How to apply for a visa

A visa is a permit document that allows people to visit foreign countries and stay there for some time. In this article, we will tell you in detail what types of visas are currently presented, who needs to apply for them, how the process of registration itself takes place, and also go through a number of reasons that are often reasons for refusing a visa.

Types of visas

Types of visas are divided depending on the purpose for which the document is purchased, and this can be:

• Study visa. It is issued, as the name implies, for those who are studying in another country.
• Working. It gives the right to work in a specific country. Obtaining this visa is problematic, but its validity is long.
• For family reunification. Families of diplomats, such as embassy workers, are more likely to receive such a visa so that they can transfer their family to the country.
• Business. Issued to business people who visit another country in order to formalize contracts, sign business papers and establish business relationships for business development.
• Tourist. As the name implies, such a visa is purchased by those who plan to spend their holidays in another country.
• Transit. It is issued for a short time if, on the way to the final destination, a person is forced to end up in a third country for the purpose of transplantation. If you neglect such a visa, the tourist gets stuck at the airport of this country.
• Guest. It is issued for a certain period so that a person has the opportunity to visit his relatives and friends. Often, in order to obtain a visitor visa, you must have an invitation from the person you are visiting.

Visa documents

The exact list of documents for applying for a visa depends on the country to which the trip is planned, as well as for what purpose.

So, for example, the Consulate of America does not have, as such, requirements for certain types of paperwork for a visa, everything is determined on an individual basis, based on a specific case. The approximate number of necessary papers for obtaining a visa to America may look something like this:

• Documents that will show the purpose of the visit to the country. A person must provide data about his goal, so just “admire the country” will not work. Depending on the specific purpose, this can be an invitation from relatives, partners or friends who live in America, a letter stating that a citizen has been accepted into an educational institution, etc. This is an important document that the Consulate will definitely require.
• International passport. It can be old or new, as long as it is valid. It is important that there is a blank page in the passport, so that later you can paste the visa and a free area for affixing stamps. The validity period of the foreign passport must be no less than the planned visit to the country.
• If the applicant has old passports with visas present there, they may also be required, which will be proof of the existing experience of traveling abroad. It will be very good if this experience includes trips to two or three European countries over the past few years. If you have never been abroad before, then the process of obtaining a visa can be seriously complicated.
• Help from the place of work. It must be issued on a letterhead, where it will be written: full name, length of service, position, income level. It is not necessary to indicate the vacation period in this certificate, but it must be certified by the seal of the accounting department or the head. If the trip is not paid by the applicant himself, then a certificate from the sponsoring person is needed.
• Photocopy of marriage certificate. Necessary for those who are in the official union. Also, if the applicant has children, a photocopy of birth certificates will be required. Such documents will show the American Consulate the person's connection with Russia, that he has a strong position and has some kind of life plan. If children are adopted, appropriate papers are needed.
• Statement from the bank. It is necessary to show the Consulate that the applicant has enough money to travel and stay in the country. A period of 3-6 months will be enough, while it is important that the receipts are regular. If there is no bank account, then the document can be omitted. It is, in principle, optional, although it significantly increases the chances of obtaining a visa.
• Property documents. These documents are also not binding, but if there is property, then you can provide photocopies of certificates.

This is an approximate list of what the American Consulate can request, but as we have already said, the list of required documents is compiled on an individual basis, based on a specific case.

But the list of documents for a Schengen visa looks somewhat different:

• Completed form for obtaining a Schengen visa.
• Color photo, in the amount of 1 piece, which will meet the following criteria: clear, clean photo, printed on quality paper; size 4.5 * 3.5 cm; the photo must be taken no later than six months, so that the owner can be identified by it; the photo should clearly show the eyes and the whole face, from the top of the head to the shoulders; there should be no hats in the photo; the applicant's mouth in the photo must be closed and the face must be free of hair. If the visa recipient wears glasses, then the following is added to the above requirements: glasses on glasses must be without darkening, the frame must not cover the face, complete absence of glare.
• A photocopy of the passport from the page with the photo and personal data of the owner and the original document. The passport is admitted for admission without covers.
• A document confirming that the visa recipient has enough money to travel and stay. This is usually a bank statement.
• A document confirming that there is medical insurance, which is valid throughout Europe and covers € 30,000. This policy must cover the entire period for which the trip is planned.
• The original document from the place of employment. If the applicant is a student, a certificate is needed stating that the educational institution has allowed him to leave during school hours. For employees, a certificate from the place of work is required on the official letterhead of the company with a seal. There must be data on the employee, position, seniority and income level. Self-employed citizens need a photocopy document, which confirms the registration of the company and TIN.
• A photocopy of the pages of the passport, where there are previously issued Schengen visas.
• If a minor goes on a trip alone, or he travels with one of the parents, authorization documents of the parents / parent are required in writing. If a child does not have one of the parents, you need to attach a photocopy of a document that confirms this.

Depending on the purpose of the trip, the Consulate may request other documents as well. For example, if the trip is a tourist, you need to provide confirmation that in the destination has a reservation for rooms, or a confirmation document from the travel company through which the trip is planned. Photocopies of tickets, preferably there and back, or, if the trip is planned in your own car, a photocopy of the driver's license.

