Following the visa scandal, Italy has tightened its visa issuance rules for Russians
Following the arrest of Piergabriele Papadia de Bottini di Sant’Agnese, the former Italian ambassador to Uzbekistan, Italian visa centers in Russia have introduced stricter rules for applying for Schengen visas.
This is reported by Russian propaganda media.
Starting May 12, the VMS and Almaviva visa centers will no longer accept documents submitted through intermediaries. From now on, applicants must appear in person to submit their applications with a passport and a confirmed appointment made through the online system. It is no longer possible to submit documents through travel agencies, courier services, or by power of attorney.
It is expected that the new restrictions could significantly complicate the visa application process for Russian citizens. Due to the increased workload, longer lines and delays in processing documents are anticipated. According to preliminary estimates, residents of Moscow and the Moscow region will be able to schedule an appointment no earlier than the end of June, while applicants from other regions will have to wait until closer to July. Taking into account the processing time for documents, the entire process of obtaining a Schengen visa could take up to four months, which puts summer trips to Italy at risk.
As a reminder, EU countries have issued hundreds of thousands of visas to Russians despite the war — Euractiv.
Russia has resumed nuclear testing for the first timein a long while.
As a reminder, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that as of 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, the Russian army had committed 1,820 violations of the ceasefire. These include shelling, assaults, airstrikes, and the use of drones.
Ukraine’s total losses from the full-scale war, including losses to the state, businesses, and citizens, may already exceed $1 trillion.
