Tourist visas for Russians in 2024 – which countries issue them

Not all countries provide tourist visas to Russian citizens after the introduction of sanctions. Which countries remain loyal in 2024?

In a number of countries, Russians are only issued student or work visas, they refuse to issue a tourist visa: Belgium, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Slovakia, Finland, the Czech Republic. You can get there as a tourist only through a country participating in the Schengen Agreement. At the end of May this year Norway has introduced restrictions for tourists from Russia. Russians arriving in the country for tourism purposes are denied entry when crossing the border. Exceptions are visiting relatives, work and education, writes GreekReporter.

Austria, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, France, Croatia, Switzerland, Sweden, Bulgaria and Romania, which joined the Schengen zone this year, as well as Canada and the USA, continue to issue tourist visas. Natalia Osipova, executive director of ATA (Alliance of Travel Agencies), notes that the most loyal in issuing visas in Europe today remain Italy, Spain and France. Greece issues visas almost without refusals, but only for the dates of travel.

The situation with Austria and Germany is somewhat different. Travel agents claim that the countries are formally open for tourist visas, but in practice they often refuse, issuing only family visas to relatives of citizens and residents.

A number of Asian and African countries issue tourist visas without any problems.: India, Sri Lanka, Kenya and others. For many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, a tourist visa is not required – they have a visa-free regime with Russia. And in Mexico, for example, a visa is issued immediately upon arrival at the airport.

To obtain a tourist visa, you must pay a visa fee and collect the required package of documents. As a rule, these are:

• application form and photo for a visa,
• international passport,
• Russian passport,
• insurance,
• confirmation of financial solvency,
• birth certificate for minors and consent to travel from the second parent.

The timeframe for reviewing documents has been extended. Application for a visa must be submitted in advance — best of all one and a half to two months before the trip. You shouldn’t count on a long-term visa if your passport is still “clean”, has no marks, and the expiration date is in a few months.

Potential tourists should take into account that direct flights between Russia and Europe have been suspended. The only European country where you can fly direct is Serbia. There are direct flights to Belgrade from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi and Kazan.

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