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What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

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Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

28 May 2018, 23:39

I understand, I will take the power of attorney. But still, what if they ask why I drive someone else’s car? Or do the border guards care about this, as long as the Green Card is issued?

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

29 May 2018, 02:00

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

01 Jun 2018, 09:49

Good afternoon
The following question arose: is a RUS sign needed on a car now?
We’re leaving tomorrow (tonight night), but we just remembered about the badge - the old car had it, but the new one doesn’t..

We are going to Italy, through Poland, the Czech Republic, thank you!

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

01 Jun 2018, 10:21

No, the inscription RUS on the license plate is enough, there is no need to stick anything additional.

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

01 Jun 2018, 15:49

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

01 Jun 2018, 18:47

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

01 Jun 2018, 20:57

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

14 Jun 2018, 11:18

In general, no one even thought to ask about this sign.
Not at the border, not when we were stopped by the police in Austria.

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

14 Jun 2018, 13:55

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

13 Nov 2018, 08:45

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

13 Nov 2018, 14:34

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

13 Nov 2018, 14:48

Not long ago I also changed my documents due to a change of surname - a trip to Dubai was planned, I thought that I would not have time to change my passport to a new surname and thought about going with my old one.
But even the girl from the authorities herself said that at your own peril and risk you can travel with an old passport (with an old last name). It’s just that a question may arise at the border: you give them a passport, documents for a car and a license.
But the names on the documents for the car and on the passport are different. If the border guard pays attention to this, there may be questions. Take your marriage certificate just in case (a copy).

And find out if it may be possible to change your passport to a new last name and, as it were, “transfer” your current visa.
There is no clear law that you cannot travel with an old passport (with an old last name), I searched everything in the world myself, but it’s possible that they might find fault.

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

13 Nov 2018, 14:50

I’m not sure that the question can even arise - if my husband is driving, he gives his license and a document for the car with his passport. The border guard asks: whose car? - the husband says - hers. He then takes her passport and there is a different last name. That is, according to the idea, the documents for the car are for another person. This is where questions may arise. And if you show your marriage certificate, then the question may arise: why didn’t you change your passport to a new surname? Well, logically, this is possible, especially with the Poles.

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

13 Nov 2018, 14:52

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

13 Nov 2018, 14:53

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

13 Nov 2018, 14:55

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

13 Nov 2018, 14:55

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

13 Nov 2018, 14:58

I'm talking about border guards, they can easily understand what and how.
I'm not making any claims, I'm just guessing what questions might arise and that's all))

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

13 Nov 2018, 14:58

Do you have the same last name?))

Re: What documents for a car are needed when crossing the border?

13 Nov 2018, 14:59

Yes, there are still 1.5 months until the new year, they got my passport in about 4 weeks, plus the option if I need to redo or transfer my visa - there is still time.

What you need to know when traveling abroad in your car

Let's start with the “documentary base”. For a safe exit from the country, not many papers are required: an international passport, driving license, documents for a car, a European car insurance policy and, of course, a visa.

Nuances of “document flow”

The technology for obtaining a foreign passport is well known to most traveling Russians and, in general, has been worked out by the FMS (the procedure will not take more than two months, but most likely the month required by law). The main thing is that this identity card has at least a three-month validity at the end of the trip. And it won’t hurt to find out the addresses and telephone numbers of Russian embassies in the countries you are going to visit.

As for international rights, in principle you can do without them: thousands of Russians travel around Europe with “home” wear, even in the “foot wrap” version. But God forbid there is an accident, then problems are guaranteed. European insurance requires you to have an international driver's license, and their absence will certainly lead to the insurer refusing to pay. So be sure to get it. Moreover, the process is simple, and issuing them at the traffic police office itself takes no more than half an hour. You are required to:

• statement;
• identification documents confirming the fact of registration at the place of residence or place of stay;
• medical certificate;
• national military;
• photograph 35×45 mm on matte paper (color or black and white);
• receipt for payment of state duty (1000 rubles).

