Bloombeg: in 2022, the number of Schengen visas issued to Russians by Spain tripled Despite the sanctions, this year the Spanish authorities issued more than 108.8 thousand Schengen visas to Russians, the country’s Foreign Ministry reported. This is less than the pre-pandemic indicators, but three times more compared to 2021
Russians have become more likely to travel to Spain, despite the fact that the European Union has imposed a complete ban on Russian aircraft flying over its entire territory in response to the military operation in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports with reference to the Spanish Foreign Ministry.
According to the ministry, in 2022, the number of short-term Schengen visas issued by Spain to Russians increased to 108.8 thousand. This is almost three times more than the figure of the previous year. The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not specify the reasons.
According to the agency, although the total number of visas issued is still below the pre-pandemic level, the increase in the number of issued entry documents indicates an increase in Russian trips to Western Europe, despite the sanctions. According to the European diplomat, the ban on the entry of Russians with Schengen visas to Eastern European countries, such as Poland and the Czech Republic, “may encourage some to head to Western Europe.”
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Together with Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have closed entry for Russians since September 19. Estonian Prime Minister Kaya Kallas explained the restrictions by the need to “protect public order and security”.
As of September 1, 2022, about 963 thousand Russians had valid Schengen visas. This month, the European Union suspended the simplified visa regime with Russia. The fee increased from €35 to €80, the deadline for reviewing questionnaires increased from 15 to 45 days, and tourists decided to give low priority when considering (additional documents may also be requested).
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