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Alcohol is a good gift for any occasion. Tourists love to bring it as a souvenir to friends and family. However, few people know how much alcohol can be brought across the border. In order not to pay penalties and not to lose what you purchased, you need to know the customs rules.

How much alcohol can be transported across the Russian border?

There is a set of rules governing the import of alcohol. Rules, norms and restrictions on the import of various products are established by the Customs Union. It determines how much alcohol can be transported across the border.

When purchasing alcohol abroad, many tourists forget how many liters of alcohol they can bring to Russia. The Customs Union has set a limit of 3 liters of alcoholic beverages per person. 3 liters is the norm for importing alcohol for personal use. If a batch of alcoholic beverages is purchased for subsequent sale, it is necessary to fill out a customs declaration. This requirement applies to legal entities.

Customs officers do not take into account the strength of drinks and their name. It makes no difference whether beer or whiskey is imported - for all categories of alcohol there is a limit of 3 liters. This volume does not need to be paid; it is transported duty free.

But the indicated volume is not the maximum for one person. The maximum permissible volume of alcoholic beverages is 5 liters. But for an additional two liters you need to pay 20 euros (10 euros/liter).

Answering the question of how many liters of alcohol can be imported into Russia, the answer is a maximum of 5 per individual.

Tourists importing alcohol with a volume of more than 3 liters will need to fill out a declaration. If a tourist has doubts about how much alcohol can be transported across the Russian border, he should contact the customs officers. He will be told the norm and given two declaration forms to fill out (if the norm is exceeded). One form is returned to customs officers, the other remains with the tourist.

In the declaration, the tourist indicates:

Registration address.
Country of entry.
Amount of imported alcohol (in liters).
The total cost of imported alcohol.

The data is signed and dated.

Information about how many liters of alcohol can be transported across the Russian border is relevant only for adult citizens. Those under 18 years of age cannot import alcohol in any quantity.

Alcohol should not be distributed to children. If a tourist family of three (two adults, a child) purchased 15 liters of alcoholic beverages, it is not allowed to write off 5 liters for the child. Customs officials confiscate the excess.

Number of liters of alcohol allowed for import from different countries

Rules on how much alcohol you can bring across borders sometimes vary slightly from country to country. The main border points for Russian citizens are the following countries:

Finland. How much alcohol can you transport across the Finnish border? 3 liters are imported free of charge. The maximum volume is 5 liters. Additional payment – 10 euros/liter. Pure alcohol is allowed to be transported across the Finnish border. The volume is also up to 5 liters. The surcharge is higher – 22 euros/liter.
Abkhazia.
In Abkhazia, the generally accepted standard is 3 liters per individual.
Belarus.

How much alcohol can you bring across the border of Russia and Belarus? Maximum 5 liters. Requirements are the same as those of Abkhazia.

Kazakhstan. The most popular travel destination for Russians is Kazakhstan. Local alcohol is also brought from there. Tourists are again scratching their heads - how many liters of alcohol can be imported from Kazakhstan to Russia? Good news awaits them - as much as they want! The 3 liter standard applies provided that you need to go through customs control. Kazakhstan is within the Customs Union with Russia. There is no need to count alcoholic products, since there is no fact of import.

Penalties

Penalties apply to tourists who deliberately hide the amount of imported alcohol. Not knowing how much alcohol can be transported across the border does not exempt you from responsibility.

Sometimes citizens purchase large volumes of alcohol for subsequent illegal sale and do not declare it. In such cases, citizens face arrest, forced labor or a serious fine.

Conclusion

How much alcohol can be brought across the border is always a pressing question. According to established rules, the volume per adult person should not exceed 5 liters.

Russian legislation clearly establishes whether it is possible to come to the Russian Federation with alcohol. Both foreigners and Russians returning home are allowed to take such products with them. However, its quantity is strictly limited. How much alcohol can you import into Russia? What is the penalty for violating the rules?

