Germany accelerated the issuance of visas for specialists from Russia

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the German authorities have already issued several hundred work visas to Russian citizens. The rapid processing of applications was made possible thanks to the assistance of German agencies.

After Russia began its armed invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of highly qualified specialists from Russia decided to move to Germany.

"In April, 350 work visas were issued to Russian citizens in Moscow," the German Foreign Office said on Sunday, May 22. The German consulate general in St. Petersburg issued 190 work visas during the same period.

According to the dpa agency, most of these people were still working for German companies in Russia.

"In the first weeks after the start of the war, we assisted in obtaining work visas for more than 400 Russians wishing to move to Germany," said Katharina Vorländer, a lawyer at Fragomen Global LLP, a Frankfurt office specializing in labor migration issues.

She noted that about 30 percent of the applicants are already in Germany.

German Ministry of Foreign Affairs helps Russians

Vorländer said this speed was only possible because

"German offices provided support in the current situation that would not normally be provided."

For example, the Foreign Ministry of Germany, in coordination with the Embassy in Moscow and the consulate general of Germany in St. Petersburg, arranged a group appointment for several dozen employees of a company.

According to the MFA data Germany has already issued more than 600 visas to Russian specialists since the war started until the beginning of May.

These are long-term national work visas, not Schengen visas that allow foreigners to stay in Germany and other Schengen countries for 90 days.

Source: DW