(Image source from: Sputnik International)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a law permitting people holding the "Fan IDs" (Fan Identification Documents) issued during the 2018 FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) World Cup to visit Russia visa-free until the end of the year.

The document was posted on the Russian government's legal information website on Friday. Lower and upper houses of Russia of the parliament passed the bill on July 26 and 28, respectively.

The initiative was taken by Putin before long after the World Cup, which was held in 11 Russian cities from June 14 to July 15.

People were needed to register for a Fan ID in add-on to tickets to watch the matches. In absence of visa, a Fan ID holder was able to enter Russia and stay in the country during the football tournament.

According to Russia's official data, 1.5 million Fan IDs were issued, including nearly 630,000 to abroad spectators.

By Sowmya Sangam