EU Tightens Visa Restrictions for Russian Nationals Amid Ongoing Ukraine Conflict

The European Union has decided to stop issuing multi-entry visas to Russian citizens living in the country, marking a significant step to increase pressure on Moscow amid its ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has lasted nearly four years.

“From this point forward, Russian citizens will no longer be able to obtain multiple-entry visas. This requires them to apply for a new visa every time they wish to travel to the EU,” stated a release from Brussels.

This move is aimed at enabling the bloc to carry out “thorough and frequent assessments of applicants to reduce any possible security risks,” the statement noted.

Henna Virkkunen, the Vice President of the European Commission, indicated that this action builds on prior measures and seeks to diminish Russian activities related to “sabotage, disinformation, and drone threats.”

Critics from Russia have condemned the decision as a measure that unfairly impacts ordinary citizens who have no affiliations with President Vladimir Putin, including the many Russians who have sought refuge in Europe from political oppression or military conscription.

In 2022, the EU suspended its visa facilitation agreement with Russia following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which made it more challenging and costly for Russians to secure travel documents.

European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, mentioned that visa applications from Russians will undergo “enhanced verification” and “higher levels of scrutiny.”

Exceptions will only be made in select humanitarian situations, including for independent journalists, dissidents, and human rights advocates. Russian nationals with citizenship from an EU country will not be impacted.

“Traveling to the EU and moving freely within it is a privilege, not an entitlement,” said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief.

According to the European Commission, Russian nationals were issued approximately 552,000 Schengen visas in 2025, an increase of nearly 100,000 from the previous year, yet still significantly lower than the 4 million issued in 2019.

Italy, France, and Spain issued the majority of these visas, while the Baltic states have implemented nearly complete entry bans on Russian travelers.

Reports suggest that the European Commission plans to unveil a new strategy in December aimed at leveraging its visa policy as a geopolitical tool to counteract Russian influence and enhance the EU’s external security.

Moscow responded swiftly to the announcement on Friday.

“Europe seems to have no interest in affluent tourists when there are migrants and draft dodgers from Ukraine,” stated Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to the state-run news agency TASS.