Russia has issued more than one million electronic visas (e-Visa) since the system was officially introduced in August 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced through a statement.
The Kremlin now plans to extend the validity of visas, in a bid to modernize the immigration system, VisaGuide.World reports.
On April 5, the one-millionth foreign national received a unified electronic visa. It was a Chinese citizen planning to visit the Russian Federation for tourism purposes.
The e-visa scheme permits nationals of a total of 64 countries to apply for various kinds of visas such as for tourist, business or private visit visas, without being obliged to head to an embassy. These visa applications are usually processed very quickly, with a response issued in about four days.
This result demonstrates the undeniable success of the project and the strong demand for the unified electronic visa from foreign citizens, thanks to its simplicity and convenience. Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry also highlighted that of all visas issued since August 2023, a total of 78 percent of them have been e-visas.
Russia Working on Proposal to Further Extend Validity of e-Visa
Following the increase in demand for Russia’s e-Visas, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, said her ministry is working on a proposal to further extend the validity of the e-Visa.
A possible extension means that the e-Visa would be valid for 120 days instead of the current 60, and permit visitors to stay for 30 days instead of 16 days.
The new changes aim to offer more flexibility for all those reaching Russia for purposes such as tourism or business purposes, among others.
Recently the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin unfolded plans to replace paper migration cards with automated electronic systems, according to a report from Visa News.
Asia Takes the Lead in Travel Demand
The recent statistics from authorities in Russia reveal that tourist numbers from Asian countries marked a notable increase in 2024.
Nationals of the following countries are eligible for Russian e-Visa system:
China, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Myanmar.
In addition to the above mentioned countries, nationals of the following countries as well can benefit from Russia’s e-Visa system:
North Korea, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Oman, Norway, Romania, Saint Lucia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vatican, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.