Rules for transporting alcohol

Issues of crossing borders with various products and values are spelled out in the law on customs regulation. Restrictions on alcohol and other things are established by both federal regulations and international treaties. Important changes in the rules occurred with the entry of the Russian Federation into the Customs Union (CU). A corresponding agreement was signed, which established a procedure that must be followed by citizens when they cross the borders of the Customs Union. Among other things, it stipulates how and in what quantities alcoholic beverages can be transported. This refers to the transportation of alcohol for personal use.

The rules establish that duty-free import of alcohol into Russia is allowed. But customs payments are also established by law for citizens who bring alcohol to the Russian Federation. This means payment for alcohol that exceeds the duty-free limit.

Filling out a customs declaration

As the rules for transporting alcohol across the border state, only adults can enter Russia with alcohol. That is, these are citizens of the Russian Federation or foreign guests who have already celebrated their 18th birthday. All alcohol is taken into account in total. It does not matter whether the drinks were purchased in another country or whether they were purchased in duty-free stores.

When crossing the border, it is mandatory. But not all Russian citizens and guests of the country understand whether it is necessary to fill out a customs declaration. The law establishes that the import of alcohol must be declared. But this can also be done verbally: verbally warn the customs officer. However, when the amount of alcohol imported into Russia exceeds the duty-free norms, it is impossible to do without filling out a customs declaration.

What is prohibited to import and export from the Russian Federation: Video

If the displacement is exceeded

It is definitely important for every Russian or guest of the country who wants to bring alcohol for personal use to find out what the norm for importing alcohol into Russia is set for 2019. Because exceeding it is fraught with punishment. Without paying any duty to the treasury, an adult has the right to transport alcohol in an amount of up to 3 liters inclusive when he crosses the Russian border, entering Russian territory.

Plus, it is possible to take an additional two liters. But in this case, the duty on alcohol will be 10 euros. Each additional liter is charged. Finally, the legislation allows the import of five liters of pure alcohol. But this is only possible if you pay a fee for alcohol. It is 22 euros charged per liter.

Exceeding the standards entails liability. In this case, the perpetrator can be punished under both administrative and criminal charges. But more often the provisions of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Russia are still applied. According to this code, the following measures may be used:

The Russian Criminal Code provides for punishment for those persons who import alcohol in large quantities. It is determined by the cost of alcohol imported illegally. If the amount exceeds 250 thousand rubles, the most severe sanctions for alcohol may apply. For example, a violator faces a fine ranging from 300 thousand to a million in domestic currency. They can collect money from him, calculating the amount based on the cost of smuggled alcohol.

But for illegally importing alcohol into Russia, you face more than just a fine. There is a risk of going to jail. It is also possible to use such a measure as forced labor. If aggravating circumstances are identified, the punishment will be chosen with all severity.

Monthly import rate

It is worth understanding that at the border they do not look at what drinks are being imported into the Russian Federation. Therefore, there is no need to look for an answer to the question of how much wine can be imported into Russia, and how much beer or whiskey. Customs officers are only interested in the volume of imported alcohol, and not its strength.

Until recently, there were temporary restrictions on the import of alcohol into Russia. That is, on a preferential basis, alcohol could be brought into the country for oneself personally once a month. Now this rule does not apply. However, experts warn that this does not mean complete permissiveness.

If a citizen or foreign guest has the opportunity to leave Russia and return back monthly, you should not bring alcohol with you every time. The fact is that the customs officer has the right to independently determine for what purpose the visitor took this or that product with him. Therefore, it is quite logical that he can bring forward the accusation that alcohol is imported not for personal use, but for sale.

Crossing the border by car

Sometimes visiting guests and Russians wonder how much beer can be brought into Russia when crossing the border by car. It is important to understand here that when it comes to standards for personal use, the method of transporting alcohol does not matter.

Before reading the rules for transporting alcohol, a foreign citizen may need to. As for crossing the border, you should not try to hide the cargo from customs officers. If they discover alcohol that was not reported, it will only make the situation worse. Since this will be an aggravating circumstance, and, accordingly, the punishment will become more severe because of this.

Special cases

Russian legislation establishes not only the amount of alcohol allowed for import into Russia. There are also certain rules regarding how much other things can be imported/exported. To avoid having to pay a fee, all of them must be intended exclusively for personal use. This also applies to used items.

