Russia wants to restrict travel abroad
Members of Russia’s State Duma have proposed to tighten the legislation governing citizens’ travels abroad.
The amendments to the law “On entry and departure” put forward by members of the United Russia party would lead to the closure of all foreign countries’ visa centers operating in the country, Irina Tyurina, spokeswoman for the Russian Union of the Tourism Industry, told Interfax.
According to the amendments, companies administering visa centers will have to receive accreditation from the Russian Foreign Ministry. In order to do this, they will need to have branches in at least 20 federal subjects, have engaged in visa activity for at least 3 years, and receive a certificate on the processing of personal data.
In addition, the operation of foreign companies is prohibited: the share of foreign participation in the capital of the visa operators must not exceed 20%, the Russian MPs suggest.
There are currently six companies in Russia which manage visa centers: VFS Global, GVCW (Greece), VMS (Italy), BLS (Spain, India), TLS (UK, Switzerland, Belgium), and Pony Express.
“At least, on one point – the share of foreign involvement in the registered capital – not one of them will go through the proposed Foreign Ministry accreditation. All foreign diplomatic missions in Russia will either have to change service providers immediately, or stop the activity of visa centers,” Tyurina warns.
However, the new law will make it impossible to exchange foreign service providers for Russian ones.
“Suppose that as a temporary decision, the company holding a contract with the diplomatic mission could transfer the operational management of the visa center, including the collection of applicants’ personal data, to a certain sub-contractor – a Russian legal entity. Suppose that within a short time this legal entity could open 20 branches in various cities and acquire the necessary compliance certificates of law 152-FZ, which is already far-fetched. Where will this legal entity suddenly get three years of experience in providing visa services?” Tyurina wonders.
She believes that if the proposed amendments are passed, both the service providers of visa centers and foreign diplomats will find themselves in an impasse.
“It will be easier for embassies and consulates to close their visa centers in Russia than to find contractors who meet the law’s new requirements. And visas will be issued the old-fashioned way – in their own visa department, often the only one in the entire enormous country. It means that both tourists and tour operators risk going back to the practice from the start of the early 00s, when getting a visa was an unforgettable quest every time,” Tyurina concluded.