Russia introduces ‘ideological’ visa for homophobic Westerners
Russia says it will be a refuge for homophobes from the West
Russia has long made homophobia and opposition to LGBT+ rights a soft-power tool, and its latest step in this direction is presidential Decree No. 702, signed on August 19, 2024, instituting an “ideological” visa for foreign citizens who share supposed “traditional Russian spiritual and moral values” but live in LGBTQ-friendly countries. The new policy aims to promote the country as a refuge for homophobes and transphobes in Western countries with more liberal attitudes toward LGBT prople.
In addition, the policy maintains a ban on long-stay visas for people living with HIV.
The “ideological” visa is open to nationals of 42 mostly Western countries that are relatively tolerant of LGBTQ rights, as well as Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and British Overseas Territories. (See below for the list of included countries as published by a Russian consulate.)
It is not available to citizens of more intolerant nations that are considered Western allies, including Hungary, which recently banned the Budapest Pride March; Slovakia, where the conservative populist government has repeatedly taken aim at LGBT communities, and Turkiye, where Pride marches have been banned since 2015. Also excluded are citizens of African, Arab and Latin American countries, even those countries that are generally considered LGBT-friendly. Also noticeably absent from the list are Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, and Israel.
The Russian government describes the 42 nations as “implementing policies that impose destructive neoliberal ideological attitudes contrary to traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.”
This new visa entitles immigrants from the countries concerned to a temporary, renewable 3-year residence permit, with the possibility of obtaining permanent residency, even without command of the Russian language.
The move comes after the Russian government has placed the so-called ‘international LGBT movement’ on its list of terrorists and extremist organizations.
Between September and December 2024, about 200 people, mainly from the United States, France, Canada, Italy and Germany, have reportedly moved to Russia under this program.
This new program is part of a rise in LGBTphobic policies around the world, particularly in countries close to or allied with Russia, which has worked to build alliances with countries in Africa and the Middle East. Emerging Russian allies in Africa Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger each recently criminalized homosexuality.
Russia has the most severe homophobia in the world
Russia passed a law banning so-called “LGBT+ propaganda” among minors in 2013. Then in 2022, this ban was extended to any “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” including in art or on the internet. In 2020, the country amended its constitution to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. Since 2023, Russia has prohibited gender transitions, and last year, it extended its legislation to prohibit the adoption of Russian children by nationals of countries that allow gender transitions, placing the country at the head of states with the most pointed legislation against the advancement of LGBT+ rights in the world.
Below is a list of 42 countries whose citizens are eligible for an “ideological” visa because their nations implement “policies that impose destructive neoliberal ideological attitudes that contradict traditional Russian spiritual and moral values”, according to the Russian consulate in Sydney, Australia. Duplicates have been removed from the list. The omission of some nations with strong guarantees of LGBTQ rights, such as Canada and Estonia, is not explained.
Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bulgaria, Great Britain (including the British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories), Germany, Greece, Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Micronesia, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan (China), United States of America, Ukraine, Finland, France, Montenegro and the Czech Republic.
