Greece Has Begun Denying Schengen Visas To Russians On A Large Scale
1- 29.07.2026, 20:21
- 1,522
The failure rate reaches 50–70%.
According to Russian tour operators, Greece has been more frequently denying Schengen visas to Russians this summer, and the processing times for applications have increased, reports ATOR. According to several tour operators, the rejection rate for their clients’ applications has risen to 2–2.5%, compared to 0.1–0.4% a year earlier. At the same time, some major players in the Greek market reported that at the peak of the season, the rejection rate reached 50%. One of the publication’s sources claims that among independent travelers, up to 70% of applicants receive negative decisions.
One travel agency reported that the number of rejections has risen sharply in recent weeks. In a single day, the tour operator received four rejections at once, including one from an applicant who had submitted a complete set of documents, such as proof of property ownership in Moscow and bank statements. Particularly unexpected were the rejections of tourists with fully paid tours and confirmed accommodations from host companies in Greece. The processing times for documents have also increased. Whereas visa processing used to take two to three weeks, the process can now take up to a month and a half.
Voskan Arzumanov , Commercial Director of TEZ Russia , stated that no clear correlation has yet been identified between the denials and the applicants’ visa histories. According to him, both tourists who have previously obtained Schengen visas and first-time applicants are receiving denials. He also suggested that the increased workload at the visa center and the consulate could be the reason for the worsening situation. According to tour operators, the consulate has begun paying closer attention to bank statements, place of employment, and the category of the selected hotel.
According to data from the European Commission, in 2025 Greece issued approximately 59,000 Schengen visas to Russian citizens, 41.6% of which were multiple-entry visas. The rejection rate was 11.2%, compared to the average for Schengen countries of 6.4%.
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