Russia to Lift Visa Requirements for Turkish Officials & Businesspeople

Russia’s TASS news agency reports that the Russian government plans to lift the visa requirements for some Turkish citizens. Senior government officials, diplomats, and businesspeople, including truck drivers, will no longer need a visa to enter Russia.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced the news at the 10th annual Ambassadors’ Conference in Ankara this Wednesday.

"We reached agreements with Russia to abolish visas for businessmen and holders of official passports," Cavusoglu told TRT TV. Cavusoglu says the Russian-Turkish working group will meet to further discuss the details after its Islamic holiday Eid al-Adha, celebrated this year in Turkey August 21-24.

In 2010, Turkey and Russia signed an agreement allowing for 30-day visa-free entry for both countries’ citizens. The agreement was suspended on January 1, 2016 by Moscow after Turkey shot down Russia’s Su-24 bomber on the border with Syria in November, 2015.

Russia’s visa leniency reflects a move by Turkey in April, 2016 to lift visa requirements for Russian citizens entering Turkey on service passports, extended in June of that year to professional drivers transporting cargo.

Negotiations on Russian reciprocity initially began in October 2016, but were suspended after the murder of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov on December 19, 2016.

By Samantha Guthrie