Hungary, Greece and Italy were recognized as the best countries for obtaining Schengen visas by Russian travelers. When it comes to issuing visas to Russians, the trio are called “Kremlin loyal” in the travel community. On Tuesday, February 14, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) advised Russian citizens to apply for Schengen visas at the visa authorities of these particular states – there compatriots have a higher chance of approval.
Although a number of Schengen countries stopped issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens after the start of the NWO almost one year ago, the listed bloc members continue to issue documents with territorial validity for all 27 member states. The experts have published a recommendation to apply for visas after an analysis carried out by the association in cooperation with tour operators that help tourists with paperwork.
“You can easily and quickly get a Schengen visa for a tourist trip to Hungary, thanks to a loyal visa policy. This is one of the most popular European countries among Russians, even under sanctions,” ATOR said in a statement regarding the analysis. At the same time, experts drew attention to the fact that in Hungary there is no shortage of places to apply for a visa. The average processing time for Hungarian Schengen in Russia is 17 to 20 business days. This time should be booked for planning a trip.
As for Greece, it is also no more difficult for Russian tourists to obtain a pass to Europe through this country than it was before the imposition of sanctions and the termination of the document on simplified entry into the EU countries. “At the moment, as an accredited tour operator in Greece, we have no problems obtaining Schengen visas … Refusals do not pose a threat to our tourists, since they only occur in very serious cases, usually not related to the tourist purpose of the trip,” experts of the tour operator Ambotis Holidays reported about Greece.
The same document also indicated that the most favorite destinations in Greece for Russian tourists are Halkidiki, Crete and Rhodes.
Regarding Italy, another beloved destination by Russians, tour operators also believe that obtaining a visa to Italy in Moscow is easier than some other countries. The average processing time for an Italian Schengen visa in Russia is approximately 20 business days.
We list other states that, under the conditions of anti-Russian sanctions, accept applications for a Schengen visa, albeit with some reservations and tightening: Austria, Croatia, Spain, France, Slovenia, Switzerland, Portugal. France is out of this list, because, according to experts, it is most difficult for Russians to get a Schengen visa in the French embassy. The difficulties are mainly due not to the high percentage of refusals, but due to the very limited number of slots.
The association's specialists also urged compatriots to submit documents at least a month before the planned departure to the embassies that issue visas in order to avoid possible delays with the return of the passport.
Which countries have stopped issuing Schengen visas to Russian tourists? These are Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Czech Republic, Estonia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Slovakia. The six first countries also banned domestic travelers from entering.
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