Slovakia Halts Schengen Visas for Russians, But Travel Experts Say There Are Plenty of Alternatives

Slovakia’s decision to temporarily stop issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens won’t significantly disrupt travel to Europe, according to industry insiders. Voskhan Arzumanyan, commercial director of tour operator Tez Tour, told NSN that Bratislava’s move is largely symbolic—Russians already have multiple other routes into the European Union.

“The overall flow of Russian travelers to European countries isn’t huge right now,” Arzumanyan explained. “Slovakia was never a top destination anyway.” He pointed out that even those planning European trips can easily pivot to alternatives like connecting through Istanbul, Armenia, or Kyrgyzstan. “I don’t think this will affect tourists much, even those who had Slovakia on their itinerary,” he added.

The expert acknowledged that Schengen states have grown increasingly reluctant to grant visas to Russians. Still, he predicted that Russians will keep visiting Europe—just not in the numbers seen before. “It’s no longer a mass-market phenomenon,” he said. The visa suspension, announced on July 7, is blamed on technical issues at the Slovak embassy in Moscow. Visa centers will stop accepting applications for all purposes except sports competitions until at least the end of summer.