It is known which Russians will be unable to obtain a Schengen visa

After joining the Russian Federation, Russians holding foreign passports issued in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia regions, as well as in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, will not be able to obtain a Schengen visa. This preliminary agreement has been reached by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, reports RTVI.

In addition, it is assumed that these individuals will not be able to cross the borders of Schengen area countries with their foreign passports.

This decision will now be presented for discussion in both bodies for further approval, followed by the “official adoption procedure.”

The report states that the restrictive measure is intended as a response to the “unprovoked and unjustified” military actions that Russia is carrying out in Ukraine, the practice of providing Russian passports to residents of Donbass, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, and Russia’s unilateral decision in 2008 to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

“The Russian documents issued in these regions are no longer recognized or are in the process of not being recognized by EU member countries. This decision aims to establish a unified approach to ensure the proper functioning of the external border and the common visa policy, as well as to ensure the security of EU member states,” clarified the European Council.

In September, the EU suspended the visa facilitation agreement with Russia. The visa fee for Russians increased from 35 euros to 80 euros, and the list of required documents and processing times for applications has also grown. Access restrictions for Russian tourists have been implemented by the Baltic states, Poland, and Finland.