Slovakia has suspended short-stay Schengen visa applications for Russian nationals through the end of the summer, though processing for long-stay visas will remain open.
Private visa operators BLS International and VFS Global both said Slovakia’s visa application centers will cancel all existing appointments scheduled for July and August. The companies said applicants who have already paid booking fees will receive full refunds.
“During July and August 2026, Slovakia’s visa application centers will exclusively accept Schengen visa applications under the ‘Sports’ travel category, alongside national visas for all eligible long-stay purposes,” said VFS Global.
For the remaining long-stay national visas — typically issued to students, employees and family members of Slovakian citizens — processing times have been extended and could take more than 30 days, BLS International warned.
The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) said Slovakia’s suspension of summertime visa processing is unlikely to cause major problems given that the country is not a popular travel destination among Russian tourists.
