Schengen for Russians: Fewer Slots, Longer Processing Times

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Obtaining a Schengen visa for Russians is once again becoming a challenge, reports RATA-news. Even at the end of the holiday season, consulates continue to reduce available slots and extend processing times. Travelers risk missing their trips due to prolonged procedures – in some cases taking up to 70–75 days.

VCP Travel CEO Mikhail Abasov noted that despite fewer applications, processing times at the Italian consulate in August reached 2–2.5 months. Since August 15, slots for Spain stopped updating, and by August 20 the number of available appointments had been cut by 40%. Isolated positive political signals do not change the overall picture: consulates are not easing restrictions, but rather increasing quotas.

The issue is confirmed by Irina Gusakova, Development Director at Turtrans-Voyage. She reported that since mid-August it has been impossible to book appointments for Spain, while Italian consulates are holding passports for up to two months. In some cases, tourists are asked to sign a waiver acknowledging possible waits of 60–70 days. Maximum delays have reached 75 days. Meanwhile, Hungary and Greece continue to process visas smoothly, within the standard three weeks.



Spectrum Group President Evgenia Konkol attributes the delays to peak summer demand, staff shortages at consulates, and Europe’s vacation season. According to her, processing for Italy now takes 6–8 weeks, and for Spain up to six. The traditional August Ferragosto holiday (August 10–24), when most organizations suspend work, has also contributed.

Arthur Muradyan, CEO of Space Travel, added that for Spain it is practically impossible to secure early appointments, forcing tourists to wait until September. France shows slightly better conditions: booking is possible within six weeks, and French consulates more often issue multiple-entry visas. Greece remains problem-free, processing visas within 2–3 weeks.



Experts at the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RST) predict that Russians will submit 690–730 thousand Schengen applications in 2025, potentially reaching 1 million in 2026. Abasov notes that applications are growing by 18–22% on average, with tourist interest in Europe up by 30–50%. The most popular destinations remain Italy, France, and Spain. He warns that if consulates continue delaying processing, it will lead to canceled tours and refusals to travel. Travelers are advised to start preparations six months in advance.

In 2024, Russians filed more than 600,000 Schengen applications, up 7.5% from 2023. In Italy, Russian tourist overnight stays increased by 18.9% to 321,678 – the highest among EU countries. Spain ranked second with 259,068 (−3.6%), followed by France with 203,072 (+7.8%). Hungary also recorded a 13% increase. According to Eurostat, growth in Russian tourist arrivals in 2024 was seen in six EU states. Visa issuance followed a similar trend: Italy issued 152,254 short-term visas (+19,000 from 2023), France 123,890 (+25,000), and Spain 111,527 (+15,000).

Direct air travel between Russia and the EU remains suspended, with borders and airspace closed. Tourists travel via Turkey, the UAE, Serbia, or Georgia. Connecting flights, visa procedures, and currency conversion make such trips expensive, but Russians are undeterred by costs and logistical challenges. Meanwhile, the European Commission notes that the share of visas granted to Russian citizens fell from 27% in 2019 to 5% in January–August 2024. Refusal rates rose from 1.5% to 7.5%, while absolute issuance dropped from 4.1 million to 500,000.