Russia has approved a bill that extends the stay duration for foreigners entering the country with electronic visas to 30 days. The bill, prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was accepted by the commission of the Russian Cabinet of Ministers.
E-Visa Duration to Be Extended to 120 Days
According to TürkRus, under the current system, electronic visas including those issued to Turkish citizens allow a stay of up to 16 days from the date of entry. These visas are valid for 60 days from the date of issuance. However, the new bill proposes extending the validity period of electronic visas to 120 days and increasing the permitted stay to 30 days.
Official documents obtained by RBC confirm that electronic visas will remain single-entry. This means that foreigners will still be able to enter Russia only once with the visa, but their stay will be extended from 16 days to 30 days.
Russia’s E-Visa System Attracts Strong Interest
Russia launched its electronic visa system on August 1, 2023. The system was designed for foreigners traveling to the country for tourism, business, humanitarian, and cultural events. Currently, visas are valid for 60 days but allow a stay of only 16 days. Electronic visas can be used at land, air, sea, and pedestrian border crossings.
Citizens of 64 countries can benefit from this system. In addition to Turkey, tourists from Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, and many other European countries can enter Russia with an electronic visa.
A Significant Increase in Tourist Numbers Expected
The rationale behind the bill states that the e-visa system has attracted great interest, and extending both the stay duration and visa validity period would be beneficial.
Between August 1, 2023, and July 31, 2024, a total of 771,000 visas were issued to foreigners, 70% of which—approximately 541,000—were electronic visas. This figure demonstrates the rapid adoption and widespread use of the system.
Once the changes take effect, an increase in the number of foreigners visiting Russia for tourism, business, humanitarian, or personal reasons is expected. At the same time, migration control and national security measures will remain in place.
China Leads in E-Visa Applications
China ranked as the top country for electronic visa applications, with over 254,000 applications in one year.
Applications from other countries are as follows:
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Saudi Arabia: 43.4K
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Germany: 42.6K
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Turkey: 32.8K
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Estonia: 28.6K
Tourist Visits to Russia Surge
In 2024, the number of foreign visitors traveling to Russia for tourism purposes increased significantly. According to data from the Federal Security Service (FSB), the number of tourists more than doubled compared to the previous year, rising from 670,000 to 1.6 million.
China, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Turkmenistan were among the countries with the highest number of visitors to Russia.
