As of the latest update, several European countries have imposed temporary suspensions on visa issuance and have introduced restrictions on other immigration rules for Russian citizens. Employers with Russian citizen employees should remain informed about these suspensions, especially when dealing with ongoing or upcoming international moves. It is crucial to communicate these developments to affected employees. Given the dynamic nature of the situation, ongoing monitoring of updates on this matter is essential.
This section provides an overview of the evolving situation regarding Russian visa suspensions for Russian citizens in various European countries.
Many European countries have temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Russian citizens. Below are details of some of the countries that have implemented these restrictions:
UPDATE AUGUST 24, 2022: Long-stay visa applications can now be filed in Russia through VFS, the Belgian embassy's visa service provider. However, short-term Schengen visa applications filed in Russia are still on hold. For Schengen visa applications filed in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, Belgium is represented by other EU Member State consular posts, and applicants should check with the respective consular post for current practices and potential restrictions.
UPDATE JUNE 14, 2023: The short-term (type C) visa issuance suspension for Russian citizens has been lifted.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 20, 2022: Short-term (type C) visa issuance has been suspended for Russian citizens, and it is uncertain when this suspension will be lifted.
UPDATE APRIL 3, 2023: The Czech government extended the ban on the issuance of new visas and residence permits to Russian and Belarusian nationals until March 31, 2024, with some exemptions for certain categories of individuals, such as family members of EU nationals residing in the Czech Republic. Those with long-term visas or residence permits can still renew these documents.
UPDATE MARCH 22, 2023: The Czech government suspended the issuance of Czech visas or residence permits to foreign nationals with dual citizenship in Russia or Belarus.
UPDATE OCTOBER 12, 2022: Russian citizens will be denied entry for tourism, sports, or cultural purposes, even if they hold a valid Schengen visa, starting October 25, 2022.
UPDATE JANUARY 20, 2023: Russia has been removed from the expedited asylum application list, meaning Russian nationals' asylum applications in Denmark will no longer be prioritized, though exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.
UPDATE OCTOBER 5, 2022: The Danish Embassy in Moscow is closed for all types of visa and residence permit applications. Affected applicants will need to apply for Danish visas at other Danish consular posts until the Embassy reopens.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 13, 2022: Russian citizens will face difficulties obtaining a Danish short-term Schengen visa, as Denmark has moved Russia to category 5 under a Danish country classification system, resulting in a more restrictive visa issuance policy.
UPDATE MAY 31, 2023: Exceptions have been made for Russian and Belarusian nationals residing in Estonia under visa D, allowing certain categories of individuals to apply for longer stays in Estonia.
UPDATE APRIL 17, 2023: Estonia is not issuing digital nomad visas for Russian and Belarusian citizens.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 9, 2022: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have collectively restricted entry to Russian citizens holding Schengen visas issued by any country, with individual variations in policy and exceptions.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 8, 2022: Entry to Russian citizens holding a Schengen visa from any Schengen-associated country will be refused, with exceptions for certain categories of travelers.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 23, 2022: Exceptions to the entry restriction have been defined, including those related to family reunification, humanitarian reasons, and more.
UPDATE AUGUST 11, 2022: Estonia will ban Russian citizens with Estonian-issued short-term Schengen visas from entering for tourism or business visits, with some exceptions.
Various suspensions: Estonia has also suspended short-term Schengen C visas, long-term D visas, residence permits for employment, and study-related visas for Russian citizens.
UPDATE AUGUST 30, 2023: Biometrics appointments and residence permit matters are now exclusively available at the Finnish Embassy or VFS Global in Moscow. Other VFS service points in Russia are only processing visa applications.
UPDATE AUGUST 8, 2023: The Consulate General in St. Petersburg will close on October 1, 2023, and the customer service desk will close on September 1, 2023. As a result, applications for visas or residence permits submitted after August 1, 2023, are not being accepted at the related Visa Facilitation Service (VFS) office there. Starting September 1, 2023, the Moscow Embassy will accept all Finnish visa and residence permit applications in Russia.
UPDATE JULY 10, 2023: Travel restrictions for Russian citizens traveling to or through Finland have been extended indefinitely, and Russian business travelers can no longer transit through Finland without a valid and necessary reason. Russian property owners in Finland must also provide a valid and necessary reason for their presence. Russian students can only be admitted to Finland if they are obtaining a degree or participating in a degree program.