In total, luggage must weigh up to 50 kilograms. There is also a set maximum for its value. It is allowed to transport items with a total value of up to 1.5 thousand euros by land transport to Russia. As for air travel, the amount increases to 10 thousand in the same currency. But the law also provides for special cases. For example, exceptions are made for migrants and refugees. But provided that they can document their special status.

Sometimes a foreigner brings alcohol with him to Russia in quantities that exceed the established minimum, simply out of ignorance, then he will be advised on this issue and the rules will be explained. But this does not mean that a person will be allowed in with excess alcohol: he will be asked to pay a fee. If he does not have the money to pay the duty, the alcohol will be taken to a temporary storage warehouse, and after depositing the funds into the treasury, it will be returned to the owner.

How much can you export?

Another important question concerns the situation with the export of alcohol. There are no restrictions established by law on how much alcohol can be exported from Russia. However, this does not mean that you can take with you any amount of wine, vodka, beer or cognac. In order not to encounter difficulties, it will be necessary not only from Russia. It is better to read the customs rules of the country where the Russian is going. Since each state regulates the issue of importing alcohol in its own way.

Prohibited goods for import

Russia sets not only the amount of alcohol that can be imported into the territory. There are also certain goods that are completely prohibited to take with you when going to the Russian Federation. With the introduction of sanctions against Russia, the list of prohibited products has become quite extensive. You cannot carry products of animal origin with you if they are not in the original or opened packaging. They will not be allowed to cross the border with products if they are exported from a country where there is an outbreak of a dangerous disease.

Plant products that are included in the list of goods with a high phytosanitary risk can be imported into Russia, like alcohol, but in quantities of up to 5 kg per person. The same applies to food products imported from a country on the sanctions list. If they are taken for your own use, it is important not to exceed the 5 kg mark.

When traveling by plane, tourists often encounter situations where alcohol is confiscated from them during security checks before boarding. To avoid such troubles, you need to study the information regarding the transportation of alcoholic beverages in advance. The law does not prohibit the export or import of alcohol into Russia, but certain standards are established that cannot be exceeded.

How to bring alcohol to Russia

Each country has its own regulations and procedures for transporting alcoholic beverages. It is not prohibited to import such products into our country. But there are certain limitations that you need to know.

Limit for importing alcohol into Russia

One passenger can freely transport a maximum of 5 liters of alcoholic beverages into the territory of the Russian Federation and exclusively for their own use. Of them:

3 liters – duty free;
2 liters - for a fee (single customs rate - 10 euros for each additional liter).

Regardless of whether you are bringing alcohol in your hand luggage, from duty free or in checked luggage, the total allowed volume is 5 liters per person.

Persons over 18 years of age are allowed to carry alcohol.

Important! These restrictions apply to all types of alcohol, including beer. Individuals cannot transport more than 5 liters of alcohol in total, regardless of its strength and type.

It is necessary to take into account that alcohol is distributed according to the baggage principle for each person. That is, it will not be possible to carry 5–6 liters for two people in one bag. It is necessary to check in luggage for each passenger separately.

Rules for transporting alcohol in hand luggage

Of the 5 liters allowed, 1 liter of alcohol can be carried in hand luggage. And it doesn’t matter whether this alcohol was purchased in duty-free or not.

There is a rule for transporting any liquids in the aircraft cabin: the container volume should not exceed 100 ml. The total volume is no more than 1 liter. If you are bringing two 100 ml bottles of perfume, you have 800 ml left for alcohol.

Bottles taken with you to the salon must be sealed and packed in a plastic bag. The integrity of the packaging must be maintained until the end of the flight, since drinking your own alcoholic beverages on board is prohibited. You can easily be fined for this.

By Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 104 of July 25, 2007 “On approval of the rules for conducting pre-flight and post-flight inspection”, the carriage of alcoholic beverages with a strength of 24-70% in hand luggage is prohibited. However, according to the internal regulations of airlines, it is allowed to carry liquids in 100 ml containers in the cabin. In practice, no one checks the origin and strength of these drinks. But if possible, in order not to run into trouble, it is better to check such products in your luggage.

