Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

Medvedev has signed legislative amendments allowing to issue Russian entry-visas to foreign citizens who plan to travel to Russia together with their close relatives who are Russian citizens. Moscow, March 10 (Interfax) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed legislative amendments allowing heads of Russia's diplomatic missions and consulates abroad to issue Russian entry-visas to foreign citizens who plan to travel to Russia together with their close relatives who are Russian citizens.

The bill was adopted by the State Duma on February 19 and approved by the Federation Council on March 3.

According to the document, Russian citizens who apply to obtain foreign passports from the Foreign Ministry or Russian diplomatic missions abroad can choose between an ordinary passport valid for five years or a biometric passport valid for ten years.