COVID-19: 14-Day Quarantine For Arriving Foreign Workers Is Still Mandatory

This message is in addition to our newsletter of July 14, in which we reviewed the Decree of the Chief sanitary officer of Russia dated July 7, 2020 No. 18, which entered into force earlier this week.

We would like to inform you that Chief sanitary officer has signed another Decree dated July 15, 2020 No. 21. In accordance with this Decree 14-days quarantine is still mandatory for a wide range of people entering Russia.

Both Decrees together allow to identify general requirements for those arriving in the Russian Federation from abroad.

WHICH REQUIREMENTS WILL BE APPLIED TO PEOPLE ARRIVING IN RUSSIA?

1) 14-DAYS QUARANTINE

The following categories of persons must comply with the requirement for 14-days quarantine:

• All persons arriving in Russia by evacutation flights;
• Foreign citizens who enter Russia for the purpose of work (regardless of how they crossed the border).

2) PRESENTING COVID-19 TEST RESULTS

Foreign citizens must:

• Upon entering the country present a negative test result for coronavirus infection, conducted no earlier than 3 days before entry;
• If they did not do the test beforehand they must undergo examination within 3 days from the date of arrival in Russia.

Citizens of Russia must undergo examination within 3 days from the date of arrival in Russia.

3) REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYERS

• Employers must inform workers leaving Russia of the abovementioned requirements, and also check if arriving foreign citizens involved in work activities have negative test results.

WHICH LAWS REGULATE THE REQUIREMENTS?

Decree of Chief sanitary officer of Russia dated July 15, 2020 N 21 (which amends the Decree dated March 30, 2020 N 9).

Decree of Chief sanitary officer of Russia dated July 7, 2020 N 18 (which amends the Decree dated March 18, 2020 N 7).

Intermark comments: Considering that restrictive measures for persons entering the Russian Federation are regulated not by one but several documents, including two different Decrees of the Chief sanitary officer of Russia, a misunderstanding arose as to whether the need for 14-day quarantine upon arrival is canceled. Decree of July 15, 2020 N 21 gives an unambiguous interpretation of the categories of persons for whom quarantine is still a mandatory requirement.

In addition, we contacted the Rospotrebnadzor (Russian Agency for Health and Consumer Rights) on the hotline and received confirmation that "self-isolation is mandatory for all arriving on evacuation flights." If a foreign citizen arrives in another way (for example, by private or regular charter flight), the accent must be made on the purpose of entry – if it is for work or not.

According to comments published on the official website of Rospotrebnadzor on July 16, the arrival of foreign citizens by regular flights for another purpose besides work will not require 14-day quarantine, but only a test for COVID-19.