The European Union on Friday said it would stop issuing multi-entry visas to Russian citizens.
“Starting a war and expecting to move freely in Europe is hard to justify,” EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X.
“The EU is tightening visa rules for Russian nationals amid continued drone disruptions and sabotage on European soil.”
Starting a war and expecting to move freely in Europe is hard to justify.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) November 7, 2025
The EU is tightening visa rules for Russian nationals amid continued drone disruptions and sabotage on European soil.
Travelling to the EU is a privilege, not a given.
Russian nationals will only receive single-entry visas, with some exceptions for humanitarian reasons.
On Thursday, Politico reported that the European Commission was considering banning multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russian citizens. At the time, the EC did not comment on the report.
“We are aware of the reports in the media, but we never comment on leaked information,” European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert said during a midday press conference in Brussels on Thursday.
He reminded that the EU suspended in 2022 its agreement with Russia on simplified visa procedures. Brussels also adopted guidelines that stopped prioritising visa issuance to Russians while focusing more on security and border control. Lammert added that the bloc is “looking for additional measures.”
Lammert also noted that the Commission cannot ban visa issuance outright, as that remains within the competence of member states. However, it can adopt more favourable or more restrictive rules for multiple-entry visas that all Schengen visa–issuing consulates must follow.
In 2019, the EU issued 4 million visas to Russian citizens; by 2024, the figure had dropped to 541,000, but had risen since the 517,000 issued visas in 2023.
Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Finland, Latvia, and Estonia strictly limit Russian visa applications, while other countries, including Hungary, France, Spain, and Italy, take a more liberal approach.
According to EUobserver, Italy issued 152,254 Schengen visas at its two consulates in Russia last year – nearly 19,000 more than in 2023. France issued 123,890 visas in 2024 (an increase of 25,000), and Spain issued 111,537 visas (15,000 more).
The Russian opposition in exile has urged the EU not to restrict visas for Russians, arguing that such measures would harm ordinary people and fuel Kremlin propaganda.
Hungary also opposes visa restrictions and has even created a special entry facilitation system for Russian and Belarusian citizens.
According to Lammert, the Commission is concerned that Hungary, under its own rules, continues to issue so-called national cards to Russians.
Since September 10, 2022, Lithuania has suspended the issuance of Schengen visas to Russian citizens, except in specific humanitarian cases or situations involving direct family ties to EU citizens.
In October, Germany effectively stopped issuing humanitarian visas to Russians and Belarusians.
According to MEP Virginijus Sinkevičius, he proposed restricting multiple-entry Schengen visas for Russian citizens as early as 2022, but no agreement was reached at the time.
“Perhaps [the EU] has finally realised that the level of threat is increasing,” the former commissioner told LRT.
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