). However, in the spring of 2019, the State Duma submitted for consideration the issue of imposing a temporary ban on the travel abroad of police officers and persons holding senior positions in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If the new bill is agreed upon, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will be forced to include a corresponding article in the contract.

In such conditions, the question of where police officers can go on vacation still remains open for many. For the most part, it is customary to adhere to the recommendations given by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to limit the number of countries to which travel is permitted.

Russian National Guard

Are employees of the Russian Guard allowed to travel abroad? Restrictions on visiting foreign countries for employees of the structure are identical to the requirements for military personnel in this matter:

• travel to other countries is prohibited during the entire period of service;
• upon termination of service, the employee remains restricted from traveling for 5-10 years if during the period of service he was allowed access to confidential information;
• For contract workers, the period of validity of the travel ban is regulated by the period stipulated by the terms of the contract.

If an employee did not work with classified information during his military service, then the travel ban ends simultaneously with his term of service.

Can FSB officers travel abroad? Employees of this department are also subject to a number of travel restrictions until the termination of the contract period. Employees of the service apparatus have the right to obtain approval from their manager for a visit to another country only on the basis of one of the following reasons:

• need for specialized treatment;
• illness/death of a relative living in another country;
• settlement of inheritance issues;
• settlement of proceedings for confiscation of property registered abroad;
• visit to relatives living in another country.

The request to travel is submitted 3 months before the planned event, unless there are any urgent factors. The application is accompanied by acts, certificates, etc. justifying the need to cross the border. Based on the results of reviewing the documents, management must make a decision.

Customs officers

Just like other government departments, the Federal Customs Service received a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in advisory form suggesting that department employees should refrain from traveling to other countries. But locally, in structural units, recommendations of this kind are accepted more like an order for execution.

For employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations

Order of the Ministry of Emergency Situations on traveling abroad in 2018 No. 244 “On additional measures to increase social security, ensure comfortable working conditions and service for personnel of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia” dated 06/07/2018 consolidates the prescribed recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on limiting the rights of employees of this government body to travel abroad. The list of countries allowed for EMERCOM employees to travel to is limited to those that are exclusively friendly towards Russia.

The procedure for obtaining permission to leave the Russian Federation

A certain procedure has been established to authorize travel abroad for all military personnel, persons with access to classified information, as well as employees of the other departments discussed above.

1. An employee planning to travel abroad must submit a report (application) to the head of the Federal Security Service of Russia, where it is necessary to indicate: the country planned to visit; purpose of the trip; departure date; source of funds for the trip; what kind of transport are you planning to use; travel agency details; information about the person who sent the invitation.
2. The manager who accepted the application certifies it and puts notes on the time and level of awareness of the applicant regarding information constituting a state secret. Sends documents to the HR department.
3. Employees of the personnel department and operational management put a note on the application about the presence/absence of reasons for restricting the right to travel.
4. Exit permission is issued or denied.

One of the reasons for refusal to travel abroad is the presence of debt to the tax and utility services, as well as unpaid fines and other debt obligations. ? This can be done in several ways.

1. You can check the presence of debts on taxes and duties on the website of the Federal Tax Service.
2. You can check whether there is a debt issued for execution by a court decision on the website of the bailiffs (FSSP).
3. Debts for unpaid fines are checked on the government services portal.
4. It is easy to check whether you owe a bank by contacting a credit history bureau.

After paying the existing debt, information in the databases of government departments will only be reflected within 1-3 weeks, so do not put it off until the last minute. You should prepare for the trip in advance, for this it is important to know.

1. Valid passport.
2. Visa, because visa-free entry for citizens of the Russian Federation is not allowed to all countries.
3. Insurance policy.
4. Round trip tickets.
5. A travel voucher if a person is traveling on a pre-purchased package.

Despite the fact that the list of documents for leaving the country is not that long, it should be kept in mind that additional requirements may apply to visiting certain countries. Consequently, the list of required papers can be expanded.