Historical visas to Russians
On Wednesday Maria Goman and Alexey Filin, Russian employees at the Barents Secretariats office in Murmansk, received their new multi-entry visa with three years duration. They are the first Russians ever to get such visas to Norway.
The new three year multi entry visas were handed out at a ceremony at the Norwegian General Consulate in Murmansk. The Norwegian General Consul, Rune Aasheim, and County Governor of Finnmark, Runar Sjåstad, were both present at the ceremony. Maria Goman and Alexey Filin are the first Russian citizens to receive a multi-entry-visa with duration of more than one year.
Aasheim said that the granting of three year visas to Filin and Goman is part of the preparations for the ratification of the new bilateral visa agreement between Norway and Russia. Russia has already ratified the same agreement with the EC, and it is expected that they will ratify the same agreement with Norwegian authorities in near future.
Thomas Nilsen at the Norwegian Barents Secretariat is very satisfied with the new visa regulations. Nilsen says that there is a large group of Russians who participate in various Norwegian–Russian co-operations and for them this expansion of the visa duration will make things a lot more efficient.
County Governor of Finnmark, Runar Sjåstad, said at the ceremony that the new regulations are a first step, but a very important one, for relieving the problems for Russian visa applicants.
