Multiple EU officials confirmed on 11 October that the European Commission will present a proposal in January 2027 to tighten Schengen visa issuance for Russian citizens, following lobbying by Poland, Sweden and Estonia. According to briefing notes seen by reporters from Ukrainska Pravda, the measures could bar former combatants from obtaining tourist visas and limit movement of accredited Russian diplomats between member states. Warsaw has led the hawkish camp since 2022, arguing that Russian tourists and ex-soldiers pose espionage and sabotage risks. The Polish Foreign Ministry says that almost 60 percent of Russian visa applications filed in Warsaw in 2026 concerned multiple-entry leisure travel—a category Poland wants Brussels to freeze entirely. If adopted, the new rules would replace the current ad-hoc consular screening with a binding EU regulation, making it harder for more permissive states to continue issuing large numbers of visas. For global mobility teams the change would tighten an already restrictive environment: Russian assignees destined for Poland—or transiting the country en route to other EU sites—could face longer processing times, extra documentation (including proof of no military service after 2014) and higher rejection rates. Companies should start auditing their Russian talent pipelines and explore remote-work or third-country staffing alternatives. EU diplomats will debate the first draft during the Foreign Affairs Council on 12 October, but officials privately concede that unanimous approval is unlikely before mid-2027. Nevertheless, Poland’s success in placing the issue on the legislative track signals a durable hard-line consensus in Central and Northern Europe that will continue to shape Schengen entry policies.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda (English)
