Russians Filed Over 600,000 Schengen Visa Applications in 2024 Despite Sanctions

Despite ongoing EU sanctions due to the war in Ukraine, Russian nationals submitted 606,594 Schengen visa applications in 2024 — a surprisingly high number. Several Schengen countries have announced restrictions or outright bans on processing visa applications from Russian citizens. Still, the demand remained strong, and many countries continued issuing visas.

Top 5 Schengen Countries That Issued the Most Visas to Russians in 2024

According to official statistics, the following five countries issued the highest number of visas to Russian nationals last year:

1. Italy – 152,254 visas
   • Applications: 161,401
   • Approval Rate: 94.3%
2. France – 123,890 visas
   • Applications: 134,885
   • Approval Rate: 91.8%
3. Spain – 111,187 visas
   • Spain was historically among the top two destinations for Russian applicants between 2020 and 2022.
4. Greece – 59,703 visas
   • Applications: 69,690
   • Rejections: 8,688
5. Hungary – 23,382 visas
   • Applications: 25,651
   • Approval Rate: 91.2%

Italy led the list for the second year in a row, maintaining one of the highest approval rates among Schengen states for Russian applicants. Notably, Poland had the highest approval rate overall (98.82%), approving 251 out of 254 applications.

Despite geopolitical tensions, Russian demand for Schengen travel remains high, with visa issuance patterns showing a strong preference for destinations like Italy, France, and Spain.