But do not forget that an IDP abroad is valid only upon presentation of national rights.

Documents for the car do not require additional registration or re-registration. But if you use a car by power of attorney, then, in addition to the vehicle registration certificate and maintenance certificate, you will need not a simple power of attorney, but with the right to travel outside the Russian Federation written in it.

To save yourself from unnecessary hassle at European customs, it is better to have your power of attorney certified by a notary and enter your passport details into the text of the document.

Now about the inspection ticket. More precisely, about the diagnostic card. Only it confirms the serviceability of the car when traveling abroad. Therefore, if you did not receive a card when purchasing and registering a new car (it is not needed in the first three years of the car’s life) or lost it, before the trip, go through instrumental control and take a document, the form of which already contains the necessary inscriptions in a foreign language.

A European civil liability insurance policy, better known here as a Green Card, is easy to buy. Insurance is issued not for the driver, but for the car, and it does not matter who is driving. A “green card” for 15 days will cost a little more than 1,600 rubles, and you can apply for it at almost any insurance company. Sold 30 days before the start of the insurance period, that is, before the date of expected travel abroad.

And before leaving, do not forget to pay off your debts with the state. Unpaid fines, overdue bank loans and tax payments, and delayed alimony can easily make you unable to travel abroad if the total amount of debt exceeds 10,000 rubles.

Bailiffs work very actively with border guards and easily close the path to European values for malicious defaulters. And in the most pessimistic scenario, instead of the Louvre and the Colosseum, you will admire the walls of the bullpen for several days. Therefore, before traveling abroad, we recommend that you check on the official website of the FSSP of Russia in the “Bank of Enforcement Proceedings” section (http://fssprus.ru/iss/ip). If the bailiffs have “monetary claims” against you, pay your bills in advance in order to disappear from the “debtor database”, since the payment receipts you take with you mean nothing to the border guards.

So, you are ready to travel outside your native borders. What's missing is something as small as a visa. Today, even despite the unstable political situation, becoming the owner of the coveted Schengen (its coverage area includes 26 countries) is quite simple. Here you need:

• international passport (validity period, we repeat, at least 3 months + a copy of the main page of the passport);
• questionnaire;
• photographs (the number and size depends on the type of embassy);
• medical insurance (it is better to purchase an annual one, then there is a chance to get a “longer” visa);
• proof of solvency (an extract from a bank account indicating the presence of a certain amount in it);
• certificate of employment (must be certified and signed by the responsible person at the enterprise);
• itinerary sheet (any route for your trip with approximate dates and places of stay);
• copies of the vehicle registration certificate and driver's license;
• "green map".

What does a driver pay for in Europe?

Despite the widespread stereotype about the high prices in the Old World, many hotels in Warsaw and Munich, for example, are cheaper than in Voronezh and Kazan. In addition, if your car allows it, you can sleep right in the car, but in specially designated places. For example, at truck stops or specially equipped gas stations, where there are even showers and toilets.

True, these benefits of civilization are entirely paid.
So, for a toilet a tourist will be asked for 1 euro, a shower will cost 2-3 European “rubles”. Cheap and cheerful, but is it worth ruining your vacation with a lack of comfort? After all, camping for two in the countries of the former socialist camp will cost 14 euros; in central and southern Europe, a comfortable overnight stay will cost 25 euros, and in France and Spain it’s easy to spend 20 euros. But “oats” are expensive in the European Union. If you don't drive an electric car, be prepared for the fact that the average price in Europe is -1.5 euros per liter.

Toll roads can also be quite costly, with travel costs ranging from a few cents to several euros per kilometer. But, firstly, any toll road is necessarily duplicated by a free one (which, by the way, is much more picturesque and educational in terms of getting to know the life of the aborigines, although much longer).

