Data released on 23 June 2026 by Russian business agency AK&M show that Schengen states issued just 48,000 multiple-entry visas to Russian citizens in the first five months of 2026—a 90 % fall compared with pre-war levels. Consular sources attribute the collapse to stricter scrutiny, longer processing times and, in Finland’s case, an outright ban on non-biometric Russian passports that took effect on 1 June 2026.
![Multiple-Entry Schengen Visas for Russians Plunge 90 %—Finnish Consulates Tighten Screening]()
For those confronting these hurdles, VisaHQ’s Finland service (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) provides up-to-date checklists, document pre-screening and courier filing, helping applicants ensure that their dossiers meet the reinforced standards and avoid costly delays.
Finnish missions in Moscow, St Petersburg and Petrozavodsk, which once handled tens of thousands of tourist and business-visa applications a year, now accept only essential-travel dossiers from Russians who can show compelling family, humanitarian or work reasons. A Helsinki Foreign Ministry spokesperson told AK&M that “security vetting has been reinforced, and additional documentation may be requested to confirm the purpose of travel.” Logistics companies on both sides of the border report that business-visitor flows—vital for equipment maintenance and supply-chain audits—have slowed sharply. Finnish export firms operating in Russia say they increasingly rely on locally hired staff or remote diagnostics instead of dispatching Finnish technicians, while inbound visits by Russian engineers to Finnish plants often require circuitous travel via Istanbul or Belgrade. For corporate mobility teams, the new reality means allowing at least six to eight weeks for any Russian national’s Schengen visa—and factoring in the possibility of refusal. Employers should also inventory employee passports: holders of the older Russian non-biometric booklet must obtain a biometric passport before even lodging a Finnish or other Schengen application. Cross-border shuttle programmes and Nordic commuter arrangements are effectively on hold until a political thaw allows standard visa facilitation to resume. The sharp fall in multi-entry visas underscores a broader shift: Schengen mobility is no longer routine for Russian business travellers, and Finland’s previously vibrant border economy faces a prolonged readjustment.
For those confronting these hurdles, VisaHQ’s Finland service (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) provides up-to-date checklists, document pre-screening and courier filing, helping applicants ensure that their dossiers meet the reinforced standards and avoid costly delays.
Finnish missions in Moscow, St Petersburg and Petrozavodsk, which once handled tens of thousands of tourist and business-visa applications a year, now accept only essential-travel dossiers from Russians who can show compelling family, humanitarian or work reasons. A Helsinki Foreign Ministry spokesperson told AK&M that “security vetting has been reinforced, and additional documentation may be requested to confirm the purpose of travel.” Logistics companies on both sides of the border report that business-visitor flows—vital for equipment maintenance and supply-chain audits—have slowed sharply. Finnish export firms operating in Russia say they increasingly rely on locally hired staff or remote diagnostics instead of dispatching Finnish technicians, while inbound visits by Russian engineers to Finnish plants often require circuitous travel via Istanbul or Belgrade. For corporate mobility teams, the new reality means allowing at least six to eight weeks for any Russian national’s Schengen visa—and factoring in the possibility of refusal. Employers should also inventory employee passports: holders of the older Russian non-biometric booklet must obtain a biometric passport before even lodging a Finnish or other Schengen application. Cross-border shuttle programmes and Nordic commuter arrangements are effectively on hold until a political thaw allows standard visa facilitation to resume. The sharp fall in multi-entry visas underscores a broader shift: Schengen mobility is no longer routine for Russian business travellers, and Finland’s previously vibrant border economy faces a prolonged readjustment.