Rules for transporting alcohol in duty-free hand luggage

Alcohol purchased in the duty-free area is allowed into the aircraft cabin. In this case, the rule “1 passenger - 1 liter” remains, but the rule applies to the carriage of 100 ml containers. is cancelled. That is, you can buy a 750 ml bottle of wine and take it on board with you, and there will still be room in your hand luggage for two 100 ml bottles and one 50 ml bottle.

A bottle purchased in duty-free stores must also be sealed, packaged and delivered to the boarding point safe and sound.

Rules for importing alcohol in luggage

You can check in bottles in the quantity allowed by the norm for importing alcohol into Russia in 2018 as luggage if you see fit. There are no clearly established regulations regarding the volume of containers in which alcoholic beverages can be transported in the luggage compartment.

Alcohol must be certified and have a tax stamp. And also sealed.

It is very important to maintain the integrity of glass containers when the products are transported in luggage. Taking into account the fact that suitcases in luggage are often subject to careless handling, you need to take care of high-quality packaging in advance and take into account the following tips:

Use hard-sided suitcases. In a travel bag or soft-sided suitcase, there is a high chance that bottles will break, no matter how carefully you pack them.
Do not place glass containers on the sides of the suitcase.
Do not stack bottles next to each other.
Line glass containers with soft materials and place them in the middle of luggage to soften shock absorption.
Wrap the bottles in bubble wrap or place them in a plastic bag and seal with tape.
Do not pack heavy or hard objects near bottles.
Take care of the density of placement so that the bottles do not move along the way.
As a last resort, check your luggage containing alcoholic beverages separately as fragile.

Important! If you try to bring more alcohol into our country than is allowed by the rules for importing alcohol into Russia, the extra bottles will be confiscated.

What is prohibited to import into Russia

Typically, the requirements for imported products are more stringent than for exported ones. But each country has its own rules and regulations, so before you travel, check the regulations of the country you are flying to. You can import various alcoholic beverages of up to 70% strength into our country. The ban is imposed on the following types of products:

For alcoholic drinks with a strength of more than 70% (absinthe, moonshine, chacha, everclear).
For alcohol of our own home production.
For alcohol poured from the manufacturer's container into other bottles.

There are also contradictions on this issue. The rules of the Customs Union do not prohibit the import of non-industrial alcoholic products, but there is an indication that transported products must have a company label and an excise tax. Home-produced alcohol cannot meet these requirements. Therefore, theoretically, home-produced products can be transported on an airplane. But it's better not to take risks. If you want to enjoy local foreign spirits, it is better to do this while traveling, as problems may arise when transporting them to Russia.

Declaration for imported alcohol

If you are carrying more than 3 liters of alcohol with you, be prepared to declare the extra bottles. The declaration must be presented at the airport of departure. You can pick up the form at customs control and fill it out on the spot, or download it from the Internet in advance and fill it out at home.

How the process works:

Arrive at the departure airport.
Check in for your flight and check in your luggage.
Go to customs control and present the declaration and related documents.
Pay the required amount.
Next, go through inspection.
After that, get on the plane.
Upon arrival in Russia, go through passport control along the red corridor and present your declaration to an authorized person.

Required documents

Along with the declaration, you will need to present the following documents to customs officers:

International passport.
A visa to Russia or a migration card (if you are a citizen of another state and you need a visa to stay in our country).

No other documents are required.

The document is filled out in block letters in two copies. One copy is handed over to customs officers, the second copy must be kept until the end of the flight. The document must indicate the following information:

Personal information.
Countries from and to where you are flying.
Are there any minor children flying with you?
Description of the declared goods.
Date.

Sample of filling out a declaration for alcoholic beverages.

Responsibility for violating the rules for transporting alcoholic beverages

Often people hope for luck and try to smuggle more alcohol than is allowed for import into Russia. Some may be lucky, but we should not forget about the existence of responsibility for such actions.

