Schengen Visa for Russians in 2026: EU Commission Decision of November 6 and EES Biometrics at the Border

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Do EU member states currently issue Schengen visas to Russian citizens

The Schengen visa is issued to Russian citizens: there is no ban on issuance in EU law; what changed is not the grounds but the validity period. This needs to be clarified first, because headlines claiming "visas have been cancelled" and "visas are issued as before" coexist in coverage, and both are incorrect.

What has actually happened over three years:

• in September 2022, the EU Council fully suspended the visa facilitation agreement between the EU and Russia — from that moment, the Schengen visa is issued to Russians under the general Visa Code, without preferential treatment;
• at the same time, the European Commission issued guidance to member states on processing Russian applications and border control at external borders;
• on November 6, 2025, an implementation decision was adopted that restricted the issuance of multi-entry visas.

Each of these three steps narrowed not the right to apply but the scope of what an applicant receives as an outcome. A refusal based on citizenship is not provided for by law: the Schengen visa for Russians is issued at the discretion of the consulate of a specific country and under the general rules of the Visa Code.

What the EU Commission decision of November 6, 2025 changed

A Schengen multi-entry visa is now issued to a Russian citizen applying at a consulate in Russia only to two categories of applicants — this is an implementation decision by the Commission, not a recommendation. The document is numbered C(2025) 7552 and is addressed to member states.

The decision was adopted as a derogation from Article 24(2) of the Visa Code. Its own justification is stated clearly: the assessment in the framework of local Schengen cooperation in Russia concluded that Russia's war against Ukraine has altered the migration risk and security risk associated with Russian applicants — therefore, significantly stricter rules apply to them than the general rules.

Parameter	Under the general rule	How it is now for applicants in Russia
Multi-entry visa with travel history	Sequential extension of the term: one year → two years → five years	not issued, except for two categories
Basis	Article 24(2) of the Visa Code	derogation from it by decision of 06.11.2025
Single-entry visa for a specific trip	issued	issued; the procedure has not changed
Territorial scope of the decision	—	applications submitted at consulates in Russia

What this means in practice. A single-entry Schengen visa must be reapplied for before each trip: with a new set of documents, a new appointment, and a new fee. For someone who travels to their apartment in Europe two or three times a year, this is not a formality but a complete restructuring of all travel planning.

Who still gets a multi-entry visa: two categories and their conditions

The Schengen multi-entry visa remains available for close relatives of EU residents and transport workers, and each category has its own validity period and its own criteria. The wording of the decision is precise and permits no misinterpretation.

Category	Who exactly	Validity period of multi-entry visa	Condition
Close relatives	spouses, including registered partnerships; children of a spouse under 21; children, including adopted; parents of Russian citizens lawfully residing in EU countries or Union citizens	one year	three visas obtained and lawfully used over the preceding two years
Transport workers	sailors, truck and bus drivers, members of train crews applying in a professional capacity	nine months	two visas obtained and lawfully used over the preceding two years

Both categories must meet the conditions of entry under the Schengen Border Code. There is also a technical provision that is rarely mentioned: if the visa validity period would extend beyond the expiration of the passport, the multi-entry visa is issued so that it expires three months before the passport expires. That is, a passport with one year remaining will no longer support a one-year multi-entry visa.

Who the decision does not apply to

The decision applies only to Russian citizens applying at consulates in Russia and does not apply to citizens of other visa-required countries without a Russian passport. This proviso is in the text of the decision itself and is never mentioned in consular practice.

Three boundaries of application that are important to understand:

1. By citizenship. The assessment of local Schengen cooperation acknowledged that citizens of other visa-required countries residing in Russia do not present the same risk profile. The general rules of Article 24(2) continue to apply to them — but only if they do not simultaneously hold Russian citizenship.
2. By place of application. The decision addresses applications submitted at consulates in Russia. For applications submitted outside Russia, a separate 2022 Commission guidance applies.
3. By freedom of movement. The decision does not affect Directive 2004/38/EC: family members of a Union citizen accompanying or joining that citizen retain their rights regardless of their citizenship.

An important note against arbitrary action. The decision explicitly requires strict application of consular territorial jurisdiction rules — precisely so that the restriction cannot be bypassed by submitting an application at a third country's consulate. Documents must be submitted to the consulate of the country of the primary purpose of travel and according to place of lawful residence; an attempt to "find a more lenient country" on another continent runs into this rule.

