European Union diplomats have begun discussing an unprecedented proposal that would make it almost impossible for Russian citizens who have served in the armed forces since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine to obtain Schengen visas. The measure, tabled on 25 June by a coalition of eleven Nordic and Baltic member states, would add military service to the list of grounds for mandatory refusal in the EU Visa Code. According to diplomatic notes seen by Euronews, Paris and Rome made it clear in the first working-party meeting on 26 June that they will not support the automatic ban.
![France blocks EU plan to ban former Russian combatants from Schengen visas]()
For travelers, students, and companies trying to anticipate what the final decision will mean in practice, visa-facilitation platforms such as VisaHQ can be invaluable. The service keeps daily tabs on policy shifts and can coordinate appointments, documentation checks, and courier delivery for French Schengen applications submitted anywhere in the world; more details are available at https://www.visahq.com/france/
France argued that compulsory national service in Russia means the rule would hit thousands of young conscripts with no link to war crimes, while creating a large new workload for French consulates that already process more Russian applications than any other Schengen country. In 2025, French posts issued almost 180 000 visas to Russian nationals, a 23 % year-on-year increase despite the broader freeze in EU-Russia relations. The French Interior Ministry also warned partners that a blanket refusal could push applicants to lodge asylum claims at the external border—especially at Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport—adding pressure to border police just months before the full entry into force of the digital Entry/Exit System (EES) in April 2026. Italy supported the French position, calling instead for case-by-case checks that would rely on military ID documents newly required from Russian applicants since 1 June. Northern and Eastern member states insist the measure is needed to stop trained soldiers from entering the EU on tourist visas and potentially carrying out sabotage. They say the individual screening preferred by France is unenforceable because Russian authorities rarely confirm an applicant’s military status. Discussions will continue at COREPER next week, but several diplomats acknowledge that unanimity looks unlikely—meaning the proposal could be downgraded to a non-binding political declaration, or attached to the next round of Russia sanctions rather than the Visa Code itself. For businesses that depend on Russian visitors—luxury retail, education, medical travel—France’s stance preserves a legal route for high-spending clients, but companies should prepare for longer background checks and higher refusal rates as political pressure mounts. Russian executives attending Paris trade fairs this autumn should expect to provide detailed proof they have never been mobilised, and mobility managers may need to schedule visa appointments two to three weeks earlier than usual.
For travelers, students, and companies trying to anticipate what the final decision will mean in practice, visa-facilitation platforms such as VisaHQ can be invaluable. The service keeps daily tabs on policy shifts and can coordinate appointments, documentation checks, and courier delivery for French Schengen applications submitted anywhere in the world; more details are available at https://www.visahq.com/france/
France argued that compulsory national service in Russia means the rule would hit thousands of young conscripts with no link to war crimes, while creating a large new workload for French consulates that already process more Russian applications than any other Schengen country. In 2025, French posts issued almost 180 000 visas to Russian nationals, a 23 % year-on-year increase despite the broader freeze in EU-Russia relations. The French Interior Ministry also warned partners that a blanket refusal could push applicants to lodge asylum claims at the external border—especially at Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport—adding pressure to border police just months before the full entry into force of the digital Entry/Exit System (EES) in April 2026. Italy supported the French position, calling instead for case-by-case checks that would rely on military ID documents newly required from Russian applicants since 1 June. Northern and Eastern member states insist the measure is needed to stop trained soldiers from entering the EU on tourist visas and potentially carrying out sabotage. They say the individual screening preferred by France is unenforceable because Russian authorities rarely confirm an applicant’s military status. Discussions will continue at COREPER next week, but several diplomats acknowledge that unanimity looks unlikely—meaning the proposal could be downgraded to a non-binding political declaration, or attached to the next round of Russia sanctions rather than the Visa Code itself. For businesses that depend on Russian visitors—luxury retail, education, medical travel—France’s stance preserves a legal route for high-spending clients, but companies should prepare for longer background checks and higher refusal rates as political pressure mounts. Russian executives attending Paris trade fairs this autumn should expect to provide detailed proof they have never been mobilised, and mobility managers may need to schedule visa appointments two to three weeks earlier than usual.
