Russia's foreign ministry has confirmed it is actively negotiating agreements to liberalise travel rules with several Asian countries — full visa abolition for Indonesia, Malaysia, Bahrain and Kuwait, plus a visa-free regime for organised tour groups from India and Vietnam. Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko made the statement on 25–26 September 2026, citing ongoing ministry talks. No signing dates have been announced yet, but it's a meaningful signal for anyone planning winter trips to Asia, including already-popular spots like Bali. Here's exactly what was said, which countries are furthest along, and what changes for travellers right now — which, for the moment, is not much.
What the foreign ministry actually said
Rudenko stressed that "facilitating mutual travel of citizens is one of the priorities of Russia's Foreign Ministry" and that the ministry doesn't want to drag the issue out — though he added it's "still too early" to name concrete signing dates. Russian outlets citing the ministry and related agencies describe two separate tracks: full visa abolition (Indonesia, Malaysia, Bahrain, Kuwait) and a narrower format — visa-free entry for organised tour groups only (India, Vietnam). These are different in scope: full abolition would apply to all tourists regardless of how they travel, while the "group visa-free" format only covers packaged tours booked through accredited operators and won't help independent travellers.
Which countries are furthest along
Available reporting suggests Indonesia has progressed the most: work on an intergovernmental agreement to simplify the visa regime is already under way, with full visa abolition discussed as the eventual goal. Talks with Malaysia are also at an advanced stage — Russian officials described it that way back in June 2026, and the Ministry of Economic Development says it hopes to close deals with Malaysia, Indonesia and Kuwait within 2026. Details on Bahrain and Kuwait are less specific so far. For context, Russia introduced visa-free travel with China, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Myanmar during 2025 — a useful benchmark, since it typically takes several months to a year from an announced negotiation to an actual visa-free launch.
| Country | Format | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | full visa abolition | intergovernmental agreement in preparation |
| Malaysia | full visa abolition | advanced stage |
| Bahrain | full visa abolition | in progress, no dates |
| Kuwait | full visa abolition | in progress, no dates |
| Vietnam | visa-free for tour groups | under discussion |
| India | visa-free for tour groups | under discussion |
| China, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Myanmar | full visa abolition | already in force (introduced in 2025) |
What still applies right now
Since none of the new agreements are signed yet, entry rules for Russian citizens to Indonesia and Malaysia haven't changed. For Bali and the rest of Indonesia, Russian nationals still enter on a paid Visa on Arrival (VOA), obtainable at the airport or online in advance, valid for 30 days with a possible 30-day extension. If and when a visa-abolition agreement takes effect, the VOA for Russians will most likely be scrapped or replaced with a simplified, fee-free process — but no confirmed date exists yet, so trips over the coming months should be planned around the current rules. Vietnam already lets individual Russian tourists in without a visa for up to 45 days — a separate matter from the tour-group discussion above; see our guide to Vietnam's e-visa for longer stays.
What travellers should do now
Keep applying for the Bali/Indonesia Visa on Arrival as usual — nothing has been abolished yet. If your trip is planned for spring 2026 or later, it's worth watching for news of a signed agreement: there's typically a gap of several months between an announcement and the visa-free regime actually starting.
- Ignore anyone offering to "pre-register" for the future visa-free regime or refund an existing VOA fee — no agreement is signed yet, and that's a scam pattern.
- Before booking flights to Bali, check current Visa on Arrival requirements on the official website of the Indonesian embassy or consulate.
- If you're flying to Malaysia, check the Malaysian embassy in Moscow's site for updates — that agreement may land before Indonesia's.
- Use our destination match tool to plan dates and budget around the current visa rules rather than changes that haven't taken effect yet.
Sources
- Vedomosti, citing TASS and Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, "Rudenko announces simplified visa regime" — 25 September 2026
- Russian Foreign Ministry via TASS, "Russia's Foreign Ministry confirms preparation of visa-liberalisation agreements with Asian countries" — 26 September 2026
* These agreements are not yet signed and no dates have been announced — check current entry requirements on the relevant embassy or consulate's official website before you travel.
