Estonia is a country in which there are a large number of attractions. Moreover, many Russians travel to the state in question for employment or education. Do I need a visa to travel to Estonia? Yes, I need it.
Next, we consider some of the features of obtaining an authorization document, as well as a list of all the necessary papers that will be required for its execution.
About visa in general terms
It should be noted that any trip to Estonia will require a Schengen visa. This is due to the fact that for some time now the state is part of the EU. In the event that the tourist has a previously issued Schengen visa, but to another state of the Union, it can also be used to enter Estonia. In the event that there is no such document, then you should start collecting documents necessary for obtaining permission to enter the country and temporarily stay within it. It should be noted that, having received an Estonian visa, you can go to any other state of the European Union.
A visa to Estonia is presented in the form of a large sticker. It should be entered on a blank page of a valid passport.
Depending on how long the trip will be, the state issues several types of visas: tourist, transit, as well as national. As for the latter, in practice there are several types of it, depending on the purpose of the trip: study, work, guest.
Is it easy to get a visa to Estonia yourself? It should be noted that this procedure is rather laborious and requires the provision of a fairly large package of documents. Further we consider all its main features.
Short-term visa
If we talk about the features of this document in general terms, then it is issued for 6 calendar months, but allows a stay in the territorial limits of the state for no more than 90 days. If you have a single entry visa to Estonia, a person has the right to enter the Schengen territory, but in this case, the longest stay should be noted precisely in the territory of this country.
Practice shows that it is single-entry short-term visas that are most often requested at representative offices of the country's diplomatic mission. This type of permit allows you to stay in Estonia for as long as 90 days - as you know, this time is enough to get acquainted with the sights of not only Estonia, but also other EU countries.
Multivisa
Do I need a visa to Estonia for multiple visits to the country? Yes, its design is required. Moreover, if it is necessary to cross the state’s border several times, it is not necessary to apply for an ordinary short-term type A visa (tourist), but a multiple multi-visa.
What are the main differences between a multiple entry visa and a short-term visa? First of all, you need to pay attention to the fact that this document allows you to stay in Estonia and other EU countries, for a total of 90 calendar days out of 180. Its validity period can be from six months to 5 years, depending on the purpose of the trip to country.
How to get a visa
Do I need a visa to travel to Estonia from Russia? How to get this document? Such questions concern all those who are going to go to this country for the first time. It should be noted that the procedure for obtaining this document does not have any particular difficulties, but requires a certain amount of time for the implementation of the main stages.
First of all, the applicant must prepare the whole package of necessary documents and contact them at the representative office of the Estonian diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation. Next, you should pay the consular fee in the prescribed amount and attach the receipt to the general list of documents. After all the papers have been submitted to the Embassy, you should go through a personal interview.
After passing through all the steps described, it remains to wait for the decision of the commission, which is made based on the results of the interview, as well as the provided documentary materials.
Documents
What documents do I need to provide for a visa? Their list is available on the official website of the representative office of the Estonian diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation. It should be noted that in reality there is a basic package of documents that must be submitted to the Embassy - it will be quite enough to obtain permission for a short stay in the country. For the purpose of traveling for a long period, additional documents may be required, which will be discussed in more detail below.
So, is it easy to get a visa to Estonia? In the presence of a full package of necessary papers - completely. For this, first of all, you must provide a passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months. Moreover, it should have two blank pages - it is on them, in case of permission, the visa will be glued. In the event that prior to the existence of a valid passport, a person had a passport of an international format, and any visas were stamped there, they must also be provided. In addition to the international passport, copies made from the pages of the internal passport of the Russian Federation should also be attached to the general package of documents.
In addition to identification documents, as well as their copies, you must attach one color photo made in accordance with the established requirements. Its size should be 3.5 x 4.5 cm, and the image should be clear. The represented person should occupy about 70% of the total image. It is important that it does not have sunglasses, contact lenses that are too bright, very expressive makeup, wigs, or other unnecessary elements. The photo must be at least 6 months old.
Separately, you should download the applicant's application form, which can be found on the official website of the Estonian representative office in Russia. There are some requirements for its completion. In particular, all data entered in the document must be exclusively in English and in strict accordance with the way they are presented on the passport page. It is allowed to fill out the document and its subsequent printout. It should be noted that in the second case, the paper must be signed manually, in blue or black ink.
