Russia approves facilitated visa regime for citizens of 19 countries, including Türkiye

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed on Tuesday a decree approving facilitated visa regime for citizens of 19 countries, including Türkiye.

Citizens of the specified countries may get a tourist visa for up to six months if they have a hotel reservation, the decree, published on the government portal, read.

The facilitated countries are Bahrain, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Thailand, Türkiye and the Philippines.

On Feb.15, speaking at Russia's lower chamber of parliament, State Duma, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Russia plans to introduce a visa-free regime with 11 countries in the near future, as well as a visa-easing regime with six countries.

The Foreign Ministry will publish a report by June 1 on the possibility of introducing electronic visas for citizens of 70 more countries, he said, pledging that "there will be no problems for friendly countries."