Bahrainis can now visit Russia’s Far East sans visa

Manama : Bahraini tourists and business people can visit the Russian Far East without the need for visas.

Bahrain is among 18 countries whose nationals have been permitted to enter under the scheme announced by Russia on Monday.

"I have recently approved the list of countries, whose nationals can take advantage of the preferential regime,” Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said, quoted by TASS news agency. “Businessmen and tourists will not need to undergo the traditional procedure of Russian visas receipt. It will be enough for foreigners to enter their data on a special website in the Internet.”

Russia is proactively forming the modern infrastructure and creating special regimes in the Far East, he added.

The law on visits to the Vladivostok free port was approved in March and the cancellation of visa procedures for tourists and businessmen "will promote growth of investment and tourist attractiveness of the Far East," the prime minister said. The region will earn more money from tourist traffic growth, he added.

Medvedev said that the 18 countries from various regions were selected under the reciprocity principle.

"This is not because these states are situated at a closer or longer distance. We are appropriately introducing bilateral agreements on visa-free travel for those ready to use such an approach for us.”

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