The Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of South Ossetia, hereinafter referred to as the Parties,
developing trade and economic relations between the two states,
given the need to protect environment and ensuring traffic safety,
guided by the desire to develop road passenger and freight traffic between the two states and transit through their territories, and also wishing to facilitate this traffic,
agreed on the following:
Article 1
1. In accordance with this Agreement, regular and irregular transportation of passengers and goods between the States of the Parties and in transit through their territories, as well as to third states (from third states) by vehicles registered in the Russian Federation or the Republic of South Ossetia.
2. This Agreement does not affect the rights and obligations of each of the Parties arising from other international treaties to which the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Ossetia are parties.
3. Relations not regulated by this Agreement, as well as by international treaties to which the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Ossetia are parties, are governed by the legislation of the state of each of the Parties.
Article 2
The terms used in this Agreement mean the following:
1) "competent authorities":
in the Russian Federation - the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, and in terms of monitoring the fulfillment of the conditions provided for in paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 3 and Article 6 of this Agreement - the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation;
in the Republic of South Ossetia - Ministry economic development Republic of South Ossetia, and in terms of the operation of Article 6 of this Agreement - the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia.
In the event of a change in their competent authorities, the Parties shall inform each other about this through diplomatic channels;
2) "carrier" - any individual or legal entity registered in the territory of the state of one of the Parties and admitted in accordance with the legislation of each of the states of the Parties to perform international road transport of passengers or goods;
3) "motor vehicle" - which is at the disposal of the carrier on the basis of the right of ownership or on the basis of a lease or leasing agreement:
when transporting goods - a truck, a truck with a trailer, an automobile tractor or an automobile tractor with a semi-trailer;
when transporting passengers:
a bus, that is, a motor vehicle designed to carry passengers and having at least 9 seats, not counting the driver's seat;
passenger taxi, that is, a motor vehicle intended for the commercial transportation of passengers and having no more than 8 seats, excluding the driver's seat, equipped in accordance with the legislation of the state of the Party in which it is registered;
4) "permit" - a document granting the right to drive a vehicle of a carrier of the state of one Party through the territory of the state of the other Party;
5) "special permit" - a one-time additional permit for the passage of a motor vehicle belonging to the carrier of the state of one Party with heavy, bulky or dangerous goods through the territory of the state of the other Party, as well as a one-time permit for the passage of a motor vehicle belonging to the carrier of the state of one Party from the territory of the state of the other Party to the territory of a third state or from the territory of a third state to the territory of the state of the other Party;
6) "border traffic" - passenger traffic between settlements located in the border areas of the states of the Parties;
7) "regular transportation of passengers" - transportation of passengers by bus, carried out according to the route agreed between the competent authorities of the states of the Parties, the route, timetable, tariffs and stopping points at which the carrier boards and disembarks passengers;
8) "non-regular transportation of passengers" - transportation of passengers by buses and passenger taxis that do not fall under the concept of "regular transportation of passengers";
9) "sanitary control" - sanitary, veterinary and phytosanitary control.
Article 3
1. Transportation provided for by this Agreement can only be carried out by carriers that, in accordance with the legislation of their state, are admitted to international transportation.
2. Vehicles of carriers of the states of the Parties engaged in international transportation must have registration and decals of his state.
3. Trailers and semi-trailers may have registration and distinguishing signs of other states, provided that trucks, automobile tractors and buses have registration and distinguishing signs of the states of the Parties.
Article 4
The carrier of the state of one Party is not allowed to transport passengers and goods between points located on the territory of the state of the other Party.
Article 5
1. If the dimensions, weight loads on the axle or weight of a motor vehicle (with or without cargo) of the carrier of the state of one Party exceed the norms established in the territory of the state of the other Party, the carrier must first obtain a special permit from the competent authority of the state of the other Party before the start of implementation transportation.
2. Transportation of dangerous goods through the territories of the states of the Parties shall be carried out in accordance with the legislation of each of the states of the Parties regulating such transportation.
If the carriage of dangerous goods in accordance with the legislation of each of the states of the Parties requires the presence special permission, the carrier of the state of one Party must obtain such permission from the competent authority of the state of the other Party before the start of the carriage.
3. If the special permits specified in paragraph 1 or 2 of this article provide for the movement of a motor vehicle along a certain route, transportation must be carried out along this route.
Article 6
1. Carriers and crews of motor vehicles of the states of the Parties are obliged to comply with the legislation and traffic rules of the state of the Party through whose territory transportation is carried out.
2. The driver of a motor vehicle must have a national or international driving license (provided that it is accompanied by an appropriate national driving license) and vehicle registration documents that comply with the requirements of the Convention on Road Traffic of November 8, 1968.
3. The permit and other documents required in accordance with this Agreement must be kept by the driver of the motor vehicle and presented at the request of the competent authorities of the states of the Parties authorized to exercise control over motor transport.