And, secondly, you can seriously save money by purchasing a travel pass. The vignette used to pay the toll also gives permission to travel on toll roads in Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. It can be purchased at some gas stations, special kiosks located close to the border (both in the country itself and in neighboring ones). A vignette for 7 days will cost no more than 10 euros.

You will also have to spend money on parking. This, perhaps, can become the main expense item if you do not leave the car in the suburbs. Parking fees in Europe are usually hourly, but the fine for non-payment can significantly exceed the cost (in most countries, a yellow curb line means a complete parking ban).

So, for example, in Croatia, you need to pay 11 euros per day of “downtime”, and the fine for non-payment is 20.

Parking in the German capital is organized like in the Russian capital: the entire center of Berlin is paid. However, the cost of parking greatly depends on the distance from the center and varies from 1 to 5 euros per hour. Moreover, almost all hotels have free parking, and large supermarkets will not charge you for the first few hours.

The capital of Finland is divided into three parts. As in Berlin, priority is given to the city center. In this case, the price per hour will not exceed 4 euros. Another interesting thing is that in the center of Helsinki you can only park for one hour. In the second parking zone, the driver is allowed to leave the car for two hours. The outskirts of Helsinki have no restrictions.

There are no free parking spaces at all in the capital of fashion and beauty. Price – from 1 euro in residential areas to 3 euros in the center. By the way, payment is made only with special cards, which are sold in tobacco stalls and are called Paris Carte.

Traffic violations will cost a pretty penny

Usually, Russians, when crossing the border, become holier than the Pope in terms of road tricks. This is understandable - fines in Europe bite. Although not everywhere and not for everything. If we talk, say, about punishments for violating the speed limit, then, for example, in Germany the law is quite loyal to minor “pranks”. If you exceed the speed limit by 20 km/h, you will pay a fine of “only” 35 euros, but if by 50 km/h, the amount will increase to 240 euros.

In Austria, having exceeded the established speed limit by 17 km/h, your correspondent parted with the amount of 400 euros. In Holland, for exceeding 15 m/h you can run into a fine of 100 euros. In Poland, exceeding 51 km/h or more will cost the driver 400-500 zlotys (100-120 euros), regardless of whether it happened in a populated area or outside it. Moreover, since you are traveling in a car with Russian license plates, be prepared for the fact that in any European country you will have to pay fines on the spot and in cash.

But even if you meticulously follow local traffic laws, it is not at all a fact that you will still not get money. Each country's traffic rules have their own nuances. For example, in France, any driver is required to carry a breathalyzer with him. A disposable device costs about 2 euros, and French law enforcement officials only accept tests labeled NF.

In Germany, it is illegal to “drive aimlessly back and forth.” The pleasure of learning how it works will cost 20 euros. A separate fine is prescribed for an accident in the Hamburg tunnel Elbtunne l - the incident will cost the culprit of the accident 240 euros (any accident in this tunnel leads to gigantic traffic jams). In Greece, you cannot smoke in a car if there is a child in the cabin (the fine, by the way, is not for children - 1,500 euros).

In Lithuania, both police and municipal services can punish for illegal parking. In Hungary, additional brake lights and curtains on the rear window are illegal. In France and Romania, private towing is prohibited (if you are traveling with several cars and one of them breaks down, call a tow truck). In Croatia, the car owner must have a supply of light bulbs, and in the Czech Republic - also spark plugs with fuses. In Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, drivers who received their license less than two years ago are not allowed to drive faster than 70 km/h, and in France - 80 km/h in the city and 110 km/h on the highway.

Do I need a PTS to travel abroad?

Traveling by car gives you the opportunity to have your time and create a flexible travel schedule. According to a survey by the travel service Tutu.ru, cars as a means of transportation for long-distance travel (more than 500 km) are among the top three preferences of Russians, along with trains and planes.

If you are going on a road trip abroad and have the necessary visas, you can get ready for the trip literally in one day. But traveling by car is an option with many more nuances than traveling by air or rail. In connection with the approaching New Year holidays, during which many people want to relax abroad, RBC decided to figure out what is necessary for traveling by car to Europe.

