Russia Passport

The Russian passport is practical but uneven in 2026: useful on some routes, more paperwork-heavy on others, and ranked 44th globally. That is a real climb from 62nd place in 2006. The access count tells the bigger story, jumping from 35 to 113 destinations. Its global and openness scores sit at 50 and 48, respectively. In practical terms, Russian passport holders have 79 visa-free destinations including Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, and Armenia, 28 visa-on-arrival options such as Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Bahrain, and 7 eTA routes including Mexico, Sri Lanka, and South Korea. Online visa processing fills in part of the gap, covering 22 more destinations such as Pakistan, Albania, and Benin. The practical advice is simple: check the visa route early and keep the 6-month validity buffer in mind before booking. Rules change, so travellers should still confirm the final entry requirement with the relevant embassy or government site before travel.