European Union Considers Total Ban on Russian Travel

The European Union is developing multiple strategies to restrict Russian citizens' entry into the Schengen zone after reports that individuals using diplomatic cover or tourism visas conducted hybrid attacks. A leaked policy paper indicates the EU is considering a total ban on non-essential travel for Russian nationals, a move that would require a qualified majority vote to amend the EU visa code.

In the interim, the EU is exploring three parallel tracks to tighten security. These include banning ex-combatants from the war in Ukraine, requiring Russian diplomats to obtain prior authorization for travel between member states, and implementing limited territorial validity visas that restrict holders to the country that issued the document.

The proposed measures aim to resolve a patchwork approach to visa issuance. While eastern member states have maintained strict rules, southern nations including Greece, Italy, France, and Spain continued to issue high volumes of tourist visas, which reached a record 477,878 in 2025. The Federal Government of Germany has specifically argued for the use of limited territorial validity visas to ensure that issuing countries assume full responsibility for the Russian visitors they admit.