Schengen countries have drastically reduced the validity of their multiple-entry visas, which are issued to Russian citizens. Only Spain maintains a relatively free procedure for submitting documents, France, Italy and Germany have introduced serious restrictions.
On October 17, Germany announced a new rule for visa applicants: as proof of their financial solvency, a certificate from a bank operating in the European Union must now be attached to the documents. Statements from Russian banks or from branches of European banks operating in Russia are no longer suitable, Izvestia writes.
According to the vice president of the Association of Russian Tour Operators (ATOR) for outbound tourism, the general director of the tour operator Space Travel Artur Muradyan, the number of visas issued for travel dates or with a small margin “to change plans has increased, they can give a multi-visa for two weeks.
On average, Schengen is now issued for six to twelve months. This is much less than before 2020, when it was possible to get a visa for France for five years, for Spain, Italy and Greece – for two or three years.
At the same time, the number of visas issued also decreased. This is due to the tightening of the European visa policy towards Russians. Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands have officially stopped issuing visas to Russian citizens.
ATOR does not keep statistics on visa denials; the embassies of European countries do not share this information. If the documents are filled out correctly, the visas are issued calmly, Muradyan summed up.
- The draft resolution banning the issuance of Schengen visas to Russians was submitted for discussion to the European Union on August 10. The ban was supposed to affect the issuance of not only tourist visas, but also students, relatives of EU citizens.
- Stop issuing Schengen visas to Russians earlier requested the head of the Estonian government. According to Kai Kallas, visiting Europe is “a privilege, not a human right”.
- Some EU countries have stopped issuing visas to Russians, including the Czech Republic, Belgium, Latvia and Lithuania.
Author:
karina pardaeva
Source: RB
I am Bret Jackson, a professional journalist and author for Gadget Onus, where I specialize in writing about the gaming industry. With over 6 years of experience in my field, I have built up an extensive portfolio that ranges from reviews to interviews with top figures within the industry. My work has been featured on various news sites, providing readers with insightful analysis regarding the current state of gaming culture.
