The law was ratified by the Russian State Duma in September.
The geographical zone from where the population can cross the border without valid visa includes the Norwegian town of Kirkenes and the two Russian towns of Nikel, Zapolyarny, Pechenga and Korzunovo on the Kola Peninsula.
The fee for obtaining the visa-free ID-card will be €20, with exemptions for full-time students, people older than 60 years and minors. They will get the ID-card free of charge.
Implementation of the visa-free agreement was planned to start January 1 2012, but has been delayed because of lack of finances to modernize the only border-crossing point between Norway and Russia at Borisoglesk/Storskog. Issuing of ID-cards will probably start in May 2012.
