Latvia Calls on EU Member States to Stop Issuing Schengen Visas to Russians

The Minister of Interior of Latvia, Rihards Kozlovskis, has called on the EU member states to halt Schengen visa issuance for citizens of Russia.

Such a call from Minister Kozlovskis was made at the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs of the European Union, following the presentation of Schengen Barometer data for 2024, Schengen.News reports. 

The EU Commission’s Schengen Barometer showed that an increased trend in issuing Schengen tourist visas to Russians was registered in 2024 compared to 2023. 

According to the barometer, a total of 565,069 Schengen tourist visas were issued to Russian citizens in 2024, which is 25 per cent more than in 2023. 

In addition, the barometer disclosed that visas issued to Russians last year accounted for 5.7 per cent of all issued visas and that 90 per cent of the visas were granted for tourism purposes. 

Concerned about these numbers, Minister Kozlovskis called on the member states to be aware of the risks posed by Russian tourists to the EU’s internal security and to stop issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens.

Latvia Suspended Schengen Visa Issuance for Russians in 2022 
Latvia is one of the six EU member states that has stopped issuing Schengen tourist visas for non-essential travel to Russians. The country halted such a service for Russian citizens back in 2022, immediately after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and just recently extended the measure until the end of 2026. 

According to Minister Kozlovskis, the country has encountered irregular border crossings and acts of sabotage from Russians, highlighting the importance of stricter rules for this nationality. 

The Minister also recalled the guidelines issued by the EU Commission in 2022 on visa and entry restrictions for Russians. 

Following the call of Minister Kozlovskis for all EU member states to stop issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens, the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner expressed concern about the situation and called on the member states to be united on the issue of Schengen visas for Russians. 

As explained by the Latvian Ministry of Interior, the issue of visas for Russian citizens could be revisited at the next meeting of the EU ministers of interior. The EU already highlights the threats posed by Russia and acknowledges the impact of global security on the functioning of the Schengen Area.

Source: https://schengen.news/latvia-calls-on-eu-member-states-to-stop-issuing-schengen-visas-to-russians/