The possibility of fully stopping Schengen visas for Russian citizens cannot be ruled out, according to Ivan Volynkin, who heads the consular department at the Russian Foreign Ministry. He spoke to TASS to share these concerns.
He noted that the Ministry is keeping a close watch on European rhetoric calling for a halt to Russian visa issuance. Many of these voices are voices of critics toward Russia, which he described as Rusophobe figures whose comments are noted with particular attention by Moscow, as reported in the interview.
Volynkin also pointed to what he called an almost complete halt in visa issuance at the Russian consulates in Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic and Estonia. He warned that even unlikely scenarios could become possible if consular ties with other Schengen states deteriorate further.
According to the diplomat, Moscow still hopes for a path that preserves reciprocal travel for Russian and European citizens and for pragmatic, sensible policymaking within the European Union. At the same time, he said that a scenario in which Schengen visa issuance to Russians ends entirely could lead Russia to pursue bilateral visa arrangements with individual European countries to continue limited travel and cooperation on a country-by-country basis. Some EU members have already moved to suspend visas for Russian nationals.
Which countries stopped issuing visas
Immediately after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine on February 24, Latvia and Lithuania halted the issuance of visas to Russian citizens, framing the move as solidarity with those affected by the conflict in Ukraine and Russia. Source attribution: statements compiled from regional government briefings and contemporary press coverage.
Alongside this, the Czech Republic chose to suspend Russian visa issuance. Officials there also visited Russian consulates in Karlovy Vary and Brno, and the country decided to close its missions in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. Prague recalled its ambassadors to Russia and Belarus. On June 23, the Czech government announced that Russians and Belarusians would not be granted visas or residence permits before the end of March 2023, pending a reassessment of policy. Source attribution: government communiqués and contemporaneous reporting.
Estonia moved to suspend issuing visas to Russians on March 10, indicating a temporary halt for certain visa categories, with priority given to new applications. Source attribution: official ministry statements and press coverage.
On March 25, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki urged EU states to stop issuing Schengen visas to Russians. Poland then paused visa issuance in Kaliningrad due to labor shortages, and on April 14 announced the near-total suspension of visa processing at its consulates in the Russian Federation. Source attribution: statements from the Polish government and regional offices.
The Russian authorities also noted that Polish diplomatic missions within Russia were stripped of access to their bank accounts used for visa fees. Moscow retaliated by expelling 45 Polish diplomats, a move followed by the expulsion of an equal number of Russian diplomats by Poland. Source attribution: official statements and press reporting.
On May 30, the Danish Embassy in Moscow stopped accepting documents for short-stay visas and residence permits. Source attribution: Danish foreign service communications.
Finland and the visa issue
On July 25, Finnish media reported that deputies from the major parties in Finland favored denying tourist visas to Russians. Members of the Social Democratic Party, the Coalition Party, the True Finns and the Centre Party reportedly supported the idea in a poll conducted by STT and Yle. Source attribution: Finland’s parliamentary press coverage.
EU Affairs Minister Tytti Tuppurainen stated that Russia’s visa policy should be handled at the EU level, with Finland not planning unilateral steps to halt visas. He also emphasized Finland’s alignment with the EU’s joint sanctions policy while noting that visa issues should be coordinated among EU and Schengen members, given that the Union has already frozen portions of the visa facilitation agreement with Russia and is considering further actions. Source attribution: ministerial statements and contemporary reporting.