European Commission to tighten visa policy from autumn 2026

The European Commission plans to tighten the EU visa policy in the autumn of 2026. Additional criteria for visa denial on security grounds are expected to be introduced. These changes will primarily affect citizens of Russia, Belarus, and Iran, TASS reports, citing a diplomatic source in Brussels.

"The European Commission has informed EU countries that in the autumn it will present proposals for tightening EU visa policies for third countries based on security threats. This proposal will include new criteria for refusing visas to citizens of countries that, in the European Commission's opinion, pose threats to public security," he noted.

According to the agency's source, the new measures "should be applied primarily to citizens of Russia, Belarus, and Iran," but this list "may be expanded in the future."

"The entry ban for Russian participants in the war in Ukraine, included in the 21st sanctions package, will be a 'test run' for changes to the EU's visa policy," the diplomat said. He also noted that the European Commission has not yet clarified how it intends to determine whether someone is participating in the Joint Military Action Plan (JMA).

He emphasized that these measures would require approval by all EU countries, as visa policy remains the responsibility of national states.

In early May, the European statistical agency Eurostat reported that EU countries issued 620,000 visas to Russians in 2025, a 10.2% increase over 2024 and a record for the entire JMA period. This publication provoked a strong reaction in European circles. At the same time, the European Commission first mentioned plans to further tighten visa policy against Russia.