Exit routes

According to Roman Bobylev, a member of the Public Council of the Federal Tourism Agency, there are two most popular routes that motorists use to get to Europe: through Belarus or through Finland. The first option is the most popular and is suitable for those travelers traveling to Western Europe (Italy, France, Germany). Those who plan to visit Scandinavia travel through Finland.

“The border guards of Belarus and Finland are very loyal to motorists from Russia, since hundreds of travelers pass this route every day, both for tourism purposes and on work visits,” says Andrey Barsukov, Deputy General Director of the Russian AutoMotoClub (RAMK).

The motorist must be prepared for the fact that he can spend from half an hour to several hours crossing the border, depending on how busy the checkpoint is and the presence of things that need to be declared. It must be borne in mind that if a traveler is traveling with a small child (up to three years old) through Belarus, he can reduce the time it takes to cross the border. “The country’s legislation has a direct indication that when crossing the border with children under three years of age, you have the right to cross the border without queuing,” says Tatyana Maksimova, head of the judicial work department of the legal department of the Avilon Management Company.

When traveling through Finland, the border crossing time can be optimized by using a train with a car platform that runs on the Moscow-Helsinki route. Roman Bobylev considers traveling with a car by train more comfortable, since customs inspection and document verification can be done right during the trip. Transportation costs start from €210 depending on weight. Since August 2013, you can get a discount on this amount, which depends on the number of passengers, the type of carriage in which the ticket is taken, and the presence of children from six to 17 years old. The more expensive the passenger ticket, the more you can save (up to 50%).

What documents to prepare

When going abroad, a road traveler must collect a package of documents necessary for any tourist. These include: visa, passport, medical insurance. “As a rule, road travelers are people who are traveling to Europe more than once, and many of them have an open Schengen visa,” says Roman Bobylev.

If there is no valid visa, in order to obtain one, the tourist must provide the visa center with several additional documents in addition to the standard hotel reservation, income certificate and medical insurance. We are talking about documents for the car, an international OSAGO policy (“Green Card”), as well as a route sheet for a future trip. “You need to apply for a visa either to the country where the person plans to spend more time (for this you need a travel itinerary), or to the country of entry,” explains Dmitry Davydenko, chairman of the All-Russian Association of Tourists.

On many forums dedicated to road travel, it is advised to apply for an international driver’s license (the state fee for registration is 1,600 rubles). “In countries that have joined the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, Russian rights are recognized. In countries that have only signed the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, you can only drive a car with an international license,” says Alexander Kaminsky, head of the Kaminsky Driving Academy. The latter, according to him, include Albania, Andorra, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Malta, and Turkey.

However, Roman Bobylev says that to visit most European countries, regardless of which convention they have joined, it will be enough to have a national ID in hand. The main thing is that the driver’s data is duplicated in Latin.

Accident insurance

To cross the border, a road traveler must have a Green Card. “An international civil liability insurance policy is a mandatory condition for entering the territory of European and other countries, including CIS countries. This is an international compulsory motor liability insurance policy,” says Denis Makarov, head of the mandatory types methodology department at AlfaStrakhovanie.

The minimum validity period of the Green Card insurance contract is 15 days. You can also purchase a contract for one month and then monthly up to one year. Insurance rates for Russian Green Cards are set by the Russian Union of Auto Insurers (RUA) and depend on the insurance period, type of vehicle and coverage area (“All countries of the system” or “Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova and Azerbaijan”). The driver's experience and age do not affect the price of the policy. As of November 15, 2017, the cost of insurance for 15 days for a passenger car is 2.32 thousand rubles, for a year - 21.07 thousand rubles.

