Any trip abroad in most cases involves obtaining permission to visit a foreign country at the embassy. For Europe, this is usually a passport and a visa (Schengen and regular).
But the type of trip will be important. For example, when crossing the border by bus, train, ship or aircraft, it is enough for customs officers to provide a standard package of documents. But if you plan to travel around the Schengen area by car, then get ready for the fact that the embassy will ask you for an itinerary for your entire trip. Moreover, the route within one’s own country is also included in the trip plan.
As Federal Law No. 77 “On Mandatory Deposit of Documents” says, ed. 07/03/2016, this document is a table filled out by the tourist along the entire route of the upcoming trip. In written form, the itinerary sheet, a sample for a visa can be downloaded from the Internet, acquires the status of an official document.
But still, many tourists just before the trip begin to wonder: what does it look like in real life? Essentially, it is a sheet of paper (usually A4 size) with a table printed on it. The latter must be filled in with your personal data and your route through the Schengen countries. Moreover, the route can run through the territory of only one country, or through several, or even throughout the entire Schengen area.
How to fill it out
Let us immediately make a reservation that the legislation does not provide for a single model. In addition, embassy staff pay little attention to the appearance of the table. They are more interested in something else, namely the reliability of the information provided and the absence of erasures. Everything must be filled out neatly and cleanly. Otherwise, your document will not be accepted.
The standard version should contain the following:
- Your full name.
- Full route. Here you need to indicate the starting point of the journey and the ending point from which you will begin your return journey. For example, Moscow - Monaco or others.
- Date of departure from Russia.
- The date of crossing the border with a foreign country.
- The address(es) where you will reside in Europe. Here we also indicate the date of arrival at this address and how many days you will stay there.
- Date of departure from the foreign country.
We indicate all dates exactly, no “approximately”. Remember, this is an official document and such assumptions are not welcome.
When filling out your itinerary on paper, it is recommended to keep the downloaded sample before your eyes. This will help you fill out your sample more accurately, because repeating is always easier than inventing something.
Don't worry if you need more than one sheet to show the entire route. Moreover, we want to reveal one secret - the employees of the consular departments may be interested in your route in detail, but they do not require it. You can simply indicate only basic information along your route, for example, what date you will be in Dresden, where you will stay (indicate the address) and for how many days. All. What you visit in the city itself is up to you. The main thing is that you must check in and check out on the date you specify.
If you plan to stay at a hotel for visitors on your trip, in this case you will need to receive a voucher from the hotel in advance, and it must be official, and not downloaded from the Internet. It must be provided along with the route sheet.
If the room is booked online, then the invitation must be downloaded and printed. To avoid mistakes, look online at what a sample reservation confirmation looks like.
Filling Features
The form for filling out this paper is arbitrary; this does not limit the imagination of the autotourist when filling out the document. As already noted, you can only indicate basic information, such as on such a date, we will arrive there, we will stay there, for so many days, departure on such a date. Or you can provide complete information, where you will indicate what you intend to visit, with addresses, etc. And accompany all this with graphic cards.
In addition to the basic data, we also add additional information to the route. They are no less important for embassy employees:
- Series and number of the international passport, indicating its validity period.
- Date, month and year of your birth.
- The make of the vehicle you are going to travel in and its registration number.
- Confirmation from the hotels you plan to stay at along the way.
- If others are traveling with you, then a list of names indicating the personal details of each.
Many, especially those who are traveling abroad in their car for the first time, are interested in how this route sheet for obtaining a visa is compiled so as not to be refused by embassy workers. Experienced travelers recommend indicating everything honestly. For example, why, when planning to, for example, Germany, indicate Belgium as your final destination? They simply won't understand you. If you are going to go to Belgium, then indicate that from this date to this you are planning to visit Belgium.
What do we include in the description?
There will be no problems if you fill out your sheet according to the standard template. It is a summary table that shows the entire travel plan. It must indicate the personal data of all tourists, the final route, dates and addresses of stay in European countries.
It is welcome if you translate everything indicated into the language of the country where you are going. In addition, unlike many official documents, the translation does not have to be certified by a notary; it is recognized as such. Remember that in the English version we do not indicate our patronymic - they simply do not have it in our understanding.
List of main documents
Depends on the purpose of the trip (tourism, education, work).
