Schengen Visas for Russians May Become Stricter: What the Initiative of 11 European Countries Means

Eleven Schengen Area countries have called on the European Commission to introduce stricter and more mandatory rules for issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens for non-essential travel. For the tourism market, this is an important signal: even without an immediate ban, Europe is moving toward a more fragmented, politically sensitive, and slower visa environment, where applicants will have to more carefully check the rules of the specific country of application.

A new stage of discussion began with a letter dated June 2, 2026, addressed to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas and the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner. It was signed by representatives of Sweden, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and Poland. Iceland and Norway are not EU members, but they are part of the Schengen Area, so their position also has practical significance for short-term travel in Europe.

The key grievance of the signatories is not only the fact of tourist trips by Russian citizens to Europe, but also the varying application of already existing restrictive approaches. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU suspended the simplified visa regime with the Russian Federation and recommended that member states examine applications for non-essential travel more strictly. However, according to the 11 countries, in practice, the rules are applied unevenly: some states issue visas much more cautiously, while others remain more open to tourist demand.

What Exactly the 11 Countries are Proposing

The letter speaks of the need for a more coordinated and mandatory policy regarding Russian applicants. The countries call on the European Commission to prepare new restrictive measures in the EU Visa Code, update and better monitor the implementation of current recommendations, and regularly provide countries with aggregated statistics on the issuance of visas to Russian citizens.

A separate point concerns multiple-entry visas. The signatories welcome the new restrictive approach to issuing multiple-entry permits, but ask to apply it globally to all Russian citizens regardless of their country of residence. In other words, this refers not only to applications submitted in Russia, but also to Russian citizens applying for a Schengen visa from third countries.

Another practical block concerns security. The letter mentions the need to check for possible risks associated with former or current Russian combatants who participated in the war against Ukraine. Therefore, the initiative has a dual nature: it concerns both tourist mobility and the security policy of the Schengen Area.

Why the Topic Became Acute Just Before the Summer Season

Summer is traditionally the peak period for European tourism. For destinations like France, Italy, and Spain, tourist demand has significant economic importance, and large airports remain the main gateways for short city trips, resort routes, and transfers. These are the countries that have come into focus due to the volume of visas issued to Russian citizens.

According to data provided in the letter from the 11 countries, in 2025, 477,878 Schengen visas were issued to Russian citizens specifically for tourist purposes, many of which were multiple-entry. The European Commission, responding to criticism, emphasizes that the total number of Schengen visas for Russian citizens has decreased sharply compared to the pre-war period: from approximately four million per year to about half a million in 2025. But for the proponents of new restrictions, this is not enough, as the tourist flow remains noticeable.

For travelers, this means that a tourist visa to one Schengen country is increasingly viewed not as a purely consular procedure, but as part of a general European security policy. If previously an applicant could focus primarily on deadlines, documents, and slot availability, now the political context of the country through which the application is submitted is becoming increasingly important.

What the European Commission Has Already Answered

Following the public appearance of the initiative, the European Commission stated that it is working on targeted restrictive visa measures to respond to risks associated with the hostile actions of third countries. At the same time, it is important not to exaggerate the speed of changes: according to European media, new proposals are expected as part of the Visa Code review next year, so they should not immediately change the rules for the 2026 summer season.

This is a crucial point for readers. As of June 8, 2026, there is no already implemented full ban on tourist Schengen visas for Russian citizens at the level of the entire Schengen Area. It is about political pressure, the preparation of possible targeted rules, and the demand to make the approach less fragmented between countries. In practice, individual states may continue to have their own approaches to accepting applications, slot availability, additional checks, and priority of review.

How This May Affect the European Tourism Market

The potential impact will be uneven. For countries of Northern and Eastern Europe, which have long taken a stricter position on tourist trips by Russian citizens, new rules may rather solidify current practice. For popular destinations in Western and Southern Europe, changes may be more sensitive, especially if they limit the ability to issue multiple-entry tourist visas or introduce stricter criteria for non-essential travel.

