Spain issued three times more visas to Russians in 2022 than a year earlier

What is the reason for the sharp increase in the number of visas issued this year, the Spanish Foreign Ministry did not comment.

“According to data from the Spanish Foreign Ministry obtained by Bloomberg, the number of short-stay Schengen visas issued by Spain to Russian citizens this year has almost tripled to 108,862 compared to the same period last year”, - Bloomberg reports.

The publication notes that visa issuance volumes are still below pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, the dynamics of a sharp increase is observed, despite the restrictions of the EU, which are associated with a ban on flights from Russia. According to a European diplomat interviewed by the agency, the situation may be related to the ban on entry for Russians to the countries of Eastern Europe.

“The ban on the entry of Russians into the countries of Eastern Europe, including Poland and the Czech Republic, may encourage some of them to redirect to Western Europe”, - a Bloomberg source suggested.

In September, the European Union suspended the visa facilitation agreement with Russia. For those wishing to obtain a visa, this means increased costs and waiting times, as well as tightening documentation requirements. In addition, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland have completely or partially restricted entry into their territory for citizens of the Russian Federation.