Electronic visas (or e-visas) for visiting the free port of Vladivostok, a port zone in the Russian Far East region, started to be issued on August 1, Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East announced Tuesday in a statement.

According to the statement, the Far East is the first area in Russia to initiate the services of e-visas.

From Aug. 1, visitors from 18 countries, including China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Japan, Iran and Turkey, are allowed to stay in the free port of Vladivostok for a maximum of 8 days.

Foreign visitors need to fill out an application form on the ministry's website. Then the visa will be approved at Russian border points in the Far East.

It shall take no more than four days to issue the e-visa which will be valid for 30 days from the day of issuance.

"This is unique in Russia. We hope that at the start of the two-day Third Eastern Economic Forum on Sept. 6, there will be two more checkpoints adopting the new procedure in Vladivostok," said Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East Alexander Galushka.

The Eastern Economic Forum is considered a step forward in the development of the Russian Far East, an annual event which has been held twice.