EU imposes single-entry visas on Russian citizens
The European Union (EU) is tightening visa restrictions for Russian citizens, the European Commission announced. Moving forward, Russians will no longer be eligible for multiple-entry visas; instead, they will be issued single-entry visas valid only for a specific, single trip into the Schengen area.
This major policy shift is aimed at bolstering European security in response to numerous hybrid attacks and destabilizing actions attributed to Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, according to AFP, as cited by Agerpres.
"To start a war and expect to be able to move freely in Europe is difficult to justify," wrote Kaja Kallas, the head of European diplomacy, on X (formerly Twitter). She added: "We are now facing unprecedented disruptions and sabotages caused by drones on our territory. We have the right to protect our citizens."
All EU Member States have approved the measures, with the immediate objective being the uniform application of the new, stricter rules across the bloc.
The implementation of the single-entry visas will include necessary exceptions for justified cases, particularly for independent journalists or human rights defenders requiring safe passage.
Separately, the 27 EU states were already implementing tighter diplomatic movement control for Russian envoys stationed within the bloc.
The number of visas issued to Russian citizens had initially plummeted after Brussels suspended the visa facilitation agreement: from over four million in February 2022 to just 500,000 in 2023. However, European diplomats report that figure has since begun to climb again, prompting this latest action.
Most of these travel documents are currently granted by countries popular with tourists, such as France, Spain, and Italy.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
