Maldivians can now travel to Russia only via direct flights originating from the Maldives, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.

In an publication on Thursday, the ministry emphasized that the agreement between the Governments of Maldives and the Russian Federation on “mutual exemption of visa requirements for nationals of the Republic of Maldives and for nationals of the Russian Federation” came into effect on 25 July 2019.

The agreement in question granted Maldivian citizens 90-day on-arrival visas if they didn’t intend to work, study or reside in Russia.

However, the decision to allow Maldivians to travel to Russia only via direct flights originating from Maldives stemmed from border control measures implemented by the Russian Federation in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

In this regard, the ministry has urged Maldivian citizens travelling to Russia to be cautious of the restrictions in place, as well as to check for most recent updates on travel guidelines before they make their bookings, as the guidelines are subject to amendments at any time.