COVID-19: Information for travellers

See full list of countries with more stringent requirements here. The list should be updated on 19th April. 

More stringent self-isolation requirements:

- No walks outside;
- No self-isolation in the same house or apartment with other family members who have not travelled together. In the case of self-isolation with a family, the family members will also have to self-isolate for the same period of time (they will not be issued a sick-leave certificate);
- It is mandatory to follow other requirements for self-isolation.

Leaving the place of self-isolation with the NPHC permission will be allowed in the following cases (no permission is required in the case of emergency):

- To go to another place of self-isolation if it has to be changed for certain reasons;
- To make arrangements for the funeral of a close person and the transportation of the remains and/or to participate in the wake ceremony/ funeral of a close person or visit terminally ill patients;
- To go to a medical facility to have nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab specimen collected for a COVID-19 test;
- To go to a medical facility for health care services;
- To transport those unable to take care of themselves to a medical facility for health care services;
- For high-performance athletes, high-performance sports specialists, high-performance sports instructors and sports medical personnel to go to high-performance sports training, training camps, competitions and institutions or establishments related to their sports activities;
- Those summoned to state institutions (for example, for interviews etc.).

See full list of affected countries here. The list should be updated on 19th April. 

Self-isolation requirements:

- Going outside for a walk within the radius of maximum 1 km from the place of self-isolation while wearing protective equipment covering nose and mouth. No visits to points of gatherings.
- When staying with other people, it is required to self-isolate in a separate room, while those staying together do not have to self-isolate.
- It is mandatory to follow other self-isolation requirements.

Leaving the place of self-isolation with the NPHC permission will be allowed in the following cases (no permission is required in the case of emergency):

-To go to another place of self-isolation if it has to be changed for certain reasons;

Leaving the place of self-isolation without the notification of the NPHC or without its permission will be allowed in the following cases:

-To make arrangements for the funeral of a close person and the transportation of the remains and/or to participate in the wake ceremony/ funeral of a close person or visit terminally ill patients.
- To go to a medical facility to have nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab specimen collected for a COVID-19 test;
- To go to a medical facility for health care services;
- To transport those unable to take care of themselves to a medical facility for health care services;
- For those who have to go to the place required for handling legal matters;
- Those who have their own marriage;
- For high-performance athletes, high-performance sports specialists, high-performance sports instructors and sports medical personnel to go to high-performance sports training, training camps, competitions and institutions or establishments related to their sports activities;
- Those that have to go to state institutions, establishments and organisations when required by them;
- To go to a mobile point to have nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab specimen collected for a COVID-19 test after prior registration with the Coronavirus Hotline at 1808 or with the NPHC, or to transport those unable to take care of themselves.
- For the citizens of and persons lawfully residing in the countries of the European Economic Area, the Swiss Confederation, the Principality of Andorra, the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of San Marino and the Holy See (Vatican City State), foreigners lawfully residing in the Republic of Lithuania and foreigners lawfully residing in countries that have been included in the EU-level list of third countries, for the residents of which temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU should be lifted at external borders, who travel for the purpose of the performance of work functions, to go to the place required for handling work or business matters.

See full list of self-isolation and testing exemptions here. The list should be updated on 19th April. 

Face masks are not required in open spaces, where there are no other people except family members within the radius of 2 metres. Face masks are not required also in the following cases:

• exercising individuals;
• high-performance sports training;
• during the provision of a service where a service cannot be provided when a customer is wearing a mask;
• persons with disability who cannot wear a mask due to their health condition or where it can adversely affect their health condition. They are recommended to wear a face shield instead.
• when outside populated areas (cities, towns, villages, single-homestead settlements and dacha (garden) settlements) and when there are no other people within the radius of 20 metres, except for family members;
• children over the age of 6 who are educated under pre-school, pre-primary and primary education programmes will not be required to wear protective equipment covering nose and mouth (face masks, respirators or other equipment) while in education establishments and/or their territories.

Face masks are mandatory in common areas of accommodation facilities, also during the allowed contact services. Face masks are required indoors.

