France Updates Schengen Visa Policy for Russian Nationals

France has introduced strict new restrictions on Russian nationals applying for Schengen visas, further aligning with the European Union’s ongoing efforts to limit travel access from Russia.

Under the new rules, Russian citizens holding 5-year non-biometric passports are no longer eligible to apply for Schengen visas through French visa centers. Only applicants with biometric passports will now be considered. According to unofficial reports from within French visa centers, applications submitted with non-biometric passports are being returned without processing.

This move adds France to the list of EU countries—including the Baltic States and Poland—that have already suspended or restricted visa issuance to Russian and, in some cases, Belarusian nationals.

To determine whether your passport is biometric or non-biometric, start by checking the front cover. A biometric passport will display a small gold symbol resembling a rectangle with a circle in the middle and a horizontal line beneath it—this is the international biometric passport symbol. It indicates that the passport contains an electronic chip. This chip is usually embedded in the passport’s information page or back cover and stores personal data, including a digital photo and sometimes fingerprints. 

Russian citizens, in particular, should note that standard 5-year passports are non-biometric, while 10-year passports issued in recent years are biometric.

The new policy creates additional hurdles for Russian travelers. Those holding outdated passport types must now either upgrade to biometric documents or explore alternative routes for entering the Schengen Area.

Russian Visa Suspensions in the EU

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union and several member states introduced a series of sanctions and restrictive measures targeting Russian nationals. Among these were limitations and suspensions of visa issuance.

In September 2022, the EU officially suspended its visa facilitation agreement with Russia, making it more difficult, expensive, and time-consuming for Russian citizens to obtain Schengen visas. This move allowed member states to impose stricter rules, conduct more thorough background checks, and limit the validity of issued visas.

In addition to the EU-wide policy, several countries—such as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, and the Czech Republic—took further unilateral steps, including completely halting the issuance of tourist visas to Russian citizens, and in some cases, also restricting entry to those holding previously issued visas.

These measures aim to limit Russia’s access to the EU in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine and to reduce potential security risks, while continuing to allow for humanitarian and family-related exceptions.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Talk to us in the comment section below. Or if you need more advice on the above, contact us for further travel & immigration advice.

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Charlie

Travel and Immigration Writer and Client Relationship Manager at IaM (Immigration and Migration)

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