In 2026, Italy remains one of the few Schengen countries still actively issuing tourist visas to Russian and Belarusian citizens: 2025 figures show an approval rate above 94%, while Poland, Finland, Czechia and the Baltic states have effectively stopped issuing such visas.

In short

  • In 2025, Italy refused just 202 out of 50,912 Belarusian applicants for a Schengen visa — about 0.4%.
  • The approval rate for Russian applications in Italy is about 94.5%; the exact number of visas issued cannot be stated due to conflicting data.
  • There is no single Schengen visa policy: Poland, Finland, Czechia and the Baltic states have restricted issuance, while Italy, France and Spain continue as before.
  • A visa issued by the Italian consulate grants free movement across the entire Schengen area, not just Italian territory.
  • One of the suspects in the Leipzig airport sabotage case entered Schengen on a visa from the Italian consulate.

How many visas Italy issued to Russians and Belarusians in 2025

In 2025, Belarusian citizens submitted 50,912 applications for short-stay Schengen visas to the Italian consulate. Only 202 people were refused — about 0.4% of all applicants. Most of the visas issued were multiple-entry, meaning holders could cross the border more than once during the visa’s validity period.

Only 202 people were refused — about 0.4% of all applicants.

Data on Russian applicants is contradictory: one source puts the total number of Schengen visas issued to Russians in 2025 at around 68,000, while the share issued by Italy alone is cited at around 161,000 — a mathematical impossibility given that ratio. An exact figure cannot be stated, so only the approval rate for applications submitted in Italy is given here — about 94.5%.

Refusal rate

Italy approves nearly all applications from Belarusian and Russian citizens: fewer than 1% of applicants are refused, though the exact figure for Russia can’t be stated due to conflicting data.

How Italy’s visa policy differs from other Schengen countries

Compared with the rest of the Schengen area, Italy’s position stands out by contrast:

  • Restricted or effectively stopped issuing tourist visas to Russian and Belarusian citizens — Poland, Finland, Czechia and the Baltic states.
  • Continue issuing tourist visas — Italy, France and Spain.

There is no single Schengen-wide visa policy toward Russian and Belarusian citizens: each country sets its own approach to visa issuance independently. Italy, alongside France and Spain, maintains its previous procedure, while several countries on the EU’s eastern flank have effectively closed the tourist channel.

A split within Schengen

There’s no unified Schengen position: Poland, Finland, Czechia and the Baltic states have effectively stopped issuing visas, while Italy, France and Spain continue operating as usual.

How applications are screened and what a visa grants inside Schengen

Every Italian visa application is screened against international databases — a visa is issued only if there are no restrictions against the applicant. This was stated by Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani. At the same time, an investigation in Germany has again raised the question of how effectively national consulates of EU countries can identify potential risks at the visa-issuing stage itself.

a visa is issued only if there are no restrictions against the applicant

The visa itself grants more than travel to a single country. After entering any Schengen state, the holder of a valid visa can generally move freely between other countries in the zone without additional border checks. This applies to the Italian visa as well: it does not tie the trip to Italian territory alone.

A map of Europe marking countries that have restricted and countries that continue issuing visas to Russians and Belarusians
What the visa allows

An Italian visa doesn’t tie the trip to Italy alone: it allows free movement across the entire Schengen area without additional border checks.

A high-profile case: an Italian consulate visa and a criminal investigation

German media attention to Italy’s visa policy was triggered by an investigation into a suspected act of sabotage at Leipzig airport. According to Bild, one of the main suspects — a Belarusian citizen — entered the Schengen area on a visa issued by the Italian consulate, after which he was able to travel freely to Germany.

one of the main suspects — a Belarusian citizen — entered the Schengen area on a visa issued by the Italian consulate, after which he was able to travel freely to Germany

The second person of interest in the case, according to ARD, was born in Russia but holds Latvian citizenship. German investigators are examining his alleged contacts with Russian intelligence services. It was these reports that reignited discussion of the volume of visas Italy issues to Belarusian and Russian citizens.

Fallout in Germany

The Leipzig investigation showed that entry on an Italian visa can open access to other Schengen countries for people who later raise questions for investigators.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Russian or Belarusian citizen apply for an Italian visa if their own country’s consulate already refused their application earlier?

There’s no direct link between one consulate’s decision and how another handles the application — each Schengen country assesses the applicant independently, including screening against international databases. A prior refusal doesn’t by itself block a new application in Italy, but the applicant is required to disclose previous refusals on the form if the application asks for it. The decision still depends on the results of the screening for that specific application.

What happens to an already-issued Italian visa if the trip ends up covering only Germany or France?

Nothing changes: a visa issued by Italy doesn’t tie the trip to Italian territory. After entering any Schengen country, the holder of a valid visa can generally move freely between other countries in the zone without additional border checks. So the route can be changed even after crossing the first border.

Can one EU country force the others to tighten visa policy toward Russians and Belarusians?

No, there’s no unified mechanism for that: each Schengen country sets its own approach to visa issuance independently. The high-profile investigation in Germany raised questions about the effectiveness of screening, but it didn’t change visa issuance procedures in Italy, France or Spain. Each country decides independently whether to tighten or maintain its current approach.

Does Italy’s high visa approval rate mean an application is almost certain to be approved?

No, a high approval rate on past applications doesn’t guarantee the outcome for a specific one. Every application is screened separately against international databases, and a visa is issued only if there are no restrictions against the applicant. The percentage from previous years is statistics for the whole pool of applicants, not a forecast for any single case.

Are only new applications checked against international databases, or are already-issued visas checked again?

Based on the described procedure, the check against international databases happens during application review, before the visa is issued — that’s when the consulate determines whether there are restrictions against the applicant. This material contains no data on rechecking visas that have already been issued, so nothing can be said about a review of visas already in circulation.