Article 7
1. The competent authorities of the state of one Party in whose territory the motor vehicle is registered are obliged, in the event of serious or repeated violations of the provisions of this Agreement committed by the carrier in the territory of the state of the other Party, or at the request of the competent authority of the state of the other Party, to take the following measures:
issue a warning to the carrier;
temporarily or completely deprive the carrier of the right to carry out transportation on the territory of the state of the Party where the violation was committed.
2. The competent authorities of the states of the Parties shall notify each other of the measures taken in accordance with paragraph 1 of this article.
3. The provisions of this article do not exclude the application to the carrier and the crew of the motor vehicle of the state of the other Party of the sanctions provided for by the legislation of the state where the violation was committed.
Article 8
Carriers of the states of the Parties shall be exempted on a reciprocal basis from fees and payments related to the possession or use of vehicles for the carriage of passengers and goods (except for heavy and bulky) under this Agreement, the use or maintenance of highways of the state of the other Party, with the exception of fees for the use of toll roads, highways, bridges and tunnels, if such fees are subject to collection on a non-discriminatory basis from the vehicles of the carriers of the state of both one and the other Party.
Article 9
1. When carrying out transportation from the territory of the state of one Party to the territory of the state of the other Party in accordance with this Agreement, the following shall be mutually exempt from customs duties, taxes and duties imported into the territory of the state of the other Party:
1) fuel located in the tanks provided by the manufacturer for each model of the motor vehicle, technologically and structurally connected with the engine power system, as well as fuel located in the tanks installed by the manufacturer on trailers and semi-trailers and intended for the operation of heating or cooling installations said vehicle;
2) lubricants in quantities necessary for the operation of the motor vehicle during transportation;
3) tools and spare parts intended for the repair of a motor vehicle that has been damaged in transit while carrying out international transportation.
2. Tools and unused spare parts referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be re-exported. Replaced spare parts must be exported back or placed under the customs procedure for destruction or other customs procedure in accordance with the procedure established by the customs legislation of the state of the Party in whose territory the customs regime is changed in relation to these spare parts.
Article 10
1. Regular transportation of passengers by buses shall be organized by agreement between the competent authorities of the states of the Parties.
2. The competent authorities of the states of the Parties shall coordinate the implementation of regular passenger traffic on the section of the route that passes through the territories of their states, for up to 5 years.
3. Proposals on the organization of regular transportation of passengers by buses are transmitted to each other in advance by the competent authorities of the states of the Parties and must contain the following data:
1) name of the carrier (company);
2) route;
3) timetable and tariffs;
4) the planned period and regularity of the transportation;
5) stopping points at which the carrier will board and disembark passengers, and border crossing points of the states of the Parties;
6) information about the contract if the service is provided jointly by several carriers.
Article 11
The procedure for carrying out international transportation of passengers by buses in border traffic is determined by agreement between the competent authorities of the states of the Parties.
Article 12
1. For the carrier of the state of one Party to carry out non-scheduled transportation of passengers in two-way traffic, with the exception of transportation provided for in Article 13 of this Agreement, a permit is required issued by the competent authority of the state of the other Party. Each permit gives the right to operate one round-trip flight, unless otherwise provided in the permit itself.
2. The competent authorities of the states of the Parties shall annually, free of charge, transfer to each other a mutually agreed number of permit forms for non-scheduled passenger transportation. These forms must be signed responsible person and the seal of the competent authority that issued the permit.
3. Permits are valid for 1 calendar year.
Article 13
1. Permits are not required for non-scheduled transportation of passengers by buses or passenger taxis in cases where a group of passengers of the same composition is transported on the same bus or passenger taxi throughout the entire trip, provided that:
1) this trip starts and ends in the territory of the state of the Party where the bus or taxi is registered;
2) this trip starts in the territory of the state of the Party where the bus or taxi is registered, and ends in the territory of the state of the other Party, provided that the bus or taxi leaves this territory without passengers;
3) a bus or passenger taxi enters the territory of the state of the Party in order to transport a group of passengers delivered earlier by this carrier.
2. Permission is not required for non-regular transit transportation of passengers.
3. When carrying out transportation provided for in paragraph 1 of Article 10, paragraphs 1 of Article 12 and paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, the bus or taxi driver must have a list of passengers. The form of the list is agreed upon by the Mixed Commission established in accordance with Article 20 of this Agreement.
4. A permit for non-scheduled passenger transportation is not required when replacing a faulty bus or passenger taxi with another bus or passenger taxi.
Article 14
1. Transportation of goods in bilateral or transit traffic, with the exception of transportation provided for in Article 15 of this Agreement, is carried out on the basis of a permit issued by the competent authorities of the States of the Parties.
2. For each transportation of goods, a separate permit is issued, which gives the right to operate one round trip, unless otherwise provided in the permit itself. A permit is also required for an empty vehicle of the state of one Party entering the territory of the state of the other Party.
3. The competent authorities of the states of the Parties shall annually transfer to each other, free of charge, a mutually agreed number of permit forms for the carriage of goods. These forms must be signed by the responsible person and stamped by the competent authority that issued the permit.
