The diplomat reported on the possible restriction of entry to Italy on five-year passports of the Russian Federation.

Spain is likely to introduce restrictions on entry and residence permit (residence permit) for Russian citizens with old-style passports valid for 5 years. This was announced on December 7 by Kirill Budaev, Senior Adviser and head of the consular Department of the Russian Embassy in Spain.,

"At the moment, no such restrictive measures have been introduced here, but the probability is high," he said in a conversation with RIA Novosti.

The agency's interlocutor recalled that earlier restrictions for holders of old, non-biometric passports had already been introduced by countries such as Germany, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, France, the Czech Republic and Estonia. Starting from January 1, 2026, Germany will recognize only 10-year-old Russian passports with an electronic data carrier, with the exception of citizens with visas or residence permits issued before the end of 2025.

Budaev noted that although the measures in European countries are formally explained by security considerations, they also have political overtones, acting as an indirect form of visa pressure. Russian citizens planning trips to Spain are advised to obtain new-generation passports in advance.

In addition, due to the introduction of the new EES (Entry/Exit System) control system at the external borders of the European Union (EU), which will begin operating in April 2026, the situation with old-style passports is becoming even more urgent, Budaev stressed.

He explained that the EES system will include scanning passports with chips, verifying data with the biometrics of the owners and automatically counting the days of stay in the Schengen area.

No good: EU demands from Balkan countries to cancel visa-free travel for Russians

Montenegro may take this step as early as 2026, and Serbia and BiH will not yield to pressure yet, experts believe.

On December 6, the French Embassy in Russia stated that the spreading reports about the preparation of restrictions on the issuance of visas to Russian citizens were lies. It was clarified that Paris' policy in this area remains unchanged.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.