Czechia has joined the regional ban on visas for Russians introduced jointly by Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
Starting October 25, Czechia is denying entry to all Russians, even if they have a valid Schengen visa issued by other EU states. Apart from tourists, the entry ban will also apply to those who wish to enter the country for sports or culture-related purposes.
The measure was approved by the Czech Republic’s government following the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Lipavský, who said that by introducing an entry ban for Russians, the country aims to respond to the current situation in Ukraine, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
“Russian rockets are falling on children’s playgrounds and on people who are simply going to work, up to 200 citizens of the Russian Federation travel to the Czech Republic via the international airport every day. That is why we agreed that entry will be denied to those Russian citizens who come to the Czech territory via the external Schengen borders for the purpose of tourism, sports or culture. This measure will apply to travellers with a valid Schengen visa issued by any EU member state,” Minister Lipavský stated.
The list of countries that have also closed their borders to Russians includes Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.
Other EU countries have limited intake of Russian travelers. Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Slovakia have only suspended the issuance of Schengen visas for Russians, meaning that some categories of travellers are still permitted to enter these countries.
