Visa-Free Entry To Russia For These GCC Nationals Starting 2025

Citizens from Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia will be able to travel to Russia without a visa starting in 2025, as announced by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development.

Moscow received 24.3 million visitors in 2023, of which 2.3 million were international and the rest were from elsewhere in Russia. In 2019, Moscow recorded 25 million visitors, of which four million were from overseas.

Nikita Kondrat, Director of the Department for Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects at the ministry, mentioned that a visa-free regime with Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and some African countries is anticipated to begin in 2025. This information was reported by the Russian news agency TASS.

"I really hope so because there is demand from Russian tourists for these countries and also a sharp increase in inbound tourism (from these countries)," Kondratyev stated.

According to the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT), Oman experienced a significant rise in Russian tourist arrivals in 2023. The number surged by over 308%, reaching 53,145 visitors compared to around 13,000 in 2022.

MHT aims to attract 11 million tourists by 2040 as part of Oman Vision 2040. This strategy includes focusing on key markets such as Russia, India, and China.

This year, Saudi Tourism Authority partnered with Yandex Travel, a well-known Russian online travel agency and aggregator, to attract Russian tourists. This partnership was announced on March 6.

The collaboration aims to make Saudi Arabia a top choice for Russian tourists who usually visit like Turkey and Cyprus. Saudi Arabia is investing billions in various tourism infrastructures to improve its image.

The expected visa-free travel arrangement reflects growing tourism ties between Russia and these nations. It also highlights efforts to boost mutual tourism and economic cooperation.

This initiative aligns with broader goals to enhance international relations and promote cultural exchange through easier travel access.