Russia mulls retaliating against EU visa restrictions amid mounting sanctions

Amid the mounting sanctions, the Russian Federation is mulling retaliating against the visa limitations applied by the European Union (EU). Speaking at a State Duma session on Wednesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Ivanov stated that the Foreign Ministry has drafted a Bill that would allow Moscow to suspend treaties and certain provisions of international treaties with the EU in order to simplify the visa application process for Russian citizens. According to Ivanov, the Bill has been drafted in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's decree issued earlier this month on punitive visa procedures in connection with hostile actions of foreign states.

"The bill is a response from the Russian side to the decision of the European Council of February 25, 2022, on the partial suspension of the agreement between the Russian Federation and the European Community on the facilitation of the issuance of visas to the citizens of Russian and the European Union, which was concluded in May 2006," Ivanov was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency. According to him, bearers of diplomatic passports will not be allowed to obtain a multiple-entry visa under the EU's new system. The senior diplomat went on to say that they will have to submit their documents in person, pay an 80-euro fee, and get fingerprinted.

'Visas for official delegations won't be issued using simplified method'

The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister stated that visas for members of official delegations, national and regional governments and parliaments, representatives of the court, and business people will also no longer be issued using the simplified method. 
According to the official, the Russian measure mandates identical procedures for EU citizens, diplomatic passport holders, and members of official delegations. Ivanov said that an asymmetrical response to the EU's decision to make it more difficult for businessmen to obtain visas has also been recommended.

Putin signs decree suspending visa facilitation deals with 'unfriendly' countries

Earlier this month, Russia's President Putin signed a decree suspending visa facilitation agreements with "unfriendly" EU countries in response to sanctions imposed on Moscow. The country's simplified visa process has been suspended with some EU countries as well as Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Liechtenstein and Iceland. The document was published on the official portal of legal information, as per the TASS news agency.