For travels  by to the invitation from relatives or friends, a copy and original of the invitation itself is also attached to the aforementioned documents. The latter should contain:

• Full name, address data and phone number of the person who is inviting to him.
• Full name, address data, date of birth, passport data of the person who is invited.
• Period and place of travel.
• Information about the degree of relationship. If there are no family ties, it is necessary to confirm that the persons have met before.
• Data on who bears the material costs of the trip and all other related expenses.
• The document must be certified by a notary. It is also necessary to attach a photocopy of the passport of the first page of the person who is inviting. If the inviting person is not a citizen of the European Union, a copy of the residence permit will be required.

This is, again, a general checklist. A specific list of documents can be determined at each Consulate.

Where to apply for a visa

You can apply for a visa in two ways:

• on your own;
• by contacting specialized agencies.

The second option, of course, significantly saves time, but not money. You will have to pay for the services, but you don't have to think about the further process. The first option is more economical, but you have to sweat quite a bit.

When applying for a visa on your own, you need to contact the embassy of the country where you plan to travel. The first visit is rather for informational purposes, you will be told what documents will be required for registration. Further, when the entire package is assembled, you need to take them to the embassy, ​​and then act according to the circumstances. If in your locality there is no embassy of the country of destination, then you will have to go to the nearest city where it is available.

How much do you apply for a visa

It is difficult to give an unambiguous answer to such a question, it all depends on several factors. A Schengen visa is issued for at least five days, and an American visa is about three. But at the same time, the level of workload of the embassy must be taken into account. So, for example, it is quite logical that during the holidays, due to the large influx of people, this time may increase and registration will take several weeks. Another factor that affects the processing time is an individual approach. In some cases, the embassy may request additional documents, which, of course, takes time.

Visa cost

The cost of a visa depends on the country and the type of the visa itself. So, when obtaining a Schengen visa, you will have to pay € 35 - this is a consular fee. However, people with disabilities and their attendants, those who are sent to study or to a medical institution, as well as persons who are in close family ties with a person living in the Schengen state are exempted from this fee.

In addition to the mentioned fee, you also need to pay a service fee, the amount of which depends on which country you plan to send to. So, for example, if we talk about Greece, then this is 880 rubles (for children under 6 years old, payment is not charged). In Spain it is about 1180 rubles, Italy - 1350 rubles, France - 1124 rubles. Other Schengen countries have approximately the same rates. An American visa will cost around 9600 rubles. A visa to the UK costs approximately 6,160 rubles.

In addition, you need to remember that in addition to a visa, you also need to pay for medical insurance. To obtain a Schengen visa, it is € 1 for each day of stay, if the trip is organized for the purpose of visiting a ski resort, for example, then in this case one day will cost € 2. If you are planning frequent trips abroad, it would be more expedient to purchase a semi-annual or annual policy, the price of which is € 65 and € 115, respectively.

Does a child need a visa

Yes, you need to apply for a full-fledged visa for children. On how to correctly issue a visa for a child, you can clarify the information at the specific embassy, ​​where the paperwork will take place.

Valid term of a visa

The validity period for a Schengen visa is determined by the type of the latter. For C1 - this is 30 days, for C2 - six months, for C3 - a year, C4 is valid up to five years. Of course, the easiest way is to get a visa for a month, but if a person really confirms the need for frequent travel, for example, it is related to business, then you can apply for a longer-term visa without any problems.

But you need to take into account the fact that regardless of how long a visa is given, you still cannot stay in the Schengen zone for more than 90 days. Those. if you issued a visa for a year, but stayed 85 days on one trip, then despite the fact that there are 280 days left until the end of the year, the next time you can go to Europe for no more than five days before the expiration of the visa. That is why, in some cases, it is better to apply for a six-year visa, rather than a five-year one.

Reasons for refusing a visa

If a visa is denied, then they never do it without giving a reason. The latter must be justified and set out in writing. Moreover, if they refused once, this does not in any way affect the likelihood of refusal in a subsequent application. But in cases where a visa quarantine is imposed or the reasons for the previous refusal are not eliminated, then a repeated refusal is guaranteed. It should be borne in mind that if one country refused to issue a Schengen visa, others cannot give permission. Given this, it makes no sense to contact the Consulates of other countries of the European Union.

As for all the same Schengen, for all the practical experience of obtaining visas by Russian citizens, some statistics have developed, according to which it turned out that Finland is the most loyal country, here the refusal rate is around 1%, then France comes - about 2%, in Germany the refusal rate is at the level of 3%, but Spain is no longer so loyal, when applying for a visa, they receive a refusal in 8% of cases.

To minimize the likelihood of refusal, we advise you to deal with the registration and submission of documents yourself. Thus, you can independently control the accuracy of the data provided and do everything correctly. Do not be afraid and do not be intimidated by a large list of documents and uncertainty, if something is not clear, contact the Consulate for help, they are always ready to advise. Or, if the registration still goes through a third-party company, then you must definitely check the reputation of the company and not contact the first ones that come across simply because it is cheap there.

There are several reasons why a visa may be refused. For example, if the Schengen information system contains information about outstanding fines, information about a once violated visa regime, about violation of public order in the countries of the European Union.

Often, a visa is denied due to incorrectly completed documents, the provision of inaccurate data, forged documents. Poor-quality and outdated photo, no documents that would explain the purpose of the visit, a suspicious invitation provided - all this can also serve as a reason for refusal. From this it is clear that whatever the reason for the refusal of a visa, it will always be specific and significant. Therefore, be responsible in the process of collecting data and never try to deceive the Consulate by providing false documents. This will not work, but the reputation will be tarnished and in the future this may complicate the process of obtaining a visa.

If you have received a refusal to issue a visa, immediately clarify the reasons, as well as the timing of the appeal and resubmission of the application.