World Cup fans will be able to travel visa-free to Russia for the rest of 2018 under a bill passed by the State Duma on Thursday.
Russia allowed football fans to enter the country without visas during the tournament this summer with Fan IDs that were issued to match ticket holders. On the closing day of the World Cup, President Vladimir Putin promised to extend visa-free travel for Fan ID holders.
“Fan ID holders will be able to return to Russia without visas until the end of the year,” the Duma said in a statement on Thursday after passing the bill in its third reading.
Before becoming law, the legislation must be passed by the upper-house Federation Council, which sits down for its last session of the summer this Saturday, and signed by the president.
The visa waiver system will not extend to family members of Fan ID holders, as some lawmakers initially suggested, Mikhail Degtyaryov, the chairman of the Duma’s Physical Fitness and Sport Committee, told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.
“Relatives who don’t have Fan IDs can’t be included because this is a temporary rule for fans,” Degtyaryov told RIA Novosti.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
