Visa to Greece: is it necessary, the necessary documents

Greece is an amazing country that attracts many tourists. Do Russians need a visa to Greece? The answer to this question is very simple - yes, it is needed. All because the country is located in the Schengen area. In order for your departure to be possible, you will need to go through all the stages of permitting entry into another country. Now you can also find out about the difficulties that you may encounter when obtaining a visa to Greece in 2018. In 2015, it was announced that Greece became the country most visited by Russian citizens. This fact suggests that it is not difficult to draw up all the necessary documents, but quite realistically.

What are the types of visas to Greece?

Visa schengen

If you require a visa to Greece, it is best to apply for a Greek Schengen. So you can visit other countries that are part of the Schengen area, and there are only twenty-five of them. True, the time of stay is limited - only ninety days for one hundred and eighty days. In other words, you can only spend three months in other countries for six months, no more. There are several types of visas to Greece for Russians in 2018 in Russia, it all depends on how long you are going to stay in this country:

  1. Transit, or type A / B. This type of visa will allow you to cross the border of Greece, you can take a break at the airport of the country, however, you will be allowed to stay in Greece for zero days. In other words, you will not go outside the airport.
  2. Tourist, or type C. This type of visa to Greece is the most popular, and for good reason. It is ideal for people who wish to visit this country in order to relax, travel. Registration is most often done by a travel agency, with which a citizen actively wants to relax.
  3. A national visa to Greece, or type D. When you receive this type of visa, you are allowed to stay in the country for three months. You can get this visa for a year, but your personal presence at the consulate will be required. Strict requirements are imposed on this type of visa; there is also the possibility of considering an application for a longer period.
  4. There is also a tourist visa, at the invitation of relatives, or, in other words, a guest visa, as well as a business visa, ideal for people who visit the state for business.

Are you interested in traveling to Greece? Do you need a visa for Russians in 2018 in this case? Yes, no matter what type of visa you are applying for, you will need to collect documents.

It is worth noting: in the past there was an opportunity to apply for a work visa to Greece, if at the same time you got the right for official employment there. Now you can work only if you already have the citizenship of the country or a visa of type D. The easiest way to get into the state is to apply for a tourist visa, but for the other types of visas you will need to make a lot of effort, because there’s no one will not give out.

Travel Preparation Documentation

passport acceptance

A visa to Greece in 2018 is issued to those who draw up all the necessary documents for this. Do not forget that all of the listed list will need to be prepared without fail, if something is missing, then you will be denied a visa. So what documents are needed for a visa to Greece?

  1. A special form that is filled in Latin letters. In the end you will need to sign everything. If a child is entered in the passport, then he will also need to fill out another questionnaire.
  2. A pair of pictures in color, the dimensions should be standard for the passport. Make them necessary no more than six months before the start of paperwork. Photos will be attached to the application form.
  3. ID card and photocopy.
  4. If you live outside the place of registration for some time, then you need to submit a document that will confirm your place of residence. This may be a certificate of purchase of real estate or an extract from the place of work.
  5. International passport. At the same time, pay attention to the validity period - it should not expire earlier than three months after returning from a trip. Also inside it should be two clean pages for a visa. Make copies of all pages of the passport that are filled out, and if you already have an old passport, you can also make photocopies from it, this will only be a plus for you.
  6. A document about your place of work. This is done on the form of the company, which indicates the address of the company, contacts. The statement should also indicate your position where you work, your average income per month, as well as your work experience in this company. These extracts will need to be done no earlier than one month before the filing of the documentation.
  7. Bank statement, where all your changes in the bank account for the last three months are indicated. You need this document if you do not have an official job.
  8. If your income is less than twenty-five thousand rubles per month, then you will need to issue a sponsorship letter. Attach the original document from work, copies of the passport and a document to it, which confirms the kinship. Only a person who is your close relative can act as a sponsor: parents, son-in-law, spouse, child.
  9. Medical insurance policy. It must be valid and apply to countries from the Schengen area, and the document must be valid throughout the trip. The amount of insurance - from thirty to fifty thousand dollars.
  10. Flights or tickets to other vehicles. Planning to go with your own transport? Then be sure to have a data sheet, inspection, driving license, travel plan and international insurance.
  11. Documentation that confirms that you will live somewhere in Greece.
  12. Want to visit the country as an entrepreneur? Then provide the following package of documentation: tax registration, a photocopy of the tax return, certificate of individual entrepreneurs.
  13. Students will need to present documentation confirming the fact that they are studying at a particular university, a student ID, a certificate of financial condition, which says that this trip is possible.
  14. If you are a senior citizen, then you still need to provide a certificate of the availability of sufficient finance to make the trip, and a copy of the pension certificate.
  15. If you do not work, then you still need to provide a certificate of the status of your bank account. Help do a month before applying for a visa.
  16. If a person is on maternity leave, he is still obliged to submit documentation that he is caring for the child, as well as a certificate of income.
  17. Would you like to take your pet on a trip? Then he will need to additionally draw up a travel document, which will indicate the state of the pet’s health, the number of vaccinations, and so on.

