Georgian Media Says MIA Launched Investigation into Russian Visas

Georgian media reports that  Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has launched an investigation into taking bribes for making Russian visas at the Russia's Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy.

Netgazeti says that the investigation is in progress under the180 article of the Civil Code of Georgia which implies fraud.

The information about making visas in exchange of the bribes at the Russian Interests Section was broadcasted by Rustavi 2 TV on July 28.

According to the TV Company, in exchange for unofficial visa fee, the amount of which is $350, the applicant can take a single-entry short-term visa which enables people enter the Russian territory and stay there maximum one month.

Rustavi 2 added the interested person must pay the bribe while entering the Russian interests section. According to the TV company, the consulate issues about 10 thousand visas a year. The official fee for an average visa application is $60, plus an unofficial fee for the application fill-up.

The TV company says there are also mediators who collect the money from the applicants and take it to the consulate.

“The mediators are directly linked to the Russian Interests Section. Money needs to be paid to accelerate the visa issue, to get into the section without a queue, to have the application filled, to receive an invitation and get the visa itself. The unofficial tariffs are different for a single-entry visa, one-month, three-month or six-month and annual visas. As our experiment showed, people usually pay from $300 to $550 to get a Russian visa,” Rustavi 2 reported.

The MIA has not officially confirmed the information yet.

By Thea Morrison