Soon, Schengen visas for Russians may disappear entirely — and the only way “Russian outcasts” could reach Europe will be either by tank or on foot, like Yevgeny Leonov’s hero once did.
No exaggeration here.
Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development has officially warned of a real risk that the European Union could completely stop issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens.
Formally, Brussels hasn’t announced an outright entry ban — just “enhanced screening,” “additional checks,” and “increased security.” But in practice, it’s a slow shutdown. First came the cancellation of multiple-entry visas; now, even single-entry visas are voided after one crossing. This has been confirmed by sources in Politico, the European Commission, and by tour operators, consulates, and visa centers.
Once upon a time, French and Italian consulates were considered the most “generous”: easy single-entry visas, multi-entry ones for a year or even two. Now, they demand insurance only from EU companies, fully prepaid hotels, income statements for the past year, bank deposits over 500,000 rubles, and detailed travel itineraries—and they even make verification calls.
On paper, Russians still have the right to apply for Schengen visas. In reality, securing an appointment with VFS Global has become a lottery — the websites freeze, payments from Russian cards fail, and service fees return cryptic messages like “Please try again in 30 minutes.”
European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas summed it up bluntly:
“Traveling to the EU is a privilege, not a right.”
And sources in the Commission go further, saying they want Russians to “feel the consequences of the special military operation and know their place.”
Well — it’s a good thing Russia spans 11 time zones and has visa-free China alongside endless all-inclusive resorts. 😎
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