Robert Břešťan, HlidaciPes.org
Despite the Czech Republic halting the issuance of entry visas to Russians, with few exceptions, since October 2022, the Schengen Area’s open land borders remain easily permeable. Now, the situation has become even more porous: after a three-year pause, Slovakia has resumed allowing Russians to apply for tourist visas in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Crossing into other EU countries from there is straightforward and virtually unchecked.
Both Slovak and Russian media have reported the resumption of tourist visa applications for Russian citizens as a new development. However, Slovakia insists it never formally suspended issuing tourist visas to Russians, so it’s not a question of “resumption.”
“No changes were made to the Slovak Republic’s visa policy in 2022,” the Slovak Foreign Ministry told HlídacíPes.org. “As an EU member state, we adhere to European legislation. The EU never adopted a clear decision to suspend tourist visas; only the visa facilitation agreement was suspended at the EU level.”
Yet, European visa data tells a different story. For instance, Slovakia issued just 290 visas to Russians at its Moscow consulate last year. The resumption of visa issuance is confirmed by the website of BLS International, the visa processing operator: “Slovakia in Russia is now accepting visa applications for tourism purposes.”
The site notes that applicants over 12 must apply in person for biometric verification and provide proof of travel health insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000. Russian news outlet Newdaynews recently reported:
“The Slovak consulate in Russia has resumed accepting tourist visa applications after a nearly three-year hiatus, according to a statement from the BLS International visa center.”
Russian Routes to the West
Getting from Russia to Slovakia is far from complicated. While direct Moscow-Bratislava flights are unavailable, Aeroflot offers one-stop tickets via Istanbul, for example. Among the FAQs on BLS International’s website is the question: “Can I use a Schengen visa issued by a Slovak diplomatic mission to enter Slovakia via an airport outside its territory?”
The answer is clear: “Yes. A valid Schengen visa entitles you to enter the Schengen Area through any Schengen border crossing or airport.” It’s not quite that simple, however.
A Russian tourist with a “Slovak” visa arriving in Prague would be denied entry, as the Czech Republic has barred Russian citizens traveling for tourism, culture, or sports since October 25, 2022, regardless of whether they hold a valid Schengen visa issued by any EU member state.
Overland travel, however, remains a loophole. Despite the Czech ban, Russians can enter relatively easily by land, and Slovakia’s relaxed approach makes this even simpler. Czech statistics reflect this strict policy: while 47,005 short-term visas were issued to Russians at Czech consulates in 2020, only 124 were granted last year, mostly for humanitarian reasons.
Shortly after Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, Baltic states, Poland, and Finland adopted similarly restrictive measures. Yet many Western countries have remained open to Russians throughout.
Last year alone, EU countries issued roughly 552,000 Schengen visas to Russians, a 9% increase from the previous year. Italy led the way, followed by France, Spain, and Hungary, which has also been notably accommodating.
This makes travel across Europe, including to countries officially closed to Russians like the Czech Republic, relatively easy. Slovakia’s new stance further simplifies potential border crossings into Czech territory.
Too Easy Movement Across the EU
The Czech Republic strives to screen Russian visa applications for Schengen entry through European cooperation. According to the 2024 annual report of the Czech Security Information Service (BIS), in collaboration with the Foreign Police Service, nearly 600,000 Russian applications were vetted last year (up from 470,000 in 2023).
“In most cases, these were visa applications submitted at Schengen member states’ diplomatic missions,” the BIS report states. “The ability to review visa applications from Russian citizens submitted at other Schengen states’ embassies is a critical tool in reducing the security threat posed by the movement of Russian intelligence officers within the Schengen Area.”
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský has previously warned that Russian security services have routinely exploited unchecked migration flows, including tourism, to move intelligence operatives as part of their hybrid warfare tactics.
At a recent meeting of Czech ambassadors, he reiterated efforts to restrict Russian diplomats’ free movement within the Schengen Area, limiting their activities to their accredited countries: “We aim to curb the operations of Russian intelligence agents under diplomatic cover. The recent surge in sabotage operations across Europe is clear evidence that our proposal serves the security interests of all.”
These measures have yet to gain traction at the EU level, with diplomatic sources indicating Germany as a key blocker.
“From BIS’s perspective, the primary risk tied to Russian citizens’ travel in the EU is the unrestricted movement of Russian diplomats across Schengen borders,” says BIS spokesperson Ladislav Šticha.
“This is why we initiated and pushed for a joint statement by European intelligence services to highlight this issue to European governments. Broadly speaking, any simplification of Russian citizens’ movement within Schengen does not contribute to its security.”
