VLADIVOSTOK: The United States and Russia will cut down on paperwork and fees for visas from Sunday as part of efforts to build ties, US officials said.
The move coincides with a visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the Russian port city of Vladivostok for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit aimed at stepping up trade within the Pacific Rim.
Under the agreement, Russia will end the cumbersome requirement of asking US citizens to produce invitation letters for business visas, although tourists must still prove they have reserved accommodation, the State Department said.
The United States will reduce the $100 fee that Russians must pay for a visa to $20 and both countries will issue three-year multiple-entry visas by default, it said.
Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced the outlines of the agreement in July 2011 in Washington but did not set the start date as it required parliamentary approval in Russia.
The State Department, in a statement late Friday, said that the visa deal "allows for expanded contacts and promotes greater mutual understanding between our societies".
Clinton meets Saturday with Lavrov for talks set to focus on deep disagreements over Syria.
Russia is the main military and diplomatic supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is putting down the biggest threat to his family's four-decade grip on power.
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