EU proposes not to accept Russian travel documents issued in the occupied territories of Ukraine and Georgia

On 12 October EU ambassadors agreed a mandate to negotiate the decision not to accept Russian travel documents issued in Ukraine and Georgia with the European Parliament.

This decision is in response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and its practice of issuing Russian passports to residents of the occupied regions. It also follows Russia’s unilateral decision to recognise the independence of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2008.

Russian travel documents issued in the occupied regions of Ukraine, the breakaway territories of Georgia, or to persons residing there, will not be accepted as valid travel documents for obtaining visas or crossing the Schengen borders.

Russian travel documents issued in these regions are no longer recognised, or are in the process of becoming non-recognised by EU member states. The EU ambassadors’ decision is thus aimed at developing a common approach, ensuring proper function of the external border and a common visa policy.

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Press release