Russia tightens grip on debtors: Record 41.3% rise in travel bans, impacting 10 million citizens

Russia has a stringent approach to punishing its debtors. One such penalty is the restriction on overseas travel. As reported by "Rzeczpospolita", there's been a steep rise in such bans over the past year.

Based on stats from the Federal Bailiff Service, there has been a 41.3% increase in the decisions issued in 2023, marking a record peak in the last three years.

In early 2024, the bailiffs issued 6.5 million overseas travel prohibition orders to the border guards. As the newspaper "RBK" points out, this includes defaulters on alimony obligations.

"The authorities in Russia can initiate several enforcement proceedings against a single citizen. In each case, the bailiff can apply a range of restrictive measures - from freezing bank accounts and seizing property, right to a travel ban," writes "Rz".

It appears that the measure is yielding the desired result. The media reports that there has been a surge in debt repayment to have the travel bans lifted.