Russia to offer visa-free travel for Indian tourists, starting 2025

By spring 2025, the first visa-free tourist groups from India are expected to arrive in Moscow, according to a report from the Economic Times (ET) on Monday. This development comes as Russia looks to boost tourism ties with India.

 

"It is predicted that thanks to the agreement, which is now under development, the number of travellers from India coming to the Russian capital will increase," said Evgeny Kozlov, chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee.

 

This follows an earlier statement in June by Nikita Kondratyev, Director of the Russian Economic Development Ministry’s Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects, who noted that Russia and India are gearing up for visa-free group tourist exchanges.

 

 

What does visa-free travel mean?

 

Visa-free travel allows entry into a country without the need to apply for a visa in advance. Travellers simply present their passport upon arrival, making the process quicker and eliminating visa costs. Indian passport holders already enjoy visa-free access to 62 countries.

 

Tourism boost in Moscow

 

Moscow has continued to attract more Indian visitors over the years. Kozlov noted, "In the first half of 2024, 28,500 Indian travellers visited the Russian capital, which is 1.5 times more than during the same period last year." He also added, "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."

 

The main reasons for Indian citizens visiting Moscow are business and work-related trips. According to Kozlov, "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."

 

More Indians visiting Russia

 

Since August 1, 2023, Indian travellers have been able to apply for an e-visa, which takes about four days to be processed. Kozlov said that "India entered the top five countries in terms of e-visas issued last year, with 9,500 electronic visas granted, making up 6% of the total electronic visas received by foreigners visiting Russia." He added, "In January this year, 1,700 e-visas were issued to Indian tourists."

 

Russia already offers visa-free entry to citizens from China and Iran under its tourist exchange programme, which began on August 1, 2023, and has seen considerable success. The hope is to replicate this programme with India.

 

Current Russian visa types for Indians

 

For Indian citizens who still require a visa to enter Russia, several options are available:

Tourist visa: for leisure travel and sightseeing

Business visa: for attending business meetings or professional events

Private visa: for visiting family or friends in Russia

Work visa: for employment opportunities

Student visa: for those enrolling in Russian educational institutions

E-visa: for short-term visits to specific regions of Russia

 

Russian visa processing times and fees

 

The processing time for a Russian visa from India typically ranges between 2 to 3 weeks, depending on the type of visa. For those opting for an e-visa, it is processed within four days, allowing short stays of up to 16 days.

 

Russian visa fees:

Normal Visa (Single Entry): Rs 6,480 (Processing Time: 4-20 Working Days)

Normal Visa (Double Entry): Rs 10,368 (Processing Time: 4-20 Working Days)

Normal Visa (Multiple Entry): Rs 19,440 (Processing Time: 4-20 Working Days)

Urgent Visa (Single Entry): Rs 12,960 (Processing Time: 1-3 Working Days)

Urgent Visa (Double Entry): Rs 20,736 (Processing Time: 1-3 Working Days)

Urgent Visa (Multiple Entry): Rs 38,880 (Processing Time: 1-3 Working Days)