Are VPNs legal or illegal? A Guide to VPN Laws in 2021
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VPNs are illegal in Belarus, Iraq, North Korea, and Turkmenistan. Use of VPN services is severely restricted in China, Iran, Oman, Russia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
The countries in the table below are ranked according to the severity of their VPN laws and restrictions. ‘Extensive’ is the most stringent level of restriction, followed by ‘intermediate’ and ‘secondary’.
| nation | VPN Law | social media blocks | censorship | monitoring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belarus | illegal | Moderate | comprehensive | comprehensive |
| China | restricted | comprehensive | comprehensive | comprehensive |
| Iran | restricted | Moderate | comprehensive | comprehensive |
| Iraq | illegal | Moderate | Moderate | Underage |
| North Korea | illegal | comprehensive | comprehensive | comprehensive |
| Sultanate of Oman | restricted | Underage | comprehensive | Moderate |
| Russia | restricted | Moderate | comprehensive | Moderate |
| Turkey | restricted | Moderate | comprehensive | comprehensive |
| Turkmenistan | illegal | comprehensive | comprehensive | comprehensive |
| The United Arab Emirates | restricted | Moderate | comprehensive | Moderate |
A table summarizing VPN laws in the 10 most restrictive countries.
Here is a more detailed list of VPN laws in 10 countries where VPNs are illegal or restricted:
1. Belarus
VPNs are illegal in Belarus.
Belarus bans VPNs because it sees them as a way to undermine the law. In February 2015, the country’s Ministry of Communications ruled against the use of anonymizers such as a VPN.
Tor, which enables anonymous connections and access to the Dark Web, has also been blocked in Belarus since 2016.
It remains unclear whether the government can actually contain the expanding VPN market. real time, There is an unspecified fine For anyone caught using a VPN in Belarus.
2. China
Only government approved VPNs are legal in China.
VPNs are technically legal in China. However, all VPN services must have the approval of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) before they are allowed to operate in the country.
This often includes agreeing to terms such as data logging, which makes the VPN useless from a privacy perspective.
While there are suggestions that China may soon open up its VPN industry to foreign investment, using a VPN “without a license” can currently result in fines of up to 15,000 yuan (about $2,200).
Despite this, many people still want to use a VPN in China. If this applies to you, read our article on the best VPNs for China, as most VPN applications will not work.
China, 2010. Google shuts down its website in the country after disagreements over censorship with the government. Credit: Wenn Rights / Alamy
3. Iran
Only government approved VPNs are legal in Iran.
Iran has been blocking unsanctioned VPNs since 2013, while state-enforced VPNs are closely monitored.
The penalty for using a VPN that is not sanctioned by the Iranian government is Up to one year in prison.
4. Iraq
VPNs are illegal in Iraq.
VPNs have been banned in Iraq since 2014. The government claims that this ban is aimed at preventing terrorist organizations from influencing the public via social media.
Iraqi government officials still use VPNs, although there are officially no “exceptions” to this rule.
5. North Korea
VPNs are illegal in North Korea.
North Koreans are not allowed access to foreign media, so it’s no surprise that VPNs are illegal.
The penalty for using a VPN is unknown because North Korea is very secretive.
The country’s internet is also heavily censored, and foreign diplomats are prohibited from using it.
6. Oman
Only VPNs allowed by the Sultanate are legal in Oman.
Since 2010, Oman has banned all VPNs except for those allowed by the Sultanate. These exceptions only apply to corporate VPN services, which have to apply for permission.
All certified corporate VPN providers are required to keep web usage logs.
Using a personal VPN is illegal in Oman to prevent citizens from bypassing censorship. Trying to circumvent these laws He is punished with a fine of $1,300.
7. Russia
Only government approved VPNs are legal in Russia.
Russia has banned unapproved VPNs to prevent access to “illegal content”. Russian ISPs enforce the ban by blocking websites that provide VPN services.
In September 2021, Roskomnadzor banned ExpressVPN, NordVPN, IPVanish VPN, Hola VPN, KeepSolid VPN Unlimited, and Speedify VPN.
The penalty for using an unapproved VPN in Russia is 300,000 RUB ($5,100) for a user and 700,000 RUB ($12,000) for a service provider.
If you are traveling to Russia and need to use a VPN, we recommend that you check out our recommendations of the best VPNs for Russia.
Moscow, Russia. March 10, 2019. A protester marches against increasing internet censorship, holding a sign that reads “You won’t shut down the internet.” credit: Elena Rostonova
8. Turkey
VPNs are legal in Turkey, but their use is restricted.
The Turkish government has been restricting VPN use since 2016, justifying the crackdown as necessary to protect national security and “fight terrorism”.
10 VPN providers were banned in Turkey in 2016, along with the Tor network. As Turkey’s watchdog bodies have noted, it is often the people who criticize the government who are punished and censored by the authorities.
If you need a VPN before visiting, see which VPNs still work in Turkey.
Istanbul, Turkey. May 15, 2011. Citizens protest against the government’s decision to introduce content filtering. Credit: Evren Kalinbakak
9- Turkmenistan
VPNs are illegal in Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan banned VPNs in 2015 to censor foreign media. All the proxies and VPN services have been detected and blocked by the state-run ISP of Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan.
The Internet in Turkmenistan is deliberately exaggerated to discourage people from using it. A monthly subscription costs $213 for 8 kbps — more than the state’s average monthly salary.
Using a VPN in Turkmenistan can lead to Unspecified fine And a frightening call from the Department of Homeland Security for a “preventive conversation.”
10. United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Only VPNs approved by the government are legal in the UAE.
The UAE only allows the use of government-approved VPNs. This was implemented in 2012, during the Arab Spring.
Unapproved VPNs are blocked to discourage the use of VoIP services such as Skype, WhatsApp, and Facebook.
VoIP services were banned in the UAE for economic and political reasons. It aims to encourage local residents to pay the (exorbitant) subscription fee for the local telecom services, Etislat and Du.
However, corporate entities can use VPNs without restrictions.
If the VPN is used to commit a crime in the UAE, the user could face imprisonment or a fine of between 150,000 dirhams (around $41,000) and 500,000 dirhams (around $136,000).
If you need a VPN before traveling to the UAE, check out our list of recommended VPNs for the UAE.
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