4. Permits are valid for 1 calendar year.
Article 15
1. The authorization provided for in Article 14 of this Agreement is not required for the carriage of:
1) exhibits, equipment and materials intended for fairs and exhibitions;
2) vehicles, animals, as well as various equipment and property intended for sporting events and circus performances;
3) theatrical scenery and props, musical instruments, equipment and accessories for filming, radio and television broadcasts;
4) bodies and ashes of the dead;
5) postal items;
6) damaged vehicles and technical assistance vehicles intended for the repair or towing of defective vehicles;
7) movable property during resettlement;
8) medicines, medical instruments and equipment, as well as other goods necessary in case of natural disasters and the transportation of humanitarian aid, if their purpose is reliably confirmed;
9) goods by motor vehicles, the maximum permitted weight of which, including the trailer, does not exceed 6 tons or the permitted carrying capacity of which, including the trailer, does not exceed 3.5 tons.
2. The exceptions provided for in subparagraphs "1)", "2)" and "3)" of paragraph 1 of this article are valid only if the cargo is to be returned to the territory of the state of the Party where the motor vehicle is registered, or if the cargo is transported to the territory of a third party State.
Article 16
1. A carrier of the state of one Party may carry out transportation of passengers and cargo from the territory of the state of the other Party to the territory of the state of a third party, as well as from the territory of the state of a third party to the territory of the state of the other Party, if he has received special permission for this from the competent authority of the state of the other Party.
2. The competent authorities of the states of the Parties shall agree among themselves on the procedure for exchanging the forms of special permits referred to in paragraph 1 of this article. These forms must be signed by the responsible person and stamped by the competent authority that issued the special permit.
3. Special permits are valid for 1 calendar year.
Article 17
1. With regard to border, customs, transport and sanitary control, the provisions of international treaties to which the states of the Parties are parties are applied, and when resolving issues not regulated by these treaties, the legislation of the state of the Party, on the territory of which the relevant control is carried out, is applied.
2. Border, customs, transport and sanitary control during transportation of persons in need of urgent medical care, regular transportation of passengers by buses, as well as transportation of animals, perishable and dangerous goods is carried out as a matter of priority.
Article 18
Transportation of passengers and cargo on the basis of this Agreement is subject to compulsory insurance of civil liability of owners of vehicles for damage caused to third parties. The carrier is obliged to insure in advance each vehicle performing the said transportations.
Article 19
By mutual agreement of the Parties, this Agreement may be amended.
Article 20
1. The Parties resolve disputes that may arise between them in connection with the interpretation and application of the provisions of this Agreement through mutual consultations and negotiations, for which the competent authorities of the States of the Parties create a Mixed Commission. The Mixed Commission prepares proposals for amending this Agreement. Representatives of road transport associations of the states of the Parties may be invited to participate in the work of the Mixed Commission.
2. The competent authorities of the states of the Parties shall agree on the procedure for the annual exchange of permit forms provided for in Articles 12, 14 and 16 of this Agreement, as well as the conditions for their use.
Article 21
1. This Agreement shall enter into force upon the expiration of 30 days from the date of receipt through diplomatic channels of the last written notification of the completion by the Parties of the internal procedures necessary for its entry into force.
2. This Agreement is concluded for an indefinite period and is valid until the expiration of 6 months from the date of receipt by one of the Parties through diplomatic channels of a written notification of the other Party of the intention to terminate it.
Done in Moscow on October 24, 2012 in duplicate, each in the Russian and Ossetian languages, both texts being equally authentic.
For the Government
Russian Federation
For the Government of the Republic
South Ossetia
Electronic text of the document
prepared by CJSC "Kodeks" and checked against:
mailing list
Are you planning a trip to the Transcaucasian countries (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan) or to the "disputed" territories - Abkhazia and South Ossetia? To Georgia after Abkhazia? From Sochi to Batumi? To Azerbaijan after Armenia (or vice versa)? To Georgia not through Upper Lars? About the main "borderline" nuances in this article.
The popularity of the Transcaucasian countries today is growing rapidly among tourists and independent travelers. IN Georgia almost every second Russian who has been anywhere has already been. Armenia is also gradually gaining “turns”, having a huge potential for the development of tourism. Azerbaijan so far not so often visited by our compatriots, but in last years Traveling to this country is also being talked about more and more often. Abkhazia, whether it is an independent state (recognized by Russia), or a “disputed territory” within Georgia (as Georgia itself believes), is also very visited by Russians due to its proximity, beautiful nature and the presence of the sea coast. True, what is happening (and what is not happening) in Abkhazia in the past few years, in my opinion, makes the prospect of further development (or at least maintaining current positions) of tourism here very vague. South Ossetia- in many ways similar to Abkhazia in this regard, with the only difference being that South Ossetia is not very popular among travelers anyway.
All of the above states (and / or regions) of the Transcaucasus, in terms of crossing their borders, have one thing in common: Russians do not need a visa to visit them. Citizens of Ukraine and Belarus, I am almost sure, this applies equally. But each of these countries (territories) has its own border crossing nuances. A lot of this has already been written in fragments on the Internet - in all sorts of blogs and forums. There are so many, and often contradictory, that it can be confusing. The task of this article is to systematize all relevant information in order to obtain a general picture for traveling around the countries of the Caucasus in 2017 (as, for example,).
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Map of Transcaucasia and borders of Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Abkhazia and South Ossetia
Traditionally for our site, we have prepared detailed map countries of the Transcaucasus, indicating border crossing points (open and closed) and possible routes (correct and incorrect).
On the map different colors marked:
- Green -border checkpoints open for crossing by vehicles. Crossing these borders in in due course does not violate the laws of any country.
- Yellow - border points of “disputed territories” (Abkhazia and South Ossetia). Views on the procedure for crossing these borders differ significantly among Georgia, Russia, and Abkhazia and South Ossetia themselves. Their intersection is possible certain conditions, and not the fact that without consequences (within the trip, or even in the long term). Please note that popular navigation and mapping programs and services (including Google Maps) do not take these nuances into account when building routes and pave the way “head-on” through these borders. By trusting them, best case you will have to redraw the route at the last moment, in the worst case, you can run into more serious problems.
- Red - closed borders. Although according to the map at these points the road passes from one country to another, travelers here will not be able to cross the border legally and without consequences (most likely, very serious ones). It's better not to even try.
Georgia today is the most visited country by tourists from all the Transcaucasian states. In addition, Georgia is the most “open” in terms of borders with neighboring countries. There are legal crossing points (checkpoints) on the border of Georgia with Russia (Upper Lars), Armenia (4 points), Azerbaijan (3 points) and Turkey (2 points). By the way, almost all checkpoints (except for two secondary checkpoints on the border with Armenia and Azerbaijan, away from the main routes) in 2017 have a 24-hour operating mode, that is, they are open for travel around the clock.
However, this does not mean that there are no restrictions on crossing the borders with Georgia. Moreover, due to territorial disagreements over Abkhazia and South Ossetia and some other disagreements with Russia (on the status of Crimea, for example), the questions “will they let me in / won’t let me in”, “can I / can’t” I go to Georgia - one of the most confusing and discussed on the network .
From Russia to Georgia: via Upper Lars and alternative routes
Most of the materials on the Internet say that the only legal way from Russia to Georgia “by land” is the route through the Upper Lars checkpoint and the Georgian Military Highway with its unpredictable Cross Pass. This is false information. Or rather, not entirely accurate.
Does it exist in 2017 alternative to Upper Lars for traveling to Georgia from Russia by car? Yes, there is, and not just one! But do not rush to rejoice prematurely, or accuse me of not knowing the situation. It is not that simple.
Indeed, the checkpoint "Upper Lars" is the only legal point of crossing the direct border between Russia and Georgia. And the shortest option available today. Thus, the distance from Moscow to Tbilisi through Upper Lars is about 1960 km (25 hours on the road, on average), to Batumi - 2280 km or about 32 hours on the way. There are a lot of materials on the Internet about Upper Lars itself and the Georgian Military Highway, only there are already three of them on our website:
- Guidelines for crossing the Russia-Georgia border at the Upper Lars checkpoint
However, what to do if suddenly the Upper Lars and the Cross Pass are closed due to weather conditions (which happens quite often in winter and less often in summer)? How to get to Georgia, or return from Georgia back to Russia, bypassing Upper Lars? There are options here, though the hook turns out to be rather big:
1) Through Azerbaijan (Baku). Yes, You can travel to Georgia from Russia through Azerbaijan! And at the same time you can also look at one more sea (Caspian) and swim in the summer. The Moscow-Tbilisi route through Baku has a length of 2890 km (if you go through Kizlyar and Volgodonsk), or 3000 km along the more familiar route in Russia - through Rostov-on-Don, Pyatigorsk and Vladikavkaz (further through Grozny and Makhachkala). Both options through Azerbaijan add about 1,000 kilometers and extra 12-15 hours on the road. Plus, you will need to go through two borders instead of one (Russia-Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan-Georgia), each of which will take 2 hours on average. True, given the unpredictability of the speed of crossing the Georgia-Russia border in Upper Lars, these two borders can be passed, in total, even faster than one from Russia to Georgia.
Thus, if you suddenly find yourself in front of the closed Upper Lars or the Cross Pass on the way to Georgia from Russia, or on the way home to Russia from Georgia - do not despair. There is a detour option, although it will require an extra day on the road. Also, the way through Azerbaijan allows you to "loop" the route of travel to Georgia, if you do not like to travel along the same road. It is important to note that this option does not require additional formal preparations from the traveler - entry into Azerbaijan for Russians is also visa-free, so the decision to make this “hook” can be made, in principle, at any time, even while already on the road. Moreover, despite the fact that this route passes through regions with “frightening” names (Ingushetia, Chechnya, Dagestan), in the last couple of years, many travelers have traveled along this route without any unpleasant situations.
2) There is another option for traveling to Georgia from Russia. True, this is already completely for fans who are thinking about the “round the world”, but have not yet decided on it. If you are ready to drive four thousand kilometers to Tbilisi instead of two (from Moscow), then you can enter Georgia from Turkey passing through Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria on the way. Well, if you don’t want to go on not very good roads Ukraine and Romania, it is possible to lay a route through Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria (in this case the way to Tbilisi will be almost 4800 kilometers). True, according to any of these options you will not pass without a visa. But in both cases, a multiple-entry Schengen visa is sufficient. According to the "Schengen" you can travel through Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, and tourists from Russia do not need a visa to visit Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia and Turkey. Be that as it may, this option is only suitable for a pre-planned trip (of sufficient duration) and more for reasons of interest to see the listed countries at the same time, but not as an alternative to the route to Georgia in case of Upper Lars closure.
Route through Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey:
Route through Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey:
By the way, in the last version of the route, the number of borders with document control (and, accordingly, with possible delays) less: you need to pass the Belarusian-Polish, Hungarian-Serbian, Serbian-Bulgarian, Bulgarian-Turkish and Turkish-Georgian borders (5 checkpoints in total), against 6 checkpoints in the variant through Ukraine, Moldova and Romania (Russian-Ukrainian, Ukrainian- Moldovan, Moldovan-Romanian, Romanian-Bulgarian, Bulgarian-Turkish and Turkish-Georgian borders)
Is it possible to travel from Russia to Georgia through Abkhazia or South Ossetia?
No. From the point of view of Georgian legislation, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are the occupied territories of Georgia. Therefore, even if you manage to travel from Russia through Abkhazia or South Ossetia to Georgia (information differs about this possibility on the Internet - someone says that there is no control at all; others write that control is carried out by police patrols, not border guards), your passport will not have a stamp on entry into the territory of Georgia, which is a gross crime, for which a prison term of two to six years is threatened (at best, by a court decision, you can get off with a fine of $ 1,200 ...). In any case, even if you get off with a fine, then entry into Georgia in the future will be closed to you. Either forever, or until a change in Georgia's attitude to this issue, or until any official "amnesty" for this violation.
It is impossible to go back (from Georgia to Russia) through Abkhazia or South Ossetia for the same reason, since in this case you will not have a stamp on leaving the territory of Georgia in your passport. You may be able to drive (in this regard, the information on the network, again, is contradictory), but after that you will be closed from entering Georgia and if you try to enter Georgia in the future, you will again face the above-mentioned punishment.
Details about the position of Russia and Georgia on Abkhazia and South Ossetia, in particular about the legal ways to visit them from the point of view of both countries can be found in this article.
Is it possible to drive from Sochi to Batumi (or vice versa)?
Can. But only in no case directly through Abkhazia (see above). Without problems and consequences, you can only take a detour through the Upper Lars checkpoint. Well, or an even longer detour - through Azerbaijan.
By the way, many navigators and mapping services (the same Google Maps) easily lay a direct route from Sochi to Batumi through Abkhazia:
Under no circumstances should you try to drive like that! The correct route (through Upper Lars) is as follows:
Yes, the “hook” turns out to be quite large, but this is clearly not the case when it is worth trying to “cut off” and drive through.
Also in summer time and in good weather from Sochi to Batumi (and back) once a week the "Comet" goes by sea. The option is unlikely to seem convenient to many (especially since this is not a ferry and you cannot cross a comet with a car), but if you are interested in the details, you can read.
Will they be allowed into Georgia after visiting Abkhazia (and South Ossetia)?
As we wrote above, from the point of view of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are the occupied territories of Georgia itself. Therefore, according to Georgian laws, their visit is legal only from Georgia. However, it is not difficult for Russia to visit these countries (regions): Russian citizens can enter Abkhazia (through the PSOU / MAPP Adler checkpoint, located 10 kilometers from Adler and 37 km from Sochi) and South Ossetia from sides of Russia without a visa, both on the internal and on the international passport. What our compatriots actively use - especially Abkhazia, due to its proximity to Sochi, is a very popular holiday destination for Russians. Nevertheless, from the point of view of Georgia, any visit to Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Russia is a criminal offense (like illegal crossing of the state border)!
So is it possible to go to Georgia after visiting Abkhazia or South Ossetia? Will they let you at the border?
On the Internet and travel agencies, everyone unanimously repeats: if you visited Abkhazia and South Ossetia on an internal Russian passport, then you can go to Georgia safely. For in the Russian passport there is no stamp on crossing the border of Abkhazia (or South Ossetia) from Russia, and the Georgian border guards will never know about your visit to these places (since there is no official exchange of information between the special services of these countries). In practice, it seems to be happening - according to the reports of tourists who have previously been to Abkhazia and South Ossetia on a Russian passport, there are no problems on the Georgian border.
