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Russia's Ministry of Economic Development is proposing to ease access to the local market for foreign investors and workers by issuing three-year multiple-entry business visas to those willing to invest more than 50 million rubles in the Russian economy, RBC reported. The revised draft law has been submitted to the government’s executive office, the publication said.

Work on the bill began in 2024, initially targeting investors in Russia's special economic zones (SEZs) and territories of advanced development (TADs). The updated version would extend visa preferences not only to investors in such zones, but also to foreigners planning capital investments elsewhere. Under the proposal, investors committing at least 50 million rubles would qualify for a multiple-entry business visa valid for up to three years.

Investors and their family members could apply for long-term visas when implementing projects outside SEZs and TADs, provided a regional governor submits a request on their behalf to the Interior Ministry.

The bill would not apply to TADs located in the Far Eastern Federal District and the Arctic Zone.

Granting multiple-entry business visas could boost foreign investors' interest, because, unlike residence permits, such visas do not require foreigners to live permanently in the Russian Federation and allow easier entry for business and work purposes, according to the draft bill’s materials.

Businessmen from the United Arab Emirates, India, Iran, and Turkey could be interested in using the mechanism, experts surveyed by RBC said. The new measures are expected to take effect on Sept. 1, 2026.