If during the trip the car owner becomes involved in an accident and is found to be at fault, then compensation for the damage will fall on the insurance company, says Denis Makarov. And in order to receive compensation, if the traveler is the injured party, he must independently contact the insurance company of the person responsible for the accident. Average compensation amounts depend on the country where the accident occurred. “So, for property, the average payment is €1.5 thousand for Belarus, €5 thousand for the rest of the countries of the system; and for life and health - €10 thousand for Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, € 38 thousand for other countries,” explained the press service of the Russian Union of Auto Insurers (RUA).

If the person responsible for the accident does not have insurance or his identity has not been established, you need to contact your local Green Card office for information about the possibility of receiving payment from the guarantee fund of the country of the accident. Contact numbers are indicated on the back of the policy.

Some insurance companies may expand the coverage area of the current comprehensive insurance policy to the territory of other countries. But a comprehensive insurance policy cannot replace a Green Card, since it does not insure the driver’s liability.

What expenses should you prepare for?

According to Roman Bobylev, traveling by car cannot be called an economical option, since a tourist has to make a lot of expenses on the road, primarily for car maintenance. Many travelers consider fuel to be the most expensive expense. According to the website autotraveler.ru, as of November 2017, AI-95 gasoline is the cheapest among foreign countries in Belarus (€0.54 per liter). Among the EU countries, the top five countries with the cheapest gasoline include Macedonia, Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Andorra: here a liter of 95 gasoline costs from €1.06 to 1.12. The most expensive are Portugal, the Netherlands, Iceland, Italy, Norway (€1.54–1.71 per liter). In Russia, the average price of AI-95 gasoline at gas stations is now €0.59. The cost of diesel, which in Russia is €.56 per liter, in Europe varies from €0.88 (Macedonia) to €1.61 (Norway).

Toll roads are another fear of inexperienced travelers. Toll requirements vary. “For example, in France you will need to pay tolls at checkpoints, in the Czech Republic and some other countries you will need to buy a special sticker (vignette) on the windshield, with which you can drive for a certain period of time,” says the general director of KIA AutoSpetsCenter Kashirka" Sergei Vornovsky.

The vignette is used in nine European countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. You can buy it at most gas stations, in stores or special booths along the highways. The period for which a vignette can be purchased and its price vary depending on the country. But on average, a weekly pass costs €10, and a monthly pass costs about €20. For the absence of a vignette, there is a fine, which reaches €250 in some countries. But toll roads can often be bypassed on more picturesque free roads.

In some places, for example in Austria, Germany, Italy and Norway, they also charge tolls for some bridges and tunnels. For one of the most expensive options - travel through the Mont Blanc Tunnel between Italy and France - you will have to pay a fee of €42.4 one way (when entering from the French side) and €43.1 (when entering from the Italian side).

“There are special programs, including on the Internet and in gadgets, that allow you to calculate the approximate costs of gasoline based on distances. By indicating the mileage, gasoline consumption per 100 km, as well as the cost of fuel, you will receive an approximate amount that needs to be budgeted for the upcoming trip,” advises Alexander Kaminsky.

Sergei Vornovsky reminds that not all countries of the Schengen zone have toll roads. For example, you can travel around Germany, Holland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Belgium for free.

Another cost item may be the parking fee (can range from €0.5 to 2.5 per hour), if there is no free one. You can save money by studying the parking scheme of the cities where you plan to stop. Many cities have valet parking at the entrance with low rates and free public transportation from the parking lot to the city center and back.

Tips from travelers

A fire extinguisher, a cable, a spare set of headlight bulbs, a vest with reflective stripes, wires for lighting a cigarette, a wheel chock, a spare tire, a set of tools - this set, according to experienced travelers, is best kept with you in the trunk of a car.

“I also recommend carrying at least one spare can of windshield washer fluid and a spray bottle of windshield cleaner. This is especially useful in the summer, when after each car drive you have to wipe off hundreds of insects broken on the windshield,” says Alexander Kaminsky.

According to him, many people carry a can of fuel with them, since in some countries gas stations are located at a great distance from each other. “For example, in Scandinavia, sometimes you can simply drive several hundred kilometers and not see a single gas station,” he says.

