Foreign tourists issue one million e-visas to Russia

Since the launch of the system of electronic visas for foreign citizens on 1 August 2023, they have issued one million electronic visas, the jubilee visa was received on 5 April by a Chinese citizen, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.

"On 5 April, the unified electronic visa was received by the millionth foreigner. He was a Chinese citizen intending to visit the Russian Federation for tourist purposes," the Ministry said in a statement.

As the Russian Foreign Ministry states, since the launch of e-visas, their share was 78 per cent of the number of visas of all other categories issued for the same period to citizens of all foreign countries combined.

"This result indicates the undoubted success of the project and great demand for a single electronic visa among foreign citizens due to the simplicity and convenience of its registration," the report stresses.

Russia started issuing electronic visas from 1 August 2023. Citizens of 64 foreign countries, including India, Indonesia and China, have the right to obtain one.

At the end of March it became known that the Russian Foreign Ministry is working on a bill to extend the validity of the e-visa from 60 to 120 days.