What should parents do who need a visa for a child?

Visa documents

Making a visa to Greece is a difficult process, but you need to know about it in advance in order for the trip to work out. In order to get a visa for a child, parents will need to prepare the following documentation:

  • Birth certificate: original and photocopies.
  • Photocopies of passports of parents, as well as the person who accompanies the baby on the trip, a copy of the person’s visa.
  • If the child leaves with one of the parents, then he will need to obtain permission to leave the country from the second parent, as well as notarize the document. If the child travels to Greece with third parties, you will need to have permission from two parents. The documentation will need to additionally indicate the duration of the trip, the country or countries where the child will be staying.
  • If you do not have the opportunity to apply for permission from two parents, you can obtain the necessary documents from the registry office or you will need to submit a document that states the death of one of the parents.
  • Still need to fill out a questionnaire for children and sign it.

How long does the registration process take?

Greece and Russia

How to get a visa to Greece, you already know what documentation will need to be prepared - as well, but nothing is known about the timing yet. The term of registration directly depends on the place where the documentation will be submitted. For example, in Moscow or St. Petersburg, the average review period is a couple of days. However, at the same time in Novorossiysk consideration of documentation will be carried out on average ten days. As you can see, Greece needs a visa for Russians in any case, and always keep in mind that it is necessary to draw up a document in advance, because there are factors that can delay the review process.

For example, there may be an increased demand for applying for a visa, or the consulate may simply extend, for certain reasons, the period for consideration of the application. Always consider this before the trip, so as not to spoil your vacation.

What are the requirements for photography for a visa?

A visa to Greece for Russians in 2018 is issued quite quickly, but unsuccessful photos can delay the review period or you may even be refused. To prevent this from happening, you should immediately understand what requirements are put forward for photographs when submitting documentation to the consulate. You have already seen that for a trip to Greece you need a visa for Russians without fail.

When making photos, you will need to adhere to several rules in order for the photos to be approved at the consulate:

  • the picture must be taken no later than six months before the start of the visa;
  • the photo should have a light background;
  • the size of the photograph should be 3.5 x 4.5 centimeters;
  • photo quality should be good;
  • the face in the picture should occupy 70-80% of the total size of the photograph;
  • a person’s gaze should be directed to the camera, lenses, hats are unacceptable.

Cost for citizens of the Russian Federation visas to Greece

Tourists in greece

Many people want to get a visa, but the price is the most important thing in this business. If you want to make a visa to Greece, then for this you will need to immediately pay a certain amount at the consulate. The official visa fee is 35 euros. This will need to be paid to obtain entry into the country.

Worth to know! If you were denied exit, did not give a visa, then no one will refund you.

Can the price change?

There are unforeseen circumstances during which the amount of the fee may change. For example, you need a visa urgently. You need it for a couple of days, and you don’t have the opportunity to wait for approval, then you will need to pay a fee of 70 euros, or, in other words, two times more than the usual fee.

In addition, you will need to decide immediately which visa to Greece you need and where you will apply. If you decide to apply at the visa center of the Russian Federation, which is accredited, then you need to understand in advance that you will still need to pay an additional service fee of 20 euros. All payments will go in rubles.

