Compared to 2019, Russian citizens are 13 times more likely to be denied Schengen visas, reports the Association of Russian Tour Operators.
Last 2023, Russians applied for Schengen visas more than 520 thousand times, every fifth was refused (20%). In 2021, Russian citizens submitted more than 500 thousand applications for a Schengen visa. The failure rate then was approximately 3%. About 700 thousand applications were submitted in 2022. By data ATOR, every tenth Russian was denied a Schengen visa
As before wrote According to Vedomosti, the flow of tourists from Russia to foreign countries with which there is a visa regime almost doubled in 2023 compared to the first year of the war. The number of tourist trips amounted to 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. However, Turkey may not be the final destination, but a transfer point for transit flights to third countries.
In 2022, due to Russian aggression against Ukraine, the European Union suspended the simplified visa regime for Russians in September. The visa fee has increased from 35 to 80 euros, and the number of documents required to apply for a visa has also increased. Against the backdrop of visa restrictions, Poland, the Baltic countries, Finland and the Czech Republic closed entry for Russian tourists. Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Slovakia have stopped issuing visas to Russian citizens.
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