The Foreign Ministry spoke about the possible timing of the introduction of simplified entry for foreigners

Proposals for the implementation of the frozen project of a single electronic visa for foreigners entering Russia can be submitted by January 31, a representative of the Foreign Ministry told Vedomosti. Previously, the issue was postponed until the end of 2022.

“As part of the response measures of a visa nature in connection with the unfriendly actions of a number of foreign states, the country’s leadership in March 2022 decided to temporarily freeze the practical launch of the unified electronic visa project, postponing until the end of this year the development of further approaches to its implementation, taking into account the development of the international situation “, the agency said in a statement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was instructed to make relevant proposals by January 31, 2023. Currently, electronic visas are not issued to foreign citizens.

At the Wings of Russia forum on November 29, Asiyat Khalvashi, director of aviation commerce at the Air Gates of the Northern Capital company (the management company of Pulkovo airport) statedthat the introduction of a visa-free regime or an electronic visa with the countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East will allow Pulkovo to attract an additional 2.5 million passengers a year.

According to Khalvashi, we are talking about such countries as India, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Venezuela. “We are negotiating with countries with a high potential for visiting us, so we did not consider Egypt or Cuba,” she explained to Vedomosti. Khalvashi noted that in total, several dozen airlines from these states are already ready for cooperation.

Prior to the introduction of sanctions at Pulkovo, the main part of the international flow was made up of European destinations. “In 2019, Pulkovo’s international passenger traffic exceeded 7 million, and by the end of 2022 it will be slightly more than 2 million,” Khalvashi said.

Citizens of most Latin American countries, including Venezuela, as well as the UAE and Qatar, can enter the Russian Federation without visas in accordance with the current bilateral agreements on the mutual abolition of visa formalities, the Foreign Ministry responded to a request from Vedomosti. “India, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain are included in the list of foreign countries whose citizens can be issued a single electronic visa, approved by the order of the Government of the Russian Federation of October 6, 2020 No. 2571-r,” the representative of the ministry specified.

In addition, by the summer of 2023, proposals should be developed to introduce a visa-free regime for entering the country for certain purposes.

“As part of the execution of the instructions of the President of Russia”, following the meeting of the State Council on September 6, 2022, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Russian Federal Security Service and other federal executive authorities are working on the issue of establishing, without taking into account the principle of reciprocity, a visa-free regime for traveling to the Russian Federation by foreign citizens in tourist , business, educational purposes, as well as for participation in sports and cultural events,” the Foreign Ministry noted. The deadline for submitting a report to the President with proposals on this issue is June 1, 2023.