The scope is broader than the Schengen area in the narrow sense: the decision is addressed to twenty-five EU member states, Denmark is bound by it under international law, and for Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein it is a development of Schengen rules. Only Ireland does not participate, as it is outside the Schengen area altogether.

Does owning real estate in Europe entitle you to a long-term visa

Ownership of real estate in an EU country is not listed in the decision among the grounds for a multi-entry visa — the owner receives a visa under general conditions. For a buyer of European property, this is the main practical consequence of the November decision.

What this means literally: the owner of an apartment in [Spain](/spain/) or units in [Greece](/greece/) applies for a visa for each trip, if they do not fall into one of the two categories above. Ownership does not by itself create any preferential treatment or priority.

The door is not entirely closed, however. The decision leaves member states with the possibility of issuing a multi-entry visa in justified cases under Article 24(2c) of the Visa Code — to an applicant who demonstrates the need to travel frequently or regularly and provides evidence of good faith and reliability. Moreover, the recitals explicitly name multi-entry visas valid for up to five years — but in doing so list specific categories: dissidents, independent journalists, human rights defenders, representatives of civil society organizations, and other vulnerable categories along with their close relatives. A property owner does not appear in this list.

Myth: "Buy an apartment in the EU — get a long-term visa." Ownership is not listed as grounds for this in either the November 6 decision or the Visa Code. Consular discretion exists, but it is the consulate's right, not the owner's.

If the goal is not to visit but to live, it is solved not by a visa but by a residence permit: a summary of programs by country with the relevant legal act and verification date is in the [Residence by Investment](/residence/) section. The difference between these two regimes at the border has become tangible — more on this below in the EES section.

How much a Schengen visa costs: the €90 fee and what is added to it

The consular fee for a Schengen visa is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6–12 as of June 11, 2024. There has been no preferential fee for Russian citizens since September 2022.

What	How much	Basis
Consular fee, adults	€90	Visa Code, Article 16 (revision as of 11.06.2024)
Consular fee, children aged 6–12	€45	ibid.
Children under 6	no fee	ibid.
Preferential fee of €35 under the visa facilitation agreement	not applied	Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500 of 09.09.2022
Visa center service fee	set separately	website of the visa center of the specific country

The service fee is a separate line item; it is not included in the consular fee and varies by country: according to surveys of Russian business publications for 2026, the amount is around €38–40. You need to check it on the website of the visa center of the country where you are applying: this is the only source responsible for its figure.

When planning your travel budget, count the fee not once but by the number of trips per year. This is where the November decision hits the wallet the hardest: where a single multi-entry visa used to cover a year, now three trips mean three fees, three appointments, and three sets of documents.

Processing times: how long to wait for a visa and when to submit documents

The standard processing time for an application under the Visa Code is 15 calendar days, but in 2026, Russian applicants face significantly longer processing queues. The gap between the norm and practice is larger here than in any other parameter.

Here is how it works:

• the Visa Code norm — a decision within 15 calendar days from acceptance of an admissible application; the period may be extended to 45 days in individual cases;
• practice in 2026 according to surveys of Russian industry publications — from two weeks to one and a half months, with seasonal peaks;
• documents can be submitted no earlier than six months before the trip;
• appointment at a visa center is a separate stage, and it is often the bottleneck.

The practical conclusion is simple: you now need to plan a trip from the appointment date, not the departure date. If multi-entry visas are no longer available, each subsequent Schengen visa starts fresh with finding an appointment slot.

Which countries issue visas to Russians — and why we do not publish a list

The European Union has no unified list of countries that issue visas to Russians: practice is determined by each consulate individually and changes during the season. That is why any list on the internet is only accurate on the publication date — and is almost never dated.

What is known for certain and does not change:

• the November decision addresses all recipient states equally — it leaves no "lenient" country where the restriction can be circumvented;
• consular territorial jurisdiction is applied strictly, meaning you cannot arbitrarily choose a country for application;
• the consulate makes the decision to issue or refuse, and a refusal must be motivated based on the grounds in the Visa Code.

What changes and requires checking on the trip date: whether a specific consulate accepts tourist applications now, whether appointments are available, what documents are required. The only source responsible for this information is the website of the consulate or the official visa center of the country. Industry surveys are useful as a guide, but should not be relied upon when planning money and dates.

Biometric passport: where the old format is no longer accepted

Some Schengen countries do not affix visas to old-format passports, so a biometric document is required for them. This is a technical requirement, but it closes travel as reliably as a refusal.

