The Swiss Federal Council completely suspended the visa facilitation agreement with Russia at its meeting on September 16, 2022.
Source: The Swiss Federal Council
From now, the usual visa procedure will apply to citizens of Russia. Thus, the Swiss government took the same decision that the European Union did, contributing to a common European Visa Policy.
“The Federal Council also decided to suspend the agreement between Russia and Switzerland at its meeting on September 16, 2022. In spring, Switzerland ended visa easing for certain categories of people such as Russian business people and waived visa requirements for Russian diplomats.”
The Swiss Federal Council added that “it is in Switzerland’s interest to support a common and harmonized European visa policy.”
The Council of the EU decided on September 12 to suspend the agreement regarding the simplification of the visa system with the Russian Federation. The process of obtaining visas to EU countries for Russians has become much longer and more expensive.
Uaposition memo: Russia and Switzerland signed an agreement that facilitated visa issuance to Russian citizens in 2009. This agreement simplified the process of obtaining visas for certain purposes and groups of people. Visa fees were also reduced or eliminated. The Federal Council has now decided to suspend the agreement completely.
See also: Switzerland joined the seventh package of EU sanctions against Russia
