How to get a visa to Iceland in Moscow: step-by-step instructions

Iceland joins Schengen

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The harsh northern nature, neat, prosperous cities and the almost complete absence of people make Iceland an attractive place for tourists. To see Reykjavik, the waterfalls and geysers of this land with their own eyes, Russian citizens will need a visa. The state is part of the Schengen zone, so any multiple-entry Schengen visa will do, but if the main destination of the trip is Iceland, then you need to obtain entry permission from the consulate of that country.

Types of visas

Most Russians come to Iceland as tourists. Some people go to visit relatives, for work, to study, etc. All these cases require obtaining different types of short-term visas with the right to stay in the country for no more than 90 days in six months:

• tourist visa - in some (rare) cases, the application may be sent to the Immigration Service, so the application process may take up to 8 weeks;
• business visa - required for those planning a business trip;
• visiting relatives and friends;
• guests coming for short training, as well as for scientific conferences, sports competitions or various cultural forums;
• separate visas required for ship crew members and those transiting the country.

When is the best time to fly to Iceland?

• As I already said, summer is the best time to travel to Iceland, but keep in mind that from June 1, hotel prices almost double. You can choose the second half of May and save significantly on housing without much difference in the weather.
• Autumn and spring are fraught with the fact that you will experience the legendary variability of the local climate - it is unlikely to bring you pleasure.
• Winter is good with the northern lights and low prices, but its main disadvantage is the very short daylight hours. You will have 4 - 5 hours for walking.

Applying for a visa yourself

Before visiting the visa center, you must make an appointment through the office. website and print the invitation. If several people are going on a trip, you can fill out one application for everyone.

Papers must be submitted in person, no earlier than 90 days before the intended trip. If you wish, you can order a specialist to visit your home for 150 EUR. This is a paid service (150 EUR). An employee will come to the applicant at the specified address, accept documents and take fingerprints using a mobile biometrics device. Prices on the page are for September 2021.

The visa center will issue a form with a number, which can be used to track the readiness of documents on the website. You need to obtain a visa yourself or with a notarized power of attorney; you can also order papers delivered to your home (a paid service).

What to eat in Iceland

There are legends among travelers about suitcases full of buckwheat, which you need to bring with you to Iceland so as not to starve.

Let's figure it out. Yes, in Iceland, expensive catering is not the place where you will have fun in restaurants. And even in supermarkets the prices for the simplest products are very steep. But you don’t need to go to extremes and bring a full ration with you.

If you rent an apartment or hotel without breakfast, it is advisable to take portioned porridge with you. Many people bring nuts and dried fruits for snacks on walks; you can take muesli, cereal bars - something that won’t take up much space and is guaranteed to come in handy. Take your favorite tea or coffee with you, as well as a thermos.

It is better to buy products at the local supermarket chain Bonus - yellow emblem with a pink pig. This is something like an analogue of our “Magnit” - quite simple and inexpensive, but has everything you need.

Remember that alcohol in Iceland is sold only in one chain of stores (Vinbudin), and the price directly depends on the strength and is in any case prohibitively high. It's easier to quit drinking than to get rid of a toad.

Therefore, try to buy everything you need at duty free - you can get into it at the exit, immediately after baggage claim. Prices here are 2-3 times lower than in the city. Buy beer at Vinbudin, a can of BUD 0.5 - 235 rubles.

It’s difficult to calculate your food budget - it all depends on your appetite, but here are the prices for some of the products we are used to:

• Bread - 140 rubles
• Ready-made chicken sandwich – 350 rubles
• Pack of oatmeal cookies 300 gr. — 180 rubles
• Smoked beef 1 kg. — 910 rubles
• Yogurt Skyr 500 gr. — 230 rubles
• Eggs 10 pcs. — 570 rubles
• Processed cheese 500 gr. — 320 rubles
• A pack of TUC crackers - 78 rubles
• Sliced ​​ham 95 gr. — 179 rubles

There are quite a lot of cafes and restaurants in the country. But eating here is really expensive. There is no point in looking for everyone's unloved, but sometimes life-saving McDonald's - the last restaurant of the chain was closed in Reykjavik in 2009.

But if you become completely lazy about cooking yourself, we are preparing for the following price range:

• Burger with potatoes - 1300 rubles
• Main course of meat or fish - from 1500 rubles
• Soup - from 800 rubles (bread is often brought for free)
• Beer or glass of wine - from 600 rubles

Check the serving size in advance - they are often quite large, and there is a chance to share one dish between two.

Meals: from 20,000 rubles per person per week.

