Italy has extended the processing time for visa applications from Russian citizens to 60 days

The official partner of the Consulate General of Italy in the Russian Federation—the VMS Visa Center—has announced that the processing time for entry documents for Russian citizens has increased by one and a half times. The delays are attributed to a “high volume of applications,” which has extended the document processing time to over 60 days, up from the previous 40 days.

The visa center recommends submitting applications at least three months before the planned trip, noting that the earliest available appointment slots in Moscow are not until mid-July. 

Despite the general tightening of visa rules across the European Union and a decrease in the number of multiple-entry visas issued, Italy remains one of the most accommodating Schengen countries for Russian passport holders, approving over 90% of all applications submitted (specifically, about 160,000 approved visas as of the end of 2025).

Source: The Moscow Times.

Lithuania has appealed to EU leaders to jointly abolish tourist visa requirements for Russian citizens, threatening to close its Schengen border otherwise.

Estonian authorities have decided to deny entry to Russians holding valid Schengen visas issued by Estonia.