Since early 2022, amid the war in Ukraine and the wave of sanctions, many assumed Russian tourism in Europe would grind to a halt. However, reality proved otherwise: Russians continue to travel, albeit under more complicated conditions — and this is sparking increasing debate both within the European Union and beyond.
How Russians Are Entering Europe After 2022
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU suspended direct flights between Russia and EU countries. In September that same year, the visa facilitation agreement with Russia was revoked, making the process of obtaining a Schengen visa longer, costlier, and more document-intensive. Several EU countries, particularly those bordering Russia, also drastically reduced consular appointments for Russian citizens.
Still, this hasn’t closed the door completely. As CNN notes, although the new barriers make travel more difficult, Russian visits to Europe remain legal. Some countries — including Latvia, Norway, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic — have imposed full bans on issuing tourist visas to Russians. But even here, loopholes exist.
Russian influencer Egor Melo, who has been traveling through Europe since 2022, shares on Instagram that he visited two of these banned countries with a tourist visa and experienced no problems. His advice? Apply for a visa from a more lenient Schengen country — for example, Italy — and then travel freely within the zone.
As Sarah Ganty, co-author of a Yale Journal of International Law article opposing visa bans, explained to CNN, “Once you are in the Schengen zone, you can travel within the Schengen zone anywhere, because there is, in principle, no internal control. (…) This is not unlawful. This is the Schengen system.”
Visa Demand on the Rise and New Entry Strategies
According to figures shared at an EU meeting, 565,069 Schengen visas were issued to Russians in 2024 — 90% of them for tourism. While this is a steep drop from the pre-pandemic 4 million in 2019, it marks a 25% increase compared to 2023. Visa rejection rates vary drastically by country — from just 1% to as high as 65%.
In an interview with Vedomosti, the vice president of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (ATOR) said that “the stabilization of visa issuance” has driven renewed interest in traveling to Europe. Russian travel bloggers agree, noting that the process is still manageable, though more demanding: now requiring flight tickets, hotel bookings, and even tax certificates.
One prominent Russian blogger, who requested anonymity out of concern for future visa applications, said they recently visited Norway — a country that stopped issuing visas to Russians in May 2024.
“Let’s be honest — getting an EU residence permit, like a Spanish digital nomad visa, isn’t that difficult right now,” the blogger said. “Some people are opting for a three-year EU residence permit instead of a visa, which has also become a common practice. For example, if you have children living in the Baltics, the easiest way to get there is through Italy, France or Spain. The scheme is simple: fly to Rome, stay there a while, and then enter Estonia via the land border.”
For travelers from western Russia, countries like Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Serbia have become key transit hubs. For those in the Russian Far East — China is the easier route.
Border Traffic and Popular Routes
Border crossings remain particularly active during the summer months. “Long lines form at the Narva-Ivangorod border,” the blogger noted. “Flights to Tallinn are cheap, and many travelers with tourist visas prefer to return to Russia via Estonia rather than fly back through Istanbul or Antalya.”
Some Russian travel agencies are offering organized trips to countries that have officially banned Russian tourists. For example, the company YouTravel is advertising a 15-day road trip through Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Latvia in June 2025. All but Sweden have closed their borders to Russian tourists — yet the agency promises visa assistance at no charge.
Curious about how this is possible, CNN contacted a sales assistant at the St. Petersburg-based agency Visateka. Asked how to get a visa for Latvia, where tourist visas for Russians are officially banned, the assistant replied that they could help arrange travel “via a third country.” For June travel, France was recommended as the easiest option in terms of documentation.
For the equivalent of $300, Visateka offers flight and hotel reservations, and will prepare the necessary paperwork for a French visa appointment. The company claims visa approval rates for France, Italy, and Spain hover around 93%. On their website, they report having obtained 20 visas for Latvia, 93 for Lithuania, and 20 for Poland for Russian clients — all in just the first two weeks of April.
“I’m Not Part of This War”
Many Russians traveling to Europe decline to share their full names, fearing it might jeopardize future visa applications. One such traveler, Daria from St. Petersburg, told CNN she visited Riga in December to see the Christmas markets. She secured a Spanish visa, flew to Istanbul, then Madrid, and from there flew to Latvia — all on the same day.
“No questions were asked at the airport,” she said of her Spanish visa being used to enter Riga. “It’s common practice.”
Daria feels she’s being unfairly treated: “I’m not part of this war. I don’t support Putin. I don’t understand why I should be discriminated against and treated like a threat.”
This article was prepared based on materials published by CNN. The author does not claim authorship of the original text but presents their interpretation of the content for informational purposes.
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