Documents for a visa to Iceland

Required documents to obtain a tourist visa to Iceland:

1. Application Form
   A visa application form, completed entirely in English and signed by the applicant, can be found at the office. visa center website;
2. Photography
   2 color photos (requirements see below);
3. Passport
   Valid for at least 3 months after the end date of the trip with two blank pages;
4. Photocopy of international passport
   Photocopies of the first page of the international passport with the applicant’s personal data are required, as well as photocopies of pages with visas, stamps and marks;
5. Original of the second valid and old passport
   If available and a photocopy of all pages;
6. A copy of all pages of the internal passport.
   Have the original with you;
7. Hotel reservation
   Confirmation of hotel reservation for the entire period of stay in the country, the names of all applicants must be indicated;
8. Certificate of employment
   with company details, seal and signature of the manager. It must indicate the date of hire, position, vacation period, salary (preferably at least 500 EUR), a guarantee that the applicant will retain a place upon return, the paper is valid for 1 month;
9. Certificate for students and schoolchildren
   Certificate from the place of study, valid for 1 month;
10. Certificate for entrepreneurs
    Original and copy of the certificate of registration of a private or individual entrepreneur, original and copy of the certificate of registration with the tax office, copy of the statement of income for the accounting period with the seal of the tax office (tax return);
11. Bank account statement
    Bank statement or currency purchase certificate confirming that the applicant has sufficient funds for the trip, at the rate of 50 EUR per day, valid for 1 month;
12. Medical insurance
    Valid throughout Schengen territory and for the entire duration of the trip + 15 days (amount of insurance coverage - at least 30,000 EUR);
13. Ticket reservation
    Original and photocopy of purchased round-trip ticket with closed dates, ticket number required;
14. Consent to the processing of personal data
    The form can be found at the office. visa center website;

All non-workers, including minors, require a letter of sponsorship from a close relative who will pay for the trip.

If necessary, visa centers provide paid services: employees will help you fill out an application, take photographs, photocopies and printouts, arrange insurance, etc.

How much does it cost to fly to Iceland?

The average price range for the route Moscow/St. Petersburg - Reykjavik is from 20,000 to 30,000 rubles. The figure is quite pleasant compared, for example, with such popular Bali.

There are often options with long (from 8 to 12 hours) daytime transfers. If a long journey doesn’t bother you, spend an extra day in Riga, Oslo, Budapest or another European city as a bonus. For example, I had an amazing walk around Munich - 9 hours was enough to cycle around the entire center without panic.

Important. In case of a long layover, don’t forget to include it in your travel budget - transport from the airport to the center usually costs a lot of money, and you still need somewhere to eat.

Don't ignore flights from Vilnius, Helsinki and Riga. European low-cost airlines fly directly from here to Reykjavik - there were cases when you could fly from Vilnius to Iceland and back for 5,000 rubles. With such savings, it makes sense to slightly lower the level of acceptable travel comfort and get to the point of departure by train, bus or using the blablacar service.

Flight: 25,000 rubles.

View tickets

Photo requirement

Two color photographs 3.5x4.5 cm must be taken no earlier than six months before submitting documents. The face is placed in the center and occupies about 70% of the frame, the size from the top of the head to the chin is 2.5 cm. The photo is taken from the front, with the gaze directed directly at the camera. Accessories that cover the face or parts of it (sunglasses, etc.) are not allowed, with the exception of items that a person wears for medical reasons, for example, an eye patch. Masks, scarves and hats that interfere with personal identification are prohibited.

Consular fee

When submitting documents, the applicant must bring with him a consular fee in the amount of 2600 RUB (equivalent to 35 EUR). In addition, the visa center charges a service fee of RUB 2,200.

Those who submit documents at regional visa centers must also pay 400 RUB for sending documents to Moscow.

Holders of diplomatic passports, schoolchildren and students who go to study, close relatives of Icelandic citizens, members of governments, official delegations, participants in humanitarian missions, youth sports competitions, as well as people with disabilities and children under 6 years of age are exempt from paying the consular fee. The last two categories of applicants also do not pay a service fee.

Features when traveling with children

Children under 14 years of age can travel if they are included in their parents’ passports. Regardless of the type of visa requested, it is issued for children at the same time as their parents. When obtaining a Schengen visa, children under 14 years of age do not undergo an interview. When submitting documents, you will need the original birth certificate and a photocopy of it, translated into Icelandic or English and certified by a notary.

A necessary document will also be the consent of the second parent for the child’s trip to Iceland. This must be a notarized power of attorney also in Icelandic or English. Such a document is not required if the child is traveling with the whole family. But if only with the father or mother, then without the consent of the second parent neither a visa will be issued nor will they be allowed into the country. A photocopy of the passport of the parent who officially expresses his consent is also attached to the power of attorney. If the parents are divorced, the whereabouts of the absent person are not always known. Therefore, when planning a trip abroad, you should prepare such a document in advance. A mother or father with different surnames must document the reason for the difference, for example, with a divorce certificate.

If a child is traveling abroad with a guardian or guardians, it is important to have proof of guardianship when applying for a visa and crossing the border.

Embassy and consulates of Iceland in Russia

Icelandic Embassy in Moscow

Iceland Visa Application Center in Moscow

Honorary Consulate of Iceland in Murmansk

Visa Application Center in St. Petersburg

Iceland Visa Application Center in Yekaterinburg

Iceland Visa Application Center in Novosibirsk

Iceland Visa Application Center in Vladivostok