Also, experienced road travelers advise checking in which countries you can drive on studded tires when it comes to winter travel. In most countries, thorns are allowed between November and March. Chains must be used if indicated by an appropriate road sign. In this case, studded tires must also be equipped with chains. In Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Serbia, Romania, Portugal, Poland, Macedonia and Germany, studs are prohibited, but in winter, snow chains and a shovel must be kept in the trunk of the vehicle.

Radar detectors are also banned in Europe. Having such a device in your car can result in a fine (approximately €100) right at the border.

All the nuances about crossing the border with Europe by car: personal experience

Hi all! I’m with you again, the admin of the largest VKontakte group about road trips, “Homes on Wheels.” Today I want to tell you all the tricks I know about crossing borders with the European Union by road. In order not to be unfounded, I will show you a couple of pages of my old passport and hope that you will believe in my competence.

Main checkpoints

The main borders along which citizens of Russia, Belarus, and some other CIS countries cross the border with the European Union by car are the border points between the countries of Belarus-Poland, Russia-Latvia, Russia-Estonia and Russia-Finland. I’ll say right away that I crossed the border between Russia and Finland only a few times, and only as a passenger, so I don’t know the intricacies of crossing this border.

Belarusian-Polish border

Let's start with perhaps the most popular border crossing among all travelers to Europe - Warsaw Bridge (Belarus) - Terespol (Poland). This border crossing is located a few kilometers from Brest and is the main “window to Europe” for residents of central Russia and Belarus.

Since Warsaw Bridge is an international checkpoint, there is almost always a queue at the border there, especially in the summer and on weekends. What should you know when crossing this border?

Documents and rules

1. In addition to passports and documents for the car, you must have an insurance policy for the car “Green Card”*, if you are a citizen of Russia and “Belarus” is not indicated on the green card, then on the Belarusian side of the border you will be fined $200. REMEMBER. Insurance for a trailer for a passenger car in Russia is not required, but in Belarus it is required. The fine is also about $200.

2.. When crossing the Polish border, border guards may ask you for medical insurance (I talked about their registration in a previous article). If you don’t have them, then you can arrange them with a broker right on the Polish border, but at a price 5-10 times more expensive.

3.Make sure that all the light bulbs, turn signals and other electrics of the car are working, otherwise the “Poles” may turn back. REMEMBER that studded tires are prohibited in Poland!

4.And most importantly, REMEMBER FOREVER: never cross the Belarusian (and this also applies to the Russian) border in either direction along the “green corridor” if you are transporting any prohibited or undeclared goods. Always drive on red; if they ask why you ran on red, then in extreme cases you can “turn on the fool” and say: I didn’t see, didn’t know, didn’t think, etc. This is important and here’s why: if you are found to have something that you tried to smuggle secretly - if you are on the “red corridor” - only what you tried to smuggle will be confiscated. If you were in the “green” corridor at the time of discovery, then in addition your car will be confiscated. The best time to cross the border in this situation is 5-6 am.

5.Remember that the maximum permissible weight of goods that one person can import into the territory of the customs union without duty is 50 kg. When asked by the customs officer what weight of goods you are carrying: never use the words “about”, “approximately”, etc. ALWAYS say confidently, for example, 45 kg, if he asks how you know this, answer also confidently: “I specially went “there” and weighed it, because I knew that the maximum weight for transportation across the border is 50 kg.” Even if you are carrying 120 kg, after confident answers the post officer is unlikely to check anything.

6.No one will check the amount of gasoline in your tank at this border, but keep in mind that the amount must correspond to the distance you intend to travel across the EU. Therefore, you should not say your destination “Terespol”, for example, even if that is where you are going. If Polish customs officers find “extra” gasoline, they may require you to pay a duty for it.

