The European Commission has announced stricter visa rules for citizens of the Russian Federation, citing increased security risks stemming from Russia’s ongoing aggressive war against Ukraine. The new measures include enhanced checks and the end of the possibility of issuing multiple-entry visas.
According to the Commission, the decision is part of a broader framework to protect external borders and strengthen the security of the Schengen area, as incidents of sabotage, cyberattacks and violations of the airspace of European countries by Russian drones have increased.
Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkunen, said the decision was “an additional and necessary measure for the security of the EU and its citizens”. She said “Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine continues to pose a serious threat to European security, with increased risks related to sabotage, disinformation and violations of airspace by drones”.
For her part, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaia Kalas, underlined that Europe is facing “the most dangerous security environment in decades”. “Stricter rules will now apply to Russian nationals applying for a visa to travel to the EU. Entry and free movement in the EU is a privilege, not a given,” she stressed.
Home Affairs and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner said the new rules would introduce stricter verification procedures and high-level checks on all visa applications submitted by Russian citizens. “This way we protect the integrity and security of the Schengen area,” he said.
Under the new arrangements, Russian nationals will no longer be able to obtain multiple-entry visas, meaning they will have to apply for them each time they intend to travel to the EU. The Commission believes that this measure will allow for closer and more frequent checks, thus limiting potential risks to public security.
At the same time, the European Commission provides for exemptions for certain categories of persons, such as independent journalists, human rights defenders and individuals with proven humanitarian reasons, to ensure that the measures are not used to restrict civil society action.
The decision is based on a joint assessment by Member States in the framework of local Schengen cooperation in Russia, and was unanimously approved by Member States in the Visa Committee.
This new initiative complements previous restrictive measures taken by the EU since the start of the Russian invasion, such as the full suspension of the visa facilitation agreement, increased border controls and the issuance of instructions to Member States not to prioritise Russian applications.
With this decision, the European Commission seeks to send a clear message that the security and cohesion of the EU remain a top priority, while at the same time keeping channels of communication open with those Russians who oppose the regime and work for democratic values.
