According to a notice published on the official website of Russia’s Ministry of Justice, the visa exemption will apply as long as the purpose of travel is not employment. It will cover business trips, tourism, event attendance, and transit through Russia to a third country.
Vietnam is the 12th country whose citizens are eligible for visa-free entry into Russia. Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said that granting Vietnamese citizens visa-free entry to Russia will create more jobs in the service sector and boost economic ties.
The two countries currently operate 78 flights a week. Last year, 20 new routes were launched to Da Nang, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other Vietnamese destinations.
The Economic Development Ministry expects the new policy to boost total trips between Russia and Vietnam to 1.5 million by the end of this year. The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) forecasts that the number of Vietnamese tourists travelling to Russia will increase at least 30%.
