Russia plans visa-free entry for Indians from 2025, joining 62 countries

Want to visit Russia? By March 2025, Indian tourists may be able to explore Russia without needing a visa. This comes after the June discussions between Russia and India on a bilateral agreement to relax visa requirements. 

At present, Indian visitors require visas based on their travel purposes, such as tourist, business, humanitarian, private, work, or student categories. 

Tourism boost in Moscow 

Moscow has seen a steady increase in visitors from India in recent years. Evgeny Kozlov, Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee, said that 28,500 Indian travellers visited Moscow in the first half of 2024, marking a 1.5-fold increase compared to the same period last year. Most visits were for business or work.

“In 2023, India ranked high in terms of travellers coming to Moscow among non-CIS countries, with over 60,000 visitors, a 26% rise compared to 2022,” said Kozlov. He also noted, “India ranked third among visitors from non-CIS countries for business tourists in the first quarter of this year. Moscow authorities consider India one of the priority markets due to the strong, time-tested ties between the two countries.” 

What does visa-free travel mean?

Visa-free travel allows individuals to enter a country without obtaining a visa beforehand. Passengers simply present their passports on arrival. This speeds up the process and removes visa-related expenses. Indian passport holders currently enjoy visa-free access to 62 countries.

Unified e-visa system 

Since August 1, 2023, Indian visitors have been able to apply for a unified e-visa (UEV), which is processed in around four days. This system makes travel more accessible for personal, business, tourism, and events such as scientific, cultural, political, or sports gatherings. 

The UEV is a single-entry visa valid across the Russian Federation and is available to citizens of 55 countries, including India. 

How to apply for UEV 

Foreign nationals can apply for a UEV through the Consular Division of the Russian Embassy or the nearest Russian Consulate. Appointments must be booked via the online portal (http://new_delhi.kdmid.ru/).

< Certain categories, like diplomats and officials, can apply directly through Russian consular offices.

< To prevent fraud, documents submitted must match the information entered in the online pre-registration system.

< Discrepancies in the data will result in the application being declined.

< Each reserved appointment slot is limited to processing one set of documents.

Originally Published at BUSINESSSTANDARD