The European Union is poised to enhance its visa regulations for Russian citizens, responding to mounting calls from member states situated along its eastern border. As the year draws to a close, a European Commission official has indicated that new guidelines are set to be introduced, which will suggest more stringent restrictions on visa issuance for Russians as well as individuals from other countries deemed hostile.
Increased pressure from member states
Diplomatic sources reveal that several countries neighboring Russia have been advocating for these changes for years. One diplomat described the forthcoming recommendations as long overdue, emphasizing the necessity for a unified approach within the EU. These officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, highlight a significant shift in the EU’s stance since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Current visa landscape and future guidelines
Since terminating its visa facilitation agreement with Russia in September 2022, the EU has made the process of obtaining a visa more complex and costly. Although the European Commission cannot enforce an outright ban on Russian entry, the visa policies remain under the jurisdiction of individual member states, resulting in a patchwork of regulations. For instance, countries like Poland, the Czech Republic, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania have imposed bans or stringent limitations on visa applications for Russian nationals, while nations such as Hungary, France, Spain, and Italy maintain a more lenient approach.
Recent data indicates that in 2024, over 500,000 Russians were granted Schengen visas, a significant rise compared to 2023—yet still substantially lower than the 4 million issued in 2019. The Commission’s forthcoming strategy, scheduled for release in December, is expected to outline common recommendations rather than enforce binding rules. The proposed guidelines aim to introduce stricter criteria for Russian nationals, particularly in light of emerging security challenges.
“We must ensure a unified and consistent approach across the EU,” stated Baiba Braže, Latvia’s foreign minister, when discussing the new visa guidelines.
While discussions surrounding these guidelines continue, they are distinct from any potential visa bans that may be included in the next round of EU sanctions against Russia. Concerns have been raised by members of the Russian civil society regarding the implications of using tourist visas as a political weapon. Yulia Navalnaya, a prominent figure in Russia’s opposition and widow of the late Alexei Navalny, expressed her concern about a proposed tourist ban, urging EU leaders to differentiate between the actions of the regime and the general populace.
In her letter to Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Navalnaya advocated for restrictions to target those directly complicit in the regime, such as “oligarchs, security officials, propagandists, and other accomplices of the regime.” Additionally, the Czech Foreign Minister, Jan Lipavský, has consistently called for a prohibition on Russian diplomats from traveling outside their host countries, arguing that it gives the Russian regime undue leverage and facilitates nefarious activities.