by BERNAMA/ pic by BERNAMA

VISAS for foreigners in Russia will be extended by 90 days regardless of the purpose of their visit due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the Russian Interior Ministry told Sputnik news agency.

“Foreign citizens arriving in the Russian Federation on visas will have them extended for up to 90 days, regardless of the purpose of their visit to Russia,” the ministry said.

“In case of expiration of the existing visas, the period of temporary stay will also be extended with the subsequent issuance of transit visas for leaving Russia,” it said.

Earlier, the ministry said the visas would be extended in connection with the spread of the novel coronavirus infection, but the period of the extension was not indicated.

A total of 1,836 patients with the novel coronavirus disease have been registered in Russia, 1,226 of them in Moscow.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on March 11 declared an outbreak of COVID-19 a pandemic. According to the latest WHO data, more than 690,000 cases of infection have been confirmed worldwide, and over 33,000 people have died.