European Union countries increased the number of Schengen visas issued to Russian citizens by more than 10% in 2025 despite sanctions and the ongoing war.

France emerged as the leading supporter of Russian tourists and issued the highest number of entry permits.

Source: Euractiv, citing confidential European Commission data and European diplomats

Details: According to data from the Schengen Barometer+, Russian citizens submitted more than 670,000 visa applications in 2025, nearly 8% more than in 2024. EU countries approved more than 620,000 visas, an increase of 10.2% compared with the previous year.

Around 77% of the visas issued – more than 477,000 – were tourist visas. Visits to relatives and friends formed the second-largest category, followed by business trips.

The figures posted reveal both geographical and political divisions within the EU. Nearly three-quarters of all visa applications were handled by France, Italy and Spain – countries located far from Europe’s eastern flank.

Meanwhile, Baltic and Nordic countries have long argued that Russians should not be allowed to travel to Europe for tourism while Moscow continues its war against Ukraine.

France not only issued the highest number of visas, but also recorded the sharpest increase. In 2025, the number of permits granted by France to Russian citizens rose by more than 23%.

This highlights the gap between Europe’s political rhetoric about isolating the Kremlin and the continuing interest of some EU countries in attracting Russian tourists.

The large-scale issuance of visas caused tensions between European capitals. Statistics relating to Russian citizens disappeared entirely from the updated version of the Schengen Barometer+ at the beginning of 2026. The data was restored only in May in a separate technical document after eight EU countries demanded explanations.

Quote: “EU officials told Euractiv that several capitals – notably Paris – pushed back over the politically sensitive issue of issuing visas to Russians.

Some also argued the row reflects a wider strategic dilemma, whether isolating Russians from the outside world could ultimately backfire by cutting them off from exposure to life beyond the Kremlin’s grip.”

“The Commission declined to say whether national governments had exerted any pressure on the issue, but confirmed it provided EU countries with an updated overview of visas issued to Russian nationals in April this year.

The EU is also debating banning Russian nationals with combat experience in Ukraine, with an initiative expected to be presented before June.”

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