The European countries that have made entry for Russians the most difficult have been named
17 December 12:56
The Baltic States and Scandinavia have become the most difficult destinations for Russian citizens to enter among the European Union and Schengen countries. This was stated by Andrey Maksimov, chairman of the coordination council at the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation for the development of tourism, in a commentary to the Russian media, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
According to him, these countries have imposed the most stringent restrictions on visa issuance and border crossing for Russians, in particular after the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
According to the information, the greatest difficulties for Russians arise when traveling to:
The Baltic States:
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
Scandinavian countries:
- Finland
- Denmark
- Norway
Benelux and Central European countries:
- Netherlands
- Czech Republic
According to Maksimov, these countries have either completely stopped issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens or have actually banned them from entering, even if they have a valid Schengen visa.
What restrictions mean in practice
The restrictions mean that:
- russians cannot enter directly from Russia to these countries;
- the ban also applies to entry from non-Schengen countries;
- a Schengen visa does not guarantee entry to these countries.
At the same time, it is de facto possible to enter these countries through other Schengen countries, unless border services record violations or specific bans.
Problems with Schengen visas for Russians
Russian media and Telegram channels also report systemic difficulties in obtaining Schengen visas. The most common problems include
- increasing the time for processing applications by 2-3 times;
- reduction of the validity of visas to 14-21 days;
- an increase in the number of refusals without detailed explanations;
- the requirement to have health insurance from a European or international company;
- ignoring insurance policies issued in Russia.
In some cases, even a short-term visa is considered a “success” by Russian applicants.
Why EU countries have tightened restrictions
European countries explain such steps by security, foreign policy and sanctions pressure.
After the start of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, many EU states revised their visa policies towards Russian citizens, restricting tourist travel and simplifying entry denials.
