Myanmar, Russia conclude agreement on mutual visa exemption
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Htet Nadi (NP News) - Nov 2
Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced on October 28 that Myanmar and Russia have agreed to lift visa requirements for each other’s citizens.
Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Than Swe and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, attending the Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security in Minsk, Belarus, held separate meetings and signed the agreement on the same day.
Following the meeting, they signed an agreement on mutual visa exemption for citizens of Myanmar and Russia and a program of consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia for 2025-2027.
Now, Russians are showing growing interest in Southeast Asia, with around 2.5 million Russian tourists visiting the Asia-Pacific region in 2024. In addition, it is acknowledged that tourist arrivals in Myanmar increased by 60 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025.
Furthermore, demand for such visas has risen, with the number issued in the first four months of 2025 doubling compared to the same period in 2024. Myanmar Airways International (MAI) also launched a direct flight connecting Yangon and Mandalay with Novosibirsk, Russia, in September 2023.
In addition to the growth in tourism, there is also the possibility that Russia’s Election Commission and the State Duma may send observers to Myanmar’s general elections, scheduled for December 28, 2025. –