It is recommended to wear a face mask at a private party, if held, or when socialising with members of other families /households.

Visits to cultural establishments and in-person services to visitors:

• As part of the easing of the lockdown, theatres and cinemas may reopen at 30% seating capacity (no standing places), hosting up to 150 spectators, ensuring online ticketing and/or registration of spectators, mask-wearing by spectators over the age of 6 and other conditions laid down by the State Commander of Emergency Operations. Important note: It will not be allowed to sell food and beverages or to provide other services at these venues.
• Events will be allowed to host up to 150 spectators, while adhering to the set requirements. Indoor events will only be allowed to take place at maximum 30% seating capacity. Important note: It will not be allowed to sell food and beverages or to provide other services during these events.
• It will be allowed to hold events, where spectators stay in their cars and there are maximum 2 people in the car except members of one family and/or one household, following the conditions laid down by the State Commander of National Emergency Operations for the management of the flow of people, safe physical distance, and other key requirements for public health safety, hygiene, and the provision of persons with necessary personal protective equipment.
• It will be allowed to provide in-person services to visitors in libraries; and all municipalities will be allowed to provide in-person services to visitors in libraries, also to visitors in the reading rooms of libraries and state archives in groups of maximum 2 visitors except members of one family and/or one household;
• It will allowed to visit learning and educational trails, parks, museums, galleries and other exposition spaces, zoos and botanical gardens outdoors in groups of maximum 5 people except members of two families and/or two households.
• It will be allowed to visit indoor museums, galleries and other exposition spaces (e.g. zoos and botanical gardens) following visitor flow restrictions: the maximum number of visitors allowed at any one time will be calculated on the basis of the publicly visited area so as to ensure at least 20 m2 per visitor.
• It will be allowed to hold high high-performance sporting events without spectators.
• It will be allowed to hold funerals attended by maximum 10 persons except family and/or household members and persons providing funeral services.

PLEASE NOTE: It is obligatory to follow at all times the requirements laid down by the State Commander of National Emergency Operations for the management of the flow of people, safe physical distance, other key requirements for public health safety, hygiene, and the provision of persons with necessary personal protective equipment.

RESTRICTIONS: There will be no indoor or outdoor commercial or non-commercial cultural, entertainment, sporting events, celebrations, fairs, festivals, or other public mass gatherings of a certain duration and held at a scheduled time except the cases referred to above.

Public catering facilities, restaurants, cafés, bars, nightclubs, other entertainment venues, gambling houses (casinos), amusement arcades, bingo halls, betting and totalisator outlets will be closed except in the case of:

• Takeaway food or where food can be otherwise delivered to natural and legal persons.
• Catering provided to the staff of enterprises, establishments or organisations working on shifts, in the territories and/or premises of such enterprises, establishments or organisations.
• Catering provided in educational, social care, health care, national defence, penitentiary establishments, remand prisons, the Foreigners’ Registration Centre or other establishments, where catering is required by the operational profile of these establishments.

It is prohibited to provide the services of leisure, the use of sports equipment, sports clubs, fitness centres, entertainment, recreation, swimming pools, saunas (except public baths for personal hygiene), discos, dance halls, cinemas and cinema clubs. There will be no visits to leisure establishments, nor will the premises intended for leisure services be leased for arranging private events, celebrations and other gatherings. It will not apply in the case of:

• High-performance sports training.

Changes in the rules from 22 April:

• Catering facilities, restaurants, cafés and bars may reopen and operate from 7.00 to 24.00; food and drinks will be consumed while seated at a table outside with up to 2 people at the table except members of one family and/or one household.
• Catering facilities, restaurants, cafés and bars may reopen at seaport and airport passenger departure terminals; food and drinks will be consumed while seated at a table with up to 2 people at the table except members of one family and/or one household.

Changes in the rules from 26 April:

• Gyms can reopen but they will be required to ensure 20 m2 per person (including service providers) and other conditions laid down by the State Commander of Emergency Operations. Important note: Exercise classes will be allowed to resume with up to 5 people (excluding service providers).

