Etiquette in Russia
Everyday customs that visitors and newcomers often find useful in Russia.
- Greeting A firm handshake for men; do not shake hands across a threshold. Use first name and patronymic for older people.
- Home Take your shoes off at the door. Bring a small gift and an odd number of flowers (even numbers are for funerals).
- Dining Toasts are important and followed by drinking; it is fine to decline politely.
- Public Smiling at strangers is less common and not unfriendly.
- Talk Be careful with politics and history.
These are general customs, not rules or legal advice. They differ between regions, generations and families, and they change over time. For visas, residency and legal requirements always use the destination country's official government sources.