A coalition of 11 countries, including nine EU member states, Norway, and Iceland, has urged the European Commission to tighten Schengen visa rules for Russian citizens. In a formal appeal to High Representative Kaja Kallas and Commissioner Magnus Brunner, the group called for stricter travel restrictions after Russian visa issuance rose by 10% in 2025.
The coalition reports that 623,000 Schengen visas were issued to Russian citizens in 2025, a 10.2% increase over the previous year. Approximately 480,000 were tourist visas. The group argues that continuing to issue multiple-entry visas contradicts European Commission recommendations for a strict approach to non-essential travel.
Visa practices vary significantly across the bloc. France, Italy, and Spain were the primary issuers, while Poland, Denmark, Romania, and Sweden issued the fewest. This disparity has led to “visa shopping,” where applicants target lenient countries to gain access to the wider Schengen area.
The signatory countries—including Poland, the Baltic states, and the Nordics—call on the European Commission to maintain strict requirements and consider new restrictions within the Visa Code. The group urged the Commission to verify compliance with multiple-entry rules and regularly publish issuance statistics.
Security concerns drive the request. The coalition flagged the risk of Russian militants and intelligence operatives using tourist visas to enter the Schengen area. To counter this, the group proposed a formal ban on entry for Russian militants.
The appeal comes as EU member states face the security challenges of the war in Ukraine and hybrid threats. While the European Commission previously recommended a restrictive approach to non-essential travel from Russia, the coalition argues that a lack of harmonized reporting and the persistence of multiple-entry visas undermine collective security.