Obtaining a visa to the EU countries provides the opportunity for full legal travel throughout Europe. The current Schengen frees you from many bureaucratic delays that complicate any trip. European countries have long been the most popular tourist destination for residents around the world. Tourists who have received a Schengen visa automatically have permission to travel within all twenty-six states of the commonwealth. There is an opinion that it is very difficult to obtain such a document without the help of intermediary companies, but in this article we will refute this myth and look in detail at what a visa is, step by step instructions to receive it.
What types of visas are there for the European Union?
A Schengen visa is a document that allows entry into Europe and allows you to move freely throughout the territory of the countries participating in the Schengen Agreement. Despite the states’ own borders, control of their crossing is carried out only on the external borders of the European Union. Thus, the Western part of the mainland in this parameter acts as an entire alliance. When obtaining a visa, you should remember that the length of stay in Europe is often limited. In addition, there is a complex rule for “unsealing” a visa or the rule of first entry, i.e., the traveler, according to good standards, must cross the border of the European Union in the country that issued the visa to him. Read in more detail in the related article about this rule, but for now let’s say that there are various options for a Schengen visa, and they are determined by the purpose and duration of stay in the Commonwealth countries:
- Option “A” is a transit visa, issued when traveling by air.
- Option “C” - issued to tourists who arrive in the country on a private visit for a short time.
- Option “D” is a visa that requires a long stay of a foreign citizen in the territory of the European Union.
Depending on the purpose of travel, visas can be transit, diplomatic, work, children's, tourist, guest, and so on. There are also different visas for immigrants.
What is a Schengen visa and how can I apply for it?
A Schengen visa is a permit to enter a Schengen country. A number of European states accepted the agreement when internal customs controls were removed to allow for freedom of movement. Within the framework of the agreement, only external border lines remained, which allow for the necessary checks of visitors. The union includes 26 countries, occupying almost all of Europe with the exception of a number of states.
To visit any Schengen country, a Russian citizen must obtain an appropriate visa. A tourist can apply for a permit through the embassy or consulate of any Schengen state present in the Russian Federation. To receive it, you have to confirm your financial support, and in addition prove your reliability and integrity.
Sequence of applying for a Schengen visa yourself
To avoid unnecessary financial and time costs, we suggest you study the recommendations for independently obtaining a Schengen visa in Moscow :
- First, decide on the direction (state) you want to visit . When traveling to several countries, keep in mind that the length of stay in each of them is taken into account separately. On the Internet, go to the official page of the consulate of the state you are traveling to: there you can familiarize yourself with the requirements for a candidate for obtaining a visa.
- On the same website, check out the list of documents required to be submitted to the embassy.
- Start by collecting papers . Pay the most attention to papers that are optional and characterize your stay in the country (invitations to a congress, guest invitation, tickets to a concert, etc.) As a rule, the time frame for receiving these papers is longer.
- Take 2 photographs of the standard standard for the entire European Union. Recently, it is allowed to smile in photographs to obtain a Schengen visa.
- Enter the required information into the form in legible handwriting, without errors or corrections. Pay special attention to the passport number and dates. Don't forget about the signature.
- Make an appointment at the visa center for an interview and paperwork (this point is not relevant at all embassies - some accept without an appointment). It is advisable to familiarize yourself in advance with the interview methodology and the list of questions that you may be asked. Read reviews from tourists who have received a visa.
- You should arrive at the Consulate at the appointed time without delay. Hand over the package of documents to the duty officer at the visa center, complete the interview and wait for a response from the embassy. This could be an SMS or email message in which the result will be announced.
If no serious difficulties have arisen in fulfilling all the previous points, and there are no aggravating circumstances in your visa history, you are solvent and independent, the likelihood of obtaining a visa will be high and your path to Europe will be clear.
Which countries are easier to issue a multiple Schengen visa?
