EU plans January 2027 proposal to tighten Russian tourist visas as Finland’s Orpo urges a full halt and eastern states press for stricter rules

The European Commission is preparing a proposal to tighten visa rules for Russian citizens visiting the EU as tourists, with plans to present it in January 2027, Politico reported. Poland, Sweden and Estonia have reportedly pushed for tougher measures, citing security concerns and the threat of Russian hybrid attacks.

About 478,000 tourist visas for the Schengen area were issued to Russian citizens in 2025, many of them allowing multiple entries, according to the report.

Separately, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has called for EU countries to stop issuing tourist visas to Russians altogether. He said he would present the proposal at the European Council meeting on October 15–16, arguing that a halt would strengthen European security and counter the threat from Russia.

The EU suspended its visa facilitation agreement with Russia in 2022. The Commission adopted further stricter visa rules for Russian nationals in November 2025.