Schengen visa multivisа share drops to 1-2% for Russians
The share of multiple-entry Schengen visas issued to Russian citizens dropped to 1-2% in 2026 due to tightened EU rules in November 2025, leading to a 15-25% increase in visa applications despite unchanged tourism flow. Most applicants sought visas for Italy, France, Spain, and Greece.
Consensus
- The share of multiple-entry Schengen visas for Russian citizens in 2026 was less than 1-2%.
- The number of visa applications from Russians increased by 15-25% in 2026 compared to the previous year.
- The decline in multiple-entry visas is linked to EU rule changes in November 2025.
- Most Russian applicants apply for Schengen visas to Italy, France, Spain, and Greece.
- Good visa history increases chances of obtaining a multiple-entry visa, but high tour cost or property ownership does not guarantee it.
- Refusal rates vary by country and applicant profile, with higher refusal rates in Greece and Bulgaria.
- The EU tightened visa rules in November 2025.
- Russia received over 619,000 Schengen visas in 2025, a 14% increase from 2024.
Points of divergence
- The share of half-year multiple-entry visas is less than 1-2%, and even holders of three-year multiple-entry visas with good history may only be allowed entry for one trip duration. — interfax
- Multiple-entry visas were issued more frequently to applicants applying to France, with rare cases for Hungary; Greece and Hungary had faster processing times (3–6 weeks and 3–5 weeks respectively). — vedomosti
- The increase in applications does not indicate a proportional rise in tourism flow to Europe. — interfax
- In March 2026, ATOR reported a 90% drop in multiple-entry visa issuance since the beginning of the year. — vedomosti
Coverage (2 sources)
- Share of multivisa in the volume of issued visas to the Schengen zone decreased to 1-2% — Интерфакс
- AtoR: share of issued Russian Schengen multiple-entry visas dropped to 1-2% in 2026 — Ведомости