EU Weighs Territorially Limited Schengen Visas for Russian Tourists

A proposal to issue Russian citizens visas with limited territorial validity, known as LTV visas, is on the agenda of a European Union Council working group on visa policy. The document says the question is whether to give Russians such visas for "non-essential travel," including tourism. The group is due to meet on October 14.

LTV visas allow travel only to specific countries rather than the entire Schengen area, and they are already being issued. It is unclear whether the working group intends to discuss giving Russians only this type of visa. Representatives of Russia's tourism industry say such a rule would make it much harder to organize multi-country bus tours and combined trips covering several states.

Wider push for restrictions

Politico previously reported that the EU plans to bring in new visa restrictions for Russians from 2027. The topic is also due to be discussed on October 12 at a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. Several member states cite the threat of hybrid attacks from Russia as the reason for tightening policy. The report did not say what the restrictions would involve.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on October 11 that completely stopping tourist visas for Russians is necessary to strengthen European security. He plans to present the proposal at the EU summit on October 15–16.

Finland, like a number of other EU and Schengen Area countries, stopped issuing tourist visas to Russians soon after Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine. Greece, Spain, Italy and France, however, still issue them. According to data cited by Politico, about 478,000 Schengen tourist visas were issued to Russian citizens in 2025.

In November 2025, the European Commission recommended that multiple-entry Schengen visas not be issued to Russians. The number of such visas has fallen sharply, though some are still being granted.