Schengen Visa Applications from Russians Remain Sluggish, Slovak Official Reports

Interest from Russian tourists in visiting the European Union's Schengen Area has not recovered to pre-2022 levels, according to a senior Slovak politician. Tibor Gašpar, Vice-Speaker of the Slovak parliament, told the TASS news agency that while applications are being processed, the anticipated surge in demand has not materialized.

Slovakia resumed accepting tourist visa applications from Russian citizens in August 2025. Gašpar explained this move was a procedural response to existing EU and Schengen rules, which oblige member states to process applications within the bloc's legal framework. He stressed that each request receives individual scrutiny with a strong focus on security protocols.

"We see interest from Russian residents in visiting Slovakia for tourism," Gašpar noted. "However, we are not observing any significant increase in this activity." He confirmed that current application numbers are substantially lower than those seen before 2022.

The muted demand comes despite recent reports identifying certain Schengen countries where visa processing times for Russians have accelerated to as little as 10 to 14 days. The data suggests that procedural access and actual travel interest among Russian citizens are distinctly separate matters in the current climate.