Since February 2022, France has rejected, on average, every third application for a diplomatic visa from Russian citizens.
In this way, Paris is trying to prevent Moscow from rebuilding its espionage network on French territory, France Info reports.
All candidates for diplomatic and consular posts are screened by France’s General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI). The security services closely examine CVs and look for any concealed facts in applicants’ pasts.
After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Paris expelled around 40 Russian agents operating under diplomatic cover. Since then, the French security services have worked on a risk-minimisation principle: at the slightest suspicion of a security threat or links to intelligence services, visa paperwork is blocked. According to French diplomats, this number of refusals has been unprecedented since the Cold War.
The security services’ attention extends not only to diplomats but also to technical staff — from cooks to drivers — as well as their family members. The DGSI is paying particular attention to Russia’s mission to UNESCO in Paris, which is traditionally regarded as a convenient platform for agents working under cover.
To avoid direct confrontations and formal refusals, the French side often drags out the processing of documents. At the same time, France cannot completely stop issuing visas because of the principle of reciprocity: if there is a total freeze, Moscow could block the work of the French embassy in Russia.