Among the countries, we can highlight those that easily issue a multiple Schengen visa for six months or more, while there are those that provide a visa only for the dates of the trip. In reviews, tourists mention Spain, Italy, France, Greece as countries with the most favorable visa regime. The embassies of these countries are more willing to issue long-term visas. I received my first Schengen in my life in Spain. I didn’t expect it, but I got the cartoon for six months. When I applied for a visa for the second time, the Spaniards gave me a visa for a year. But some of my friends were given a three-year multiple visa by the Greeks, and others by the French. The worst countries to issue visas are Germany, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic countries. You definitely won’t get it for six months the first time. But even with such knowledge, you cannot obtain a visa to one of these countries if you do not plan to visit it. These countries have many interesting places and beautiful resorts, so it is better to choose one of them for your first trip. And then, having become the holder of a Schengen multivisa, you can travel throughout Europe for several years.
Now you know what a Schengen multiple visa is and what its main advantages are. I am sure that obtaining this type of visa will not be difficult for you, which means that the path to frequent trips will be free of restrictions.
Have a nice travel
About the author: Ekaterina
On the pages of my blog you will find information about the places I have been, secrets and life hacks of independent travel.
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List of main and secondary documents for obtaining admission to the EU countries
The list of papers that need to be collected to obtain a visa to the European Union can be divided into main (primary) and secondary.
The main ones are the same for everyone, they do not depend on the purpose of travel, the country and the length of stay in it.
These are papers that confirm the traveler’s personal data. Additional documents are determined by the purpose of the trip. Basically, these are papers that are its guarantor and confirm your words. What documents are needed to obtain a Schengen visa in 2021:
The main documents include:
- A form that is filled out personally by the visa applicant. It contains the necessary data about the tourist, his family status, place of work, and language skills. The signature at the end of the application form must be identical to the one on the passport.
- A valid passport , in which at least two pages for the visa stamp must remain intact. If your entire passport is filled with stamps, it will have to be replaced. It is also necessary to provide copies of all pages containing information. Check that your passport will not expire within 3 months before your trip.
- Copies of foreign passports that are no longer valid (this is a valid guarantee of visa history). This item is not needed for those who are planning a trip to Europe for the first time or have not visited Schengen countries in the last three years.
- Copies of all pages of the citizen’s personal passport containing any information. Pages with empty fields are not needed. Copies must be readable, without stripes or spaces.
- Two photographs of the same format determined by the consulate. One of them will be pasted into the personal application form, the second will be handed over to the visa officer in free form. On it you need to indicate your last name and first name on the reverse side.
- Compulsory insurance policy for Schengen states. It must be valid for the entire trip with a reserve of 1-2 weeks. The amount of the insurance payment must be at least thirty thousand euros.
- Papers guaranteeing financial independence and solvency . Each traveler must have an amount for food, accommodation, travel and pocket expenses of at least sixty euros per day. A bank statement, a receipt for the purchase of currency, or presentation of banknotes will do.
- Sponsorship guarantee . This is a guarantee that a person will cover the expenses of other trip participants with an income of less than twenty thousand rubles. The corresponding amount of money is also presented.
- A document that confirms the tourist’s employment. The certificate from the place of work must be of the established form. It contains up-to-date information about the duration of work, contract expiration dates, position held and wages for the last three calendar months.
- For individual entrepreneurs - a document confirming the payment of taxes, a certificate of income received for the last six months . Papers confirming real estate act as a guarantee of return to the homeland.
- Travel documents , both direct and return. When traveling by car, provide the package of documents listed above, as well as a compulsory insurance policy for vehicles in the territory of the host state. When traveling in transit, it is issued for all countries.
- Confirmation of reservation at the place of actual stay in the country of destination. The dates must coincide with the dates of the trip; this is monitored very strictly.
What documents are needed for Schengen for a minor citizen:
- A copy of the birth certificate.