There will be restrictions for travelling by regular public transport (city, long-distance and suburban): in long-distance and suburban transport, passengers will be required to travel seated at a distance of at least one meter between each other, as opposed to city transport, where they will be allowed to travel both sitting and standing, provided that a distance of at least one meter is maintained between them.

Vehicles other than regular public transport (city, long-distance and suburban) or vehicles to commute to/from work, or to go to/from points of COVID-19 (coronavirus infection) vaccination may carry groups of no more than 2 persons or one family and/or one household members.When providing passenger transportation through a ride-hailing and taxi passenger car services, the driver of the vehicle will not be counted.

• Two families or two households will be allowed to meet if one of them has no more than one adult person or one person and his/her minor children, or a household with a person in need of constant care and nursing. However: such family or household members that are in close contact would not be allowed to have close contact with other persons.
• ‘Support bubbles’ will be allowed. If the ‘support bubble’ includes a person from a risk group, it is additionally recommended to wear face masks, keep 2 meters distance, air the premises at least once an hour.
• It will be allowed to be in public places outdoors in groups of maximum 5 persons or in groups of two families and/or two households.

PLEASE NOTE: It is obligatory to follow at all times the requirements laid down by the State Commander of National Emergency Operations for the management of the flow of people, safe physical distance, other key requirements for public health safety, hygiene, and the provision of persons with necessary personal protective equipment.

It will not be allowed:

• To have close contacts between members of more than one family and/or one household except:
  • close contacts between two families and/or two households outdoors;
  • emergencies, where it is necessary to provide assistance;
  • attending to the sick or to those unable to take care of themselves.
• To hold private parties in public and private spaces attended by more than one family and/or one household, except parties in open spaces attended by maximum two families and/or two households.

Changes in the rules from 22 April:

The recovered COVID-19 patients, whose diagnosis was confirmed by a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result or an antigen test result and maximum 180 days have passed from the positive testing, and those vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine registered in the Union Register of Medicinal Products, following a complete series, may be subject to more relaxed lockdown restrictions compared to others:

• Close contacts will be allowed between up to 10 vaccinated or recovered persons.
• It will be allowed to hold private parties in public and private venues attended by up to 10 vaccinated or recovered persons.
• Outdoor tours will resume for up to 10 vaccinated or recovered persons.
• Vaccinated or recovered persons will be allowed to visit their loved ones in health care establishments and all the residential social care establishments, foster families, and group and community homes.

Retail:

• Retail will be allowed in stores and pavilions (except complex of roofed pavilions in marketplaces) that have a direct access from the outside for customers or a separate entrance used solely by the customers of that store or pavilion, and kiosks.
• Also outdoor non-food retail will be allowed from temporary facilities, as well as contracts for services off the trade premises (doorstep selling).
• Retail will be allowed in stores (including those in shopping and/or entertainment centres), whose main business is the retail of food, animal feed, veterinary, pharmacy products, flowers, optical items and orthopedic technical devices.
• Food retail in marketplaces and other public points of sale will be allowed.
• It will be allowed to continue e-commerce (by internet or other means of communication), where goods are delivered to natural and legal persons or collected at collection points.
• Funeral stores will continue to work.

PLEASE NOTE: Retailers must provide conditions laid down by the State Commander of National Emergency Operations (hereinafter ‘the Commander of Operations’).

It will not be allowed to reopen stores, including those in shopping and/or entertainment centres, marketplaces and other public points of sale.

Changes in the rules from 19 April:

• All stores (except those in marketplaces) will reopen, provided they can ensure the conditions laid down by the State Commander of National Emergency Operations, and the required retail space per visitor. Important note: Shopping centres, and other shops or sale outlets that will reopen from 19 April will have to stay closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Changes in the rules from 3 May:

• Marketplaces and other public points of sale will reopen, provided they ensure the conditions laid down by the State Commander of National Emergency Operations, and the required retail space per visitor.

