The European Commission has introduced stricter visa regulations for Russian citizens, ending the issuance of multiple-entry Schengen visas except in limited humanitarian cases.
According to the Commission, the decision responds to growing concerns over public security and the misuse of visas, citing cases of sabotage, espionage, and weaponized migration by Russian actors in Europe.
Announced on 7 November, the new policy means that Russians will now have to apply for a new visa for each trip to the EU. The European Commission said the measure aims to ensure more frequent and thorough security screenings in light of heightened risks linked to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Under the updated rules, multiple-entry visas will only be granted in exceptional circumstances - such as to independent journalists, human rights defenders, members of civil society organizations, or other vulnerable individuals, along with their immediate family members.
The move is the latest in a series of EU measures restricting travel for Russian citizens since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Many member states, including Estonia, Latvia, Finland, and Poland, had already unilaterally tightened visa access or closed their borders to most Russian visitors.
European officials say the new bloc-wide restrictions are intended to prevent security threats while keeping channels open for those fleeing repression.
