MOSCOW, July 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind the idea of launching electronic visas in Russia beginning on August 1 of this year.

At a meeting between the President and the Russian government, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova asked the head of state to support the proposal to launch electronic visas in the country from August 1. "That’s fine. Thank you for doing all this ahead of schedule. Surely it will help people," Putin said.

In 2020, Russia adopted a law which provided for the issuance of electronic visas for citizens of 52 countries starting in 2021. However, the law did not go into effect due to the pandemic. In the fall of 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government, together with the Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry and the Federal Security Service, to think about renewing the e-visa program for residents of countries not included on the list of unfriendly states.