Communication providing guidelines on general visa issuance in relation to Russian applicants following Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500

Summary:

Communication adopted by the European Commission on 9 September 2022, providing guidance on general visa issuance in relation to Russian applicants following Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500 on the suspension in whole of the application of the Agreement between the European Community and the Russia on the facilitation of the issuance of visas to their citizens.

Further information:

Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500 suspended the application of all the provisions of the Agreement as regards citizens of the Russian Federation. The visa facilitations to Russian citizens shall not apply until the suspension is lifted. Consequently, the general rules of the Visa Code will apply by default to Russian nationals applying for short-stay visas.

Taking into account the heightened security risks the European Union (EU) is facing following Russia's war against Ukraine, consulates should conduct a strict assessment of security risks. This could possibly lead to visa refusal as well as to the revocation of existing valid visas. Russian applicants travelling for non-essential reasons may also expect longer and more thorough process for lodging applications.

These guidelines were adopted by the European Commission on 9 September 2022.

• Primary Source

• Alternative Source

Official

European Commission: Press Release, 09/09/2022: Commission presents guidelines on stricter visa processing for Russian citizens https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_5430

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