MOSCOW, October 10. The Russian government has announced plans to introduce a visa-free regime for all Georgian citizens, according to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov. This decision is motivated by the humanitarian relations between the two countries. Peskov highlighted that while interstate relations are one aspect of the relationship, dialogue between the people of Russia and Georgia is a separate matter entirely.
We have a fairly large Georgian diaspora, our tourists go there, this is a normal process,” the spokesman told reporters, emphasizing that the dialogue between the two countries has not been interrupted.
Peskov’s comments follow the publication of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree on the matter. The new policy eliminates any exceptions to the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens. In the past, Russia had introduced a visa regime for Georgian citizens in 2000. However, in May 2023, President Putin signed a decree abolishing this regime; however, it maintained the requirement of a visa for those entering Russia “for the purpose of labor activity or for a period of more than 90 days for temporary stay in Russia, including for the purpose of education.
Under the new policy, all citizens of Georgia will be able to enter Russia without needing a visa, with no exceptions made for any category. The visa regime for Russian citizens traveling to Georgia was abolished back in 2012.