Russians hoping to visit Denmark will face longer processing times, be asked to present more documentation, and pay higher fees under new visa rules.

Following a similar decision by the EU on Friday, limiting Russians’ travel access to Europe, the Danish government confirmed it would take the same step in a statement released by the Ministry of Immigration and Integration.

“It is provocative that Russians travel to European countries — among other things for holidays — while their country has invaded a free and democratic European country,” Minister for Immigration and Integration Kaare Dybvad Bek said. 

Denmark is to suspend a visa scheme with Russia and tighten rules granting visa to Russia. As such, Russians applying for visas to Denmark will join a category with countries including Syria, Somalia, and Eritrea.

Denmark has a legal reservation exempting it from EU-wide visa agreements and had its own bilateral agreement with Russia, but this will not continue following the government decision.

“I am therefore pleased that the EU has decided to suspend a visa scheme with Russia. Denmark supports that, even though we are not part of the scheme due to our legal opt-out,” Bek said.

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The EU decision, scrapping a scheme that granted Russians visas on easier criteria than some other countries, comes into effect on Monday September 12th.

The scheme was first adopted in 2007 and gave Russian tourists easier access to EU travel.

“With the new measures we are making it more expensive and difficult for Russian tourists and other travellers to apply for visas to Denmark and the rest of the EU. I am very satisfied with this,” foreign minister Jeppe Kofod said in a statement.

Kofod said the decision sends an important signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine is unacceptable and has consequences on many levels.

The fee for an EU visa application for Russians will increase from around 260 kroner to just under 600 kroner, while processing times will be longer and additional documentation required.