European Commission decides to stop issuing multiple-entry visas to Russians

The European Commission has decided to ban the issuance of multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russians. This was reported to by the press service of the EU executive body on November 7.

"The Commission has adopted stricter rules on visas for Russian nationals in view of the increased security risks posed by Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, including the use of migration as a weapon, acts of sabotage and potential visa abuse," the statement reads.

The decision means that Russian citizens will have to apply for a new visa every time they plan to travel to the EU. However, exceptions are possible for "limited and justified cases".

EU Diplomacy Chief Kaja Kallas noted in social network X that "starting a war and expecting free movement in Europe is hard to justify.".

"The EU is tightening visa rules for Russian nationals amid ongoing drone strikes and sabotage on European soil. Traveling to the EU is a privilege, not a given," said she.

Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said that all visa applications from Russian citizens will be subject to enhanced verification procedures and a higher level of control, which will contribute to the "integrity and security of the Schengen area".

Since the issue of issuing visas is regulated by each EU member state, the European Commission cannot impose a complete ban on the entry of Russians, but can complicate the procedure for obtaining visas. According to the Commission, in 2024, more than 500,000 Schengen visas were issued to Russians, which is more than in 2023, but significantly less than before the full-scale invasion (in 2019, more than 4 million were issued). Hungary, France, Spain, and Italy are the most active countries in issuing visas to Russians today.

• EU governments make money by refusing to issue visas to Russians. In particular, in 2022, the amount of income was 105 million euros, and in 2023 – 130 million euros.
• In June 2025, some EU countries proposed to close the Schengen area to Russians who fought against Ukraine. The initiators were the Baltic States, Northern Europe and Poland.