Estonia to Restrict Entry of Russian Citizens from August 18

Estonia's government has approved sanctions that will restrict visa issuance to Russian citizens and ban entry to those with Estonian-issued visas intending to visit the republic for tourism, business, sports, or cultural purposes.

"This means that if a Russian citizen, who has been granted a Schengen visa by Estonia, intends to visit for tourism, business, sports, or cultural reasons, then starting next Thursday, he will not be able to enter the country," the government’s press service announced on Friday.

The government clarified that Russian citizens who hold visas from other Schengen countries or who are already in the Schengen area can still enter Estonia. The legality of entering the country or its absence will be checked and ensured by the Police and Border Guard Board.