When planning a trip to Estonia, you should take care of health insurance in advance, since in the countries of the European Union the availability of such a document is very demanding. The total insurance coverage of the policy must be at least 30,000 euros. The document must be valid at the time of the first entry into Estonia.
Special attention should be paid to certifying the availability of funds for the trip. For this, it is necessary to provide in the general package of documents a certificate from the place of work, which indicates the salary for the last 6 calendar months. This document, if desired or in the absence of a place of work, can be replaced by a bank statement drawn up in the name and surname of the applicant himself. In some cases, a sponsorship letter may become a document confirming financial viability.
And, finally, the representation must confirm the true purpose of the trip. In the event that a tourist visit is made, it is enough to present a copy of the ticket, as well as return tickets. Moreover, you will need to provide confirmation of the availability of a booked hotel room (or other place to stay) for the entire stay in the country.
Ways to submit documents
In the event that a tourist visa is planned, you can use the services of intermediaries in its provision. To do this, you should contact the visa center of the state, which can be done online. It should be noted that the services of intermediaries are ward, practice shows that their average cost is about $ 22.
You can submit documents to the representative office of the Estonian diplomatic mission in person. Moreover, this procedure is possible by contacting a trustee institution. You need to understand that in the second case, it is necessary to draw up a notarized power of attorney in advance.
A travel company, in which the customer purchases a ticket, can apply for a short-term or transit visa. However, you should pay attention to the fact that this company must be accredited in Estonia.
Guest Visa
Do I need a visa to Estonia for Russians who plan to visit their relatives in the country of the Schengen zone? Yes, its design is necessary. It should be noted that a multi-entry visa is ideal for this. As for the registration procedure, it does not differ at all from that which is carried out to obtain a one-time document.
It should be noted that papers confirming the special purpose of the trip should be attached to the general package of documents. Among them must be evidence of kinship with those persons to whom the visit is made. Instead, an invitation letter from the Estonian side can be provided, as well as a copy of a document proving his identity.
When issuing a guest Schengen visa to Estonia, is it necessary to indicate the contact details of the inviting party? Yes, it must be done. All available information about the person should be entered in the questionnaire, in the section specially designated for this.
Transit visa
Is it possible to get to Estonia without a visa while traveling on the way to another state? No, It is Immpossible. Even in the event that a stay in Estonia is required only for a transfer to a flight to another country, a short-term permit document must be issued.
In order to get it, you need a small package of papers. Among them must be present a passport, a copy of the visa, allowing you to enter the country where the tourist is going, as well as tickets to a third country (or copies thereof).
National visa
Does Estonia need a visa for journalists, humanitarian missions, students, students or workers? Yes, it must be drawn up. Practice shows that for the milestones of the listed purposes, the most convenient is a national visa, which gives the right to stay in the country in question for five years with the right of multiple entry and exit.
In order to obtain such permission, you should contact the Estonian Embassy or Consulate directly. The visit must be made by the applicant himself. To the general package of documents, the list of which is presented above, you need to add official confirmation of the stated purpose of the visit.
Work Visa
Do you need a visa to Estonia for Russians who want to find a job in this country? Yes, its registration is mandatory, but it is possible only for those persons who have already concluded a contract with a real employer. In order to confirm the purpose of your visit, confirmation of the registration of work must be attached to the above list of documents. It should be noted that this document must first be registered with the Department of Citizenship and Migration of the country.
Visa fees
Do I have to pay for a visa to Estonia? Of course, yes. By submitting documents, the applicant is required to pay a visa fee of 35 euros. If the person is not a citizen of the Russian Federation, then the cost of considering the application for him is 60 euros.
In the event that a national visa is required, the size of the visa fee is 80 euros.
Who does not need to pay a visa fee
Do I need to pay a visa to Tallinn (Estonia) to politicians or members of official delegations? No, consideration of the applications submitted by them is free of charge. In addition, an absolutely free visa to Estonia is granted to people with disabilities, children under the age of 6, people who want to get an education in the country, and also relatives of EU citizens. It should be noted that in order to receive the indicated privilege, instead of the receipt of payment of the visa fee, a document confirming the right to it should be provided.
Registration term
Practice shows that the average period for consideration of submitted documents for obtaining a visa to Estonia is 6 working days. During this process, the consul has the right to request additional documents - they must be submitted, otherwise you can be refused.
If you need to get a permit, you should declare it in writing much faster. Urgent consideration of documents provides for the payment of a visa fee in an amount twice that of its usual standard size - 70 euros.