If you want to receive documentation in a quick order, then you can even use the services of a courier. This is an extremely useful feature for residents of St. Petersburg who filed a request in Moscow. Such a procedure will cost you from 700 to 1250 rubles. It all depends on your place of residence.

Do you use the services of a travel agency that helps prepare documents? Then you need to spend a couple of weeks on time and pay about six thousand rubles.

Is someone exempted from payments?

Passport for visa

A visa to Greece for citizens of the Russian Federation who wish to visit this country is required, but far from all people will need to pay the fee at the consulate. There are categories that are exempt from payment, these are:

  • children who have not reached the age of twelve;
  • family members or relatives of citizens who reside in Greece or in another country that is a member of the Schengen zone on a legal basis;
  • citizens traveling to another country to study;
  • people with disabilities and the people who accompany them ;
  • persons participating in sporting events and all who accompany them;
  • members of constitutional and supreme courts;
  • citizens who wish to visit the country because of urgent need: humanitarian or medical assistance, visiting sick relatives, a funeral (the main thing is to submit all the necessary documents for this);
  • citizens of the Russian Federation who have not reached the age of twenty-five, but who are involved in cultural, creative or scientific activities, as well as those who travel by exchange.

It is worth noting! If you apply for an urgent departure, some categories of citizens may lose their benefits.

How is the treatment going?

All documentation can be submitted by the applicant or his official representatives from the travel agency through which it is planned to open a visa. Documents can also be presented by proxies, however, for this it will be necessary to submit a power of attorney from the person whose documentation will be submitted to the consulate, and all this must be certified by a notary. Close relatives may submit documents for the applicant to leave, but a certificate of kinship will be required. Citizens of the Russian Federation can submit documentation at the Embassy of Greece, in Moscow and also at the Consulates General of the country in Novorossiysk or St. Petersburg. In other cities of Russia you will find visa centers.

If you are going to submit documents in Moscow, then you will need to register in advance for this, and you can submit everything exclusively on business days. If you live in St. Petersburg or Moscow and you have a residence permit, then your presence is required. However, there are exceptions with the assistance of accredited agencies.

If you are submitting documents in the capital at the visa center, then you should learn some details in advance:

  • reception of documents occurs in a live queue;
  • documents are submitted on working days from 9:00 to 14:00;
  • passports with visas are issued from sixteen to eighteen hours;
  • on weekends, there are exceptions to the schedule for filing documents, they are accepted from nine in the morning until thirteen in the afternoon. You can pick up the passport from fourteen to sixteen hours.

Are you planning to file papers in St. Petersburg at the visa center? Pay attention to the following factors:

  • documentation is submitted from nine in the morning until fourteen;
  • You can pick up your passport from fourteen to eighteen hours.
  • It does not make sense to book ahead, everywhere is a lively turn.

Could there be a visa denial and why?

flag of greece

If you made annoying mistakes when submitting documents, then there is a chance that you will be denied a visa. You will receive an official letter of refusal, but you can still appeal or just file a new application, correcting all the errors and shortcomings. Why do consulates refuse to open a visa? This is most often associated with a person’s financial condition. If you have too low income and not enough money to travel, then you will not be given a visa. If serious mistakes were made when filling out the questionnaire or you provided false information, you will also be refused.

How long does a visa work?

It is important to understand that the validity of a visa can be different:

  1. The Schengen visa is single or double entry. If you have such a visa, then you can stay in a foreign country for about three months.
  2. Schengen multivisa. This type of visa gets the opportunity to live in Greece for six months or even a year, you will have the opportunity to visit the country every three months for six months.
  3. Schengen transit visa. This type of visa is valid for up to six months. The length of stay in the country directly depends on the tickets and the timing of the planning of residence.

It is worth saying right away that all cases of applying for a visa are individual, it all depends on the circumstances, and any application should be considered separately. If you have previously received a Schengen visa, then it can be opened for a longer period.

If you want your first trip to succeed, then adhere to all the above rules. Even better, when you first leave the country, you fly across the border of the state in whose consulate a visa was obtained. Always try to adhere to these aforementioned rules and tips, and then you can easily get a visa and more than once. Make every effort, spend time studying this issue, and everything will be fine.

Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/F3011/


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