After years of pressure from the bloc’s countries that share a border with Russia, the European Union is preparing to take a tougher stance on issuing visas to Russian citizens, Politico reports.
A European Commission official told Politico that new guidelines for EU countries, scheduled to be issued by the end of the year, will recommend tightening visa restrictions for citizens of Russia and other unfriendly countries. Two EU diplomats from countries that share a border with Russia said their governments have been lobbying Brussels for years to issue such guidelines, and one diplomat said they were long overdue. All politicians spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.
The EU already canceled a deal with Russia in September 2022, making it more expensive and difficult to obtain a visa. However, overall responsibility for issuing visas remains with each member state, meaning that the EC cannot impose a blanket ban on Russians entering the bloc. National policies therefore vary widely. Some countries, such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Finland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, have stopped or severely restricted visa issuance, with a few exceptions. Others, such as Hungary, France, Spain and Italy, are still quite liberal in issuing visas to Russians.
In 2024 alone, more than half a million Russian citizens received Schengen visas.
According to an EC official, the guidelines due in December will not be strictly binding rules, but rather recommendations common to the entire bloc, including on the development of stricter criteria for Russians wishing to enter the EU.
The guidelines, which are still under discussion, will not amount to a complete visa ban,
which is being considered as part of the next sanctions package.
Latvia ended the issuance of tourist visas to Russian citizens three years ago. Asked about the planned guidelines, Foreign Minister Baiba Braže stressed the need for a unified and consistent approach across the EU when it comes to issuing visas to Russian citizens.
Some in Russian society have called for tourist visas not to be turned into weapons against Moscow. Yulia Navalny, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, has expressed concern about a possible complete ban on tourist visas, and in a letter to the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, has called for a distinction to be drawn between the regime’s responsibility and that of ordinary citizens. Navalny has recommended sanctions against oligarchs, security officials, propagandists and other regime allies.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský has long called for a ban on Russian diplomats leaving the country they are assigned to. He said it was an unnecessary advantage for the Russian regime and was often used to carry out sabotage.
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