The European Commission has announced new restrictions on Schengen visas for Russian passport holders, limiting most applicants residing in Russia to single-entry visitor visas.

The move, unveiled in Brussels on Friday, follows what the Commission described as a shift in security risks linked to Russian visa applications since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The new rules severely restrict the issuance of multiple-entry visas to Russian applicants,” said Markus Lammert, European Commission spokesperson. “That being said, certain limited exceptions remain.”

According to the new policy, multiple-entry visas — which previously allowed holders to travel freely across the Schengen Area during their validity — will now be issued only in specific cases. These include:
• Close family members of Russian citizens legally residing in the EU, and family members of EU citizens, who may still obtain multiple-entry visas valid for up to one year.
• Transport workers, who may be granted multiple-entry visas valid for up to nine months to support essential cross-border operations.

The Commission said the decision reflects the changing security landscape and aims to ensure “a coordinated and proportionate approach” to visa policy across the EU.