More than a million electronic visas issued by Russia

Russia recently took a major step forward in its policy of opening up to international travelers, issuing over a million electronic visas (e-Visas) since the system was introduced. This progress illustrates the strong demand, particularly from Asiafor this simplified way of entering Russia.

An attractive package for international travellers

Launched on August 1, 2023, the Russian electronic visa allows nationals of 56 countries to visit the whole of Russia for tourist, business or family stays. This system aims to facilitate access to Russia, while boosting the tourism sector and strengthening economic exchanges with foreign countries.

Key figures and trends

• More than a million e-Visas have been issued to date, a figure driven by strong demand from Asian travelersThese include China, India, Estonia, Germany and Turkey.
• The refusal rate remains extremely low, at less than 0.08 %, which contradicts claims about possible difficulties in obtaining the e-visa.
• The entry points most frequently used by e-Visa holders are Moscow and St Petersburg airports, as well as certain land border crossings.

Extending the validity of electronic visas

The Russian government plans to further relax entry requirements. According to Maria Zakharova Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the validity of the electronic visa will soon be extended from 60 to 120 dayswhile the authorized length of stay would be extended from 16 to 30 days. In addition, electronic authorization could replace paper migration cards, reinforcing the security of entry into the country.

An ever-improving system

Despite the simplicity of the device, the Russian authorities point out that the importance of filling out the online application correctly. The most frequent errors concern the entry of names, dates of birth and the quality of uploaded documents. Candidates can, however, correct their application at no extra cost in the event of a problem.

Nationals of the following countries are eligible to the Russian electronic 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, Netherlands, North Korea, Northern 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 City, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

The issuing of over a million e-Visas marks an important step in Russia's strategy of opening up its markets. The forthcoming extension of validity conditions should make the destination even more attractive to international travellers. Just like Russia, Belarus launches its electronic visa since March 20.

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