As one of the largest countries on Earth, Russia is home to a lot of great natural and man-made destinations. Many tourists dream of seeing these sites. Unfortunately, they often fail because of the strict visa requirements in the country. But it seems this will be changing this October with the introduction of the Russian eVisa.

Russian eVisa Now Available

On Thursday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced that 53 countries will now be able to visit St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast by applying for a Russian eVisa. The move follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree in July which opens travel to the two areas via eVisa starting October 1. The eVisa is valid for up to eight days and can be used for tourism, humanitarian and business reasons.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that an eVisa is much more practical than the usual sticker visa. The most notable reason why it is practical is the issuing time for eVisas. Applicants only need to wait 4 calendar days, including weekends and holidays, before they can get their visa. The application is also free and done online.

Countries Eligible for Russian eVisa

When the decree was signed in July, the Russian government did not detail which countries will be included. However, following the announcement on Thursday, the list was published the following day.

The countries eligible for the new visa are the following:
1. Austria
2. Andorra
3. Bahrain
4. Belgium
5. Bulgaria
6. Vatican
7. Hungary
8. Germany
9. Greece
10. Denmark
11. India
12. Indonesia
13. Iran
14. Ireland
15. Iceland
16. Spain
17. Italy
18. Qatar
19. Cyprus
20. China (including Taiwan)
21. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
22. Kuwait
23. Latvia
24. Lithuania
25. Liechtenstein
26. Luxembourg
27. Malaysia
28. Malta
29. Mexico
30. Monaco
31. Netherlands
32. Norway
33. Oman
34. Poland
35. Portugal
36. Romania
37. San Marino
38. Saudi Arabia
39. Northern Macedonia
40. Serbia
41. Singapore
42. Slovakia
43. Slovenia
44. Turkey
45. Philippines
46. Finland
47. France
48. Croatia
49. Czech Republic
50. Switzerland
51. Sweden
52. Estonia
53. Japan

This is not the first time Russia introduced the eVisa system for tourists. For instance, this July, the country opened the Far East and Kaliningrad Oblast to 53 countries. While the country invited all the European Union countries, the United Kingdom, sadly, is not included in the list.

Russia Travel Tips

Looking for ideas in your future Russia trip? Feel free to check out our articles on where to stay in Moscow or in Saint Petersburg to get some ideas. You can also check out our article on how to get prepaid internet during your trip. For those hoping to stay in Moscow, our salary guide is a good place to start.

You can also check out the official guide for Saint Petersburg for more information. To apply for an e-visa, check out this link.

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For many travelers, they are need an India eVisa in advance to enter the country. However, some are finding it difficult to get the visa due to the complicated rules to get one. Fortunately, the Indian government saw this and shifted its eVisa policy.

On Tuesday, August 20, Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel announced that the country will be changing its eVisa policy. New fees will be introduced for peak and lean periods for anyone who would like to visit India for a short time.

New India eVisa Rules

Under the new India eVisa rules, the fee for a 30 day-eVisa during the peak season will be $25. Peak seasons in India often start from July to March. Lean period eVisa, from April to June, will only cost travelers $10.

The country also launched a five-year eVisa fee for $80 and a one-year eVisa for $40. For travelers coming from Japan, Sri Lanka and Singapore, eVisas during the lean periods will be $10. They will be charged $25 if they picked either the one-year or the five-year visa.

In his statement at the recent National Conference of Tourism Ministers in New Delhi, Patel said, “We expect that the plan will help to draw more international tourists to India.”

Many groups support the move, especially those involved in tourism. They said that the high eVisa fee causes many tourists to ignore India as a tourist destination. As a result, many neighboring countries are getting the tourists India needs.

According to Ravi Gosain of Erco Travels, the new eVisa policy is good for India’s tourism sector. He says that the industry has been calling for the government to change the visa fees. With the improved visa fees, he believes many will now go to India.

Travel Corporation India’s managing director Dipak Deva also expressed his support for the new eVisa policy. He said that the new policy will help the country’s beach destinations, especially during the low season. Goa, in particular, will benefit greatly from the new policy.

Know More About India

If you wish to know more about India’s great offerings to tourists, you can check out the official website of Incredible India. Visa policies in India can be read in the website of the Indian Ministry of Tourism.

For those who like to stay near the Taj Mahal, you may check out our guide on where to stay in Agra.

The post India Attracts Foreigners with Easier eVisa Rules appeared first on Check in Price.

The British Pound is one of the most powerful currencies in the world. When it weakens, many people take advantage of it and purchase a lot before it increases in value. For some, they use the chance to travel to another country and spend a lot of money.

On Friday, August 2, travel data firm ForwardKeys reported an increase in Chinese tourists in the country. The numbers have increased by a fifth this summer according to their latest tally. There is also a 6% increase in summer bookings from long-haul markets.

What is the cause of the increase?

The firm said that the reason for the increase is the weakened British Pound. During the week, the British Pound hit a 31-month low against the US dollar amidst speculation of a no-deal Brexit.

ForwardKeys’ spokesman David Tarsh also said “This summer is likely to see the highest number of Chinese tourists to the UK ever.”

There is also an increase in the number of Indian, Japanese and American tourists to the country this year.

Standard Chartered’s chief economist for Europe and the Americas Sarah Hewin explains that the low British Pound allows tourists to feel wealthier.

“The fall in the value of the pound against China’s currency means that Chinese tourists coming to the UK have seen their spending power increase by around 5% in the past three months.”

Visit Britain’s director Patricia Yates also saw the growth in the country’s tourism. She said that the country is now offering great value deals in destinations for those coming in the country.

Aside from the lower value of the British Pound, staycations are also helping the country’s tourism.

According to Peter Dodd of Welcome to Yorkshire tourist office, there is an increase in tourists for many of their members. Some are already fully booked until October. Diane Howarth of the holiday letting company Cottage in the Dales also saw a 87% occupancy for many holiday villas in the country.

London Travel Information

Since it is a major international hub, getting to London, United Kingdom is easy by air travel. It has 6 major international airports with Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport and Stansted Airport serving long-haul international flights. The other three – Luton, London City Airport and Southend – cater to European tourists.

European tourists based in France, Germany and Belgium may also take the Eurostar. The high-speed train will stop at St. Pancras International. They may also take the Eurotunnel Shuttle from Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais, France to Folkestone, Kent where they can start their drive to London.

We wrote a lot of articles about London in our website. For travelers, you can check out our articles about where to stay and how much is the cost of living in the city. For those who wish to work in London, we wrote an article on the average and minimum salary in the city and the price of rent in the city.

Travelers can also check out Visit London for more great ideas on what to do in the city.

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