Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic Miroslav Lajčák has informed Slovak media about simplification of visa regime with Russia and Ukraine.
Slovakia will start issuing a two-year multiple visas, besides a period of documents’ consideration can be reduced to three days. Tour operators believe that this step will increase the popularity of Slovakia among Russian tourists.
Now the procedure for issuing visas to Slovakia cannot be called simple. Average term of documents’ consideration is one week or even more, besides occasionally applicants have to wait in queues while visiting the consulate. Therefore, Russian tour operators responded positively to this new information. “If the conditions for issuing multiple-entry visas are loyal, this news will be very positive for inbound tourism to Slovakia, the number of tourists from Russia will increase “, – the head of the Slovak direction of Russian Express Elena Yermolova said.
However, the visa regime – is not the only barrier to the development of tourism from Russia in this country. Tourism industry is interested in transportation development to the resorts in Slovakia.
Experts note that the intention of the Slovak side regarding multivisa issuance is likely to be realized. However, no official letter from the embassy has been received, so the conditions for multiple entry permits are not yet known.
At the same time the Czech Republic announced its intention to issue multiple visas on December, 21 and tour operators have already received the official information. The letter says that tourists will become eligible to receive multivisas from 1st January, 2013. For obtaining a multiple entry visa an applicant needs to justify the desire to travel frequently to the Czech Republic and to be holder of two previously issued single entry Schengen visas or a multiple visa. atorus.ru
