Select European nations opening up again for Russian visitors

There is some good news for Russian citizens. In April, visa application centres of Greece, the UK, Italy and the Netherlands will resume accepting applications. Due to the closure of the Schengen zone, almost all European countries in the second half of March had suspended the application for Schengen visas to Russian citizens.

UNITED KINGDOM
The British Visa Application Center in Moscow will be closed from March 28 to April 5. The center will resume its work on April 6, 2020 in accordance with the usual schedule.

GREECE
All Greek visa centers had temporarily suspended their activities since March 28, 2020. The business centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novorossiysk will resume work after April 5, but the remaining regional business centers will be closed until further notice. All individual applicants and travel agencies, registered to submit documents from March 30 to April 5, will be able to submit documents according to the existing record.

Within the current restrictions (ban on the entry of third-country nationals into Greece from 03/18/20 to 04/18/20), individual applicants and travel agencies (accredited by the Consulates General of Greece in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novorossiysk) will be able to submit applications with planned travel dates from May 1 and later (if the ban on entry to Greece is not extended).

ITALY
All offices of the Italy Visa Application Center VMS from March 30 to April 3 will be completely closed. Reception and issuance of documents, processing of incoming calls and requests by e-mail will not be made.

The Consulate General of Italy in Moscow accepts documents with departure no earlier than April 18.

NETHERLANDS
Visa centers do not work from March 30 to April 3, including call center services. Applications for a visa will not be accepted until April 6 (presumably, the date may change).