Lavrov: Russia intends to introduce a visa-free regime with 11 countries
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Russia has planned to coordinate the introduction of a visa-free regime with 11 countries, including India, informed Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday at the government hour in the State Duma.
“We are working on facilitating the visa regime. Now, somewhere with eleven countries, it is already planned to sign completely visa-free travel, with six more, if I am not mistaken, including India, Indonesia – facilitated conditions, very simple, ”he said.
Lavrov also noted that the Foreign Ministry is also working on lifting restrictions on the issuance of electronic visas in about 70 countries, with the exception of unfriendly ones. He explained that e-visas were approved three years ago, but “covid intervened.” The government was instructed to report by June 1 on the possibility of starting to implement earlier decisions on issuing electronic visas, Lavrov added.
At the same time, the minister stressed that the volume of inbound tourism is affected not by the availability of visas, but by the decision of Western countries to stop direct flights to Russia, which is why they have to travel with transfers, which not every tourist is ready to do.
Earlier in December, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said that Russia is engaged elaboration of the issue, which will allow establishing a visa-free regime with almost all countries of the Persian Gulf, including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), in 2022 Russia visited about 200,100 foreign tourists, which is 30.2% less than in 2021, when 288,300 trips were recorded.
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