Foreign fans have been allowed to return without visas to Russia

President Vladimir Putin proposed to draft such law after the end of the World Cup. The law was introduced by Chairman of the State Duma Viacheslav Volodin Volodin
Vyacheslav Victorovich The Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the eighth convocation. Elected in single mandate constituency № 163 (Saratov constituency - Saratov Oblast) , the leaders and members of all factions of the State Duma and was adopted by parliamentarians as a matter of priority.

Chairman of the Committee on Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism, and Youth Mikhail Degtiarev Degtiarev
Mikhail Vladimiroviсh believes that these changes will have a positive impact on Russia's hospitality sphere and will allow foreign guests to continue becoming familiar with the country's tourism potential.

”The most important reason for this novel was the numerous requests of the guests of the World Cup themselves. FAN ID were received by almost 1 million 800 thousand Russian and foreign citizens from 195 states. According to all the polls, 80% of fans would like to return to Russia, get acquainted with our culture, see the Russian province, nature, and our small towns. We are talking about 1 million foreigners; this is a serious increase in the tourist flow. All of them will spend money on the hospitality industry, this will have a positive effect on the development of small and medium-sized businesses and our economy as a whole,“ Mikhail Degtiarev said.

In his turn, member of the Committee on Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism, and Youth Marat Bariev Bariev
Marat Mansuroviсh noted in his speech that the World Cup opened Russia for its numerous guests and the idea of FAN ID is ”another step towards the democratization of the visa regime of our country“.

The parliamentarian believes that this step will make visiting Russia comfortable for tourists, and it will increase the attractiveness of our country, positively affect its image and economy, contribute to the further development of tourism and related industries,.

The law states: until 31 December 2018 entry into and departure from Russia of foreign citizens and stateless persons who attended the 2018 FIFA World Cup matches as spectators ”are carried out without issuing visas by presenting valid identity documents recognized by the Russian Federation in this capacity, or the personalized card of the spectator received by such citizens and stateless persons before or during the period of the 2018 FIFA World Cup matches”.

Now the law should be approved by the Federation Council and signed by the President.