- Officially registered consent for a minor to travel abroad from both parents or guardians. If the child is traveling with one of the parents, the consent of the other is required. If one of the parents is absent (for example, died), this should be documented.
- A copy of the European visa for the parent or guardian accompanying the child, a photocopy of the European visa for the responsible escort, if the documents are submitted in different periods.
- In a situation where documents are processed in absentia, the applicant must provide packages of documents for all family members and papers confirming the presence of family or kinship ties (marriage notes in the passport, marriage certificate, birth certificate or document that confirms guardianship). Visa center employees have the right to require the personal appearance of all family members who plan to cross the border.
If you intend to enter and exit the territory of the European Union more than once, you must confirm your intentions to obtain a multiple visa and provide the relevant documents. The need for multiple border crossings must be justified.
Some categories of citizens will be forced to provide additional documents:
- Retired persons must confirm their status with a pension certificate of the appropriate type.
- Students must have a document from an educational institution (school, university, college).
- Persons involved in scientific research – contract or document confirming employment.
- Media workers (journalists, TV presenters, radio presenters) are required to have the appropriate identification.
The purpose of the trip must correspond to the category stated on the visa.
Brief list of additional documents
- The purpose of the trip is tourism. Travel voucher and tickets provided.
- A guest visa is an invitation document from a citizen of the host country and a copy of his passport, a document confirming the relationship between the inviting party and the tourist. Sometimes they ask you to provide a photo of them together or a screenshot of their correspondence.
- Educational goal – lesson plan, document from the educational institution and invitation to study.
- Business visit – description of the organization’s scope of activity, purpose of the visit and duration of stay. A certificate of registration of the organization and financial guarantees from the receiving party are also provided.
Fingerprinting
Since September 2015, changes have been made to the process of obtaining a Schengen visa. From now on, during their first visit to the territory of the European Union, tourists undergo mandatory fingerprinting. In addition, a digital photo is taken.
The mandatory fingerprinting procedure includes fingerprints of all fingers from both hands. The following are exempt from the procedure:
- Children under 13 years old.
- Presidents of countries, heads of government and members of their families.
- Citizens who, due to the characteristics of their body, are not able to undergo fingerprinting (for example, if a person has no fingers or burn scars have completely destroyed the skin pattern).
Persons who, in the course of their work, come into contact with occupational hazards that disrupt the natural skin pattern may be exempt from undergoing fingerprinting if, after several attempts to record a fingerprint, none of them were successful. This includes surgical doctors who interact with talc from gloves during their work.
Fingerprinting is carried out once every five years. The procedure takes no more than ten minutes. Performed directly at the embassy. The fingertip is treated with a special gel, then an imprint is made on a special touch screen, which displays the pattern and enters it into the database. The print is made by “rolling” the fingertip from the inside out.
How to apply for Schengen yourself and how much does it cost?
The price of a visa is determined based on several factors, such as:
- Destination country. Travel companies take their percentage when issuing visas.
- The cost of obtaining a visa for option “A” and “C” is thirty-five euros for all states of the Schengen area.
- A long-term visa or multiple visa will cost more. Their price is sixty euros. In addition, you will need to pay for the visa center services and a service fee for processing documents.
The duration of Schengen registration has recently been reduced from fifteen to ten days. There is an urgent registration service, but you have to pay extra for it separately. You also need to pay extra for an SMS notification that your visa is ready.
How to apply for a Schengen visa yourself
- First you need to find out what differences in registration exist in various branches of visa centers in Moscow and familiarize yourself with the requirements of different countries for obtaining a visa. Check the consulate's website to see what additional services it provides.
- Try to open a visa for the country in which you plan to stay longer. Sign up at the embassy a couple of weeks before the start of registration. This rule is especially relevant during the holidays and New Year holidays. Please remember that not all embassies are licensed to issue visas. Alternatively, you can choose the consulate that issues visas the easiest.
