MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. Russia plans to expand the list of countries whose citizens can obtain its electronic visa, as stated in the governmental order on the approval of the action plan for implementation of the Concept of the State Migration Policy. The document is available to TASS.
"The expected result is that the list of states whose citizens can obtain a single electronic visa is expanded," the document says.
The deadline for the implementation of this plan is December 10, 2024. The responsible agencies are the Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Economic Development Ministry and the FSB of Russia.
According to the plan, by December 10, 2025, Russia also plans to expand the list of states whose citizens have the right to enter the country without obtaining a visa, including for tourism purposes.
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. Russia began issuing electronic visas to citizens of 55 foreign countries from August 1, 2023. In late December, Secretary of State - Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Ivanov said in an interview with kp.ru that more than 150,000 foreigners, including citizens of EU member countries, received e-visas.