The European Commission has tightened Schengen visa rules for Russian citizens, limiting most new applicants to single-entry permits, citing security risks linked to the war in Ukraine.
The European Commission says Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has reshaped security risks tied to visa screening, prompting stricter entry rules for Russian nationals.
From now on, most Russian passport holders living in Russia will receive single-entry Schengen visas only.
“The new rules severely restrict the issuance of multiple-entry visas… certain limited exceptions remain,” said Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert on Friday.
Exemptions include:
Close family members of EU or Russia-based legal residents – eligible for multiple entries up to 1 year
Transport workers – eligible up to 9 months
Case-by-case approvals for applicants such as dissidents, independent journalists, human-rights defenders, and civil society representatives
The new policy is not retroactive and applies only to new applications.
Context
Visa restrictions were first tightened after Moscow’s war in Ukraine in 2022, when the EU suspended its Visa Facilitation Agreement with Russiamaking applications costlier and more complex.
Lammert confirmed the Commission is assessing additional measures with member states, but stressed that a total ban on multi-entry visas has not been formally adopted so far, despite recent media reports.
According to EU data, Schengen visas issued to Russians dropped from over 4 million in 2019 to 500,000 in 2023 following the initial restrictions.
Separately, under the EU’s 19th sanctions package, Russian diplomats must now notify member states before traveling within the Schengen zone, part of efforts to curb “hostile intelligence activity.”
A new visa strategy is expected next month, encouraging EU states to use visa policy as a security tool against countries considered high-risk.
Russian drones and missiles pounded the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other cities early on Tuesday, killing at least 11 people and wounding more than 10...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday (1 June) that he held productive discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, through in...
Google has asked U.S. regulators for permission to release up to 32 million sterilised mosquitoes in California and Florida as part of its experimenta...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 2 June, covering the latest developments you need to know....
When Armenians vote on 7 June, they will be voting in an election shaped by months of political change and a rapidly deepening relationship with the E...
Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova praised Georgia for resisting Western pressure (30 May), defending its national interests and pursuing a "multi-vector foreign policy" - language that closely mirrors the rhetoric of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
As Armenia approaches parliamentary elections, Russia appears to be increasing political and economic pressure on Yerevan, signalling that closer integration with the EU could lead to significant changes in labour, transport and energy arrangements between the two countries.
A growing majority of Europeans believe the European Union should pursue a more independent foreign policy and reduce its reliance on the U.S., according to a new survey published on Friday.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 28 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, performed to a crowd of 118,000 people in Istanbul on Saturday night, marking his first concert in Europe in more than a decade, despite being barred from performing in several countries over past antisemitic remarks.
Okinawa lost transport links and suffered widespread power outages on Monday (1 June) as Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought destructive winds and heavy rain to Japan's south-western islands.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held talks with Lebanese President and Israeli Prime Minister on efforts to ease tensions between Israel and Lebanon. According to a U.S. official, Washington has proposed a plan aimed at achieving a gradual de-escalation of hostilities.
The United States has moved to close a regulatory gap that may have allowed advanced AI chips to reach Chinese-linked firms overseas despite export restrictions.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 1 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian drones and missiles pounded the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other cities early on Tuesday, killing at least 11 people and wounding more than 100, authorities said, following days of warnings about Moscow's plans for a major assault.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 2 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday (1 June) that he held productive discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, through intermediaries, with the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement. He expressed optimism that a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon could hold despite hostilities.
Chile's far-right President José Antonio Kast, who took office in March, promised a legislative agenda that prioritises fighting crime, cutting spending and boosting economic growth in his first national address on Monday.
Denmark’s Social Democratic leader Mette Frederiksen said on Monday (1 June) she has agreed to form a new centre-left coalition government, securing a third consecutive term as prime minister amid heightened diplomatic tensions with the United States over Greenland.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment