Russia to grant GCC citizens visa on arrival

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nationals will get visas on arrival at Russia’s Far East entry ports, Russian Prime Minister has said.

Beside citizens from the GCC member states, the nationals of 12 other countries have been allowed to arrive in Vladivostok, the major Pacific port city, without the visa.

“Businessmen and tourists will not need to undergo the traditional procedure of Russian visa receipt. It will be enough for foreigners to enter their data on a special website on the internet,” Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said.

Russia is proactively forming a modern infrastructure in the Far East, he said, adding that the move will promote growth in investment and tourism to the Far East.

The deal was struck with 18 countries and it is reciprocal. Russian nationals arriving in Bahrain and the UAE are granted visas upon arrival.

The list of 18 countries posted by TASS includes Algeria, Bahrain, Brunei, India, Iran, Qatar, China, North Korea, Kuwait, Morocco, Mexico, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tunisia, Turkey and Japan.