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(RIA Novosti, Alexander Shishlo) - Schengen visa prices will remain at the current level for Russian citizens, in line with agreements to be signed with the European Union on visa regulations and readmission procedures, a Russian diplomat said Monday.
"The EU's decision to raise short-term Schengen visa prices from 35 to 60 euros does not affect countries with which the EU has signed or is set to sign agreements on simplified visa regulations," said Vladimir Chizhov, Russia's ambassador to the EU.
According to the agreements, expected to be signed at a summit on May 25, Russia and the EU will relax visa requirements for certain categories of people for stays of up to 90 days, and take additional measures to prevent illegal migration.
Russia will pledge to readmit Russian citizens and citizens of third countries entering the EU illegally via Russia. Moscow had previously refused to readmit foreign citizens due to the risk of their staying in the country.
Chizhov said the date on which the agreements will come into force would depend on lawmakers represented by the European Parliament, from the EU side, and the Federal Assembly on the Russian side. "I would not like to speculate over how long it [ratification] will take, but I expect the documents to come into force by the end of this year," the ambassador said.
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