Latvia Demands Unified Schengen Visa Approach for Russian & Belarusian Citizens

The Latvian Foreign Ministry proposed that Schengen Area Members adopt a uniform approach to entry for Russian and Belarussian nationals.

This suggestion was made in response to reports that a team of Russian footballers arrived in Latvia under the Azerbaijani flag, completely disregarding currency entry restrictions.

SchengenVisaInfo.com reported that according to LSM the ministry intends on seeking the support of Schengen member states to come to an agreement and implement the same restriction for Russian and Belarussian nationals.

At the moment, Russians have a much-reduced access to Latvia, after that country announced restrictions as a response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Now, some Russians can enter, but sports event participants cannot. Other Schengen visas still allow entry to Latvia despite this restriction.

Seven Russian citizens were admitted to Latvia by a football team from Azerbaijan, using visas issued by a third-country.

The regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers, on the other hand confirm that the Russian citizens did not have a valid reason to enter Latvia.

Vadims Lassenks, President of the Latvia Football Federation, also pointed out that the Azerbaijani club was not hosted by the Latvian Football Federation and their participation in the match is up to the club.

LSM reported that the Azerbaijani team was also issued Schengen Visas before their training camp in Austria. This allowed them to enter Latvia without border controls.

According to the Rules of Procedure of the Union of the European Football Federation (UEFF), Russian passport holders can participate in matches without crossing the EU/Russian border. As Maira Rze, the chief of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs in Latvia pointed out, these Russians are also considered to be legally residing in Latvia.

The chief of the State Border Guard believed that since the visa had been issued by another country, it was valid for entry into other Schengen members states. This issue regarding Russian citizens entering Latvia should be clarified by the State Border Guard.

Agnis Visnevskis is the chief of the State Border Guard Border Check and Immigration Control Office. He noted that his institution could not provide any information on how the Azerbaijani Football Club entered the Baltic Country.

"They did not cross Latvia's external border because if that happened, border guards would have had information about documents and permits," Visnesvskis mentioned.

The ministry will raise this issue in the European debate and warn Latvian sports and business organisations not to take any risks when it comes to working with Russians and their citizens.

Source: schengenvisainfo.com