EU External Relations: Entry Clearances

Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of joining the Russia-EU visa facilitation agreement.

Mr. Jim Murphy
The EU strategy on visa facilitation does not apply to the UK and Ireland, given our non-participation in Schengen and the common visa policy. We are under no obligation to conclude a similar agreement. The UK considers approaches for visa facilitation independently from EU proposals.