It is closer for South Africans to fly to Europe than it is for east coast Russians to get to Moscow to apply in person for a visa at the South African embassy.
Despite the aggressive new visa regulations imposed on them by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs, Russian President Vladimir Putin this week said he wants to make Russia a visa free destination for South Africans.
It is part a move to stimulate tourism from Russia’s Brics partners.
“Liberalising the visa regime almost always leads to an increase in tourist inflows” and it’s worth considering an extension of visa-free travel already enjoyed by tour groups from China to other BRICS countries, according to a Bloomberg report quoting Putin. Visits from Israel doubled after visas were abolished, while those from Turkey grew 41 percent, he said.
