Since the Norwegian General Consulate in Murmansk changed its routines for Russian visa applicants, all applicants must now go to the consulate in Murmansk to receive the visa documents. Earlier people in the Russian border town of Nikel, located more than 200 kilometers west of Murmansk, could receive their visas from a local travel agency. The changes have cut in half the number of locals going to Norway, as BarentsObserver has reported earlier.
Governor Yuri Yevdokimov believes the visa difficulties for Pechenga inhabitants could easily be solved by opening a Norwegian consulate office in Nikel.
− The visa application process would be much easier if Norway opened a consulate office in Nikel. Together we could find a good solution for how to solve this, Yevdokimov said in an interview with Norwegian TV channel NRK.
Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre says that a consulate office in Nikel is an interesting idea and that he will consider the proposal.