At the same time, it should not be expected that the European tourism economy as a whole significantly depends on the Russian flow in its current scale. After 2022, air connections between Russia and the EU were sharply limited, routes became longer and more expensive, and direct tourist flows have long since been restructured. Most European cities and resorts compensate for the demand through intra-European trips, tourists from the USA, the Middle East, Asia, and other markets.

However, for certain segments, the impact may be noticeable: premium hotels, medical tourism, luxury retail, private transfers, and longer city-break routes through large hubs. For example, passengers planning trips through Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD), or Barcelona Airport (BCN) may more frequently encounter additional document checks if the route is associated with Russian citizens or complex transit schemes.

What Will Change for Ordinary Travelers

For citizens of Ukraine and other travelers who are not Russian citizens, this initiative does not directly change the rules of entry into the Schengen Area. But it has indirect significance for everyone planning trips in Europe. First, visa policy is becoming more dependent on the security context, and therefore consulates may more carefully check the purpose of the trip, the route, financial documents, and previous travel history in a wider range of cases.

Second, if the EU truly moves toward new targeted rules, the consular infrastructure may experience additional load. This is especially important for applicants from countries that require a Schengen visa: even if the rules for them formally do not change, queues, processing times, and appointment availability may react to general changes in the visa system.

Third, for travel companies and airlines, the verification of documents before selling complex routes will become more important. If a passenger flies through several countries, has different grounds for entry, or combines a Schengen trip with transit through third countries, the risk of error in visa conditions increases. For routes through northern and eastern hubs, particularly Helsinki Airport (HEL), Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW), and Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN), it is worth paying special attention to national entry and transit rules.

Why This Is Not Just Visa News

This story shows a broader trend: tourist mobility in Europe is increasingly intersecting with issues of security, sanctions, migration control, and foreign policy. A Schengen visa has long ceased to be just a technical pass for a short vacation. For states, it has become a tool for risk management, and for the tourism market, a factor that can change demand, routes, and traveler behavior.

It is telling that the initiating countries speak not only about the moral aspect of tourist trips during a war, but also about so-called visa shopping — a situation where applicants seek a country with a softer approach to then move throughout the Schengen Area. The very absence of internal passport borders in Schengen makes a unified policy especially important: the decision of one consulate effectively opens access to many countries.

For the EU, this is a difficult balance. On one hand, some states demand a stronger signal to Russia and greater security. On the other hand, there are arguments against too broad restrictions: they may affect people not associated with the Russian government, complicate humanitarian and family trips, and create additional administrative tension for consulates. Therefore, the most likely scenario for the near future is not an instantaneous full ban, but a gradual tightening of criteria, shorter visa validity periods, and fewer multiple-entry permits.

What to Check Before a Trip

Tourists planning trips to Europe should follow a few practical rules. First and foremost, it is necessary to check information specifically on the website of the consulate of the country that is the main purpose of the trip, rather than relying on old advice from forums or intermediary sites. If the route covers several countries, it is important to correctly determine the country of main stay or first entry, depending on the visa situation.

Also, it is worth leaving more time for document preparation and not building critically important trips around minimum processing times. Even if changes have not yet come into force, the political discussion itself can affect the work of consulates, especially in countries that take a stricter position. For passengers with transfers, it is useful to check transit rules, hotel bookings near airports, and ground transport options in advance: for example, for long layovers, pages about hotels near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) or transfers from Paris CDG Airport are available.

Conclusion

The initiative of 11 countries does not mean that the Schengen Area has already closed tourist visas for Russian citizens. But it means that the issue of Russian tourist flow has once again become one of the prominent items on the European agenda before the summer season. The European Commission recognizes the need for additional targeted measures, and the countries supporting a stricter approach demand not recommendations, but more mandatory rules.

For the tourism market, the main conclusion is simple: Schengen visas in 2026 remain not only about documents, bookings, and insurance, but also about the political context. Travelers should plan trips with a larger time buffer, check the current requirements of the specific country and not consider old visa practices as a guarantee of future decisions.