Passport requirements
The passport must have several blank pages and be valid for at least three months from the date of return from the trip. Must not be damaged, spoiled or dirty.
Insurance
With coverage of at least 30,000 euros for the entire duration of the intended trip (or the first trip in case of applying for a multiple visa). You can do this at every major insurance company in your city.
Accommodation
For a visitor visa, you must provide an invitation from the host country. Tourist trip - hotel reservation. Student - a document from the educational institution confirming enrollment.
Confirmation of solvency
To obtain a Schengen visa, you must confirm the availability of funds for the trip.
Please note that the statement is provided with information about the semi-annual status of the account.
Route book and information about the trip
Author: Ilya Kultaev · Published 03/31/2020 · Updated 04/22/2020
Table of Contents and Sections
Information for leaders and participants of sports trips registered with the Moscow MKK over the past four years.
FST-OTM asks you to pay attention to the new forms of the route book and certificate of participation in the hike. Participation in the Russian Championship and Cup with other forms of route books may not be possible, and Certificates of other types may not be accepted when registering categories.
Route book for a sports tourism trip
According to Appendix No. 4 to the Regulations on Tourist and Sports Route and Qualification Commissions dated December 15, 2018.
Route book form Form No. 5 – Tour (classic)
- The route book template is presented in Appendix No. 4-1 of these Regulations on tourist and sports route and qualification commissions.
- The route book is an A5 document on 4 sheets or 16 pages including the cover. Increasing the number of pages is not allowed.
- For groups of tourists exceeding 12 people, it is necessary to submit to the ICC on one sheet of paper a separate insert in the route book according to the template of Appendix No. 4-3.
- The route book template is presented in text format, intended for double-sided printing of two pages on each sheet of paper and self-stitching, followed by manual filling.
- When filling out manually, on each page of the template, fill in the route book number in the header.
- It is recommended to fill out the route book template directly using computer typing and printing.
- When filling out the template electronically, you must enter the route book number in the footer of one of the pages, which will automatically appear on each page.
Route book form Form No. 5 – Tour (electronic)
- The route book template is presented in Appendix No. 4-2 of these Regulations on tourist and sports route and qualification commissions.
- The route book is an A5 document on 3 sheets or 12 pages including the cover. Increasing the number of pages is not allowed.
- Filling out the electronic form of the route book is intended for remote review of route documents in the ICC.
- Filling out the route book template is carried out directly using a computer type, and if necessary, double-sided printing of two pages on each sheet of paper and stitching yourself.
- When filling out the template, you must enter the route book number on one page in the footer of one of the pages, which will automatically appear on each page.
- It is planned to create electronic resources for electronically filling out the route book template with placement on the official websites of the regional FTS and regional branches of the FTS.
Additional documents depending on the type of visa
The applicant provides a package of documents according to the purpose of the trip. The rules mentioned above are mandatory, but nuances should be taken into account.
Transit
To obtain such a visa, it is important for the consulate to make sure that you will stay in the country for only a few hours before departure to your destination.
You will need to present two-way plane, train, and bus tickets.
Tourist
It is in greatest demand and is needed to visit several or one state in the Schengen area. A short-term visa in some cases will require a certificate from work (to make sure that you are visiting the country not to look for a place to earn money, but to get acquainted with local attractions).
Confirmation of the purpose of the trip is indicated in the application form. An example is available on the consulate website or visa application center.
Guestbook
In this case, it is important to provide documents regarding your place of residence. The receiving party, for example a relative, must obtain a special certificate from the migration department, which will be presented by the applicant for a Schengen visa.
Working
Only those who have received an invitation with stamps and signatures from possible management can count on it. Registration is not easy, since it will require confirmed and compelling reasons.
Student
Russian schoolchildren dream of studying at a foreign university, academy, college in Austria, Germany, France. But it’s not so easy to do, and you’ll have to pay quite impressive sums for training, which not everyone can afford.
In addition to money and desire, you need to know a foreign language and a set of documents.
A long-term visa for students is issued for one calendar year and then extended.
Confirmation that a minor or has already reached the age of 18, who wants to master a profession and gain new knowledge, has been accepted for training and is provided with a place to live, guaranteed by a specialized institution, or he will provide himself with housing on his own.
