The European Commission announced on June 9 that a visa ban targeting current and former Russian soldiers should be part of the EU's next sanctions package. Nordic and Baltic countries proposed in February and March that the EU should ban entry for ex-Russian soldiers. The proposal to ban visas for Russian soldiers is included in the EU's 21st package of sanctions against Russia, which is hoped to be adopted in July. The visa ban is attributed to security concerns related to the war. Specific security risks cited include sabotage, migration weaponization, disinformation, and espionage. The context of the proposal involves perceived hostile actions by Moscow.

Accounts differ regarding the scope of broader visa restrictions. The European Commission is not preparing a full ban on Schengen visas for Russian citizens, according to Meduza. Conversely, Tass reported that the European Commission is preparing to tighten the EU's visa policy this fall by introducing new criteria meant to prohibit citizens of Russia, Belarus, and Iran from entering the EU as tourists. Italy is against banning Russians from entering Europe, according to Tass. The European Commission banned multiple-entry Schengen visas for Russian citizens living in Russia, effective in November 2025, according to Eurasia Business News. The ban on multiple-entry Schengen visas for Russian citizens allows limited exceptions for close family members of Russians legally residing in the EU and family members of EU citizens.

Separate from the EU measures, the Expanded Travel and Immigration Ban issued by the Trump administration took effect on Jan. 1, 2026, according to the Asian Law Caucus. The ban targets Muslim-majority, Black-majority, Brown-majority, African, and Southeast Asian countries. The US Department of State issued a policy freezing the processing of immigration visas for applicants from 75 countries, according to the Asian Law Caucus.