EC doesn’t recommend accepting visa applications from Russians in third countries

The European Commission has recommended that EU member states not accept applications from Russians for visas that are filed in third countries, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ylva Johansson said, Report informs.

Many Russians have left the Russian Federation for neighboring countries, where they can apply to the consulates of EU states to process visa requests. The instructions say that EU countries should not accept applications for Schengen visas from Russian citizens in third countries, she said.

According to the European commissioner, Russian citizens must apply in their own country. Exceptions are visas for humanitarian or family reasons, visas for journalists.