Citizens from the GCC can now visit the Russian Far East without visas, said a report citing the Russian Prime Minister.

Citizens from 18 countries, including UAE, Bahrain, Iran, Qatar, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Turkey as well as Algeria, India, Brunei, China, North Korea, Mexico, Singapore and Japan, have approved in the visa waiver programme to visit Vladivostok free port, said a report in Russian news agency TASS.

"I have recently approved the list of countries, whose nationals can take advantage of the preferential regime. Businessmen and tourists will not need to undergo the traditional procedure of Russian visas receipt," the Prime Minister said.

Russia is proactively forming a modern infrastructure and creating special regimes in the Far East, Medvedev added.

The law on visits to the Vladivostok free port was approved in March and the cancellation of visa procedures for tourists and businessmen “will promote growth of investment and tourist attractiveness of the Far East”.

The region will earn more money from tourist traffic growth, he added.

Medvedev said that the 18 countries from various regions were selected under the reciprocity principle.

“This is not because these states are situated at a closer or longer distance. We are appropriately introducing bilateral agreements on visa-free travel for those ready to use such an approach for us.”