When Russians think about vacationing, they often consider vacation options in European countries. But many refuse such an idea, because they consider the paperwork is too long and complicated process. How to get a Schengen visa, what is needed for this and some details of the procedure will be discussed in this article.
What is a Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa is a document that allows a traveler to travel from Russia to European countries that have concluded a mutual agreement. How to get a Schengen visa read below.
The presence of such a document allows you to:
- travel by any means of transport to European countries;
- to visit the countries of Africa and America, traveling on European flights;
- save on air tickets, since the cost of a direct flight from Russia to America is more expensive than with a transfer, for example, in Germany;
- quickly fly on business or urgent matters to another state.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that upon receipt of the document there may be some nuances depending on the chosen country of visit. In order not to make mistakes, you need to study the rules on the website of the consulate of the host country.
Countries that have signed the Schengen agreement are presented in the photo.
Kinds
Schengen visa is of several types:
- Short-term. Such a document is issued with a residence permit up to 90 days. This can be a tourist, transit, guest or business visa, depending on the purpose of visiting a certain territory.
- Long term. Such a document is drawn up for a period of stay from 91 days to several years. It can be issued only on a good basis, for example, for long-term visits to relatives, training or work.
- Family reunification. In many countries, a document is issued that allows you to stay with relatives for a long time in the territory of the state. But you should know how to get a Schengen visa, because the conditions for obtaining a document can vary significantly in different countries.
- Visa for marriage. This type of document is much more difficult to obtain. After all, it is important to provide evidence that people are in a relationship and have serious intentions to create a family.
- Journalistic. Issued to media representatives for journalistic activities.
- Official / diplomatic. It is issued to a person who has a diplomatic passport.
- Visas for studies. The document is issued to persons who are going to conduct scientific activities in the territory of a foreign state.
Where to file documents
Before you go on a trip, a person chooses a country of residence. Obtaining a Schengen visa in Moscow is necessary at the consulate of the host country, the visa center, or you can contact a private third-party company (intermediaries).
- Clearance at the consulate. This approach will be cheaper, but the procedure is complicated. Consulates of countries are usually located only in large cities of Russia. You will also need to immediately pay 35 euros (in this currency, without delivery) for a visa. You should immediately make an appointment on the consulate's website, but then you still have to stand in line.
- Registration in the visa center. In Moscow, you can contact the visa center, which will save a lot of time. Consultants will talk about all the nuances, help fill out documents, take photographs.
- There is a third option - applying for a “home visa”. This way is the most expensive and involves the consultant going home, collecting documents and delivering the visa “to the door”.
Visa for minors
Can I get a Schengen visa for a child or minor? Of course yes. It is worth noting that to obtain a document for children under 6 years of age, payment of the consular fee and visa center fee is not required. To draw up a document, you must provide a birth certificate of the child (original).
It is also important to mention a few nuances:
- If the child goes abroad with an accompanying person or relative (any person other than his parents), then the minor must separately apply for a passport and receive a notarized permission from the parents to leave.
- If the child goes on a trip with one of the parents, then the minor must get his / her own passport or write it in the parent's passport, as well as obtain permission from the second parent to be exported from a notary. The same procedure is followed if the parents are divorced.
- If the child is sent to another country with both parents, then he can be issued a separate passport or inscribed in the passports of the parents.
Usually, notaries strongly recommend that a separate passport be issued to the child or to each of the children, as well as an additional permit for the removal of each child. Sometimes situations happen that one of the parents needs to return earlier or, conversely, to stay in another country. In these cases, the availability of all documents will save travelers from problems at the border.
Nuances with a passport
To figure out how to get a Schengen visa in Moscow yourself, you need to know some requirements for an identity document:
- the validity of the passport should be longer by 3-6 months after the end of the planned vacation;
- the document and the photograph in it must not be damaged, smeared;
- if there are children, then they must be entered or have their own document.
Since 2015, a requirement has been introduced, which involves biometrics to obtain a Schengen visa. To do this, fingerprints are taken, and photographing is carried out directly in the visa center or consulate. Such data is stored for 5 years, and a visa can be reissued during this period without passing a scan.
Fingerprinting is not required for persons under 12 years of age.
Documents for obtaining a visa
In order to get a Schengen visa yourself, you must first of all have a neat appearance and behave calmly during an interview. Suspicious individuals or those who are very nervous may be refused a document.
To obtain a visa you will need the following documents:
- passport and the original (and copies) of the person’s internal passport;
- visa application, the form of which must be taken at the consulate of the host country and filled out;
- photos that meet the requirements of the consulate;
- travel medical insurance policy with a coverage of more than 30 thousand euros per person;
- fingerprint data (fingerprinting process);
- a statement of financial condition, which is taken from the bank and assumes that the applicant has an amount equal to 70 euros for each day of stay in a foreign country;
- certificate from the place of work, which will indicate the level of salary of the person and place of work;
- documents to confirm the purpose of the trip and route (air ticket, hotel reservation, invitation).
It is important to note that the list of documents may vary depending on the embassy of the appeal, additional documents may be required (pension certificate, student ID or otherwise).
Terms for consideration and issuance
Before the trip, people wonder where to get a Schengen visa. This can be done at the visa center or consulate. There you can find out the timing of receiving the document.
- Typically, documents for issuing a visa can be submitted no earlier than 90 days before the date of departure. Since the time for considering the application varies, you should not postpone the process for a long time. It is recommended to submit documents no later than 3 weeks before the planned trip, otherwise you can not meet the deadlines.
- As a rule, it takes about 5 business days to consider the application, but the period can be extended up to 30 days if additional traveler checks are needed. It is also worth considering the working days, weekends, holidays of the host country are not considered - the consulate works in accordance with the calendar of its country, and not Russia.
- If there are good reasons, the application can be reviewed within 3 calendar days.
Getting multivisa
If a person often visits foreign countries, then you should know how to get a Schengen visa for a year or more. Schengen multivisa implies permission to enter European countries an unlimited number of times.
It is important to pay attention to two conditions that may vary:
- Validity of multivisa.
- Permitted time spent in a foreign country.
For example, if parameters 365/180 are indicated, then a person can enter the territory of the state an unlimited number of times, but the total period of stay should not exceed 180 days per year. In this case, usually the period is divided into 90 days for each half-year.
How to simplify the process of obtaining documents?
It’s worth mentioning right away that simplification of the process does not imply a reduction in the terms for issuing a visa, but failure to comply with the requirements may affect their increase.
There are several rules that will simplify the receipt of a document:
- To apply for a visa, it is better to contact the consulates of countries in which it is easier to obtain. For example, Greece, Finland, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia.
- If several visas have already been obtained at one consulate, then it is worthwhile to subsequently apply there to apply for a multi-visa.
- Loyal to travelers who do not draw up documents for 2-3 days, but for a longer period, for example, for 3 weeks.
- It is worth making trips more often, for example, so that in 3 years a Schengen visa is issued several times.
- For departure, it is better to issue a new passport. In addition to being more reliable, it also contains all previously issued visas. If the validity of the old passport has expired, then do not throw it away or take it. The document is useful when making copies and confirming previously made trips.
- It is important not to violate visa regulations (conditions of first entry or maximum stay). This also includes customs legislation, traffic rules and the laws of the host country.
Every traveler should know how to get a Schengen visa. Do not refuse the planned vacation just because the paperwork may cause difficulties.