All news

Russia, US seek full cancellation of visas - Kremlin

Russia and the United States seek the full cancellation of visas
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, March 23 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia and the United States seek the full cancellation of visas. The Kremlin sees the latest easing of visa formalities as a success of joint work with the United States.

“The agreement to ease visa formalities is a noticeable result of joint work,” Russian presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said, as he previewed a meeting of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his US counterpart Barack Obama in Seoul on March 26. He recalled that the corresponding agreement was signed back in November 2011 and was now in the process of ratification.

“When the document takes effect, everybody who will be visiting relatives and friends, tourists, and businessmen – that is an overwhelming majority of Russian and US citizens making mutual trips will be getting multiple visas for a period of three years. The list of documents required will be reduced,” the Kremlin official said.

In his opinion, “this measure will promote the creation of favorable conditions for considerably expanding contacts among the two countries’ peoples.

“It is expected that in the next phase along this priority track there will follow transition to a visaless regimen,” the Russian presidential aide said.