Russians without biometric passports face a ban on entry to seven countries

Russians who have an old-style passport that does not contain biometric data will not be able to visit a number of European countries. This was stated on May 11 by Galina Zemskova, a member of the Union of Bloggers Lawyers at the Kutafin Moscow Law Law School.

"A number of countries have stopped accepting non-biometric passports of the Russian Federation. As of 2026, a total ban has been imposed.: Denmark, Malta, Czech Republic, Iceland, Norway, Lithuania, Estonia," she clarified in a conversation with RIA Novosti.

Zemskova added that France has also imposed a similar ban, but an exception has been made for some categories of citizens. She explained that children under the age of 15 are allowed to enter, as well as those who received a Schengen visa before June 1, 2025.

In addition, the lawyer said that Finland will introduce similar restrictions from the beginning of summer 2026. At the same time, entry will remain possible for citizens under the age of 18, as well as for holders of a Finnish residence permit issued before June 1, 2026. Zemskova added that a transitional period is in effect for Finnish visa holders until December 31, 2026.

On May 1, Svetlana Gerasimova, an expert at the OnlineTours package tour booking service, informed Izvestia which countries are now available for trips on more comfortable terms.

The news is being updated