Germany pushes for tougher visa rules for Russians in new sanctions package
Photo: Germany advocates tightening visa requirements for Russians (Getty Images)
The German government intends to push for stricter restrictions on issuing visas to Russian citizens for travel to Schengen countries as part of the EU’s new sanctions package, Tagesschau reports.
As the media outlet notes, a document prepared by Berlin calls for the full implementation of recommendations issued by the European Commission back in 2022. These recommendations include a significant reduction in the number of visas issued to Russian citizens for tourist travel to the EU.
According to the latest European Union data, in 2024, Russians were issued about 542,000 short-term visas for travel to EU countries and other Schengen states, including Switzerland. This is roughly 20% more than in 2023, but still significantly fewer than in 2019.
In 2024, Germany issued approximately 27,300 Schengen visas to Russian citizens. In addition, about 11,300 national visas for long-term stays were issued, including for study or employment purposes.
The German Foreign Ministry emphasized that after the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Berlin had already tightened the rules for issuing both national and Schengen visas to Russian citizens.
Restrictions for Russians in Schengen Area
The Schengen Area is the largest zone of free movement in the world. It currently covers 29 countries (25 of the 27 EU member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) and a population of 420 million people.
Earlier, several Schengen countries introduced border controls. This measure was a forced response to the growing number of migrants and Russian espionage.
As reports previously indicated, the interior ministers of the Baltic states, Nordic countries, and Poland agreed to ban entry into the Schengen Zone for Russian citizens who took part in aggression against Ukraine.
