Singer Iosif Kobzon — who is also a State Duma deputy for United Russia — said Tuesday that he has been refused entry to the United States for almost two decades and that members of his family have also been denied U.S. visas. Singer Iosif Kobzon — who is also a State Duma deputy for United Russia — said Tuesday that he has been refused entry to the United States for almost two decades and that members of his family have also been denied U.S. visas, Interfax...

A Federal Migration Service official involved in the expulsion of French author Anne Nivat from the country over a visa issue resigned Tuesday. A Federal Migration Service official involved in the expulsion of French author Anne Nivat from the country over a visa issue resigned Tuesday, RIA-Novosti reported. Oleg Brechko, head of the migration service in the Vladimir...

A prominent French writer and journalist has been kicked out of the country on the grounds that she did not have the right to research a book while on a business visa. A prominent French writer and journalist has been kicked out of the country on the grounds that she did not have the right to research a book while on a business visa. Federal Migration Service officials detained Anne Nivat in her hotel in Vladimir...

Visa, MasterCard and payment services provider Zolotaya Korona on Wednesday established a lobby group as the government steps up regulation of the electronic payments market. Visa, MasterCard and payment services provider Zolotaya...

... blog late Tuesday, McFaul said his first two days on the job had been exciting. “New challenges also create the opportunity for doing important work. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now!” he said. Lavrov also said a recent visa facilitation agreement with Washington should be the first step toward abolishing visas altogether. The agreement, which introduces three-year visas to applicants from both countries, was announced last summer but is still awaiting parliamentary...

... and a card holder, imposing bank services on them," he said. TransCreditBank, for example, has 2 million clients, most of which are debit cardholders. Last year, the bank started a credit card project, and now 50,000 such cards have been issued. Visa issued 80 million cards in 2011, up from 30,000 in 1994, Karina Grosheva, Visa's head of corporate communication, told The Moscow Times 
Many retailers are not in a hurry to work with plastic. French retailer Auchan started accepting Visa only...

... this September. The new terminal will receive its first flights in March, and should be fully operational by June. Earlier in the day, Vasilenko hinted that tourists passing through the new airport will be able to visit the far eastern city without a visa. Speaking to RBK Daily, he said Primorye region authorities and the airport administration both backed a plan for a visa-free regime in a bid to increase tourism revenue and attract foreign airlines to use it as a hub. Under the current plans,...

... looking to developing countries. "The biggest growth is with China, India and Russia," McDonagh said. As part of its tourism drive, the Irish government has reduced value-added tax on goods associated with tourism and introduced in 2011 a visa waiver system to allow those with British visas to visit Ireland without getting an extra visa. Tour companies have taken advantage by adding tours to Ireland from Britain, said Valeria Krasilnikova, head of the British and Irish section at the...

... policy and procedures;  Created and managed Shares Services system for all company locations (Payroll, Com & Ben administration, HR documents & Data administration, recruitment, training & development, policy implementation, work permits and visa service, legal support);  Designed and implemented efficient personnel logistics and global mobility system, conducted journey management activities (up to 1000 airline and railway tickets annually); • December 2004- March 2006. "Starsroi-Security"...

... proceeding may be ceased by the investigator," Kibis was quoted as writing in the statement. Magnitsky's relatives have repeatedly opposed his prosecution, but the case has not been closed so far. If the case goes to trial, Browder, who had his visa application to Russia denied in November 2005 London since, will be charged in absentia. Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Hermitage Capital CEO William Browder fled Russia when his company began to be pursued by authorities...

... against SWT job placements during layoffs or lockouts." The memo said the rules would be made public around March. The companies the State Department designated as official sponsors — which charge up to several thousand dollars to arrange visas and jobs for the participants — objected to less significant changes made last year and to the anticipated new restrictions. "They have told us they are taking these complaints to Congress, though we have yet to see any indication of...

... he added. Lavrov welcomed the increased trade between the two nations, which grew last year to 2.45 trillion yen ($31 billion). "We want our international cooperation to expand," Lavrov said. The two sides signed an agreement to simplify visa procedures to boost visitors and business interaction, particularly from Japan to Russia. Ties between Japan and Russia soured in late 2010 when Dmitry Medvedev became the first Russian president to visit the disputed islands, called the Kuril Islands...

... Georgia and Russia is Fiji, which recently received 200 new netbook computers by virtue of Georgia's Education Ministry. The gifts, made in a Tbilisi factory, arrived one week before Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov appeared in Fiji to talk about trade and visa-free travel. Some critics wonder why the Education Ministry is donating computers to a Pacific island nation most Georgians would have difficulty finding on a map — particularly when there are schoolchildren in Georgia who cannot afford books...

... and almost 29,000 were deported. In addition, 428 were held criminally liable, and almost 218,000 were punished for administrative violations, the FMS website said. More than 5,600 illegal immigrants who were deported came from countries that have a visa regime with Russia. Emigrants from those countries agreed to help authorities after the FMS requested their cooperation, Romodanovsky said, refusing to name the countries. Romodanovsky also said Thursday that the FMS is proposing tougher penalties...

... series of comparisons between Prokhorov's policies and those he attributes to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. As part of his platform, Prokhorov calls for new State Duma elections, a return to four-year presidential terms, a professional army by 2015, a visa-free regime for OSCE citizens, the privatization of state-owned companies and a 30 percent cut in the number of state employees by 2014. Prokhorov also promises to free all economic "criminals" from prison, a nod to billionaire and former...

... “crossed a fine line” when he rejected all early chances of compromise to free her. In an interview, Yevgenia Tymoshenko urged the West to consider applying personal sanctions against officials in Yanukovych’s government, such as visa bans, to stop Ukraine from driving itself further into isolation. “It [the situation] is unpredictable now. … They have crossed the line where my mother’s life now is at risk,” said Yevgenia, speaking in English in Kiev...

... to put down solid roots. This is why Russia must be encouraged and supported, and cultural exchanges must be increased. Above all, Russian citizens must be helped to enter the Schengen area by simplifying and even lifting the formalities for issuing visas. Today, Russia is at a crossroads and has an opportunity that can link the value of stability to the start of a process of democratizing her institutions and politics. Hope can overcome fear. Change can be a greater and more attractive goal than...

... in Great Britain, Ireland, Malta, Germany. - Knowledge of British educational system. - Translation of documentation, archive compilation. - Negotiating with foreign partners, interpreting. - Air tickets booking. - Helping with visa process and documentation in British, Irish, German Embassies Educational exhibitions: - New Manege (February 2003), - hotel "Golden Ring" (February 2003); - workshop MEI Irish language schools (January 2003), ...

... have to offer something unique to find their place. Job market experts and politicians agree, Russia needs more qualified workers — and even some not-so-qualified ones. This year's expansion of the list of foreign specialists not subject to visa quotas is a testament to the growing needs in a wide variety of areas. Though Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in his recently published vision for the country's development that 25 million jobs for skilled workers have to be created, Education...

... Kosaya Liniya; +7 812-324-9370 ; www.bz.ru ) is one of the oldest ship-builders in Russia, turning out civil and military vessels. One decision more than any other helped attract more tourists over the last five years — the scrapping of visas for cruise passengers, who can now visit the city for 72 hours without the centuries-old red tape that has normally ensnarled foreign visitors. "That, of course, helped it increase by a large percentage," said Svetlana Petrova, the deputy...