How EU countries issue Schengen visas to Russians after the new restrictions

Since November 7, 2025, the EU has restricted the issuance of multi-entry visas for Russian citizens. All member states are recommended to issue Schengen visas only for specific travel dates. Some members of the bloc had already been operating under this model earlier. Now the same approach has reached the most popular destinations — including Italy and France.

Italy

Italian consulates in Moscow and St. Petersburg are restructuring their work: appointment slots are being reassigned for short interviews, and VFS Global is expanding its infrastructure to reduce queues. Existing multi-entry visas remain valid, but upon renewal they will be replaced with single-entry documents. National D-type visas are not affected.

The business community is reacting inconsistently. Companies working in energy and industrial services fear delays in staff rotations. Representatives of the defence sector support stricter checks.

The Telegram channel “Visa from Home” notes that isolated cases of multi-entry visas are still being recorded. For example, after November 7, a two-year Italian Schengen visa was issued. However, such cases are rare and may relate only to applications submitted earlier.

In 2024, Italy was the most popular destination among Russian tourists, according to Eurostat: around 161.5 thousand tourist visa applications were submitted, and 152,254 were approved.

France and Spain

The French embassy in Moscow clarified that it will temporarily stop issuing multi-entry visas. However, the new rules will not restrict travel opportunities for Russians, and Paris will continue issuing short-stay permits up to 90 days, including tourist visas. These may be single-entry or multi-entry — decisions are made individually. Earlier, Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière noted that Russian tourists do not create problems for the republic and that France remains open for visits. In 2024, Russians submitted around 135 thousand applications for French Schengen visas and received 123,890 approvals.

Spain switched to date-specific visas even before the official announcement. Officials confirmed that they no longer issue multi-entry Schengen visas to Russians. Additional consular interviews have also been introduced. In 2024, Spain issued 111,187 tourist visas to Russians. Amid the changes, airlines are revising winter schedules, and tourism boards in the Canary Islands expect a decline in high-spending Russian visitors.

Other countries and Russia’s position

The Netherlands stated that it will strictly follow the European Commission’s decision. MFA spokesperson Hedei Cem emphasised that the country traditionally applies all EU-wide visa rules. This will also apply to the new provisions. The kingdom continues issuing short-stay visas for family visits, humanitarian reasons, and diplomatic or official business trips. The Netherlands has not issued tourist visas to Russians since spring 2022 — and this policy remains unchanged.

Germany has also joined the new restrictions, while Greece has been issuing visas only for the exact travel dates for more than two years, as explained by Dmitry Arutyunov of the Russian Union of Travel Industry. The RUTI added that in 2024, out of nearly 550 thousand Schengen visas, only 5% were multi-entry, so the situation will not change dramatically.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky reported that Moscow views the EU’s visa restrictions as part of a broader policy aimed at creating additional obstacles for Russians. A response is possible and may affect the visa regime, consular procedures, and entry rules for EU citizens. Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the tightening, noted that “Europeans have not forgotten how to build walls.”

When the restrictions may be lifted

The European Commission cites increased risks behind the new rules, including attempts to use the visa system for sabotage-related activities. EC representative Markus Lammert recalled that after the suspension of the visa facilitation agreement, the number of Schengen visas issued to Russians dropped from more than 4 million in 2019 to around 500 thousand in 2023.

The Economist writes that the tightening of visa policy has become a forced measure for Europe. The publication describes the end of multi-entry visas for Russians as unfair, yet inevitable amid the ongoing conflict. It stresses that EU countries cannot afford to appear overly naïve or inactive. The current rules are presented as temporary; the author believes that after hostilities in Ukraine end, the restrictions will be lifted and “everyone will be invited again.”