The European Commission quietly implemented a new set of restrictions on 16 December that requires most Russian residents applying for a Schengen visa in Russia to accept single-entry documents only. While the measure applies across the 27-state border-free zone, Belgium’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that its consulates in Moscow and St Petersburg have already updated appointment templates and fee tables to reflect the change.
Under the revised Visa Code guidance, multiple-entry C-visas will be limited to four categories: close family of EU citizens, Russian nationals who already reside legally in the Union, and a narrowly-defined cohort of transport workers and humanitarian cases. Belgian officials stated that exceptions can still be made on a case-by-case basis—for example for accredited journalists—but routine business-travel requests will be stamped ‘single entry’, valid for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period.
In this context, VisaHQ’s Belgium page (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) can streamline the process for both corporate mobility managers and individual applicants by securing appointment slots, pre-screening documentation and tracking couriered passports, helping to offset some of the administrative friction introduced by the new single-entry mandate.
![EU tightens Schengen visa rules for Russian nationals – Belgian consulates switch to single-entry policy]()
For Belgian multinationals with operations in Russia or cross-border project work, the impact is immediate. HR and global mobility teams must now schedule a fresh visa appointment each time a Russian employee needs to travel to headquarters in Brussels or to an EU client site, adding at least two weeks of lead-time and an €80 fee per trip. Companies accustomed to issuing invitation letters for one-year multi-entry visas will need to update policy documents and travel-risk assessments.
The Commission framed the decision as part of a wider package of restrictive measures linked to security concerns following Russia’s continuing war in Ukraine. Industry groups warn, however, that the policy could hinder knowledge-transfer visits and seasonal postings that underpin Belgium’s technology, energy and engineering sectors. Some firms are exploring remote-work alternatives or third-country meeting locations such as Istanbul or Dubai to minimise disruption.
Immigration advisers recommend that Belgian employers keep detailed logs of each Russian traveller’s Schengen ‘day counter’ to avoid inadvertent overstays, and remind staff that border officers may ask for proof of itinerary and travel insurance even with a valid single-entry visa. Meanwhile, consulates have pledged to maintain priority lanes for family-reunion cases to prevent backlogs over the Christmas period.
Under the revised Visa Code guidance, multiple-entry C-visas will be limited to four categories: close family of EU citizens, Russian nationals who already reside legally in the Union, and a narrowly-defined cohort of transport workers and humanitarian cases. Belgian officials stated that exceptions can still be made on a case-by-case basis—for example for accredited journalists—but routine business-travel requests will be stamped ‘single entry’, valid for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period.
In this context, VisaHQ’s Belgium page (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) can streamline the process for both corporate mobility managers and individual applicants by securing appointment slots, pre-screening documentation and tracking couriered passports, helping to offset some of the administrative friction introduced by the new single-entry mandate.
For Belgian multinationals with operations in Russia or cross-border project work, the impact is immediate. HR and global mobility teams must now schedule a fresh visa appointment each time a Russian employee needs to travel to headquarters in Brussels or to an EU client site, adding at least two weeks of lead-time and an €80 fee per trip. Companies accustomed to issuing invitation letters for one-year multi-entry visas will need to update policy documents and travel-risk assessments.
The Commission framed the decision as part of a wider package of restrictive measures linked to security concerns following Russia’s continuing war in Ukraine. Industry groups warn, however, that the policy could hinder knowledge-transfer visits and seasonal postings that underpin Belgium’s technology, energy and engineering sectors. Some firms are exploring remote-work alternatives or third-country meeting locations such as Istanbul or Dubai to minimise disruption.
Immigration advisers recommend that Belgian employers keep detailed logs of each Russian traveller’s Schengen ‘day counter’ to avoid inadvertent overstays, and remind staff that border officers may ask for proof of itinerary and travel insurance even with a valid single-entry visa. Meanwhile, consulates have pledged to maintain priority lanes for family-reunion cases to prevent backlogs over the Christmas period.
