With the increase in international travel by Russian citizens, there has been a significant rise in Schengen visa applications.
According to a report by the Kommersant newspaper, based on data from Continent Express, demand for Schengen visas in the first eight months of 2024 has increased by 51% compared to last year. However, staffing shortages at the consulates of European countries have led to longer processing times for visa applications.
The report highlights that visa procedures in countries like Italy and France have significantly slowed down. In Italy, visa application processing can take up to 60 days, while in France, visa appointments are only available for November. Additionally, consulates are frequently requesting additional documents.
For Spain, there are no available slots for visa appointments.
On the other hand, the newspaper notes that while visa demand has also increased in countries like China and India, these countries are able to process visas quickly. Indian visas are generally issued within 1-3 business days, and Chinese visas within 3-4 business days.
The newspaper also mentions that the number of tourist trips abroad from Russia reached 7.63 million in the first half of 2024, an increase compared to the same period last year.