EU Plans Stricter Schengen Visas for Russians by December 2025
www.visaverge.com
The European Commission will publish non-binding guidance by December 2025 to encourage Schengen consulates to tighten visa screening for Russian citizens and other nationals deemed “hostile.” The recommendations aim to harmonize national practices without changing EU law, urging stricter entry criteria, expanded security checks, more detailed documentation, slower approvals, and potentially higher fees. Eastern border states have already instituted tougher measures since 2022, citing espionage and sabotage risks; western and southern states prefer targeted tools. In 2024 EU consulates issued over 500,000 Schengen visas to Russians, far below 2019 levels. The guidance allows humanitarian and family exceptions but under greater scrutiny. While non-binding, the recommendations will shape consular behavior, prompt more information-sharing, and likely produce varied national implementation after publication by December 2025.

Archived version

  • The European Commission will publish non-binding guidance by December 2025 to tighten Schengen visa handling.
  • Guidance urges consulates to apply stricter entry criteria, deeper security checks, and accept fewer travel reasons.
  • Applicants from Russia face longer processing times, possible higher fees, and narrower accepted tourism or business reasons.

Eastern members—Poland, Czechia, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania—have led the charge since 2022, sharply limiting or blocking most tourist applications from Russians. Western and southern governments, including France, Spain, Italy, and Hungary, have continued to process requests more broadly, creating uneven practices across the bloc. The Commission wants to narrow those gaps without taking away national control. Spokespersons emphasize that governments will keep the final say on who gets a visa.

The security focus mirrors concerns raised across Europe since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Diplomats and security agencies cite risks tied to espionage, sabotage, and abuse of diplomatic privileges. Border states argue that cleaving to stricter controls is necessary to protect critical sites and curb covert activity. According to diplomats from those countries, the upcoming guidance is “long overdue,” even if they would prefer binding steps.

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