- There are special visa centers. They greatly facilitate the visa issuance procedure, but they charge a percentage for their services. There are quite a lot of them. These centers are evenly distributed throughout Moscow.
- For consultation at the visa center, you do not need to make an appointment in advance; citizens are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. There are insurance companies operating at the centers, but they are more expensive. There are also machines for digital photography and fingerprinting.
What is taken into account when calculating the cost?
It should be said right away that the conditions for issuance and indicators for determining the cost are the same, regardless of the duration of the policy.
The only difference in obtaining short and long insurance will be the lower cost of insurance for a Schengen annual visa in terms of one insured day.
The final cost of one day of insurance will be influenced by:
- Age of the policyholder. The cost of insurance increases one and a half times from the moment the traveler turns 65 years old, doubles from the age of 75, and triples from the age of 85. For children under 3 years of age, the cost of insurance also doubles.
- Doing extreme sports while traveling. Sometimes cycling is included in this list - be sure to check this issue when insuring.
- Insured amount of coverage (minimum amount of coverage – 30,000 euros).
- Insurance category (usually there are three: economy, standard, premium)
- Number of days spent abroad.
- The health status of the policyholder.
Practicing an annual policy in almost all companies provides a system of discounts.
Features of insurance in Poland ►►
Reasons for refusal to issue a Schengen visa
The issuance of a visa in the countries participating in the Schengen Agreement is taken very seriously. Each document is carefully checked, including the authenticity of the form. It often happens that people get the coveted stamp on the 2nd or 3rd attempt. Some countries such as Switzerland, France, Luxembourg have very strict requirements for visa applicants.
It is widely believed that refusal of visa documents in one state automatically deprives a tourist of the right to purchase a visa in another. This is fundamentally incorrect and only speaks of inaccuracies in the papers. If all the defects are corrected, then there will be no problems with obtaining the stamp. There are an infinite number of attempts to correct it.
The most common reason for refusal is the absence of any documents or a defect in their completion. Lack of finances may also be a sufficient reason for refusal. A more complete list of reasons is always published on embassy websites and is available for free review.
According to statistics, the largest number of refusals in 2021 are in Germany (2.2%), France (2.0%) and Belgium (2.0%). The smallest are in Denmark (0.8%) and Hungary (0.55). This can probably be explained not only by the strictness of embassies, but also by the greater popularity of these destinations among tourists. The largest number of visas issued are from Germany, France, the Czech Republic and Greece. In general, the percentage of applications to visas issued is approximately the same for all countries and ranges from 0.8 percent to 2.2 percent.
According to statistics for 2021 in France, out of 22 applications for a transit visa, eleven were approved (including ten multiple visas), which is fifty percent. In Germany and Greece, all submitted applications for transit traffic were approved.
List of Schengen countries
The Schengen agreement was signed in 1985 by the BENELUX countries, Germany and France, but subsequently the list of participants expanded. At the time the Schengen agreement was signed, the list of states until 1995 included a small number of countries, but by 2021 the list has become wide. in the multivisa countries :
- Switzerland
- Hungary
- Czech
- Germany
- France
- Belgium
- Spain
- Austria
- Poland
- Malta
- Norway
- Sweden
- Portugal
- Luxembourg
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Greece
- Lithuania
- Italy
- Liechtenstein
- Iceland
- Finland
- Netherlands
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
You may be interested in: Applying for a visa to Canada. Detailed analysis
The list of countries included in this list is constantly updated. By applying for a multiple visa, you have the opportunity to visit any of the 26 countries on this list.
conclusions
Obtaining permission to enter the territory of the European Union is difficult, but possible. The main thing is to know how to apply for Schengen , collect all the missing documents in advance and have a positive visa history. We hope that today’s article has helped formulate an understanding of the correct execution of these documents and will make it easier to obtain them.
This concludes our article. We hope you found it useful, and if so, please share the link with your friends. We wish you to receive a 5-year Schengen visa and go on many pleasant trips!
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