Worldwide/Russia: Limited Suspensions of Visa Services for Russian Citizens
March 2, 2022
At a Glance
- Several European countries have temporarily suspended visa issuance for Russian citizens. Employers with Russian citizen employees should take these suspensions into account for in-process and upcoming moves, and notify their employees of any travel implications.
- The United States, the European Union, other European countries and Canada have closed their airways to Russian flights, and several airlines have limited travel over Russia, causing delays in travel routes. Travelers should check with their specific airline for more information.
- The situation is fluid. Further visa suspensions for Russian citizens are expected. Check our Spotlight page on the evolving situation and firm resources.
The situation
Due to the escalating crisis in Ukraine, several European countries have suspended various visa services for Russian citizens and many countries have closed their airways to Russian flights.
A closer look
- Limited suspensions of visa services for Russian citizens
- Visa suspension. New visa issuance is temporarily suspended for Russian citizens in the Czech Republic (except in humanitarian cases), Iceland, Latvia and Lithuania.
- Golden visa suspension. Issuance of investor visas for Russian citizens is temporarily suspended in many countries including Malta, Portugal and Greece. The EU Council of Ministers has committed to measures to limit the sale of golden passports to Russian nationals. Affected Russian citizens should check with their consular post for specific information on investor visa issuance.
- Suspension of facilitated Schengen visas in EU. The European Council has partially suspended the agreement on the facilitation of visa issuance for certain Russian visas. This means that Russian diplomats, other Russian officials and Russian businesspeople who previously qualified for the visa facilitation will no longer benefit from special processing, and instead need to follow the standard non-streamlined procedures when applying for a short-term Schengen visa. This may cause visa issuance delays.
- Russian nationals’ entry rights worldwide. As of the date of this alert, no country has banned the entry of Russian citizens or suspended the renewal of existing permits or visas for Russian citizens applying in their destination country.
- Travel impacts for Russian citizens. The United States, the European Union, other European countries and Canada have closed their airways to Russian flights, and several airlines have limited travel over Russia, causing delays in travel routes. Travelers should check with their specific airline for more information.
Impact
Employers of Russian citizens should ensure they are aware of the travel impacts of the suspensions and closed airways. Affected individuals should contact their immigration professional for specific information.
Looking ahead
We hope that you and your loved ones are safe. The situation is fluid. Further visa suspensions for Russian citizens and closed airways for Russian flights are expected. Check our Spotlight page on the evolving situation and firm resources.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
