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Russia in talks with African countries to scrap visa requirement

In August 2023, Russia launched a visa-free travel exchange program for groups with China and Iran

MOSCOW, June 5. /TASS/. Russia is in negotiations with a number of African countries to cancel the requirement to get a tourist visa when traveling there, the press service of the Economic Development Ministry said in a statement.

"Negotiations with foreign partners are underway now on agreements to mutually cancel visas with Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Myanmar and a number of African countries," the statement reads.

In August 2023, Russia launched a visa-free travel exchange program for groups with China and Iran. In 2024, it is also planned to launch a visa-free travel exchange for groups between Russia and India. Russian Deputy Economic Development Minister Dmitry Vakhrukhov told TASS earlier that first trips might take place as early as in the third quarter of this year.

In September 2023, Economic Development Minister Maksim Reshetnikov said that Russia had suggested that the requirement to get a tourist visa when going to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Malaysia be canceled. An inflow of premium clients from those countries is possible, he stressed. Vakhrukhov said later that visas for those countries might be canceled in 2024.

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