UPDATE OCTOBER 3, 2022: Russian citizens with valid Schengen visas are not permitted to enter Finland for tourism or transit purposes as of September 29, 2022. Exceptions apply to Russian citizens holding residence permits issued by Finland, EU or European Economic Area Member States, or Switzerland, as well as those with a long-term D visa issued by a Schengen Area country.
UPDATE AUGUST 30, 2022: Starting September 1, Finnish consular posts in Russia reduced the number of available tourist visa filing appointments and other visa filing appointments. This reduction may require earlier booking and careful planning.
Due to France's suspension of its visa facilitation agreement with Russia, Russian citizens applying for a short-stay French visa now face increased fees (EUR 80 instead of EUR 35) and longer processing times (45 days instead of 15 days).
As of October 26, 2022, Russian and Belarusian nationals are required to obtain a visa for short stays in Ireland, even if they hold a valid UK short stay visa. The Short Stay Visa Waiver, which previously allowed certain nationalities to travel to Ireland without an Irish visa, no longer applies to these nationals, impacting visitors and business travelers.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2023: Russian nationals with Latvian permanent residence whose status was annulled on September 1, 2023, have been provided with extended application deadlines and alternative pathways to residence in Latvia. The deadline for applying for EU long-term residence status has been extended to December 31, 2023. Applicants must have attempted a Latvian language proficiency test at least once. Additionally, applicants can now apply for a permanent residence permit or a temporary two-year residence permit, each with specific language proficiency requirements.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 11, 2023: Latvian consular posts are now issuing long-term (D) entry visas to Russian citizens with Latvian temporary residence permits.
UPDATE JUNE 30, 2023: The entry ban on certain Russian citizens has been extended until March 4, 2024.
UPDATE DECEMBER 15, 2022: Russian citizens holding Latvian national status and a Latvian permanent residence permit must apply for EU long-term residence status by September 1, 2023, as their permits will become void by that date.
UPDATE NOVEMBER 21, 2022: Residence permits based on investment or real estate purchases in Latvia are no longer available for Russian and Belarusian citizens, except in specific cases.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 26, 2022: Long-term visa (D visa) issuance and Digital Nomad Visa issuance to Russian citizens are suspended. Additionally, Russian citizens seeking permanent resident status in Latvia are required to pass a Latvian language test at an 'A2' level.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 12, 2022: Entry by Russian citizens is restricted to certain categories, including residence permit holders, long-term visa holders, and humanitarian cases.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 7, 2022: Extensive background checks and additional document requirements for Russian citizens permitted to file residence permit applications under exemptions are causing longer processing times.
UPDATE AUGUST 10, 2022: Russian citizens entering Latvia are interviewed, and they are asked to sign a document regarding their stance on the Ukraine conflict.
UPDATE AUGUST 5, 2022: Visa application acceptance and issuance for Russian citizens are suspended, with exceptions for attending the funeral of a very close relative.
UPDATE JULY 10, 2023: Lithuania has introduced stricter border screenings and procedures for foreign nationals traveling from Belarus and Russia, including more thorough document checks.
UPDATE MAY 9, 2023: Lithuania has suspended the acceptance of temporary residence permits for Russian citizens, except for those with specific qualifications or if the application is mediated by an authorized institution. Russian and Belarusian citizens are also unable to apply for Lithuanian electronic resident status.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 20, 2022: Entry by Russian citizens to Lithuania has been further restricted, with exceptions for specific categories, including work permit holders and those with long-term visas.
The Dutch consulate in Moscow has ceased issuing short-term visas for the Netherlands.
The visa facilitation agreement with Russia has been suspended, resulting in increased visa fees (EUR 80 instead of EUR 35), longer processing times (45 days instead of 15 days), and the suspension of multiple-entry visas for Russian citizens.
UPDATE APRIL 5, 2023: Russian citizens, including students, no longer have unrestricted entry to Poland. Certain categories, such as workers and holders of a Poland Business Harbor visa, are exempt from these restrictions.
UPDATE OCTOBER 31, 2022: Russia was removed from the list of countries whose nationals can work in Poland based on Special Permission, affecting the ability of Russian citizens to file new Special Permission applications.
