The EU has effectively stopped issuing multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russian citizens

The European Commission has adopted a decision that significantly limits the ability of citizens of the Russian Federation to obtain multiple-entry Schengen visas. According to the new rules, the vast majority of Russians will now be able to apply only for single-entry visas, which makes it impossible to travel to the European Union without hindrance.

According to the European Commission, from now on, every Russian citizen will have to submit a new visa application before each trip. This step, Brussels explains, is designed to ensure regular checks of applicants and minimize risks to the security of EU member states.

However, the document provides for a number of exceptions. Only certain categories of citizens will be able to obtain a multiple-entry visa - in particular, those who have dual citizenship of one of the EU countries, or those who need to leave urgently for medical reasons. The list of exceptions also includes independent journalists and human rights defenders who have proven that their activities are not related to Russian state policy.

Henna Virkunen, Vice-President of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, stressed that this step is a reaction to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. “Russia’s aggressive war continues to pose a serious threat to European security. By tightening visa restrictions, we are taking the necessary step to protect the European Union and its citizens,” she stressed.

At the same time, European Foreign Affairs Chief Kaia Kallas noted that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to the most dangerous security situation in Europe in decades. According to her, the EU has a moral and political obligation to secure its borders and citizens. “Traveling to Europe is not a right, but a privilege. And we cannot allow this privilege to be used by an aggressor state or its citizens without proper control,” Kallas stressed.

The new rules effectively put an end to the practice of mass issuing of multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russians. The European Commission’s decision will enter into force immediately after its publication in the EU Official Journal and will be part of a broader policy of isolating Russia in response to its military aggression against Ukraine.