However, the fact that there are no problems does not mean that from the point of view of Georgia, you did not violate their laws when visiting Abkhazia and South Ossetia! It is impossible to give a 100% guarantee that if you, for example, are a “public person” ( public figure, artist, or even a well-known blogger) and your fact of visiting Abkhazia or South Ossetia was “lit up” in the media or was actively covered / discussed in social networks, the Georgian special services did not notice this and did not put you on any “black list”. No one knows for sure about the existence (or absence) of such black lists, but this should not be ruled out. Yes and a common person purely theoretically, it can get into such a list - you never know what kind of “intelligence” operations the special services of Georgia can carry out - or what base to “steal”, or “scroll” social networks ... So, any visit to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, even with a Russian passport, purely theoretically can “ backfire” when entering Georgia! Moreover, from time to time messages appear on the network that someone was denied entry to Georgia without explanation. Perhaps this is the “black lists”.
If you managed to go to Abkhazia or South Ossetia on a passport, then before replacing your passport in Georgia, it’s better not to meddle at all.
Are cars with numbers 82 and 92 allowed to enter Georgia?
No, they are not allowed. The fact is that Georgia does not recognize the belonging of the Crimea to Russia, therefore the numbers 82 and 92 of the regions (which were mainly issued in the Crimea) are considered illegal by Georgian border guards. According to numerous reports on the Internet, travelers in cars with such numbers are turned around at the border and not allowed into Georgia. Moreover, even if these numbers were issued in another region of Russia and the relevant documents were presented, this does not help.
There are two ways out: either refuse a trip to Georgia, or replace the numbers with another region. According to travelers, if you are already on the road and suddenly realize this problem, you can change rooms quickly enough directly in Vladikavkaz.
We will talk about the borders of Georgia with Armenia and Azerbaijan further in the sections of the respective countries. Well, the borders of Georgia with Turkey are beyond the scope of this article (perhaps we will reveal this topic in the future).
Here the answer is ambiguous. According to the Georgian version (this also applies to Azerbaijan, by the way), residents of Crimea must travel on a Ukrainian passport (which should contain a corresponding mark on crossing the Ukraine-Russia border). However, directly from your passport, there is no way to find out that you live in Crimea. The place of birth is the only “tip”, but it does not directly speak about your citizenship and place of residence. Therefore, when crossing any border (and the Georgian one in particular) in our time, it is better not to spread the fact of your residence in Crimea. And it is better to hide the internal Russian passport away and not show it to anyone abroad (no one has the right to demand it to be presented abroad and at the border). Of course, it is impossible to give a 100% guarantee of the absence of problems when crossing the borders to the inhabitants of Crimea, but with a competent approach and the “correct” answer to questions, with a high degree of probability, problems can be avoided.
Borders of Armenia
However, in terms of borders, Armenia is the most "closed" country of the entire Transcaucasus. You can enter and leave Armenia only to Georgia (4 checkpoints) and Iran (1 checkpoint). The borders of Armenia with Azerbaijan and Turkey are closed.
To Armenia with an internal (Russian) passport
From February 23, 2017, Russian citizens can visit Armenia with internal (Russian) passports only if they arrive in the country through the international airports in Yerevan and Gyumri. Crossing the land border is possible only with a passport.
From Russia through Georgia to Armenia
The optimal route from Russia by car to Armenia passes through Georgia. Still, purely theoretically, it is possible to pass through Iran (and before that Azerbaijan), but this is already “exotic”, which is beyond the scope of this article.
From Moscow to the border with Armenia (to the most popular checkpoint "Sadakhlo-Bagrashten", which is on the way to Yerevan or Lake Sevan) - 2030 kilometers. It's only 70 kilometers from Tbilisi, by the way. We already wrote about the route from Tbilisi to the border with Armenia, as well as the first leg of the journey through Armenia itself (the monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin) in this article.
In principle, there is nothing difficult in crossing the Georgian-Armenian border, with the exception of a couple of nuances: at the border you need to obtain a permit for the temporary import of a car and insurance (paying a total of about 2600 rubles for an average “passenger car”), as well as the impossibility for Russians to cross border from Georgia to Armenia in a car rented in Georgia. I have already written in detail about our experience of crossing the border between Georgia and Armenia:
In addition to the “Sadakhlo-Bagrashten” and “Bavra-Ninotsminda” checkpoints, through which we entered Georgia and left Armenia, there are two more, less popular checkpoints on the Armenian-Georgian border: “Gogovan (Tashir) - Guguti” and “Privolnoe- Akkerpi". The operation mode of all Armenia-Georgia checkpoints is round-the-clock, except for Privolnoe-Akhkerpi, which operates only during daylight hours. By the way, the network says that only citizens of Armenia and Georgia can pass through the Privolnoe-Akhkerpi checkpoint, but I have not found official confirmation of this information anywhere.
Meanwhile, they say that the permit for the temporary import of a car into Armenia may be canceled soon. It would be logical - Armenia, nevertheless, is a member of the Eurasian Customs Union ..
Is it possible to go to Armenia after Azerbaijan?
Can. If the Armenian border guards see an Azerbaijani stamp in your passport, big problems will not arise, although they may ask questions about the purpose of visiting Azerbaijan.