Long-term national
It is one of the most popular and sought-after visas among citizens of the Russian Federation. Its validity period is from 1 to 5 years. Unlimited number of visits during the entire validity period. It is difficult to obtain such a visa; you will have to collect an impressive package of documents and repeatedly stand in tiresome queues.
It should also be noted that a national multiple visa is issued only to citizens who have already visited European countries several times, who have demonstrated their financial solvency and who have confirmed the need to travel frequently.
Multiple visa
This type can be obtained if you have made multiple trips to Europe. For a multiple visa, a package of documents is submitted to the consulate, including a certificate from work, a bank account statement on the movement of funds over the last six months, etc.
Ordinary short-term mainly becomes the best option for applicants who are not confident in their abilities.
Minors
Minors travel with parental permission. A child cannot obtain a Schengen visa on his own; an application from the father or mother (guardians) will be required. It is allowed to include children in the parents' passport if the trip occurs with them. With third parties, the child’s international passport is required. Documents for a child visa are submitted with a birth certificate.
A power of attorney with notarized consent of both parents will be required for the child to travel accompanied by third parties.
Additionally for unemployed and pensioners
For pensioners, you must provide a copy of your ID. If a person is sent for treatment, a certificate from a health care facility or hospital.
Unemployed people must prove their financial solvency (some countries will require proof of ownership of living space or vehicle).
Description of Schengen visa
A Schengen visa is a special document, which is issued at the request of the interested person if it is necessary to visit the Schengen zone. The Schengen zone is a territory of 26 countries, each of them allows movement within its territory with a visa. That is, formally the movement occurs as within one state. The 26 Schengen states are divided into those that are part of the EU and EFTA.
The EU is a union of European states, and EFTA is a partnership agreement for trade and general presence in the Schengen area. Norway, Iceland, Croatia and Liechtenstein are not part of the EU, but are part of the Schengen area and are therefore accessible to visitors.
There are three visa categories:
- A – parameter according to which citizens traveling to other countries are allowed to travel, but through airports in the Schengen zone. In this case, the right to unhindered access to the transit zone is given.
- Category B gives permission to visit a Schengen state once for a specified period.
- Category C gives you the right to visit the Schengen zone for a certain period of up to a year, which is established by the visa regime.
- D – category granting the right to visit the Schengen zone for a long period of time.
This is interesting: Registration of maternity capital in 2021 documents
Important! Receipt of all documents is accompanied by confirmation of the citizen’s solvency. There are several possible options for providing certificates: from the place of work and a certificate from the bank about the stable state of the account with a certain amount of funds on it.
If you provide a certificate from your place of work, please indicate the following information:
- Details and name of the organization.
- The applicant's position and current salary.
- Signature of the director and accountant of the company in which the work is carried out.
- Confirmation of the document with the official seal of the organization.
It is also possible to provide a bank statement to inform about the status of the account and an official sponsorship letter from the legal entity providing payment means to the citizen.
Sample travel plan for Belgium visa
What documents are needed in case of refusal to appeal?
The countries of the Schengen area traditionally dismantle the disappointing statistics of refusals to issue visas.
Countries such as France, Germany or Italy can ban entry for up to several years if, during previous visits, the traveler has even slightly violated the law, such as traffic rules and has not paid a fine. But most often the reason for refusals are violations of norms and rules of conduct, as well as insufficient monthly salary (the consulate will have doubts that a Russian earning about 20 thousand rubles a month can afford a month-long trip around Europe, while renting an expensive room in a class hotel lux).
It is not recommended to argue with justified reasons for refusal, but no one has canceled the human factor, so there is a possibility that the consulate could simply have made a mistake when processing the application form. If you are completely sure that you are right, you need to file an appeal. The processing time is about a month, although it may be less. There are special specialized authorities in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The consulate that refused departure notifies the reason for the decision through a covering letter.
The applicant has the right to submit a complaint or a new package of documents according to the standard scheme the next day. Issues regarding the consideration of the appeal are solely under the jurisdiction of the embassy (do not believe that they are resolved by intermediary firms that promise to do all the work in one or two days without your presence).
You must write an application to the consul, translated into two languages, in which you must indicate your full name, date and place of birth, registration, contact and passport details, and email address. The letter must also state why you consider the refusal to be essentially unfounded, based on the facts. It is also necessary to indicate the reasons why a visa is needed (for example, for the purpose of treatment, tourism, visiting relatives). Next, attach additional documents collected in advance that will not allow you to doubt the argument.