When airport employees record an excess of the norm, there are two legal options for the development of events:

A fine of 50 to 100% of the cost of the goods and confiscation of excess if alcohol exceeding the norm (2 liters) is not declared. That is, in this case, at best, you will have 3 liters left with you.
Confiscation of all goods is at the discretion of the control staff (if you were carrying 15 liters of alcoholic beverages instead of 5, 2 of which were declared, you may have all the goods confiscated for violating legal rules).

Thus, in any scenario, if deception on your part is detected, you will be confiscated (of all goods or surplus products). No fines or additional customs payments can be made after detection of exceeding the norms.

Restrictions on the export of alcohol from Russia

The legislation of the Russian Federation does not establish any restrictions on the export of alcoholic beverages. But at the airport you may be told that it is permissible to export only a certain amount due to the regulations of the country of arrival. Each country has its own rules and restrictions on the import of alcohol.

Important! When exporting alcoholic beverages from Russia, do not forget to take into account the luggage weight restrictions.

When exporting alcohol, do not forget to take into account the rules of the country of arrival. In some countries, there is not only a ban on the import of alcoholic beverages, but also serious penalties. For example, you can import no more than 1 liter of alcoholic beverages into Thailand. For attempting to carry more than the limit, there is a fine of $1,000. And only people who are not Muslims can bring alcohol into the UAE.

Approximate limits on the import of alcohol in different countries are shown in the table below.

A country	Cargo allowance
Countries of the Customs Union (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus)	3 liters of alcohol of any strength (but not more than 70%)
EU countries (Poland, Finland, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Czech Republic, Sweden, etc.)	One of the following: 1 liter of strong alcohol (more than 22%); 2 liters of any drinks with a strength of up to 22%; 4 liters of wine; 16 liters of beer
China	1.5 liters of any alcohol
Egypt	1 liter of strong alcohol and 2 liters of beer
India, Bali	2 liters of any alcohol
Türkiye	5 liters of alcoholic drinks of any strength, but not more than 3 liters of one type
Sri Lanka	1.5 liters of strong alcohol and 2 bottles of wine
Norway	2 liters of low-alcohol drinks (up to 4.7% strength) plus 3 liters of drinks with up to 22% strength or 1.5 liters of drinks with up to 22% strength along with 1 liter of strong alcohol
Israel	1 liter of strong alcohol and 2 bottles of wine
USA	1 liter of strong alcohol, excluding absinthe

Here are the rules for duty-free import of alcoholic beverages, that is, without paying customs duties. Restrictions on imports in excess of the norm, which is subject to customs duties, must be clarified in each case individually.

Today, many aircraft offer alcoholic beverages on board. But this most likely applies to airliners carrying tourists. Some airlines prohibit the consumption of alcoholic beverages on board their aircraft.

It must be remembered that even if drinking alcohol is allowed, this only applies to drinks offered on board. Drinking your own drinks, even if purchased in duty free, is strictly prohibited.

In the cabin of the aircraft, alcoholic drinks can most often be purchased for an additional fee. Sometimes they are included in the ticket price and offered free of charge.

The flight attendant has the right to refuse to provide alcoholic drinks (both paid and free) if he has grounds for doing so (most often this is the passenger’s alcoholic intoxication). For rowdy behavior while intoxicated, fines or removal of the passenger from the flight are provided.

Conclusion

The legislation of almost all countries (with the exception of some) provides for the import or export of alcohol, so tourists can please themselves or loved ones with overseas strong drinks. However, it is worth remembering the limitations. Each country has its own laws, so you need to familiarize yourself with them in advance to avoid getting into an unpleasant situation. It would be a good idea to contact the airline before departure and check with the staff for the current rules for transporting alcoholic beverages.

There is no point in trying to smuggle in excess products, since if violations are detected, they will inevitably be confiscated. If you are carrying alcohol in excess of the duty-free allowance, you should take care of the declaration for products transported within the limits established by law.

Particular attention should be paid to the rules for flights with transfers. If you are allowed to import a certain amount of alcoholic beverages at one airport, they may be confiscated at another in accordance with the laws of the host country.

Returning from vacation or going on a visit, tourists happily shop at duty-free stores or carry wine, whiskey and other alcoholic drinks in their luggage, without thinking about how much alcohol they can import into Russia.

