Moscow: All Russian citizens who applied for golden visas after February 24 were denied, according to Portuguese newspaper Publico on Sunday. A "golden visa" is a residency permit given to non-EU nationals in exchange for sizeable financial contributions to the Portuguese economy. According to reports in the media, between the end of February and the beginning of August, the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service received ten requests for golden visas from Russian citizens in exchange for investments; however, each of these requests was turned down.
The European Commission decided to completely halt the agreement with Moscow to facilitate visas on Tuesday. The decision will increase restrictions for multiple entry visas and complicate the visa application process for Russian nationals. When the agreement went into effect in 2007, travel between Russia and the EU became significantly simpler. The document reduced visa fees, streamlined the process for obtaining a multientry visa, trimmed down the list of required documents, and abolished visas for diplomats. The EU partially suspended the agreement in late February, following the start of the special operation in Ukraine, eliminating preferences for Russian diplomats, other officials, and businesspeople.
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