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.
Israel launched strikes on Tehran and Beirut on Saturday (21 March) as the United States deployed ...
The Trump administration has waived sanctions on the purchase of Iranian oil at sea for 30 days on Friday (20 Marc...
The trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day has officially become the most-watched trailer of all time, racking up 718.6 million views in its first 2...
Georgia’s relationship with the European Union is coming under increasing strain, as Members of the European Parliament openly criticise both...
Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris, the martial artist, actor and cultural icon best known for his roles in action films and the long-running CB...
European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels on 19–20 March for a high-stakes summit shaped largely by external geopolitical shocks, with surging energy prices and a stalled €90 billion loan to Ukraine emerging as the dominant issues.
More than 400 people were reportedly killed after a Pakistani airstrike hit a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul on Monday evening, prompting concern from the United Nations, the European Union and international aid organisations.
The European Union will not include Kazakhstan in its upcoming 20th package of sanctions against Russia.
The European Union has removed Georgia’s Kulevi oil terminal from its sanctions list after receiving assurances from both the Georgian government and Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR that the facility will no longer be used in ways that could bypass sanctions on Russian oil.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field without U.S. or Qatari involvement, and warned that any Iranian attack on Qatar would prompt massive retaliation. The comments come as regional tensions soar after Tehran fired missiles at Gulf energy sites.
Israel reportedly launched a fresh wave of attacks on Iran on Friday (20 March), a day after U.S. President Donald Trump told it not to repeat its strikes on Iranian natural gas infrastructure, which sharply escalated the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris, the martial artist, actor and cultural icon best known for his roles in action films and the long-running CBS series Walker, Texas Ranger, has died at the age of 86.
Transport groups across the Philippines launched a nationwide strike on Thursday in protest against rising oil prices. The action affected 15 to 20 protest centres in Metro Manila, with similar demonstrations taking place across several major provinces.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has refused to lift his opposition to a €90 billion ($104 billion) European Union loan to help Ukraine keep up its fight against Russia’s invasion, following a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday (19 March).
A U.S. federal arts body has approved the design of a 24-karat gold commemorative coin featuring President Donald Trump, on Thursday (19 March) paving the way for its release as part of celebrations marking the country’s 250th anniversary on 4 July.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter has been shown driving a battle tank in newly released state media images - an unusually prominent display that has intensified speculation about her future role within the regime.
Tehran’s envoy in Mexico Abolfazi Pasandideh has called on the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to change its World Cup 2026 matches from the United States to Mexico.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Danish troops flown to Greenland in January were ready to blow up airport runways in the event of a potential U.S. attack, Denmark’s public broadcaster DR reported on Thursday (19 March), citing soruces within the country and among European allies.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment