It is worth recognizing that getting a Finnish Schengen is much easier than a visa to Germany, for example, Great Britain or the USA. The least hassle of the registration process will bring residents of the border of St. Petersburg. Nevertheless, we should talk about what the process itself is.
Order to follow
So, if a person wants to get Finnish Schengen, then the first thing he needs to do is to collect all the documents necessary for this (which will be said later). And still need to fill out a questionnaire.
The second step is to make an appointment at the embassy or consulate of Finland. Some apply to visa centers.
The third step is to apply for a visa. Fourth - waiting for a decision. If a person messed up something with documents, a questionnaire, or he caused some suspicions among senior persons, then he will be returned all the papers that he handed over with the questionnaire. But most often they approve the application. And if this is the case, then the fifth step is to get a finished visa.
Proof of identity
So, to get the Finnish Schengen, you need to collect a lot of papers. The most important thing is the questionnaire. It can be completed in Swedish, Finnish, English or Russian. What to use for this? A computer or typewriter. You can fill in by hand, the main thing is that the letters are printed and Latin, as in a foreign passport. The handle should be blue or black. There are 37 different points in the questionnaire, and all of them need to be completed without exception.
Still need one photo of a passport format and a passport. It must remain valid for 3 months after the person returns from the trip. It is also necessary to present copies of all filled pages of a common passport. Still need medical insurance, the amount of coverage of which should exceed 30,000 euros.
Confirmation of the purpose of the trip
Naturally, like any other visa, the Finnish Schengen is not issued just like that. In addition to the above documents, you will also need to provide those that confirm the purpose of the trip. Firstly, these are tickets for a plane or any other transport, either one way or the other. If a person leaves by his car, then you need a green card (international insurance) and a personalized route for the trip. In addition, in addition, you need a registration certificate for the car and a driver’s license.
Secondly, you must provide a printout or fax of your hotel reservation. If you plan to relax with relatives at a party, or rent an apartment, you will need an invitation. It is made up in free form. There you need to indicate the contact details of the person who is the inviting party, and passport details. Plus, the purpose and duration of the planned trip. If a person is going to visit, then he must indicate who the inviting party is to him. Friend, buddy, relative, etc.
Financial questions
You also need to provide a statement of income. It can be taken in the personnel department at your work, for example. It should contain information on the position, salary, term of work and on the provision of leave with the preservation of the place. This is a guarantee for the embassy that a person who wants to travel does not intend to stay in the country illegally and will certainly return home.
An extract from your bank account is also suitable. There must be a certain amount. 30 euros per day. If a person goes on a trip for 10 days, then at least 300 € must be on the card. This will convince the Finnish consulate that the potential tourist will be able to support themselves during the trip.
About cost and terms
So how much does a Finnish visa cost? Schengen will cost 35 euros. Such is the price of the consular fee for Russians, Georgians, Armenians and Ukrainians. Citizens of other countries will have to pay 60 euros. And for children under 6 years of age a visa is issued free of charge. By the way, if you need to make this document urgently, then you will have to pay 70 euros.
True, there are also visa centers. They also make Finnish Schengen. True, its cost will be many times more, since visa centers, as a rule, take on all the concerns of a potential tourist related to the collection and submission of a document. Therefore, if you want to free yourself from unnecessary trouble, you will have to prepare a lot of money.
By the way, it should be noted that in case of refusal to issue a visa, money is not returned. Therefore, when submitting documents to the embassy, we must carefully double-check them. Otherwise, you can not get Finnish Schengen.
The processing time for an application is usually 10-12 days. If you need an urgent visa, then it can be done in 3 days. By the way, if you want to go to Finland for the New Year, you should contact the embassy in advance. Many people want to go there on holidays, so the influx of applications is increasing.
What is worth knowing?
Documents for the Finnish Schengen must be submitted no earlier than three months before the planned trip. Another visa is issued for up to one year. But not the first time. Typically, "beginners" are issued visas whose validity is limited by the dates of the trip. If a person manifests himself as a law-abiding traveler (that is, he will simply behave normally and return to his homeland on time), then the next time he will receive a longer permission to stay in Finland. For example, for a year. True, for one half year he cannot be in the country for more than 90 consecutive days.
But, after a person visits Finland several times, they can give him Schengen for 2 years. Moreover, there is even a chance to get the so-called multivisa. And it gives the right to travel freely throughout the Schengen countries for 5 years. Therefore, a visa to Finland is so “convenient”. A person draws it up, crosses the border of this country, and then flies to wherever he wants. In some cases, it’s really easier than opening a visa to the state that is the main goal.
When can they refuse?
As mentioned above, getting a visa to Finland is quite simple. Here are just cases of failure, too, have a place to be.
In practice, there were situations when a visa was issued, but customs officers canceled it right at the border. The fact is that before you let the traveler into the territory of the state, he is asked questions. Customs officers ask about the purpose and location of the trip. Often you need to show the hotel reservation. At these points, many are "pierced." You can cancel your reservation, spend the night in a car, and the next day go to the country where you originally wanted to. If customs officers discover this and find the availability of tickets to another state (they have the right to search), the visa is canceled immediately. Moreover, a person will be punished with a ban on obtaining a Schengen for a period of three months to several years.
And one more nuance. If a person plans to visit not only Finland, but also other countries, using his Schengen, he needs to know that he must spend most of the trip on its territory. Suppose a trip is planned for 24 days. Of these, he must spend 13 days, at a minimum, spend in Finland, and the rest of the time - in another state. Or 9 days there, and the remaining 15 divided into two other countries. In general, the principle is as follows.
Friendly visit
What if a person needs the so-called “guest” Finnish Schengen? St. Petersburg, Moscow, Murmansk, Petrozavodsk - he would have to provide an invitation to the consulate of any city. This is the basis for issuing a visa to a person who wants to stay with relatives or friends.
The invitation must be drawn up by a resident of Finland. It must be assured. The inviting person is obliged to indicate in the letter that he is ready to take on all the expenses that will be spent on his guest's stay in Finland and medical insurance. Such a letter will greatly facilitate the process of obtaining a visa. You will not need to provide hotel reservations, make insurance and confirm your own solvency. A standard set of documents will be required - a questionnaire, foreign and civil passports, photos and travel tickets. By the way, it is desirable that, along with the invitation letter, the person submit a copy of the Finnish passport of the person who will accept it.
Other cases
It is worth noting that, in addition to a tourist and guest visa, they also issue other Schengen types. And they are no less popular. These are visas for work, study or treatment, for participation in scientific cooperation, conferences, competitions or competitions. And in each of these cases a separate Schengen is issued. And the basis for its execution is an invitation from the employer, university, clinic, etc. It is usually not difficult to get them, since the receiving party is well aware that the presence of such a document is required to obtain a visa.
By the way, if you need Schengen for a child, then, in addition to the main package of documents, you will also need a birth certificate and the consent of the second parent (if he remains in Russia) to leave.
Getting a Finnish visa is quite simple. The main thing - it is more attentive to the collection of documents and filling out the questionnaire. And do not go to any tricks that were described above.