Poland-Russia local cross-border travel agreement
An agreement between Russia and Poland on the order of local border movement was ratified and signed in Moscow on December 14, 2011.
The agreement is designed to create favorable conditions for the entry and stay of residents of border areas of Russia and Poland.
The agreement states that residents of border areas will travel on the basis of a valid passport (except diplomatic, official and seaman's passport) and local border traffic permits issued by consular authorities. To obtain such a permit, the applicant must justify the need for regular visits to border areas (family ties, economic, cultural or other reasons). According to Russian and Polish legislation invitations are not required when applying for visas in such cases.
The agreement will apply to the Russian and Polish citizens and foreign nationals and stateless persons who have been lawfully resident in the border area of Russia and Poland for at least three years ("Residence requirement" will not be applicable for family members of such persons).
The agreement will apply for the entire Kaliningrad region in Russia and the administrative regions comparable to the area of Kaliningrad region. A list of such regions is annexed to the agreement.
The fee for obtaining a permit is 20 euros, persons under the age of 16 and over 65 are exempted from paying. Further exemptions include:
- invalids of the first and second group, children with disabilities – for residents of border areas of Russia;
- the disabled and persons accompanying them - for residents of border areas of Poland.