On November 7, the European Commission (EC) published a decision regarding the visa issuance procedure for Russian citizens. The document, titled «On the establishment of adapted rules for issuing multiple-entry visas to citizens of the Russian Federation residing in Russia and applying for short-term visas at the consulates of EU countries in the Russian Federation», prohibits the issuance of multiple-entry visas to Russian citizens.
«This means that Russian citizens will have to apply for a new visa each time they plan to travel to the EU, allowing for thorough and frequent screening of applicants», - noted in the EC materials.
According to the new requirements, multiple-entry Schengen visas will be issued only to certain categories of applicants classified as low-risk.
These categories primarily include close relatives of EU citizens or Russian citizens legally residing in the EU: spouses, registered partners, children under 21, and their parents. They may be issued a multiple-entry visa valid for up to one year, provided the applicant has already received and properly used three visas in the past two years.
Transport workers, including sailors, truck and bus drivers and train crew members, also retain the right to multiple-entry visas. They may be issued a visa valid for up to nine months if they have already held and legally used two visas in the past two years.
The new rules apply only to applications submitted directly in Russia. The European Commission emphasizes that any attempts to circumvent these restrictions by submitting applications in third countries will be prevented, as consulates are required to strictly adhere to the principle of territorial competence.
The decision also applies to Schengen associated countries: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, as well as Cyprus, which currently issues national visas.
However, the European Commission's decisions are advisory in nature, and EU countries can continue to run the independent visa policies.
According to Russian tourism industry experts, the restriction on multiple-entry Schengen visas will not affect tourist flow to Europe, as EU consulates have been issuing virtually no multiple-entry visas for the past two years.
Photo by N. Klimenok
