Europe is the center of human civilization. That was even in the most ancient times, and little has changed since then. It so happened that the states of the European Union, even those that have recently joined it, have largely succeeded in creating an enabling environment. Traveling in Europe is a pleasure, but starting with those countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. Estonia is the best fit for this. However, there is a small problem. Russians will need an Estonian visa.
Contrast as a source of understanding
Today in Russia, the majority of citizens living far from the Estonian border, naively believe that there is nothing interesting in this European country. Most likely, residents of St. Petersburg will fundamentally disagree with this. After all, they have the opportunity to go there more often than everyone else.
Ancient philosophers said that truth is always known in comparison. Estonia was once part of the USSR and was not much different from other republics. This is due to a number of different factors, but the most important of them is architectural. In the Union, cities were built as cheaply as possible. Almost no one thought about giving different cities a unique experience.
Since then, much has changed. An Estonian visa opens access to that part of Europe that was once considered part of the motherland. Just look at the contrast of the border areas, and everything will immediately become clear.
In fact, the authorities of this small country abandoned the Soviet approach. The concept of building typical housing estates has been replaced by the concept of the most favorable living environment. The lack of typical Russian mistakes in urban studies and good taste are immediately evident.
Neat streets, clean lawns, cozy courtyards and residential buildings, made in such a way as to be part of the landscape surrounding them. Many of the smallest details show the contrast between the two countries. The smooth transition from the legacy of the Soviet Union to European styles clearly demonstrates the big difference.
Who are the doors always open for?
An Estonian visa is not required for everyone. Citizens of other states belonging to the European Union are not required to do this. In addition, the so-called "visa-free" is also available to citizens of countries belonging to the European Economic and Schengen zones. If suddenly it turned out that a Russian citizen has a Schengen visa in his passport , then doors to Estonia are open for him. Those who have started the emigration process to one of the EU countries or to Canada can also travel to this small country without any problems.
Who needs a visa?
The answer to this question can be given very briefly and concisely. A visa is required for those whose country does not have an agreement on a visa-free regime. If you have a one-time Schengen visa, or it has already expired, you need to apply for an Estonian visa. It is required for those who plan to visit only this country and are not going to go to other EU countries.
What types of visas are there?
If you approach the answer to the question in a broad sense, then there are a lot of species. However, each state establishes its entry documents. There are several types of visas in Estonia:
- Type “C” is something other than a standard short-term visa. The name speaks for itself, its validity is quite small. Most often this type is issued, because for tourists this is more than enough.
- Type “D” - gives a person the right to stay in Estonia for a long time. It happens multiple, that is, it implies repeated visits to the country, and single. In the second case, this is a one-time document and it will not be possible to enter it again.
How much do they give an Estonian visa?
Type “C” means staying within the country for no more than 90 days. Such a visa is most often single-entry, but multiple-entry ones are also found. In this case, the validity of the document varies from six months to 5 years. The most important thing is not to break the law. Indeed, if the period of stay in the territory of the state exceeds the maximum allowed number of days, then the deportation will be followed by the invalidity of the document.
Type “D” is quite complex. Most often, such a visa is valid for no more than a year, but if it is a student or work visa, then it is extended. It happens that more than 5 years.
Sheer bureaucracy
The so-called "paper fuss", unfortunately, is spread around the world. Of course, there are electronic ways to provide personal information, but this does not cancel the fact that you will have to collect quite a lot of documents. For unknown reasons around the world, progress in the field of storing everything you need on an electronic chip is quite slowed down. So, what documents for an Estonian visa need to be collected? The same as in Schengen, there are many:
- International passport. In this case, it should not only be valid and have at least one blank page, but also meet the requirement of validity. Everything is simple, if the passport after the validity period of the visa document expires becomes invalid earlier than 3 months later, the tourist will not be allowed into the country.
- A copy of the usual passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation. All data required, including registration address.
- Application for Estonian visa. This document is essentially a petition. It is filled by everyone who wants to enter the country without a Schengen. You can do this right on the embassy's website, but you cannot come and ask for a form. The fact is that after filling out the form, it needs to be printed out and then taken to the embassy itself.
- The photo. The requirements for a photograph are standard - the face occupies 70 percent of the photograph. An important feature - in the background should be only a white background. Inadmissible even the simplest photo processing in any of the graphic editors. In other words, it’s unlikely that you can do it yourself. The best solution would be to find a photo studio.
- Insurance. In order to avoid all unpleasant situations, insurance has become mandatory. An important point - insurance should cover the entire Schengen area, and not just Estonia.
- Proof of material security. Today you can’t visit Europe without having the means to live. So the state ensures that potential illegal migrants do not enter the country. Today it’s necessary to have a sum of money with you so that you can spend at least 86 euros on each day you are actually in Estonia. How can I confirm my own material security? Very simple. Take a certificate of income at work or make an extract from the official bank account. The option with the bank only seems simpler, but a simple printout will not work here. You will have to visit the local branch of the credit organization and get an official statement with all the necessary seals there.
- Something that would confirm the purpose of the trip. This rule is not new and is widely applied throughout the world. If the purpose of visiting Estonia is tourism, then it can be argued for by the availability of hotel reservations and return tickets.
- Consular fee. An extract stating that the necessary fee has been paid.
Money issue
What does the cost of an Estonian visa consist of? First of all, this is a consular fee. It is a gratuitous payment and is not tax deductible. Also, sometimes you will have to pay extra for various applications, but this is not always required. The standard amount is 35 euros, while children under 6 years old are not required to pay. However, if there is a desire to receive the document as quickly as possible, then you can arrange an urgent consideration of the application. The cost of this will be about 70 euros.
What to do?
How to get an Estonian visa? First you need to prepare all the necessary documents and fill out a questionnaire on the site. Then you have to carefully place the originals and make all the necessary copies. If there is no desire to make a mistake, then you need to take some photos, because if the officer does not like something, satisfaction will be denied. The same applies to all evidence of material well-being and good faith.
With the whole package of documents you must go to the visa center of Estonia.
Embassy
Where are the embassies? In Russia, as you know, there are 2 capitals. Of course, St. Petersburg does not have an official capital status, but it is no less important.
In Moscow, you can contact the consular department of the Estonian embassy. However, one cannot just come there. Reception is by appointment, and you can do this on their official website. The embassy is located at: metro station "Arbat", Kalashny Lane, 8.
In Moscow, this is the only place. True, there is an alternative option - send documents by courier. This option is for the laziest, it also implies the presence of an additional service charge.
The Consulate General of Estonia is located in St. Petersburg. The recording procedure is similar. The only difference is that, for some reason, they do not accept card payments. Do not forget cash to pay the consular fee.
In these two cities, only the main institutions of the Estonian diplomatic mission are located.
For residents of other cities of Russia it is not necessary to go to the capital. You can, of course, take advantage of the courier service, but this is an additional cost.
Estonian small visa application centers are located in Yekaterinburg, Samara, Perm, Krasnodar, Tyumen, Rostov-on-Don and Nizhny Novgorod. You can find out the exact location of the centers and get the most current information on the official website.