7.Do not arrive at the border close to the “shift change” of the personnel serving the border checkpoint. As a rule, the “change” of border guards and customs officers at the post occurs at 8 o’clock in the morning and 8 o’clock in the evening. It lasts about an hour. Arrive a couple of hours “before” or “after” - you will save time.

8.If you have a small child under 3 years old, then you have the right to cross the border without queuing.

9.Yes, and remember that by saying just one greeting phrase in Polish “dzień dobry” (dzyen dobry), and not “hello”, you will “win” the Polish border guard, and this is important!

At the border, always behave confidently, do not show your nervousness. At any hint of suspicious behavior, you risk becoming the object of additional checks.

By the way, if you don’t want to stand in line at the “Warsaw Bridge”, 45 kilometers from it, next to the Ukrainian border, there is almost always a free crossing “Domachevo” (Belarus), where you can quickly and easily “cross” the border :

* Regarding the registration of the Green Card policy . At the moment, unfortunately, online registration of Green Card insurance, unlike the MTPL policy, is impossible, because You must have the original of this policy in your hands. But the electronic MTPL policy is no longer news. The main advantage of online purchase of MTPL is the time saved. I prefer to apply for it on Strahovkaru , where you can get a quote from several insurance companies at once and choose the best price.

It is worth noting that I did not discuss the topic of transporting goods across the border that are subject to customs clearance. A full description of all procedures is a separate article, which I will also write if you are interested).

Border with Estonia and Latvia

The most popular border crossings for travelers are “Shumilkino” (Russia) - “Lukhamaa” (Estonia), “Ubylinka” (Russia) - “Grebnevo” (Latvia), “Burachki” (Russia) - “Terekhovo” (Latvia)

This border is most popular among residents of the Northwestern region of Russia. What should you know when crossing these borders?

1. Latvian and Estonian border guards are more demanding. In addition to your passport, car documents, green card and health insurance, you will be required to have a driver’s license, as well as a vehicle inspection (diagnostic card), so always take it with you if you plan to cross these borders in both directions. Also remember that if you have unpaid fines in Latvia or Estonia, do not cross the border while driving. The law of Latvia states: “a person with unpaid fines while driving a car cannot enter or leave the country.” Therefore, if you have such a situation, put another person behind the wheel, the law does not apply to you, but only if you are not driving.

2. PTS is not needed when crossing borders. This document has no legal force in other countries and is not on the list of required documents for a car.

3. The undeclared amount is 10 thousand euros. Anything more than this, according to the law, you will have to declare.

4. When entering Latvia or Estonia, you will be required to fill out a declaration in which you will be required to indicate the amount of gasoline you are carrying in the tank, the number of cigarettes, alcohol, and also when crossing the border with Latvia - the number of days since your last visit to this country, and if found that you are riding “back and forth” - a lot of unnecessary questions will arise and you will be subject to a more thorough search. Customs officers can easily “climb” into the tank and check the actual amount of gasoline.

5.If you have debts in Russia of more than 10 thousand rubles, then you most likely have a ban on leaving the Russian Federation. In this case, do not waste your time or nerves - go to the Belarusian border.

6.When entering Russia from Estonia, it is worth remembering that a system of electronic queues has been introduced on the Estonia side, so in order not to waste time at the border later, book your border crossing time in advance!

I tried not to cross these borders when traveling abroad, since the border guards and customs officers of these countries are too demanding, ask a lot of incomprehensible questions and are generally suspicious. When leaving, I preferred to cross these two borders: “Warsaw Bridge” (or “Domachevo”), as well as the border “Kotlovka” (Belarus) - “Lavorishkes” (Lithuania). There is also another good border crossing between Poland and Belarus in the Grodno region, but I only went through it once, since it was completely out of my way.

Well, that's all in a nutshell. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them!

What you need to know when traveling abroad in your car

Nuances of “document flow”

But do not forget that an IDP abroad is valid only upon presentation of national rights.

To save yourself from unnecessary hassle at European customs, it is better to have your power of attorney certified by a notary and enter your passport details into the text of the document.