Path denied: EU considers introducing quotas on visas for Russians
The European Union is preparing new visa restrictions for Russians. In particular, the limitation of the number of issued entry documents is being discussed, Izvestia found out. It is also possible to increase the service fee and the review period. At the same time, a complete ban on the issuance of tourist visas to Russians is not excluded, however, there is no agreement on this decision among the EU countries. In 2024, Russian citizens received about 565,000 Schengen visas. The Union can reduce this number by 30-40% by introducing quotas for visits to southern European countries, where Russians mostly go, experts say.
What measures will the EU introduce against tourists from the Russian Federation
The European Union is discussing the introduction of quotas for the issuance of Schengen visas to tourists from the Russian Federation, Czech member of the European Parliament Tomasz Zdechowski told Izvestia. It is also possible to increase the time for reviewing applications and the consular fee.
"A more realistic option would be to maintain restrictions, increase processing times, increase fees, or strictly limit the number of visas issued, especially in countries that are most concerned about security risks," a deputy from the European People's Party told Izvestia.
Zdechowski noted that the EU is discussing a complete ban on issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens. However, there is no consensus on this issue in the association.
"The states bordering Russia (the Baltic States, Poland, Finland) strongly support strict restrictions, while others, such as Germany, France, or Southern European countries that depend on tourism, are very cautious," the politician said.
Visa restrictions against Russians are being discussed in the EU Council, non-factional MEP Fernand Kartheiser confirmed to Izvestia. He did not rule out that Brussels would recommend that EU member states completely stop issuing tourist entry documents to Russians.
— There is a risk of a complete ban, but it is impossible to say whether this will become a reality. We live in an irrational and often hysterical climate. Unfortunately, in such circumstances, stupid and unfair decisions cannot be ruled out," Kartheiser said.
Both MEPs stressed that the role of the European Parliament in expanding visa restrictions for Russians is limited to expressing a political position. At the same time, the majority in the EU representative body is anti-Russian. The introduction of new visa restrictions against the Russian Federation may not be linked to the 19th package of sanctions.
Although earlier the Italian agency ANSA reported that the European Commission, as part of the next package, is discussing tightening the rules for issuing Schengen visas to Russians. Discussions are also underway about Poland's proposal to ban Russian diplomats from traveling freely in the Schengen area, limiting their movement only to the EU member state where they are accredited. The Russian Foreign Ministry has already announced that it will respond to these bans.
Other restrictions proposed to be included in the 19th package include the expansion of the list of sanctioned courts, banks and enterprises. Secondary sanctions against individual refineries in India and China are also possible, as previously reported by European media. According to Reuters, it is planned to consider a new set of sanctions as early as September 12.
How will the visa quota mechanism work?
Restrictions on the number of documents issued are usually set for work visas and work permits. Their number depends on the number of employees of the consulate and the processing speed.
The European Union may introduce quotas to reduce the number of visas issued to Russians. Currently, 606,000 applications for a tourist "Schengen" are received per year, the rate of increase in visa issuance is 9-10%, and the rejection rate is about 7.5%. The increasing number confuses the European commissioners, Maya Kotlyar, founder and CEO of MAYEL Travel, told Izvestia. Moreover, visas are mainly issued by southern European countries.
— The EU may introduce quotas for issuing visas to Spain, Italy, France, Greece, as well as reduce the number of recording slots by 30%, — said Kotlyar.
She emphasizes that the demand for trips to Europe among Russians is growing: booking volumes have increased by 10-15%, transit routes have become easier, and prices are decreasing. Routes have been established through Turkey, Armenia, Georgia and Serbia. At the same time, Kotlyar does not expect a complete ban on issuing visas to Russians, as this decision will require a review of legislation and consensus from all EU countries.
Why is the EU making it tougher to get a visa
Visa policy is the responsibility of the Member States, and the European Commission makes recommendations to them. Thus, in September 2022, at the initiative of Brussels, the simplified visa regime between the Russian Federation and the EU was terminated. The service fee has increased from €35 to €80, the time for obtaining a visa has increased from 10 to 15 days, in some cases you need to wait 45.
Ten EU countries have gone even further and completely stopped issuing tourist visas to Russians. These countries include Belgium, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Finland, the Czech Republic and Estonia. Restrictions against Russians were supported in Iceland and Norway, which are part of the Schengen area and coordinate their foreign policy with Brussels.
At the same time, the situation is changing now: Slovakia resumed accepting documents for the tourist "Schengen" for Russians on August 28. Belgium is ready to process the documents for obtaining a travel visa again, the Embassy of the kingdom told Izvestia earlier. The EU as a whole has increased the number of visas issued to Russians: in 2024, Russian citizens received 25% more "shengens" than a year earlier — only about 540-560 thousand.
The European Union needs new restrictions to demonstrate its subjectivity against the background of the US negotiations with Russia and Ukraine. The tightening of visa restrictions and possible quotas for the issuance of Schengen will not cause serious tension, including economic tension, among the EU countries, Vasilisa Kuznetsova, an analyst at MGIMO of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told Izvestia.
"Therefore, the specific content of the sanctions package is not important, the main thing is that it should be adopted without delay," the expert noted.
Maya Kotlyar emphasizes that tourism is one of the foundations of economic relations, therefore it is used as a tool along with financial and resource sanctions.
In Brussels, the preparation of new visa restrictions is justified by the large number of Russians who arrived in Europe this summer. Earlier, Izvestia reported that the demand for trips to EU countries has already increased by a third this year. According to diplomatic sources, the European Commission considers it "unacceptable for Russians to enjoy the European way of life" while the conflict in Ukraine continues. The head of European diplomacy, Kaya Kallas, while still Prime Minister of Estonia, called visiting the EU "a privilege, not a human right."
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
