As the New Year holiday season approaches, Russian outbound travel to Europe remains constrained by highly uneven Schengen visa processing times. Greece is likely to capture the largest share of Russian New Year arrivals, followed by Hungary, Spain, and France—but only if travelers submit applications immediately. Italy will see minimal new Russian bookings for the New Year period due to unpredictable processing delays.
With just over three months until the holidays, visa appointment availability and consular processing speeds vary dramatically by country. Industry data from late September 2026 shows that total turnaround depends not only on consular review but also on appointment slots, submission city, and potential additional document requests. A free slot at a visa center does not guarantee passport return in time for travel.
Greece and Hungary: Most Feasible for New Year Arrivals
Greece: Processing takes approximately 3–6 weeks. In Moscow, appointments are relatively available, sometimes within days. TEZ TOUR, accredited by the Greek consulate, recommends allowing 30 calendar days. The official visa center indicates 30–45 days. For hoteliers, Greece remains a realistic source of Russian New Year guests, provided applications are submitted by late October to early November.
Hungary: Visas are issued in about 3–5 weeks, but appointment slots have become scarcer. While processing is fast, the bottleneck is securing a submission date. Hoteliers targeting Hungarian properties should monitor appointment availability closely, as Russian demand may be limited by access rather than processing speed.
Spain and France: Moderate Risk, Manageable if Acted Upon Early
Spain: Visas are typically issued 4–6 weeks after submission. Appointment slots are released in batches and disappear quickly. This creates uncertainty for late planners. For hoteliers, Spanish properties can still expect Russian arrivals if applications are filed by mid-October.
France: Similar processing times (4–6 weeks). Appointments for November are already open. Moscow and St. Petersburg have more availability than the regions. French hotels may see a moderate flow of Russian New Year guests, but only from those who apply promptly.
Italy: High Risk, Effectively Off the Table for New Year
Italy presents a significantly riskier profile. Although the formal Schengen processing time is short, in practice some Moscow applicants waited 80–100 days for passport return in summer 2026. Consequently, even an October appointment does not guarantee documents will be returned in time for New Year travel. Hoteliers in Italy should not rely on Russian guests for the upcoming holiday season unless bookings are already confirmed and visas secured. New Russian demand for Italian New Year stays is unlikely to materialize.
For most destinations, tour operators advise submitting documents no later than mid-October. For Greece, TEZ TOUR recommends late October to early November as the absolute latest; the second half of November is considered high-risk.
