MOSCOW, January 16. /TASS/. The amount of Russian visa refusals to foreign nationals is less than one percent, and the procedure of obtaining an entry visa is among the most liberal in the world, State Secretary, Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Ivanov said in an interview with TASS.

"Today, the procedure for obtaining Russian visas, including tourist visas, is one of the most liberal in the world. Single entry tourist visas are issued within no more than seven calendar days, if necessary - within three or even one working day," the senior diplomat stressed.

"The set of documents for getting a tourist visa is very simple, it includes a passport, a visa application form, a photo and the confirmation that the foreign tourist will be received, which is a guarantee that the foreign citizen receives the services he or she paid for. Medical insurance is requested only on the basis of reciprocity," he explained.

"The share of Russian visa refusals does not exceed a tenth of a percent," Ivanov said, answering a question about the difficulties in obtaining Russian visas.

According to him, the visa procedure for acquiring a tourist visa has become more favorable, because now foreign nationals have the possibility of getting a multi-entry tourist visa. "Moreover, compared to 2019, when, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, the number of foreigners who came to Russia on tourist visits amounted to 5.1 million people, the visa procedure for tourists has become more favorable. Since August 26, 2021, Russian diplomatic missions and consular offices began issuing multiple-entry ordinary tourist visas to foreign nationals, valid for up to six months," Ivanov added.