Last year, Russians submitted 520,000 applications for Schengen visas, with a refusal rate of 10.6%, reports RBC, citing statistics provided by the European Commission (EC).
Russia ranked among the top five countries in terms of the number of Schengen visa applications, along with China, Turkey, India, and Morocco. In 2022, compatriots submitted over 687,000 applications, with a refusal rate of 10.2%.
According to the EC data for 2023, citizens of the Russian Federation were most often denied visas by five countries: Malta (34.8% refusals), Estonia (31.7%), Sweden (29.6%), as well as Austria (26.4%) and Germany (20.5%).
In September 2022, the European Union suspended the operation of the simplified visa regime with Russia. The cost of the visa fee increased from 35 to 80 euros (from 3,400 to 7,700 rubles), and the processing time for applications increased from 10 to 15 days (in some cases, it could be extended to 45 days).
Starting from June 11, the cost of obtaining a Schengen visa will increase. After this date, Russians will have to pay 90 euros for a Schengen visa (approximately 8,800 rubles). The visa fee for children aged 6 to 12 will increase to 45 euros (about 4,400 rubles).
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