For this reason, cases have become more frequent when customs officers confiscated bottles being transported or forced them to pay extra money because they exceeded the norm. To prevent your trip from being overshadowed by such a surprise, you should find out in advance the rules for transporting alcohol to Russian territory.

The import of alcohol into Russia is regulated by the Agreement, which prescribes the procedure for moving goods for personal use across the borders of the states of the Customs Union.

Since 2015, there has been an additional law regulating the issue of import of goods. A standard has been established for the amount of alcohol that an adult citizen can bring into Russian territory.

You are allowed to import no more than 3 liters of alcohol without paying duty. The strength of the alcohol does not matter. There is no exception for beer or wine; any drinks containing alcohol count towards this standard.

In excess of the required amount, you can carry 2 liters of alcohol, but with a fee of 10 euros for each liter exceeding the limit. But the total amount of alcohol transported should not exceed 5 liters. This means that the maximum duty is 20 euros for 2 excess liters.

Additional restrictions

It is allowed to import goods for personal use weighing no more than 50 kg and costing no more than 1.5 thousand euros when entering by land.

Traveling by plane allows you to carry luggage worth up to 10 thousand euros.

The weight of 3 liters of alcohol cannot exceed 50 kg, but valuable collectible alcohol can exceed the specified amount in value. In this case, upon entering Russian territory, they fill out a customs declaration and pay the duty. .

The permitted amount is calculated only for adults, therefore, when traveling with a family, a child under 18 years of age is not taken into account in the alcohol transportation standards.

Sample of filling out a customs declaration

Exceeding the norm

When crossing a customs point, there is a system of green and red corridors. Carrying baggage for personal purposes that falls within the established limit allows you to cross the border through the green corridor without filling out a declaration. Otherwise, you need to fill it out and cross the border along the “red corridor”.

When transporting alcohol in quantities of more than 3 liters, but less than 5, a duty is paid for exceeding the norm. If a tourist tries to carry more than 5 liters of alcoholic beverages, customs authorities have the right to seize the excess volume. Tourists often try to hide the alcohol they have and go through the control point without declaring their luggage. This entails additional problems. If, when passing through the “green corridor,” customs officers discover that the goods transported exceed the norm, then they have the right to confiscate the entire volume of alcohol transported.

In this case, the owner of the cargo is subject to a fine in the amount of 50% to 200% of the value of the goods transported outside the limit.

In this case, the cost of the purchase is estimated at the average market price, and not based on the price of alcohol at which it was purchased, for example, in a duty-free discount store.

Procedure for paying a fine

Payment is made on site at the customs office. If the person transporting the goods does not have enough money, then the alcohol is placed in a temporary storage warehouse until payment is made. In this case, storage services and the fee itself are paid additionally. The longer the delay in payment, the greater the final payment amount, so it is advised not to delay this issue and deal with it promptly.

Is there a monthly import limit?

Previously, there were rules limiting the volume of goods transported per month by one person. Currently, such a limit is not specified.

Theoretically, you can cross the border several times and bring with you 3 liters duty free each time. But this limit is set taking into account the fact that everyone transports goods specifically for personal use.

Frequent trips and large volumes of alcohol carried will attract the attention of customs officers. Customs officers take into account the number of border crossings, so this leads to problems with paying duties or confiscating goods.

Are there restrictions on export

Currently, there are no restrictions on the export of alcoholic beverages from Russian territory. If you are planning a trip, then take into account the rules for importing such products into the destination country. There are states in which the transport of alcohol is strictly limited.

Within the framework of the Customs Union, in the countries that are part of it, the same limits on the import of goods apply as when entering Russian territory. Consequently, you can export an unlimited amount of alcohol from Russia, but only 3 liters per adult can be imported duty-free into neighboring Belarus.

Crossing borders within a vehicle

If when traveling by plane, personal belongings are carefully monitored, and violations are easy to identify, then when crossing the border by car or train, discovering excess luggage is a matter of chance.

For example, customs checks of cars and buses at the border with the Republic of Belarus are transparent. Employees check the presence of identity documents and, very rarely, personal belongings of travelers.