Documents for traveling by car
Initially, you need to draw up a clear itinerary and provide confirmation of your hotel reservation with partial or full prepayment.
When traveling abroad in your own car, the consulate provides you with:
- vehicle registration certificate, driver's license (original and copy),
- international insurance “Green Card” (analogous to MTPL, valid in all European countries).
Some travelers prefer to have their trip organized by a travel agency. Others like to organize their own trip in their own car along their own route. Of course, this type of tourism is accompanied by additional hassle when processing documents.
To travel to European countries such as France or Italy, you will need a Schengen visa, and to obtain it, you need an itinerary with a detailed description of the planned trip. We will tell you what a sample route sheet looks like and how to compose it in our article.
Who needs a route sheet
The preparation of this document is necessary for drivers, courier service employees, sales representatives, accountants, lawyers, sales managers, etc. It is these categories of workers who most often travel around the city for business purposes. In addition, route sheets are used by those business travelers who go on business trips in their own cars.
In some cases, in addition to the fiscal significance, route sheets are needed by the management of organizations to analyze the routes of employees in order to find the most optimal, shortest routes, which in turn can significantly reduce the costs of the enterprise for the movement of employees around the city.
What is a visa route sheet?
Usually, when traveling abroad by plane, bus or train, you will need a passport and visa at the border. But if you plan to travel by personal car, then at the time of Schengen registration, the Consulate staff will ask for a route sheet. It is necessary for persons who travel by private car.
Route sheet
– an official document that is legislative, regulatory, directive or informational in nature.
According to generally accepted standards, the route sheet reflects data on the movements of a foreigner across the territory of one or more Schengen states. It should be noted that the Schengen countries do not put forward any special requirements for the execution of this document. The main condition is proper formatting, no spelling errors, notes, or corrections.
For travel by road, a detailed travel plan must be submitted to the consulates of the destination countries. It should be divided into specific days of stay at each specific point. In addition, you will need to make a reservation in a hostel or hotel room.
Important! When traveling by transport that involves living in a car, you should stop exclusively at special parking lots.
And in such situations, it is necessary to write down the name of the campsite, its address, entry and exit dates in the route sheet.
Algorithm for drawing up an itinerary for a Schengen visa
When someone is faced with the need to confirm the purpose of a planned trip to the Schengen zone by car, the question arises: “how to draw up an itinerary for a visa so that the document is accepted and given permission to enter the state?”
The answer to this request will be the generally accepted algorithm for preparing a route sheet:
- the sheet should be readable, presentable and “clean”, the text should be written in a clear and beautiful handwriting (if your writing skills do not allow this, then ask another person to write everything for you) or simply create the document in a computer typing program, for example MS Word.
- the route sheet is a document, which means it does not tolerate corrections, blots, errors and “dirt”;
- there are no clear and strict requirements (there is no standard form or template, there is only a generally accepted table that can be changed at your discretion);
Basic and main information that must be indicated in the itinerary document:
- all addresses of stops and accommodation in Europe + number of days of stay at this place.
- description of the entire route (from the starting point of the journey to the point of arrival and back);
- Full name of all travelers;
- indication of all dates (date of departure from the Russian Federation, the moment of crossing all Schengen borders, as well as the date of departure from a foreign state towards the homeland);
Additional information that is desirable in the text of the document (its presence increases the chance of approval of your visa application):
- confirmation of overnight stops (for example, photocopies of hotel or hotel reservations).
- series and number of travelers’ foreign passports + period of validity;
- make, model, registration number of the vehicle used on the trip;
Remember that all the information you provide must be plausible, otherwise, if your deception is discovered (and this will most likely become clear), you will not only be denied a Schengen visa, but will also not be allowed to visit the country in principle. Preferably before you start planning your upcoming trip find out what an itinerary sheet for a Schengen visa looks like, a sample of it and find visual examples for better guidance in filling it out. Do not forget to certify the written itinerary sheet with your signature. Notarization of this document is not required.
Basic information
It should be noted that the legislation does not establish a single form:
- FULL NAME.
It is required to indicate the personal data of the leaving citizen: last name, first name and patronymic. - Route.
Write down a complete movement plan. You must indicate the starting and ending point of the trip. - Date of departure from the Russian Federation.
