Human rights activists and public organizations in Norway have not been able to bring a single Russian into the country in recent months, as they are denied visas. This is reported by the Barents Observer. Russian citizens cannot obtain a Norwegian visa even if they are invited to the country by Norwegian organizations.
The Terminal B art space in Kirkenes said that a festival is planned for February, to which Russian artists who cannot obtain visas are invited. “Formally, there is no information that Norway has stopped issuing visas to Russians. However, when we submit documents, including with invitations, a refusal follows, ”said an employee of the art space.
Irina Ivanova, head of the cancer patient support group in Murmansk, said that participants in the Russian-Norwegian project to help cancer patients could not get to Norway in September. In one of the communes, the Association of Women Survivors of Breast Cancer drew up invitations for several single-entry visas. However, no visas were issued.
The Helsinki Committee of Norway also lost the opportunity to invite colleagues from Russia, said Inna Sangadzhieva, director of the department for Europe and Central Asia.
The Barents Observer notes that it has sent a request to the UDI service, which deals with migration issues, about the existence of an official or unofficial ban on issuing visas to Russians. They replied that there was no such ban, but the visa facilitation agreement with Russia was terminated.