Business
Exporting to Russia
President Obama announced the National Export Initiative (NEI) http://www.export.gov two years ago, with the goal of doubling exports by 2014. U.S. embassies are committed to supporting U.S. companies to start exporting or grow their exports to Russia. In this section, you’ll find a quick description of Russia’s export market and some suggestions for getting started.
Getting Started
Following are some practical suggestions for getting started. Please check the latest Country Commercial Guide for Russia for more suggestions.
Visit the export.gov page on Russia to get an overview of export opportunities and strategies to enter the Russian market. Access the U.S. Commercial Service Market Research Library containing more than 100,000 industry and country-specific market reports, authored by our specialists working in overseas posts.
The Library Includes:
- Country Commercial Guides (read latest “Doing Business In Russia” guides)
- Industry Overviews
- Market Updates
- Multilateral Development Bank Reports
- Best Markets
- Industry/Regional Reports
Contact your local U.S. Export Assistance Center for advice and support on exporting to Russia. Contact a Trade Specialist Near You.
Contact your local Small Business Development Center (SBDCs). Starting a business can be a challenge, but there is help for you in your area. Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) are partnerships primarily between the government and colleges/universities administered by the Small Business Administration and aims at giving educational services for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Contact in-country business support organizations such as the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia or the U.S.-Russia Business Council.
Investing in Russia
This section provides information for current and potential investors in Russia.
Potential investors: Getting Started.
If you are considering investment in Russia, here are some steps you may wish to consider as you get started:
- Register with the U.S. Embassy
- Visit host country resources, such as Invest in Russia.
- Contact local U.S. business support organizations, such as the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia or the US-Russia Business Council or the American Russian Business Council.
- Subscribe to our embassy Facebook page or Twitter feed <@USEmbRu>
Current investors: Staying Connected.
If you are a current U.S. investor in Russia, the U.S Embassy wants to stay in touch. Here are a few steps you can take to keep the channels of communication open:
- Register with the U.S. Embassy
- Subscribe to our embassy Facebook page or Twitter feed <@USEmbRu>
- Set up a meeting with our economic or commercial team to discuss any issues that arise
Working in Russia
In this section you will find information on business visas, travel advisories, and anti-corruption tools.
Business Visas
For information on obtaining a visa to visit Russia, check the entry requirements on our Country Specific Information page for Russia. Please also visit the website for the Russian Embassy to the United States.
Travel Advisories
Make sure to check the current list of countries that have a State Department travel advisory http://travel.state.gov/
FCPA
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is an important anti-corruption tool designed to discourage corrupt business practices in favor of free and fair markets. The FCPA prohibits promising, offering, giving or authorizing giving anything of value to a foreign government official where the purpose is to obtain or retain business. These prohibitions apply to U.S. persons, both individuals and companies, and companies that are listed on U.S. exchanges. The statute also requires companies publicly traded in the U.S. to keep accurate books and records and implement appropriate internal controls.
More information on the FCPA can be found here:
A party to a transaction seeking to know whether a proposed course of conduct would violate the FCPA can take advantage of the opinion procedure established by the statue. Within 30 days of receiving a description of a proposed course of conduct in writing, the Attorney General will provide the party with a written opinion on whether the proposed conduct would violate the FCPA. Not only do opinions provide the requesting party with a rebuttable presumption that the conduct does not violate the FCPA, but DOJ publishes past opinions which can provide guidance for other companies facing similar situations.
More information on the DOJ opinion procedure can be found here:
Contact Us
Embassy Phone: +7 (495) 728-5000
Embassy Fax: +7 (495) 728-5090
Counselor for Commercial Affairs
John McCaslin
Counselor for Economic Affairs
Stuart Dwyer
Quick Links