Nagorno-Karabakh - how to get there and is it worth it?
Nagorno-Karabakh is another disputed territory in the Transcaucasus. Legally (and on the map) it belongs to Azerbaijan. Actually controlled by the pro-Armenian government. You can get here, they say, only from the territory of Armenia on the basis of a special permit obtained in Yerevan. But from Azerbaijan's point of view, visiting Nagorno-Karabakh is a grave crime. Moreover, as they write on the net, the Azerbaijani special services really monitor visits to this area through "unofficial channels", in particular through social networks. And they are put on the “black lists” for visiting Azerbaijan itself. Plus, armed conflicts continue to occur here from time to time.
According to reports on the Internet, travelers (or rather, adventurers on their own) from time to time still visit Nagorno-Karabakh, more to hear / see the echo of the war than to enjoy the local beauties (of which there are already enough in Transcaucasia). In my opinion, this is an extremely short-sighted approach, I prefer to stay away from such places.
Azerbaijan, like Armenia, is still significantly inferior to Georgia in popularity. And auto travelers in more or less en masse given country began to be mastered and at all not so long ago. In principle, there were reasons for this - for entering by car they demanded a large deposit (returned upon departure), the border guards were extremely disloyal to auto travelers, and for local traffic police cars from Russia were their favorite “profit”.
Today, all these troubles seem to be gradually smoothed out. A deposit for entry by car is no longer needed (although you still need to pay a tax and buy insurance - in total, about 1,500 rubles for an average passenger car). At the border, although they often continue to force all things to be taken out of the car and sent to the scanner, at least they communicate much more friendly. Incidents with the traffic police are also no longer at the forefront of travel reports in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan borders and has checkpoints with Russia (2 checkpoints, though both are nearby), Georgia (3 checkpoints), Iran (3 checkpoints, one of which is in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic) and Turkey (1 checkpoint in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic).
From Russia to Azerbaijan
Both checkpoints of Azerbaijan with Russia - the Samur checkpoint and the Khanoba checkpoint have a round-the-clock operation. Moreover, they are located several kilometers from each other and the Samur checkpoint is usually used, because. it is on the main road. Why do we need a second checkpoint (Khanoba) is a mystery to me, to be honest.
From Azerbaijan to Georgia
From Azerbaijan to Georgia you can get through three checkpoints: Red Bridge, Lagodekhi (Tsodna) and Vakhtangisi-Sadihli. The first two are mainly used and they have a round-the-clock operation. The Vakhtangisi-Sadihli checkpoint operates only during daylight hours, but it is located next to the Red Bridge, so there is no special point in it.
By the way, due to its location separately from the rest of Azerbaijan and the absence of a border with Russia, the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic can only be reached by land through Turkey or Iran. On the other hand, this area is unlikely to be of great interest to most travelers.
Is it possible after Armenia to Azerbaijan?
Can. According to traveler reports, although the stamps of Armenia in foreign passports make Azerbaijani border guards nervous, they do not lead to a refusal to enter the country (unless they have reason to believe that you visited Nagorno-Karabakh). But be prepared for additional questions, they may even call the authorities.
About Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russia has recognized as independent states, and Georgia considers its (occupied) territories has already been written enough above. I will not develop here further the theme of travel to these places.
Perhaps this will cause a lot of disagreement and dissatisfaction, but I believe the following. Based on a combination of factors:
- difficulties and potential problems in the future associated with visiting Abkhazia and South Ossetia,
- not very good on average good reviews(to put it in a very politically correct language) about the degree of infrastructure development (or rather, its destruction and neglect), the quality of service and high prices that do not correspond to this,
- increased reports of conflicts with tourists, including those with the most serious consequences,
I think that until the situation improves, it is better to refrain from visiting Abkhazia and South Ossetia for tourism purposes. There are already enough places with beautiful nature in the region, with a much more understandable and safe environment and excellent value for money.
Well, that's it for this time. If you notice any errors or inaccuracies, please write comments. We will also be grateful to hear your stories about crossing borders and visiting the countries of the Caucasus.
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The creation of a company in South Ossetia is relevant for business entities that carry out import and export operations between the Donetsk / Lugansk People's Republic and the Russian Federation. This relevance is due to the peculiarities of the implementation of foreign economic activity by entrepreneurs on the territory of the DPR and LPR. The piquancy is also added by the fact that the republics are not officially recognized by Russia. You can learn more about the mechanisms of legal trade relations between Donetsk / Luhansk and the outside world by reading our So, the need to open a company in South Ossetia may be due to several factors.
When is it necessary to register an LLC in South Ossetia?
