Russia is set to take the lead in negotiations, scheduled to begin on Monday, with the United Kingdom to ease the visa regime between both countries, Russia's Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin said on Friday
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th February, 2020) Russia is set to take the lead in negotiations, scheduled to begin on Monday, with the United Kingdom to ease the visa regime between both countries, Russia's Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin said on Friday.
"We will invite our UK colleagues to start negotiations on easing the visa regime. People are used to moving freely around Europe due to Schengen [Area]. And here [in London, the UK population] comes [to apply for a visa] and think that they will be able to travel freely around Russia for five years. It is not happening like that yet ... The next meeting [regarding visa rules] will take place on Monday," Kelin told Russian reporters.
The ambassador confirmed that the UK was not included in a visa facilitation agreement Russia signed with the European Union.
"When the agreement with the EU on visa facilitation was concluded, it contained an exemption for the United Kingdom. Since then, the UK has not made any visa facilitation proposals. This does not fit into the current government's concept, since it announced that it will ease the visa regime for students, scientists and specialists in the field of education. The UK has to do something here," Kelin noted.
The diplomat also confirmed that the UK would not be part of a new electronic visa system being introduced for the whole of Russia in 2021. Kelin stated that UK's failure to enter visa facilitation discussions resulted in their exclusion from the list of countries eligible to apply for an e-visa.
On Thursday, Vladimir Zapevalov, the head of the representative office of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in St. Petersburg, told Sputnik that Russia will introduce an online visa application and issuance service for foreign tourists in all Russian regions, after successful pilots in Kaliningrad and St. Petersburg this year.
