Russians are 13 times more likely than in 2019 to be denied Schengen visas

The share of refusals for Russians to obtain Schengen visas in 2023 increased 13 times compared to 2019. About it reported in the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).

In 2023, Russian citizens applied for Schengen visas more than 520 thousand times, in almost 20% of cases there was a refusal.

In 2021, Russians submitted more than 500 thousand applications for a Schengen visa. The failure rate then was more than 3%. In 2022, about 700 thousand applications were submitted. According to ATOR, every tenth Russian citizen was denied a Schengen visa

At the same time, as before wrote According to Vedomosti, the flow of tourists from Russia to foreign countries with a visa regime has almost doubled in 2023 compared to the first year of the war. The number of tourist trips was about three million. Russians traveled to countries where visas are not required 10.6 million times—an increase of 39%. The most popular visa-free countries are Türkiye, the UAE and Thailand. Although Türkiye may not be the final destination, but a transfer point for transit flights to third countries.

• In September 2022, due to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, the European Union suspended the simplified visa regime for Russians. The visa fee has increased from 35 to 80 euros, and the package of documents required to apply for a visa has increased.
• Amid visa restrictions, the Baltic countries, Poland, Finland and the Czech Republic closed entry for Russian tourists. The Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium and Slovakia have stopped issuing visas to Russians.