On 1 June 2007, Agreement came into force between the European Union and the Russian Federation on simplified conditions for visa issuance to EU and Russian Federation (RF) citizens, which anticipates simplified issuance of short term visas for both EU and RF citizens.
The Agreement provides the following important relief:
- abolish visa regime for holders of diplomatic passports if they anticipate staying in the territory of the Parties to the Agreement for not more than 90 days of a 180 day period.
- to persons of Category 11 (for example, business people, truck drivers, close relatives, members of official delegations, etc.) visas are issued in accordance with the simplified procedure, identifying documents which are considered sufficient to justify the purpose for entry into the territory of Parties to the Agreement.
- persons of Category 8 (for example, persons attending science, cultural and arts events, business people, truck drivers) may be issued with multiple visas, valid for 2 to 5 years, provided that during the two preceding years they have made use of a multiple one-year visa issued according to the appropriate laws concerning entry and sojourn in the territory of the visited country and if there is still reason to apply for a multiple visa.
- for persons of Category 9 (for example, close relatives, persons attending science, cultural, and arts events) payment for reviewing a visa application in the amount of EUR 35 is waived.
The Agreement does not provide changes in the procedure for receiving visas by persons who wish to enter Latvia for the purpose of tourism.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall inform reporters on the said Agreement and other questions related to travel, at a press conference on 1 June in Room 250. Representatives of the media are asked to register their attendance with the Ministry's press centre, telephone 7016272 by 10.30 of 1 June.
More detailed information on documents required for entry, depending on the purpose of travel of the person, is available at diplomatic and consular representations of Latvia and Russia respectively.
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