The Danish government has said the country will make it harder for Russian tourists to enter nationally by deciding to suspend the visa facilitation agreement with Russia. Although the Scandinavian country was not covered by the EU visa facilitation agreement, there was a bilateral agreement between the two countries.
Given the current situation, as well as the EU decision, the Danish government announced that it would suspend its agreement with Russia at the same time as the EU member states. Officials have also decided to tighten national visa regulations, which means that our compatriots will be subject to additional conditions when applying for a visa.
Commenting on the government's decision, Minister of Immigration and Integration Kaare Dybwad Bek said he was pleased with the decision and supported the move. “It is provocative that Russians travel to European countries, among other things, to relax amid the events in Ukraine. So I am glad that the EU has just decided to suspend the visa facilitation agreement with Russia. Denmark supports this even though we are not part of the agreement due to our reservation of rights,” Dybwad Bek said in a statement cited by Schengenvisainfo.
Under the new rules, as with the withdrawal of the EU Entry Facilitation Agreement, Russian citizens will have to pay a higher fee when applying for a visa. In addition, they will have to comply with more stringent rules. Norwegian Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said Denmark's tougher measures are sending an important message to President Putin. “With the help of new measures, we are making it more expensive and more difficult, among other things, for Russian tourists to obtain a visa to Denmark and the rest of the EU. I am very pleased with this,” said Kofod.
As a reminder, the Council of the EU just recently decided to completely suspend the visa facilitation agreement with Russia, which means that the general rules of the visa code will now apply to Russian tourists.
In accordance with the new decision, which officially came into force on Monday, September 12, the visa fee will increase from 35 to 80 euros (from 2160 to 4938 rubles at the current exchange rate). In addition, the decision will result in the need to provide additional documentary evidence. Moreover, Russians will face longer visa processing times and will be subject to stricter multiple-entry visa measures. Other countries have also already announced that they will discriminate against our tourists based on nationality.
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