ST. PETERSBURG (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th February, 2020) Russia's introduction of an online visa application and issuance service for foreign tourists proved effective in two pilot regions and is likely to be extended onto all regions in 2021, Vladimir Zapevalov, the Russian Foreign Ministry's representative in St. Petersburg, told Sputnik.
"This is an act of good will on behalf of Russia The e-visa was introduced in Kaliningrad [in July 2019], in October 2019 it was extended for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, and we expect that in 2021 it will be available for all Russian regions," Zapevalov said.
Applications for an e-visa can be submitted on the Foreign Ministry's website and are available to citizens of 51 countries, according to the diplomat. The visa is issued for a period of 30 days, and tourists are able to stay in the country for up to eight days.
To obtain a visa, an applicant must fill out an online questionnaire, but according to Zapevalov, many do not answer questions accurately and completely, and are therefore turned away at the border.
"As of today, there 1,450 people have been sent back, which is 4 percent of the total number," the diplomat said.
According to Zapevalov, nearly 80,000 visas have been issued since mid-December, most of them to applicants from the Baltic states � 23,500 from Estonia and 8,500 from Latvia. Many applicants also come from France (8,000), Finland (6,500) and Germany (6,000).
So far, entry points with e-visas to St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region included the Pulkovo airport for air travelers, the Ivangorod and several other road checkpoints for car travelers, and the Marine Station section for those arriving by sea. Speaking to Sputnik, Zapevalov hinted that train stations might soon join the e-visa system.
A special system was in place during the 2018 World Cup, when fans were able to use their Fan ID as both a pass to matches and a visa waiver. With St. Petersburg set to be one of the host cities for the 2020 UEFA European Championship, Zapevalov said the Fan IDs would again be used in such a capacity.
