Russia prepares to ease visa rules for foreigners

Russia prepares to ease visa rules for foreigners
September 20, 2022, 7:00 am

Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 12.4 million residents within the city limits, over 17 million residents in the urban area, and over 20 million residents in the metropolitan area - Photo: Pixabay

Russia on Monday (Sep 19) announced that it is working to facilitate the process of delivering visas to foreign nationals.

According to a Foreign Ministry statement, Russian consulates are updating the relevant digital means, including a special website for issuing unified electronic visas to foreign nationals.

The statement said, electronic visas are expected to be issued by the end of 2022.

It added that e-visas will be available for the citizens of 52 countries who should enter Russia at one of 92 border checkpoints equipped for processing this type of travel document.

The EU last month has agreed to suspend a visa travel deal with Moscow to curb the number of Russian nationals entering the bloc for holidays and shopping, stopping short of a full tourist visa ban demanded by some central and eastern European countries.

Russia on Monday (Sep 19) announced that it is working to facilitate the process of delivering visas to foreign nationals - Photo. Pixabay

The EU’s high representative for foreign policy, Josep Borrell, said there had been a “substantial increase of border crossings” from Russia into the EU since mid-July, which he described as “a security risk for these neighbouring states”.

Poland, Baltic countries to ban entry of Russians with short-term visas as of Monday

Estonia, Latvia, and Finland had originally proposed an EU-wide blanket ban on tourist visas for Russians.

The EU had already suspended the visa facilitation agreement for government officials, diplomats, and businesspeople soon after the Russian attack on Ukraine in February.

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