The European Union has decided to fully suspend the 2007 visa facilitation agreement with the Russian Federation, ending the preferential treatment that Russian nationals previously received when applying for short-stay Schengen visas.
The decision was taken in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and followed sustained calls from several Eastern European member states, which argued that it was inconsistent to maintain simplified visa procedures while the war continued. These countries also expressed concern over the continued arrival of Russian tourists seeking holidays in European destinations despite the ongoing conflict.
As a result of the suspension, Russian citizens are no longer able to benefit from the simplified application process established under the 2007 agreement. Instead, they must apply under the standard rules of the EU Visa Code, which generally involve higher visa fees, longer processing times, stricter documentation requirements, and reduced opportunities to obtain multiple-entry visas.
The suspension affects the issuance of Schengen visas, which allow eligible travelers to move freely within the Schengen Area without undergoing border checks between participating countries. The Schengen Area spans more than four million square kilometres and currently includes 22 European Union member states, as well as the four associated countries of Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland, creating one of the world’s largest passport-free travel zones.
While the suspension does not amount to a complete ban on visas for Russian nationals, it significantly limits the preferential treatment that had been in place for more than a decade and reflects the European Union’s broader response to the war in Ukraine.