UPDATE OCTOBER 3, 2022: Russian citizens are restricted from entering Poland for tourism, cultural, sports, and business purposes.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 22, 2022: Russian citizens face increased rejections for residence permit renewal applications due to negative security agency opinions.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 9, 2022: Poland, along with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Denmark, has restricted entry to Russian citizens holding Schengen visas starting September 19. Various visa categories remain suspended for Russian citizens.
Romanian consulates in Russia are not issuing short-stay visas for Russian citizens.
UPDATE JUNE 8, 2023: Russian nationals applying for Schengen visas at the Slovak Embassy may be required to obtain a verified invitation in addition to regular documents. Delays in application processing are expected, with consular appointments booked through the end of 2023.
Russian nationals applying for Schengen visas should anticipate stricter reviews and additional document requirements.
UPDATE: Visa and permit applications for investors, entrepreneurs, and business project representatives have been temporarily suspended until further notice since March 15, 2022.
UPDATE - August 28, 2023: Swedish residence card applicants awaiting receipt of their cards at the Swedish Embassy in Moscow should expect delays due to several courier companies ceasing deliveries to Russia. Residence cards, which are processed in Sweden and then couriered to the relevant embassy, can now take up to six weeks or potentially longer to arrive after being sent from Sweden. Previous delivery times were around four weeks. Residence cards cannot be forwarded to another Swedish embassy or an address in Sweden.
UPDATE AUGUST 18, 2023: Individuals holding certain passports and residence permits from specific regions of Ukraine and other areas are no longer able to obtain Schengen visas in Switzerland or cross Schengen external borders via Switzerland. Exceptions are granted for humanitarian reasons.
UPDATE: Switzerland has suspended its bilateral visa facilitation agreement with Russia, resulting in increased visa fees (EUR 80 instead of EUR 35) and longer processing times (45 days instead of 15 days) for Russian citizens applying for short-stay Schengen visas.
As of January 2023, the Migration Directorate in Turkey will no longer grant Russian nationals preferential treatment when applying for tourist residence permits. This change may result in a higher rate of denials for these permits.
In the United Kingdom, visa issuance to Russian citizens is not formally suspended, but various steps of the immigration process are delayed. Tuberculosis testing locations and visa application centers in Russia are experiencing lengthy appointment wait times. English language testing, required for Skilled Worker visa applications, is largely suspended in Russia. Additionally, overseas priority visa processing is suspended, and entry clearance applications are delayed for all foreign national applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom. This is due to immigration staff being reallocated internally to support Ukraine humanitarian applications.
UPDATE October 4, 2022: The European Commission issued additional guidelines to EU Member States on more strictly scrutinizing short-term Schengen visa applications and handling border crossings by Russian citizens. These guidelines follow the suspension of the short-stay visa facilitation agreement with Russia. Each EU Member State may choose whether to implement these guidelines.
UPDATE: The European Council suspended the short-stay visa facilitation agreement with Russia effective September 12, 2022. This suspension has made short-term travel to the Schengen area more complicated, expensive, burdensome, and slower to secure for all Russian citizens.
Golden Visa Suspension: Issuance of investor visas for Russian citizens is temporarily suspended in many countries, including the Czech Republic, Greece (with the suspension on renewals of Golden visas lifted), Ireland, Italy (for Russian and Belarusian nationals), Latvia, Malta, Portugal, and Spain. The United Kingdom closed its Tier 1 Investor route for all applicants on February 17, 2022. The EU Council of Ministers has committed to measures to limit the sale of golden passports to Russian nationals. Affected Russian citizens should check with their consular post for specific information on investor visa issuance.
Travel Impacts for Russian Citizens: The United States, the European Union, other European countries, and Canada have closed their airways to Russian flights, and several airlines have limited travel over Russia, causing delays in travel routes. Travelers should check with their specific airline for more information.
Employers with Russian citizen employees should consider these suspensions for ongoing and upcoming moves and notify their employees of any travel implications.
Affected individuals are advised to contact their immigration professional for specific information.
The situation remains fluid, and further updates and visa suspensions for Russian citizens are expected. Monitoring official sources and staying informed is essential for those affected by these changes.
The landscape of visa suspensions for Russian citizens in European countries is subject to ongoing changes and updates. Employers and individuals affected by these restrictions should stay informed and regularly check for developments, as the situation may evolve rapidly.
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Step3: Monitor your email for confirmation of payment and receipt of your eVisa, which will be sent electronically.
