Italian Visa Centers Ban Third-Party Submissions, Russian Tour Lobby Says

May 14, 2026

Italian visa centers have stopped accepting documents for Russian travelers via intermediaries following a scandal involving an alleged illicit Schengen visa scheme, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) said Thursday.

“Agents, couriers, authorized representatives, notaries and lawyers can no longer submit applications on behalf of a tourist,” ATOR said in a statement.

“Applicants must now appear in person at the visa center at their scheduled time with passports and a confirmed online appointment,” it added.

The change was reportedly enacted after the arrest of Italy’s former ambassador in Uzbekistan over an alleged scheme involving illicit Schengen visa approvals.

Investigators accused the ambassador and his assistant, an ethnic Russian, of issuing one-to-three-year Schengen visas to 95 Russians who failed to meet entry requirements, according to ATOR.

The association cited sources as saying that “a few” companies have retained their role as intermediaries provided that the client books a full tour package, including hotel, airfare and insurance.

Italy’s VMS visa center in Moscow told Russia’s state-run TASS news agency that it was not aware of the need for Russian travelers to appear in person and forwarded all queries to the Italian Consulate.

Read more about: Italy

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribe Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription.

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today?
Remind me later. ×

Remind me next month