Four EU countries have closed entry for Russian tourists. Latvian authorities at the border demand to sign a statement condemning the actions of the Russian authorities

From Monday, September 19, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland stopped letting Russians into their territory with tourist visas, including Schengen visas issued by third countries. Business visas and visas for participation in cultural and sporting events are also subject to restrictions.

But there are exceptions. So, Russian citizens will still be able to cross the border to visit close relatives living in the Schengen zone or a person with whom they are raising common minor children. In addition, the restrictions will not affect diplomats, as well as those who have been issued humanitarian, short-term, study or work visas. Innovations will not affect workers in the field of international goods and passenger transportation.

The Russian Embassy in Latvia stated that when crossing the Latvian border, Russians face provocations.

“They are making egregious demands to sign a certain statement condemning the Russian authorities. In case of refusal to do this, as practice shows, entry can not only be denied, but also blacklisted,” the embassy noted.

On September 12, the European Union suspended the simplified visa regime with Russia. The fee has increased from 35 to 80 euros, and the time for reviewing applications has increased from 10 to 45 days. Also, consular officers have the right to give low priority to tourists and require additional documents when considering.

Source: RBC