According to surveys of Russian business publications for 2026, these countries include Germany, Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, France, Czech Republic, and Estonia, and from April 2026 also Poland. Such lists are compiled by editorial offices, not by the European Commission, so before submitting documents the requirement should be checked on the specific consulate's website.

The logic of the requirement is related to the border: EES works with biometrics, and a five-year old-format passport does not contain it. As time goes on, more decisions will favor a biometric document.

EES: what changed at the border from April 10, 2026

The Entry/Exit System has been operational since October 12, 2025, reached full capacity on April 10, 2026, and has replaced passport stamps. The rollout took a coordinated 180 days, and the system now applies at all external Schengen borders.

What the system records:

• travel document data;
• biometrics — fingerprints and facial image;
• the date and place of each entry and each exit.

Citizens of EU member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, are not registered in EES. The system is intended for third-country nationals entering for a short stay — including holders of a Schengen visa.

The most practical consequence concerns the "90 days in 180" rule. Previously, the period was counted by stamps and allowed for discrepancies — now the system keeps the count, and exceeding the limit is detected automatically. At each border crossing, biometrics are verified against the stored data, so repeat passages are faster than the first.

According to a clarification by the European External Action Service of September 26, 2025, a visa holder's facial image is captured at the border, as fingerprints were already taken when the visa was applied for. This procedure should be double-checked before the first trip: it depends on the border checkpoint and whether your data are already in the system.

Who EES does not register — and why this matters to a residence permit holder

Holders of a residence permit or long-term national visa of a country that applies EES are not registered in the system and do not provide biometrics. The difference from a short-term visa holder here is not cosmetic.

The procedure for exempt categories, as described by the European Commission: border control proceeds as before — passport and residence permit or long-term visa are presented, fingerprints and facial scanning are not required. The exemption also extends to family members of EU, Icelandic, Liechtensteinian, Norwegian, and Swiss citizens holding a residence card, and to citizens of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and holders of Vatican passports.

A separate note concerns [Cyprus](/cyprus/): permits issued by Cyprus and Ireland do not exempt from EES registration. This is important for our catalog because Cyprus is the second European destination by number of properties, and the status of its documents differs from that of Schengen countries.

Practical takeaway for the buyer. A residence permit eliminates two burdens at once: submitting visa documents before each trip and biometric registration at the border. This is not an argument to "buy property for a residence permit" — each country has its own grounds for a residence permit, and they rarely align with property purchases. Rather, it is an argument to factor the travel regime into the total cost of ownership: [country programs](/residence/) should be reviewed before the purchase, not after.

Which countries in our catalog are in the Schengen area and which are not

The rules of the visa decision and EES registration apply only to countries in the Schengen area, and half of the catalog's destinations are not part of it. Before you apply these new rules to yourself, check where the property you are interested in is located.

Destination in catalog	Schengen	What applies on entry
[Spain](/spain/), [Italy](/italy/), [Germany](/germany/), [France](/france/), [Greece](/greece/), [Portugal](/portugal/), [Hungary](/hungary/), [Croatia](/croatia/), [Bulgaria](/bulgaria/)	yes	Schengen visa, EES registration
[Cyprus](/cyprus/)	no	national visa of the Republic of Cyprus
[Montenegro](/montenegro/), [Georgia](/georgia/)	no	country's own visa regime
[Turkey](/turkey/), [UAE](/uae/), [Thailand](/thailand/), [Vietnam](/vietnam/), [Egypt](/egypt/), [Oman](/oman/), [Qatar](/qatar/), [Indonesia](/indonesia/)	no	country's own visa regime

Cyprus is the only catalog destination where status may change: it remains an EU member state outside the Schengen area and has stated its intention to join. As of September 2026, accession has not occurred, so entry is under national rules.

Bulgaria and Croatia are the reverse case: both are already inside. Bulgaria and Romania became full participants as of January 1, 2025, after controls were lifted at land borders. A complete list of destinations with the number of properties is in the [country catalog](/directory/).

Comparison: visa, residence permit, and ETIAS — what each solves

A Schengen visa, residence permit, and ETIAS solve three different tasks, and confusion between them is the most common error in travel publications. Let us clarify them by parameter.

