Russia introduces E-visas for citizens of 53 states visiting St Petersburg

From Tuesday, October 1, 53 nationalities can apply for a free e-visa to visit the Russian city of St Petersburg and the neighbouring Leningrad region, Travel Daily Media reports. 
According to officials, the e-visa is issued within “four calendar days, including week-ends and bank holidays.” A tourist only has to fill in the application form on the website and doesn’t need any invitations or confirmations.
Indians, Filipinos, Omanis, Saudis and Kuwaitis are a few of the nationalities that are eligible for the e-visa. The e-visa system’s website works around the clock.
Tourists do not require to show proof of hotel booking confirmations or any other documents. Once the visa is received, tourists will have to print it or download it on their phones and present it to a “transport company employee and to a border service officer at the border crossing point.”
President Vladimir Putin tasked the government “to determine particularities of electronic visas’ issuance for foreign citizens and their entry into the Russian Federation via checkpoints on the basis of electronic visas; approve the list of foreign countries, whose nationals can enter the Russian Federation and depart from the Russian Federation via checkpoints on the basis of electronic visas by October 1, 2019.”
In March 2017, Putin signed a law on the simplified visa regime in the territory of the Vladivostok Free Port. The electronic visa is valid for 30 days from its issue with the authorized period of stay in Russia of up to 8 days. Citizens of 18 states are eligible. Simplified visa issue conditions in the Far East came into force on August 1, 2018.

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