Eleven European nations have called for further visa restrictions for Russian tourists whilst the war in Ukraine rages on, a measure directed largely at Spain given that it continues to welcome tens of thousands of visitors from Russia every year.
A group of European countries has called on the EU to make it harder for Russians to holiday in Europe as the war in Ukraine grinds through a fifth year.
The proposal comes after European Commission data shows that Spain issued more than 111,000 Schengen visas to Russian citizens in 2025, making it the third largest issuer of these documents in the European Union after France and Italy.
Stats from Spain's Migration Ministry reflect a slight decrease in 2025 for short-stay visas granted by Spanish authorities to Russian nationals: 96,742 in total, with the average age of the visa holder being 37 and in 60 percent of cases women.
The vast majority of these permits were for short stays for tourism and business purposes.
