Germany said it has not changed the rules for issuing student visas to Russians

The German Embassy in Moscow said that in September 2026 the practice of issuing student visas to Russians had not changed in any way. Russian citizens can still apply to the German Embassy in Moscow, including for study at German universities, and each application is considered individually under the current legal norms, Meduza reports.

The comment was given after the case of a graduate of the “Design” program at the Higher School of Economics, who was denied a study visa after being admitted to a German university of the arts. The embassy explained the refusal by saying that the student could misuse the knowledge gained at the German university, which, according to the diplomats, would have posed a threat to the country’s security.

At the beginning of September 2026, German authorities accused Russia of preparing sabotage at Leipzig Airport. After that, Berlin promised to tighten controls on the entry of Russians as a retaliatory measure.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Giese said that the authorities want to reduce the number of visas issued in order to admit only those Russians who do not pose a danger. Officials did not specify how exactly this mechanism would work.

Sources

• Material: meduza.io