Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

UAE to Grant Russian Visitors Visa on Arrival | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55366554
Caption:

The view from the observation deck located on the 124th floor of the Burj Dubai Tower shows a shadow cast by the Tower on the city of Dubai below, January 4, 2010.

REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah


Dubai – The United Arab Emirates will offer Russian visitors visas on arrival in the country after Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has approved a cabinet decree on granting citizens of the Russian Federation an entry visa at all entry points to the country.

The cabinet’s decree states that citizens of the Russian Federation are granted an entry visa for 30 days for the first time, renewable for one time only in a bid to boost tourism and trade, state news agency WAM reported on Sunday.

This move will enhance strategic cooperation and the common ambitions of the two countries. It will also create new horizons of economic and touristic cooperation serving common interests and goals, as it strengthen the UAE’s international competitiveness as a vibrant economic, commercial, and tourist hub in the region, added the agency.

The two countries are linked through the strategic partnerships and the various agreements covering economy, tourism, and clean energy cooperation.

UAE ranks first in the GCC states as Russia’s most important business partner, and is considered the 10th largest foreign investor in Russia, with projects valued at $17.9 billion until the year 2014.

In 2015, the non-oil trade between the Dubai and Moscow reached $2.4 billion.

UAE is investing around $4.9 billion in infra-structure development in Russia. The average growth of foreign non-oil trade between the two countries reached 31% over the past 5 years.

In the past two years, UAE has received more than 600,000 Russian tourists and there are 56 weekly flights between the two countries by UAE National carriers. This number is expected to rise after the issuance of the Decree and its positive impact on trade and tourism.

Tourism contributed to 8.7% of the gross domestic product (GDP) of $36.4 billion in 2015. The government considers this sector one of the most important bases of the post-oil economy.