Abkhazia simplifies visa procedures during Sochi Olympics

Breakaway Abkhazia has simplified visa rules for foreigners willing to enter the region from Russia.

The de facto Government has done this in an attempt to attract tourists visiting Sochi during the Winter Olympic Games.

From yesterday, Abkhazia’s de facto Foreign Ministry began issuing visas on the Russian border, at the Psou border crossing point, which is less than 40 kilometers from Sochi. Foreign citizens are not required to apply for visa in advance and can pick one up at the Russian border.

The rule is scheduled to be in force during the period of the Olympics.

Meanwhile, under the Georgian law, entry into occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia for foreign citizens from areas other than Georgian-controlled territories, is a crime that can be punishable by issuing a fine or imprisonment from two to four years.