- Banking, Mail and Telephone Services
- Associations and Clubs
- Canceling/Replacing Lost/Stolen U.S. Credit Cards and Travelers’ Checks
- Driving Your Car in Russia
- Criminal Records Checks and Fingerprinting
- Getting Married in Russia
- Waivers to the CDC’s COVID-19 Testing Requirement Prior to Arrival in the United States
Please note: The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the entities or individuals whose names appear on the following lists. Inclusion on this list is in no way an endorsement by the Department or the U.S. government. Names are listed alphabetically, and the order in which they appear has no other significance. The information on the list is provided directly by the local service providers; the Department is not in a position to vouch for such information.
Banking Services
Western Union now has many agents in Moscow and other cities in Russia which can disburse dollars wired from Western union offices in the United States. Contact Western Union or the American Citizen Services Unit for these locations. Friends or relatives can wire emergency funds to an American citizen in Russia through the U.S. State Department; the funds are usually ready for disbursement at the Embassy within two business days. The sender should call the State Department at (202) 647-5225 for details. Please also see the Department of State’s webpage on Sending Money to U.S. Citizens Overseas.
Traveler’s checks are not widely accepted in Russia; credit cards are only accepted at establishments catering to Westerners in major cities; old, worn or inked dollar bills are often not accepted, even in banks. The American Express offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg can cash American Express traveler’s checks; they can also cash personal checks for card holders. It is possible to obtain a cash advance on Visa cards at some Moscow hotels.
Mail Services
The following companies, with offices in Moscow, offer priority mail services between the U.S. and Russia:
Telephone Services
You can usually make long distance telephone calls from your hotel. You can also go to the Central Russian Telephone and Telegraph Office located at 5 Tverskaya Ulitsa. To use a U.S. telephone credit card in Moscow, you may refer to the following websites for local dialing numbers and instructions:
