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An EU Council working group’s October 14 agenda includes a proposal to issue Russian citizens limited-territorial-validity visas for non-essential travel, including tourism. It is not yet clear whether members will discuss making those visas the only option for Russians, or whether any policy change is planned.
An EU Council working group is scheduled to discuss on October 14 whether Russian nationals traveling for non-essential reasons, including tourism, should be issued Schengen visas valid only in certain countries. The agenda lists the proposal, but it does not establish that the EU has agreed to change its visa policy or that Russian travelers will be limited to these visas.
The proposal concerns so-called limited-territorial-validity (LTV) visas. Unlike a standard Schengen visa that permits travel across the Schengen area, an LTV visa restricts its holder to the country or countries named in the visa. The agenda identifies tourism and other non-essential travel as part of the issue for discussion.
Meduza reported that the working group is due to meet on October 14, but the wording available does not clarify whether officials plan to consider issuing Russians only LTV visas, or to discuss the option as one possible measure. LTV visas are already being issued, so the agenda item alone does not indicate a new restriction has been adopted.
Representatives of Russia’s tourism industry have said that limiting visas by territory would make it harder to organize multi-country bus tours and trips combining several Schengen states in one journey. The report does not identify a final proposal, implementation timetable or set of countries that would be covered.
Effects on Multi-Country Trips
If the EU were to make territory-limited visas the standard or sole option for Russian tourists, travelers could face restrictions on moving between Schengen countries during one trip. Tour operators could also need to redesign itineraries that cross national borders, particularly combined tours and bus routes, according to representatives of Russia’s tourism industry.
The discussion could add to differences in how European countries handle Russian tourism. Some Schengen states continue to issue tourist visas, while others have stopped. The reported 2025 figure of about 478,000 Schengen tourist visas issued to Russians, cited by Politico, gives a sense of the scale of travel, but it does not establish how many people would be affected by any future measure.
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A Wider EU Visa Debate
The agenda item follows other reported debate over restrictions on Russian travelers. Politico previously reported that the EU planned to introduce new visa restrictions for Russians starting in 2027, with the issue also due for discussion at an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on October 12. That report did not specify what the proposed restrictions would be.
On October 11, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that fully halting tourist visas for Russians was necessary to strengthen European security. Orpo said he planned to put forward the proposal at the EU summit on October 15–16. Finland, along with some other EU and Schengen countries, stopped issuing tourist visas to Russians after Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine. Greece, Spain, Italy and France are among the countries that have continued issuing them.
In November 2025, the European Commission recommended that member states stop issuing multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russians. The number of those visas fell sharply, although some continued to be issued, according to the source report. That recommendation concerned multiple-entry visas and is separate from the LTV proposal now listed for discussion.
“The issue is whether to issue Russian citizens so-called LTV visas for “non-essential travel,” including tourism.”
— The EU Council working group agenda, as reported by Meduza
Scope and Outcome Still Unknown
The available agenda does not show whether the October 14 meeting will consider making LTV visas the only visa type available to Russian tourists, or discuss a narrower use of them. It is also unclear whether the working group will produce a recommendation, whether any proposal would require further approval, or which countries might be named on such visas.
No adoption date or implementation details have been reported. The separate reported 2027 restrictions and Orpo’s proposal for a complete halt should not be treated as decisions arising from this agenda item. The discussion may also leave existing national differences in visa practice unchanged.
October Meetings to Watch
The next scheduled step on the LTV issue is the October 14 EU Council working group meeting. The reported EU Foreign Affairs Council discussion was set for October 12, and Orpo planned to raise his proposal at the EU summit on October 15–16. Those meetings may provide further detail, but the source report does not confirm their outcomes.
For now, Russian travelers and tour operators should not assume that Schengen rules have changed. Any new policy would need to be set out by the relevant EU institutions or national authorities, including its scope and start date.
Key Questions
What are limited-territorial-validity Schengen visas?
LTV visas allow travel only to the country or countries specified on the visa, rather than across the full Schengen area. They are already being issued in some circumstances.
Has the EU decided to restrict Russian tourists to LTV visas?
No such decision is confirmed in the report. The measure appears on a working group’s agenda for discussion on October 14, and it remains unclear whether officials will consider making LTV visas the only option.
Which countries still issue tourist visas to Russians?
The report says Greece, Spain, Italy and France continue to issue tourist visas to Russian citizens. Visa practices can differ by country and may change.
Could territory-limited visas affect organized tours?
Russia’s tourism industry representatives say they could complicate multi-country bus routes and combined trips across several states. The actual effect would depend on any final rules and the countries included.
When could any new restriction take effect?
No start date has been confirmed for the LTV proposal. Politico previously reported possible EU restrictions starting in 2027, but the reported plan did not specify the measures, and that report does not confirm the outcome of the October 14 discussion.
Source: rss
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