Euractiv: EU countries issued Russians 10% more Schengen visas in 2025

In 2025, Russian citizens began receiving Schengen visas to enter the European Union more frequently.

This was reported by the Euractiv portal.

According to the outlet, in 2025 Russians submitted more than 670,000 applications for Schengen visas — nearly 8% more than the previous year. EU countries issued Russian citizens more than 620,000 visas, exceeding the 2024 figure by 10.2%.

France, Italy, and Spain are the most active issuers of visas to Russians — these three countries account for nearly three-quarters of all applications from Russian citizens. The largest increase was recorded in France, where the number of visas issued grew by more than 23% over the year.

In November of last year, the European Union stopped issuing Russian citizens Schengen multiple-entry visas. It was reported that Russians would be required to obtain a separate permit and undergo enhanced checks for each trip to Europe. Russian opposition figures criticized this decision by the European Union.

Spain, meanwhile, is changing its migration legislation to simplify relocation for Russians and Ukrainians. In particular, Russians can obtain a special one-year visa, during which they must find employment directly in Spain.