SA-ners het van 1 April 2017 af nie visums nodig om Rusland te besoek nie!

Die volledige verklaring, vars uit Rusland, lui so:

Russia and South Africa introduced a visa regime for travel for up to 90 days

Moscow. 19 Jan. INTERFAX.RU Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on the conclusion of a Protocol between the governments of Russia and South African Republic on mutual abolition of visa requirements for holders of foreign passports.

“The Protocol provides introduction of visa-free travel for up to 90 days for holders of ordinary passports,” – said in a statement on the website of the Russian government.

It is noted that the implementation of the Protocol will contribute to the development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation and tourism. The order was made, the Russian foreign Ministry and signed on 18 January 2017.

The Russian foreign Ministry instructed to carry out on behalf of the government of the Russian Federation exchange of notes constituting a specified Protocol.

In November 2016, Minister Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa, Henry William Shorts, announcing the forthcoming introduction of a visa-free regime with Russia, said that the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of South Africa has already approved this decision.

“I think this is good news for our countries in terms of tourism, business and the scientific community,” said Shorts on 18 November at a meeting with Vice-Governor of Murmansk region Alexei Gordeyev.

Van Vispak het Winskooptoere hierdie week die volgende verneem:

Visa-free travel between Russia and SA from April 1

Please be advised that from April 01 2017, South Africans travelling to Russia without the intention of working, studying or living in the country will be free from visa requirements and can enter, stay or transit without a visa for a duration of up to 90 days.

This is according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Department of Home Affairs spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete was quoted on Jacaranda FM as saying the department believes South African travellers don’t pose many risks and should be afforded more convenient travel arrangements.

“South Africans don’t travel to countries to stay there indefinitely. We travel for visiting purposes and where we are travelling to stay for work, we travel through regular means. You don’t get many South Africans being deported back to South Africa,” he was quoted as saying.