In a notice dated 2 February 2026, the Austrian foreign ministry updated its Russia travel page, keeping the security rating unchanged but explicitly warning against any travel to regions bordering Ukraine, including Belgorod, Kursk, and Rostov. The advisory follows escalating drone strikes that disrupted rail freight near the Kharkiv frontier over the weekend.
Austrian freight forwarders moving machinery and chemicals via the Northern Route are told to expect rerouting through Belarus and to budget for additional customs inspections. The ministry highlights the risk that Austrian nationals with dual Russian citizenship may face mobilisation orders or exit bans, an issue that led to three documented cases in January.
The ministry highlights the risk that Austrian nationals with dual Russian citizenship may face mobilisation orders or exit bans, an issue that led to three documented cases in January.
![Austria Updates Russia Advisory: Border Regions Remain Off-Limits]()
For travellers who must still navigate these complex entry rules, VisaHQ can streamline visa applications, passport renewals, and transit documentation. Its Austrian portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) offers real-time updates on Russian and Belarusian requirements, digital document checks, and courier pick-up options, giving companies a single dashboard to monitor staff travel compliance amid shifting security advisories.
Business travellers holding EU Blue Cards for assignments in Moscow and St Petersburg must now register itineraries with corporate security teams and should avoid public demonstrations commemorating the 2024 Navalny anniversary, which Russian authorities have declared illegal.
Consular services outside Moscow can be suspended without notice. The Vienna-based Risk Management Association recommends employers pre-scan employees’ passports and migration cards to cloud storage to expedite emergency extraction via third-country land borders such as Estonia’s Narva crossing.
Austrian freight forwarders moving machinery and chemicals via the Northern Route are told to expect rerouting through Belarus and to budget for additional customs inspections. The ministry highlights the risk that Austrian nationals with dual Russian citizenship may face mobilisation orders or exit bans, an issue that led to three documented cases in January.
The ministry highlights the risk that Austrian nationals with dual Russian citizenship may face mobilisation orders or exit bans, an issue that led to three documented cases in January.
For travellers who must still navigate these complex entry rules, VisaHQ can streamline visa applications, passport renewals, and transit documentation. Its Austrian portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/) offers real-time updates on Russian and Belarusian requirements, digital document checks, and courier pick-up options, giving companies a single dashboard to monitor staff travel compliance amid shifting security advisories.
Business travellers holding EU Blue Cards for assignments in Moscow and St Petersburg must now register itineraries with corporate security teams and should avoid public demonstrations commemorating the 2024 Navalny anniversary, which Russian authorities have declared illegal.
Consular services outside Moscow can be suspended without notice. The Vienna-based Risk Management Association recommends employers pre-scan employees’ passports and migration cards to cloud storage to expedite emergency extraction via third-country land borders such as Estonia’s Narva crossing.