Services:

It will be allowed to provide:

• outdoor sports, leisure and entertainment services for maximum 10 persons at a time except members of two families and/or two households;
• personal care services (including beauty services) where there is a contact only between one service provider and one customer, unless these services are directly banned by a Government resolution;
• pool and sauna services in rural tourism homesteads for members of no more than one family and/or one household;
• medical rehabilitation services;
• psychological support and psychotherapy services;
• passenger transportation through a ride-hailing and taxi passenger car services;
• provision of legal services by lawyers;
• driving skills examination services;
• financial services and provision of qualified certification services by qualified trust service providers, which cannot be provided remotely.

PLEASE NOTE: in the case of business allowed to reopen, ensuring conditions laid down by the Commander of Operations for managing personal flows, maintaining a safe distance, necessary public health safety, hygiene, provision of persons with necessary personal protective equipment is needed. 

Requirements for accommodation sector:

• Accommodation of members of no more than one family and/or one household in one room.
• Ensuring that everyone wears a face mask and maintains a distance of at least 2 meters between people or groups of people in common areas.
• Ensuring other conditions laid down by the Commander of Operations.

• There will be no visiting of patients in health care establishments, except when visiting terminally ill patients, children under 14 years of age and patients in maternity wards at the permission of the manager of that establishment or his authorised person;
• an outpatient health care professional will have to choose the method of service provision that best suits the patient's interests - contact or remote. Contact services will include:
  -dental services;
  -health care services for pregnant women, mothers and their newborns;
  -vaccination services for children and adults under the National Immunoprophylaxis Programme;
  -disease prevention programmes;
  -preventive health screening services for individuals applying for a job in an area of activity that involves exposure to certain risk factors;
  -psychological support and psychotherapy services.
• Inpatient personal health care services for COVID-19 (coronavirus infection) (hereinafter ‘COVID-19 services’) will be organised on a clustering-territorial principle in accordance with the Annex to this Resolution and in accordance with the requirements laid down within the remit of the Minister for Health and the State Commander of National Emergency Operations. The provision of COVID-19 services will be organised by health care establishments (hereinafter ‘organising health care establishments’) listed in the Annex to this Resolution, which have units for infectious diseases or human resources to organise the containment of infectious diseases, and which organise and coordinate COVID-19 services in the territory of operation specified in the Annex to this Resolution. To ensure the provision of COVID-19 services, the organising health care establishments will mobilise other health care establishments that are in the territory of ​​operation and that are listed in the Annex to this Resolution (hereinafter ‘mobilised health care establishments’) for the provision of COVID-19
  services. Instructions given by the organising health care establishments on COVID-19 services to the mobilised health care establishments will be mandatory (unless otherwise provided by law). The procedure for organising COVID-19 services is laid down within the remit of the Minister for Health and the State Commander of National Emergency Operations;
• The State Commander of National Emergency Operations takes a decision to appoint a coordinator for the activities of the organising health care establishments (hereinafter ‘coordinator’) to coordinate the provision of COVID-19 services. The coordinator organises the provision of COVID-19 services in cooperation with mayors and directors of administrations. The instructions of the coordinator are obligatory for both the organising health care establishments and the mobilised health care establishments (unless otherwise provided by law).
• Mobilising health professionals, university and non-university students and residency students and using infrastructure, regardless of their subordination. If necessary, health professionals and staff working with them (personnel serving the medical staff) may be temporarily transferred to another health establishment or their job functions may be temporarily changed in order to ensure the proper organisation of health services.
• Inpatient health services for patients with COVID-19 (coronavirus infection), will be provided as follows:
  -operational reorganisation in managing patient flows, infrastructure and material and human resources;
  -where necessary, increasing the number of beds and / or the scope of health care services for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 (coronavirus infection) and / or mobilising staff - reducing the scope of routine inpatient and/or outpatient health care services or suspending these services, with the exception of services, where failure to provide them would result in patient’s need for medical emergency or a significant deterioration of his condition.
  -there will be no visiting of patients, except terminally ill patients and children under 14 years of age, at the permission of the treating physician.