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While travelling alone or with a romantic partner is enjoyable, travelling in a large group may be even more thrilling, particularly if doing so helps save money and makes obtaining a visa easier. A "group-free visa regime" is being discussed between Russia and India, which would exclude a certain number of visitors travelling in a group from the visa requirement while visiting Russia. Russian visas for Indians just got easier; keep reading to find out more! You might just get the inspiration for your next trip!
This discussion follows an announcement made by Russia eight months ago that the first groups of Indian tourists to visit Moscow visa-free are scheduled to do so in the spring of 2025. So, what does this mean for Russian tourist visas for Indians? Let’s get into it!
Okay, but first, what does visa-free travel mean?
The ability to enter a nation without first obtaining a visa is known as visa-free travel. Passengers may save the hassle and expense of obtaining a visa by just presenting their passport at the airport. The Indian passport already grants visa-free entry to sixty-two nations.
Russia visa for Indians – what do we know till now
The head of the Moscow City Tourism Committee, Evgeny Kozlov, told the news agency PTI that to secure a visa exemption for a group of tourists visiting Russia, the precise number of people on the document must be specified. For Chinese tourists, for example, a group of 10–20 individuals is ideal. Electronic visas for Russian citizens have been available to Indian citizens since August 2023; the processing time for these visas is around four days. According to The Indian Express, 9,500 e-visas were given to Indian travellers last year, placing India in the top five nations for the number of e-visas issued. To enter, remain in, or depart the Russian Federation, Indian citizens are now required to possess a visa granted by the Russian Embassy or Consulate in their home country. Obtaining the paper was a lengthy procedure.
The rise of Indian tourism in Russia
The majority of Indian tourists visiting Russia are there on official business. There was a 26% rise from 2022 to 2023, with over 60,000 Indians visiting Moscow. With almost 1,700 e-visas granted in the first quarter of 2024, India placed third among non-CIS nations for business travel earlier this year, according to the study. Notably, as of right now, Russian citizens from Iran and China may enter the country visa-free thanks to the visa-free tourist exchange Program. Moscow is hoping to achieve similar success with India following this initiative.
Indian passport holders – what do we know
India is now able to travel visa-free to 62 countries. Popular tourist destinations such as Indonesia, the Maldives, and Thailand do not require a visa for Indian passport holders, who rank 82nd in the Henley Passport Index 2024. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) provides the data used to compile the Henley Passport Index. The index is based on the premise that passport holders are adult nationals travelling alone, fulfilling all fundamental entry criteria, and seeking entrance for brief business or tourism visits. There are a few exceptions, however, such as diplomatic travel, emergency passports, transit stays, and temporary or emergency visas.
So why is Russia going visa-free for India?
Russia receives a large number of visitors from India, which ranks second among faraway foreign nations, behind only China. We consider India a top market focus. China and India are the two most distant nations in terms of distance. According to Kozlov, Indians are notoriously extravagant vacationers, shelling out almost $2,000 on average! The government reported that 19.7 million tourists visited Moscow in the first nine months of 2024, including 61,000 from India. Atlys reports that the current price of a Russian tourist visa is INR 4,500.
What will this mean for Indians travelling to Russia?
An estimated 6 million international visitors will descend upon Moscow this year, hailing mostly from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Asia-Pacific area, India, and the Middle East, among other regions. Removing visa rules for group visitors has the potential to significantly increase Indian tourism to Russia, according to industry experts. It makes it easier for families and business travellers to visit, while also reducing the hurdles for first-time visitors who struggle with the visa process. Currently, the visa-free tourist exchange program allows Iranian and Chinese nationals to visit Russia visa-free. Russia hopes to replicate the success of its visa-free tourism programme with India; it also announced a tourist exchange programme between China and Russia on August 1, 2023.
A borderless world and an Indian passport with greater worldwide influence are a win-win for Indian travellers! Given the competitive nature of the global travel industry, any initiative that streamlines the process for tourists is certain to enhance Indian tourism.