Please indicate the exact date of departure from Russia. - Date of crossing the border with a European country.
Date, month and year of entry into the Schengen territory. It is important to provide accurate data; approximate data is not allowed. When filling out your own form, it is recommended to focus on the sample. - Address of residence in Europe, with number of days and dates.
Consulate employees do not require a detailed report. It is enough to indicate the date of entry, for example, into Dresden, the place of stay (the address is indicated) and how many days you will stay in the city and when you will leave it. There is no point in indicating the places you plan to visit. If you plan to stay at a hotel for visitors, then get a voucher from there, it is important that it is official. When a room is booked online, you should print out the invitation. Pre-check online for the appearance of the invitation that should be attached. - The exact date of departure from the country.
This date must fall on the date of crossing the Russian border, that is, the day following the last address in Europe
Features of filling out a national visa
Features of filling out the application for a national visa to Lithuania:
Features of filling out a national visaYou need to select the appropriate category on the website (D - national) and answer the questions on the form.
- Some points may differ; in the section, the conditions of residence in a foreign country must correspond to the permitted reasons for obtaining a national entry document.
- The application for a national visa is submitted at the country's consulate in Russia or at the migration department of Lithuania. When applying abroad, you must present a printed application form.
Features and rules for designing the route sheet form
Drawing up a route sheet according to the standard form will not cause problems. This form is a summary table that contains all the trip planning. It should contain personal information about all tourists who make the trip, the final route, periods and places of stay.
It would be good if all this was translated into the official language of the country where you are going. It should be noted that the translated route sheet, unlike many other documents, does not need to be certified by a notary; it will be recognized as such.
Attention! English translations should not include patronymics, as they simply do not have one.
When it is not clear exactly how to draw up this document, it is better to take forms from the Internet as a sample. This will help you fill out the form so as not to be refused acceptance of the document by the embassy.
A sample itinerary for Schengen looks like this:
- List of cities (settlements, regions) that are planned to be visited during the trip.
- List of hotels (hotels, hostels) that will be used for overnight stays.
- A printed map (A4 format will be sufficient) with schematic hand-written route signs.
This document in itself is not a basis for a visit. The justification may be:
- Tourist voucher.
- Agreement to receive medical services.
- Employment contract.
- Hotel reservation.
Drawing up an itinerary implies independent planning of the trip, which means the tourist is obliged to attach a reservation at each hotel that is planned to be used during the trip.
How to make a route sheet?
Start with a trip plan
Before you start drawing up your itinerary, prepare a little cheat sheet for yourself: a travel plan for visas. Take a piece of paper or open a word processor on your computer and write down in detail where, when and why you will be during your trip.
For example: “On Monday, June 10, 2020, I plan to leave St. Petersburg for Helsinki, where I will check into the Dream Hotel.” I'll be doing some sightseeing throughout the day." Write down each day of your stay in Finland in this way. It is not necessary to schedule it by hour, just indicate key information: where you will live, when you will arrive and leave, what you will do (approximately).
If you are planning a long trip to several cities or countries at once, then indicate the dates when you plan to arrive in the new city/country, the day of travel and hotel contact details.
Let's move on to drawing up a route sheet
After writing the plan, it will be easier for you to correctly draw up a route sheet. The plan can be written in the way that is convenient for you, but it is better to write the route sheet concisely, but indicating important information.
Below you can see an example of an itinerary for a trip to several countries and cities at once. The route sheet was drawn up based on a pre-thought-out plan:
Please note that the document looks concise, but all important information is indicated. We also recommend adding the hotel's phone number.
If you have the opportunity, draw up a route sheet on the computer, having previously made such a convenient table as in the example above. It will be convenient for a visa officer to read such a detailed, but well-done itinerary sheet.
After drawing up the route sheet, attach it to the set of documents. Keep the plan for yourself, you will need it later. While traveling, you can check at any moment what you have planned for the next day. It is very comfortable.
Let's summarize
Follow a simple algorithm to create a route sheet correctly:
- Prepare a detailed travel plan. Write where you are going, on what dates, where you will live and what you plan to do;
- In MS Word, make a table as in the example above;
- Fill it out based on the plan. Indicate the exact dates of travel, names of countries and cities. Also indicate the name of the hotel where you plan to stay, address and contact phone number;
- Print out the route sheet on a printer in several copies, attach one of them to the set of documents.