Indian tourists will soon be able to visit Russia without a visa, an arrangement likely to begin as early as spring 2025.
In June, Russia and India consulted on a bilateral agreement to ease visa restrictions, with the aim of implementing visa-free group tourist exchanges, the news agency reported. PTI in may
And, from August 1, 2023, Indian travelers to Russia are eligible for e-visas, which are usually issued within four days. According to the report, India ranks among the top five countries for the number of e-visas issued in 2023, with 9,500 e-visas issued to Indian visitors, which is 6 percent of the total.
Most Indians who visit Russia do so for business and work purposes. In 2023, more than 60,000 Indian travelers visited Moscow, an increase of 26 percent compared to 2022.
In the first quarter of 2024, India ranked third among non-CIS countries for business tourism. As of January 2024, about 1,700 e-visas had been issued to Indian tourists.
Currently, Russia allows travelers from China and Iran to enter without a visa through the visa-free tourist exchange program. The initiative, launched on 1 August 2023, has been successful and Russia hopes to replicate it with India. PTI.
Indian passport holders currently enjoy visa-free access to 62 countries.
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