BRUSSELS, October 3. /TASS/. A guidance on the handling of visa applications from the residents of the self-proclaimed Donbass republics has been sent to European Union member states, the European Commission said in a statement on Thursday.

"The European Commission and the European External Action Service have this week sent EU Member States and non-EU Schengen countries guidance on how to handle visa applications lodged by residents of the non-Government controlled areas of Ukraine's Donetsk and Lugansk regions. The guidance document follows up on the European Council Conclusions of June 20, 2019, and the Member States' requests for guidance on the identification and non-recognition of the passports issued as a consequence of the Russian presidential decree of April 24," the statement reads.

The European Commission pointed out that the guidance "provides a set of uniform treatment criteria to help Member States' consulates to establish the actual place of legal residence of Russian passport holders, as well as details on how to process visa applications by residents of the non-Government controlled areas of Ukraine's Donetsk and Lugansk regions holding Russian passports." "The guidance will help ensure that EU rules on Schengen visas are correctly and consistently applied in the Russian Federation and Ukraine, taking also into account that Ukrainian nationals have the possibility to acquire Ukrainian biometric passports and travel to the EU without a visa," the statement adds.

In particular, the guidance says that "Schengen visa applicants who legally reside in the non-Government controlled areas of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions should lodge their visa application at Member States' consulates in Ukraine, regardless of the travel document they hold."

The European Commission also said that "Member States' consulates in the Russian Federation and in Ukraine (as well as their Visa Centers) should therefore clearly communicate that residents of the non-Government controlled areas of Ukraine's Donetsk and Lugansk regions have to apply for a visa in the consulate of the relevant Schengen Member State in Ukraine." "They should also explain that Ukrainian nationals holding biometric passports do not need a visa to travel to the Schengen area," the document notes.

Fast-track citizenship

On April 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree, which eases Russian citizenship rules for residents of certain regions of southeastern Ukraine. "Individuals permanently residing in certain areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Lugansk regions have the right to apply for Russian citizenship under a fast-track procedure," the decree reads. According to the document, the decision has been made "in order to protect human rights and freedoms" based on generally accepted international laws.