Therefore, it is easy to carry alcohol in excess of the limit. The only difficulty is the transport police, who, as part of raids, stop cars to control the cargo carried in them.

How much alcohol can you import into Russia?, is of interest not only to our fellow citizens returning with gifts from abroad, but also to guests of the country who want to bring alcoholic beverages through customs as a gift or for personal use. We will tell you in our article what rules for crossing the border with alcohol apply in 2017-2018.

What legislation regulates the import of alcohol into Russia?

In accordance with Art. 317 Federal Law “On Customs Regulation in Russia” dated November 27, 2010 No. 311-FZ, the transportation into the country and the export from it by individuals of products for personal consumption is carried out on the basis of Chapter 49 of the Customs Code of the Customs Union and international treaties of the union members. The Russian government may separately establish restrictions on the import and export of products.

It is obvious that federal legislation makes reference to international regulations. What is the Customs Union?

OUR HELP:A customs union is a type of interaction between countries participating in the association, which is an organization of a single customs territory, within the boundaries of which customs duties and measures of economic influence in mutual trade are not used, with some exceptions. The first agreement on the organization of the Customs Union was signed by the leadership of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus in 1995. Currently, the member countries of the Customs Union are Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. The participating countries have common legislation in the field of customs rules within the Customs Union.

Since January 2, 2015, a new version of the agreement “On the procedure for individuals moving goods for personal use across the customs border of the customs union and performing customs operations related to their release” (hereinafter referred to as the Agreement) has been in force on the territory of the Customs Union. Appendix 3 to the said Agreement lists products (including alcoholic beverages) for personal use that can be transported across the customs border without paying customs duties, and also indicates import standards. Appendix 5 to the agreement regulates the amount of customs duties for the transportation of products, including alcohol, in excess of duty-free norms.

How much alcohol is allowed to be transported across the border?

To answer the question of how much alcohol can be imported into Russia (2017-2018), it is necessary to study the regulations listed above. First of all, you need to pay attention to the fact that the legislator allows the transport of alcoholic beverages across the border only to adults, that is, those who are already 18 years old. In addition, there are no exceptions for products from duty free stores. So if part of the alcohol was purchased in a store in a foreign country, and part - in duty free at the airport before departure, when transporting across the Russian border, this entire volume of alcohol will be added up. You need to remember this.

Don't know your rights?

How much alcohol can be imported into Russia is established in Appendix 3 to the Agreement. This regulation allows the transportation of up to 5 liters of alcohol:

3 liters - free;
another 2 liters - with a fee of 10 euros per liter.

In addition, you are allowed to carry up to 5 liters of pure alcohol with an additional payment of 22 euros for each liter.

IMPORTANT! It makes no difference whether the imported alcohol is strong or, for example, beer. The total volume of alcohol will be counted without taking into account the strength of the contents of the bottles.

As for the export of alcoholic beverages from the country, Russian legislation does not contain any restrictions. The export of alcohol from Russia is limited by the legislation of a foreign state regarding the norms for the import of alcohol into it.

Responsibility for failure to comply with the rules for transporting alcohol through Russian customs

In case of violation of the established rules for the import of alcoholic beverages into the territory of Russia, the violator will face both administrative and, possibly, criminal liability.

In most cases of non-compliance with customs legislation when transporting alcoholic beverages across the border of our country, administrative law applies. The qualification of the offense and determination of the measure of responsibility are made in accordance with Chapter 16 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. The main type of punishment provided for in this chapter is a fine, set at a fixed amount or calculated from the value of the illegally imported goods, as well as confiscation of products.

If the volumes of illegally transported alcoholic beverages are significant, the violator may face criminal penalties. Part 1 art. 200.2 of the Criminal Code provides for liability for the illegal import of alcohol in large quantities - from a fine of 300,000 rubles. up to 1,000,000 rubles or the income of a smuggler for a period of one to 3 years before imprisonment or forced labor for a period of 5 years. If there are aggravating circumstances, the punishment increases.

OUR REFERENCE:Large volume in accordance with the note to Art. 200.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation recognizes the total price of products in excess of 250,000 rubles.