The European Commission announced on November 7, 2025, that it would no longer issue multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russian citizens, requiring them to apply anew for every visit to the EU. This policy aims to increase security amid Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and hybrid warfare tactics involving drone disruptions and sabotage across European airports and military bases. The Commission emphasized that travel and free movement within the EU are privileges, not rights, underlining the increased security risks caused by hybrid threats. Exceptions to the restriction include close family members of EU or Russian citizens residing in the EU (up to one year visa validity), transport workers (up to nine months validity), and individuals of unquestioned reliability such as dissidents, journalists, and human rights defenders. Lithuania has maintained a strict national ban on Schengen visas for Russians since September 19, 2022. This EU-wide measure follows a prolonged decline in Russian travel to the Schengen zone, which fell from 4 million visas in 2019 to around 541,000 in 2024.

The European Commission announced on November 7, 2025, that it would no longer issue multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russian citizens, requiring them to apply anew for every visit to the EU. This policy aims to increase security amid Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and hybrid warfare tactics involving drone disruptions and sabotage across European airports and military bases. The Commission emphasized that travel and free movement within the EU are privileges, not rights, underlining the increased security risks caused by hybrid threats. Exceptions to the restriction include close family members of EU or Russian citizens residing in the EU (up to one year visa validity), transport workers (up to nine months validity), and individuals of unquestioned reliability such as dissidents, journalists, and human rights defenders. Lithuania has maintained a strict national ban on Schengen visas for Russians since September 19, 2022. This EU-wide measure follows a prolonged decline in Russian travel to the Schengen zone, which fell from 4 million visas in 2019 to around 541,000 in 2024.