Finland is urging the European Union to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens, pushing for a common policy across the bloc. Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen set out five requests in a letter dated 12 October 2026, as EU foreign ministers met in Luxembourg. The proposals target non-essential travel, including holidays, alongside specific groups with links to the Russian government. Helsinki also wants changes to European visa rules so restrictions can be introduced more quickly. The letter represents a push for further action, rather than an announcement that an EU-wide tourist visa ban has been adopted.
Finland introduced its own restrictions on non-essential Russian travel in 2022 and now wants other countries to follow. The Schengen area allows travel between participating European countries without routine internal border checks. A standard Schengen visa generally allows its holder to visit several countries during the same trip, subject to entry conditions and national restrictions. This means the effects of a visa decision can extend beyond the country issuing it. “It is not right that Russians can travel to Europe to enjoy the way of life and freedoms here while their country bombs the homes of Ukrainians,” wrote Valtonen. Finland’s foreign ministry says Schengen countries granted Russians close to 500,000 tourist visas in 2025.
We must stop issuing tourist visas for Russian citizens across the EU. I have invited other EU Member States to join a letter addressed to the European Commission. I am calling for a complete EU ban on Russian tourist visas for as long as Russia continues its war of aggression. It is not right that Russians can travel to Europe to enjoy the way of life and freedoms here while their country bombs the homes of Ukrainians. Issuing visas to Russians for non-essential travel was banned in Finland already in 2022. The same must finally happen at the EU level. I am also calling for a ban on Schengen visas to Putin’s inner circle, visa restrictions for Russian athletes, and the effective implementation of the visa ban on Russian combatants. The EU must act together. https://t.co/y8eYYNu1lw
— Elina Valtonen (@elinavaltonen) October 12, 2026
Beyond tourism, Finland wants binding visa restrictions targeting President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle and people supporting individuals or organisations under EU sanctions. Another request concerns Russian athletes and sports team members with close ties to the Russian government. Their return to international competitions has become a further point of political disagreement. Helsinki also wants effective implementation of restrictions on current and former Russian combatants. Finland’s foreign ministry describes that measure as agreed by EU member states during the summer, although the arrangements for putting it into practice remain an issue.
Security concerns have added urgency to the debate over who receives permission to enter Europe. An alleged drone bomb plot in Germany in August reportedly involved a Russian passport holder who had entered using an Italian tourist visa. The reported case has intensified concern about how visas issued in one Schengen country can affect security elsewhere. It has also increased pressure on governments that continue to issue tourist visas to Russian citizens. Finland’s proposals seek both broader restrictions on holiday travel and targeted measures against people considered a security risk.
Finland is urging the EU to completely stop issuing tourist visas to Russians. PM Petteri Orpo will propose it at next week’s European Council, citing sabotage fears. The EU issued 800,000 such visas last year; Finland issued none. Finland already stopped issuing them in 2022 and closed its Russian land border in December 2023. #Finland #EU #Russia #TouristVisas #VisaBan #PetteriOrpo #EuropeanCouncil #BorderClosure #SabotageThreat #Sanctions #Snnfinland
— SNN Finland (@snnfinalnd) October 10, 2026
The EU has already made Russian travel more difficult through tighter rules on Schengen visas, introduced in November 2025. Those measures restricted access to multiple-entry visas for Russian nationals applying in Russia, requiring most affected travellers to make a fresh application for each journey. Some exceptions remained, including for certain family members and transport workers. Existing valid multiple-entry visas were not automatically cancelled by that decision. The changes followed the suspension of the EU’s visa facilitation agreement with Russia in 2022, which made applications more expensive and complicated. Finland’s latest proposal would go further by stopping visas for tourism altogether.
However, European countries have remained divided over Russian visa restrictions. Finland and several countries close to Russia have pressed for tougher measures, while France, Italy and Spain have opposed previous attempts to introduce a tourist visa ban. France has previously defended continued contact with Russian citizens, arguing that cultural exchanges and personal ties can support dialogue. That position distinguishes the Russian government from its population, including civil society and opponents of the war. Finland is now seeking wider support for restrictions that would apply consistently across the bloc.
One option under discussion is a German proposal for visas with limited territorial validity, allowing travel only within specified countries. Valtonen would support this approach as an interim measure. Finland also wants the European Commission to propose changes to the EU Visa Code, which sets the rules for short-stay visas. The aim is to allow binding restrictions to be imposed more quickly when relations with another country deteriorate severely on political or security grounds. The Commission is expected to present a proposal in January 2027 addressing visa-related threats from hostile countries.