1. Consider a situation where a Russian enterprise acts as a buyer of goods, and an enterprise from the LDNR is a supplier. counterparty a resident of the Russian Federation does not want to open an account in Russian bank"Center for International Settlements" to work with an enterprise from Donetsk or Luhansk under a "direct" contract. This may be due to various reasons. For example, large companies they do not want to be included in the “sanction lists” due to cooperation with unrecognized states, as they trade with the EU countries. In this case, you will need a company that can work with both the Russian Federation and the LDNR. The country of registration of such a company can only be South Ossetia. This circumstance is due to the peculiarities of the legislation of the republics on currency control. About this we have a separate note briefly that in case Russian enterprise opened an account with the Russian bank "Center for International Settlements" (CMR), then such an enterprise can pay or accept payment from legal and individuals from the republics. This is due to the fact that correspondent relations have been established between the CMR and the banks of the republics. Ossetia recognized the LPR and the DPR, and the Russian Federation recognized South Ossetia as an independent state.
2. Russia is the main trading partner for both Donetsk and Luhansk. This means that most of the goods imported into the territory of the republic come from the Russian Federation. If a Russian supplier opened an account with the Center for International Settlements, then there is no need to create a South Ossetian company. However, this does not always happen. And in that case entrepreneurs from the young republics have to create their own company in South Ossetia.'Cause make the counterparty do it out Russian Federation it is very problematic if for some reason he does not want to open an account with the FMC. In this case, registering a company in South Ossetia is the only way to legally import goods from Russia to the territory of the young states.
3. If neither a Russian company nor a company from the LDNR has an account with the Center for International Settlements bank, then another option is possible how to supply goods from the Russian Federation to the people's republics. This will require a Russian company that has an account with the CMR. The services of such an intermediary company are provided by firms that are engaged in legal and customs support of foreign economic activity. In our opinion this scheme is not optimal. And that's why. Very important feature import-export operations carried out under the scheme of the Russian Federation - South Ossetia - LPR / DPR is that goods are sent for export zero rate VAT. And this is 20% of the value of the goods. If you use a Russian intermediary, he will buy the goods from a real seller (manufacturer) at a price including VAT, since this is a sale on the domestic market of the Russian Federation. And consequently, the price of goods for the final buyer in Lugansk or Donetsk will be 20% more expensive! That is why we recommend that you register your company in South Ossetia so that you can buy goods at export prices without VAT (20% cheaper) and not pay to Russian intermediaries.
The procedure for registering an LLC in South Ossetia
Stage 1. Creation of a company
Preparation of statutory documents
Translation and notarization of necessary documents
Obtaining documents on registration with the Committee on Taxes and Duties and the Department of Statistics
Opening an account with MRB Bank in Tskhinval
Stage 2. registration in the tax authorities of the Russian Federation
Preparation of all necessary documents for registration with the tax authorities
Translation and notarization of copies
Obtaining a certificate from the Federal Tax Service on registration
Stage 3. Opening an account in a bank of the Russian Federation
Preparation of all necessary documents
Translation of documents and their notarization
Account opening support.
We provide full support at every stage: we advise, prepare documents, carry out official translation, notarize documents, submit documents to the necessary authorities, etc.
If you urgently need a company in South Ossetia and there is no time to wait for the completion of the process of creating your working company in Ossetia, you can
The TRAJECTORIA company offers a wide range of services for the transportation of goods to various parts of Russia, the CIS countries and Customs Union. Here you can order delivery to South Ossetia.
Freight transportation services are in demand among representatives of both large and small businesses. And the process of transportation to South Ossetia and other hard-to-reach regions requires not only reliable equipment, but also experience in working out the optimal route, as well as the ability to use various vehicles.
Cooperation with us will be beneficial for organizations involved in various fields. We carry out the delivery of goods, materials, large-sized equipment, oversized cargo and other objects using the most optimal modes of transport. Since the territory of South Ossetia does not have direct access to the sea, rail and road transportation is most often used. After the client submits an application, our specialists begin to develop a route, taking into account the specifics of a particular case.
Thanks to our rich experience, we can help you:
- significantly save on the delivery of goods by using the most suitable vehicles;
- transport goods safe and sound to South Ossetia;
- avoid problems at customs (specialists handle the paperwork).
In addition to transportation, we are ready to offer customers a variety of related services - cargo packaging, forwarding, loading, door-to-door delivery. The TRAJECTORIA company delivers oversized and large-sized cargo.
The main advantage of cooperation with us is the implementation of multimodal transportation - logisticians will develop the best route, using various types transport.
Delivery of goods to Tskhinvali
We carry out the transportation of goods to Tskhinval by road and rail transport within the terms established by the contract. We work with individuals and legal entities. We arrange everything Required documents for cargo transportation. When transporting oversized items, we develop and coordinate the route, obtain permission from the relevant authorities. We provide traffic police escort in case the dimensions of the transported equipment, structures, machinery, tanks exceed the allowable. We carry out loading and unloading lifting work with the use of lifting and transport mechanisms, loading equipment, including heavy-duty cranes.
The TRAJECTORIA company guarantees the safety of the transported goods. We carry liability. Transportation is carried out to the warehouse or "to the door". If loading and unloading is required at several points along the route, then you can specify this requirement in the contract.
Turning to us, you can be sure that the goods will be delivered on time. You can calculate the cost of our services right now using our convenient online calculator or by contacting the manager.