Travel Visa: Indians might soon enjoy visa-free travel to Russia (russia visa free for indian), as a new system is expected to launch in the spring of 2025. Earlier in June, it was reported that Russia and India had talked about a bilateral agreement to relax visa restrictions for one another to facilitate visa-free group tourist exchanges. Starting August 2023, Indians can apply for an e-visa to visit Russia, with a processing time of approximately four days. According to the media reports, India ranked among the top five nations for e-visas issued last year, with more than 9,500 e-visas provided to Indian travelers.
Visa provided by the Russian Embassy/Consulate
Presently, Indian nationals must acquire a visa provided by the Russian Embassy/Consulate to enter, reside in, and leave the Russian Federation. The procedure to acquire the document took a considerable amount of time. The majority of Indian travelers go to Russia for business or official reasons.
In 2023, an unprecedented 60,000 Indians traveled to Moscow, representing a 26 percent increase from 2022. According to the report, India secured the third position for business tourism to non-CIS nations, issuing approximately 1,700 e-visas in the first quarter of 2024. It is important to mention that Russia presently permits visa-free access for tourists from China and Iran via its visa-free tourism exchange initiative. This initiative has been successful for Moscow, which aims to duplicate it with India.
At present, India has the advantage of visa-free access to 62 nations. Ranked 82nd in the Henley Passport Index 2024, holders of Indian passports can visit popular tourist spots such as Indonesia, Maldives, and Thailand without a visa. The Henley Passport Index is published using information from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA). The index presumes that passport holders fulfill all essential entry criteria, are adult citizens traveling independently, and are seeking entry for tourism or business reasons for brief visits.