Countries lifting travel restrictions have been circulating around the internet lately, and travelers are all kinds of excited for it. The national governments, however, have yet to make official decisions to reopen borders to avoid another wave of Covid-19 cases and contain the outbreak within their states. They are currently deliberating on ways to bolster recovery from economic losses through the tourism and trade industry post-pandemic.
For one, Sicily, Italy, has promised to shoulder 50 percent of incoming tourists’ expenses through discounted flights, slashed hotel rates, and free tickets to several of the island’s attractions including museums and archaeological sites.
The same goes for Russia as it prepares to accept visitors next year through a more lenient e-visa processing. The Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has signed a revised directive that now allows countrywide entry (yay for Moscow!) instead of three select regions from 52 countries, including the PH, in 2021.
In addition, it also extends foreigners’ duration of stay from eight to 16 days. “Foreigners can enter via the specially equipped checkpoints anywhere in the country and travel throughout Russia,” the embassy says.
You can get your e-visas online for tourism, business, humanitarian, and guest trips without the need to present invitations, hotel bookings, or any other documents to confirm reasons for travel. You just have to submit an application form and proof of health insurance covering your time in Russia, and pay a consular fee of $40 (free for children aged under six). As of now, the website has yet to revise the application process for the entire country and only allows the three original e-visa options for St Petersburg and Leningrad, Kaliningrad Oblast, and Far East Federal District.
The typical processing period once a completed application has been submitted is between two and four days. News regarding the status of the application will be communicated via email at the address provided when completing the online form.