Parameter	Schengen visa	Residence permit	ETIAS
Applies to	citizens of visa-required countries, including Russia	those with a basis in the country	citizens of visa-exempt countries
What it provides	right to apply for entry for up to 90 days	right to reside under the country's rules	advance travel authorization
Issued at	consulate	per country procedure	online before the trip
Status as of 09.2026	works; multi-entry visas are restricted	works	not working; no dates announced
EES registration	yes	no	—
Cost	€90 consular fee	depends on country	€20 once it launches

The third column does not apply to Russian citizens: it is intended for visa-exempt travelers. A detailed breakdown is in the article on the ETIAS postponement.

What changed for a property owner and what remained the same

For a property owner in Europe, the travel regime has changed, not the right to own and manage property. This is an assessment based on facts, not expectations.

What changed:

• a multi-entry visa is no longer the result of good visa history — it is now an exception for two categories;
• each trip means a separate application, a €90 fee, and an appointment at a visa center;
• at the border, biometric registration is in effect and the stay duration is calculated automatically;
• some countries require a biometric passport.

What remained the same:

• right to apply and receive a reasoned decision;
• property ownership and management rights — visa rules do not affect this;
• the procedure for issuing single-entry visas for specific trip dates;
• the discretionary ability of a consulate to make a decision in favor of the applicant in a justified case.

How we verify the data

All statements about rules are checked against the text of the European Commission decision and EU institution publications, and market practice is marked as such. Each fact is accompanied by a source and verification date.

What	Source	Verification date
Rules for issuing multi-entry visas, two categories, terms and criteria	Commission Implementation Decision C(2025) 7552 of 06.11.2025, Articles 1–2	03.09.2026
Non-application to citizens of other visa-required countries, consular jurisdiction, Directive 2004/38/EC	ibid., recitals, paragraphs 3–6	03.09.2026
Multi-entry visas up to five years and list of categories	ibid., paragraph 5 of the recitals	03.09.2026
Suspension of the visa facilitation agreement	Council Decision (EU) 2022/1500 of 09.09.2022	03.09.2026
Guidance on applications submitted outside Russia	Commission Communication C(2022) 7111 of 30.09.2022	03.09.2026
Consular fee €90 and €45 as of 11.06.2024	European Commission, visa policy section; Visa Code, Article 16	03.09.2026
EES launch and full operational dates, data elements	European Commission, Entry/Exit System section	03.09.2026
Exemption of residence permit and long-term visa holders from EES	European Commission, clarification of 27.07.2026	03.09.2026
Border crossing procedure for visa holders	European External Action Service, publication of 26.09.2025	03.09.2026
Processing times in practice, service fee, old-format passports	surveys of Russian business publications, 2026	03.09.2026

We are a real estate marketplace with transaction support, not a visa center or immigration consultant. This article describes the rules as of the verification date and does not constitute legal advice. Visa regulations and consular practice change: before submitting documents, the requirements should be verified on the website of the consulate or visa center of the country of entry.

Frequently asked questions

Are Schengen visas currently being issued to Russian citizens?

Yes. There is no ban on issuance in EU law; the consulate decides based on the general rules of the Visa Code. What changed are the conditions: since November 6, 2025, multi-entry visas are issued only to two categories of applicants.

Who gets a multi-entry visa under the new rules?

Close relatives of Russian citizens lawfully residing in the EU and Union citizens — for one year if three visas were lawfully used over two years. Transport workers in a professional capacity — for nine months if two visas were used over two years.

Does real estate in the EU entitle you to a long Schengen visa?

No. Property is not listed in the grounds under the November 6, 2025 decision. A consulate may issue a multi-entry visa in a justified case under Article 24(2c) of the Visa Code, but this is its decision, not the owner's right.

How much does a Schengen visa cost for Russians in 2026?

The consular fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged six to twelve; these amounts have been in effect since June 11, 2024. The visa center service fee is paid separately and depends on the country.

How long does it take to get a decision on an application?

The Visa Code standard is 15 calendar days, with an extension to 45 days in individual cases. In practice in 2026, Russian applicants are facing longer processing times and appointment queues.

What happens at the border now?

As of April 10, 2026, the Entry/Exit System is operational at all external Schengen borders: it records passport data, biometrics, and each entry and exit, replacing stamps and automatically detecting overstays.

Do residence permit holders need to provide biometrics?

No. Holders of a residence permit and national long-term visas of countries applying EES are not registered in the system and pass through control with a passport and their document. The exception is permits issued by Cyprus and Ireland.

Does the decision apply to a citizen of another country living in Russia?

No, unless they also hold Russian citizenship: such applicants continue to be subject to the general rules of Article 24(2) of the Visa Code.