Applying for a visa through the multifunctional center

Why do you need a Schengen visa?

Let's look at what a Schengen visa provides. Its presence allows you to visit the territory of 26 European countries. Having received permission from the embassy of one Schengen state, in most cases you will be able to enter the territory of any member of the agreement. Here you need to take into account some nuances (first entry rule, validity period), but usually a visa gives the right to travel virtually throughout Europe.

All issued permits are divided into long-term and short-term, by type and purpose of travel (tourist, work, business, etc.). The standard price for a Schengen visa for Russian citizens is 35 euros. Although the total cost of obtaining a permit can vary quite a lot depending on a number of circumstances.

Applying for a visa through the MFC for a child

To obtain permission to travel abroad for children, you need to submit several documents to the MFC. Namely:

• A copy of your birth certificate.
• Certificate from an educational institution (kindergarten, school, lyceum, etc.).

In the event that accompanying persons go abroad instead of parents and children, they are required to provide the MFC with:

• Sponsorship letter (original).
• Certificates from the place of work of both parents or guardians who pay for the trip.
• A stamped statement from the bank about your financial condition.
• Notarized written consent of the parents for the child to travel with accompanying persons.

Depending on the country, the list of documentation for obtaining a visa at the MFC may vary slightly.

How long is a Schengen visa issued?

The period for which a Schengen visa is issued depends on the purpose of the trip, the frequency of your visits to the agreement countries and a number of other factors. If you are traveling as a tourist, then if you have a positive history of visiting Schengen, you can apply for a permit for six months to a year. The practice of issuing short-term visas for up to a month on tourist vouchers is also common.

Longer-term permits are issued to those who travel to study or visit EU countries regularly for work or official needs. Russians who often visit Europe on tour packages can also eventually apply for multiple visas with a longer validity period.

A popular question is how long a Schengen visa is valid for the first time. Usually, when visiting EU countries for the first time, you should not count on a long-term multiple visa . The standard option in such cases is to issue a permit for a period of up to 30 days.

Sometimes you can get an annual multivisa the first time. This may be due to studies, invitation of relatives living in Europe, or other factors. In such a situation, it makes sense to turn to intermediaries who will help to correctly collect the necessary documents, invitations and confirmations. At the end of the article, we will tell you how to get a Schengen visa for a year on your own in Moscow.

The validity period of a Schengen visa is indicated on the document itself. The type of permit, the start and end dates of its validity, the permissible number of entries and the total duration of stay are indicated. The number of entries can be 1, 2 or unlimited (indicated by the indices 01, 02 and MULT - multivisa). In the latter case, you can enter the Schengen territory many times with one permit.

When will you have to pay more?

If you are preparing to travel to the Schengen countries and intend to obtain a Schengen visa category C, the price of the visa fee will be standard.

You can learn how to apply for a visa under the new rules from the video below.

However, in some cases you will have to deal with nuances in which you need to pay more than usual. For example, if in order to comply with the first entry rule you need to obtain permission to visit Switzerland, the fee for this country is not 35 EUR, as is customary, but 60 EUR.

It should also be taken into account that there are other features of obtaining a visa to a given state that is part of Schengen, but is not a member of the EU.

Cost of a visa to the Republic of Belarus

The table indicated that obtaining a Schengen permit would be more expensive for citizens whose countries have not signed an agreement on a simplified visa regime. The Republic of Belarus is one of these.

The cost of a Schengen visa for Belarusians will be higher and amount to 60 euros.

What determines the cost of a visa?

If you are planning for a long time, then the fees provided by the Consulate for issuing a national visa type D will be higher. A national visa requires payment of a consular fee of 60 euros. The same cost applies to obtaining a residence permit, as well as its renewal.

Types of Schengen visas

The validity period of a visa also depends on its type and type. The following types of permissions exist:

• A – allows transit through the airport;
• B – opens for transit by land transport, given for 1–5 days. Today it is not issued by the Schengen zone states; instead, it is necessary to obtain a type C permit;
• C is the most popular type. Can be issued for both short periods (15 or 30 days) and up to 5 years;
• D – national visa, it can be issued for a period longer than 5 years. Type D permits with long validity periods allow you to travel to other Schengen states.

It is important to distinguish between the validity period of a Schengen visa and the permissible period of stay abroad. Thus, a multivisa C valid for 180 days allows you to stay abroad for no longer than 90 days in a row (and no more than 90 days in total). Annual – no more than 90 days every six months.

C visas are divided into the following subtypes:

The longest period that is possible when applying for a standard Schengen multiple visa is 5 years. If you need to increase it, you need to obtain a national long-term visa D.

Greek Schengen visa for 3 years

To obtain a Greek Schengen visa for a period of three years, a traveler will first have to apply for a short-term tourist visa to this country and close it without violations. Next, an annual and then a three-year Schengen visa is issued. Exceptions are provided to citizens entering the territory of the Schengen countries on student, diplomatic and work permits, as well as for family reunification.

To obtain a three-year Greek Schengen you will need:

Sample of a Greek visa.

• a foreign passport that will be valid 3 months after the expiration of a 3-year visa;
• application form filled out in Latin letters;
• photocopy of the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
• 2 color photographs according to the standard of the Greek Consulate;
• biometric data;
• medical insurance for the duration of the trip;
• certificates of financial solvency;
• documents on property objects on the territory of the Russian Federation (if available).

For tourists who have previously visited the country many times, a good reason for obtaining a long-term permit will be previously received and used passports with closed visas or confirmation of property rights to real estate in Greece.

Types of Schengen visas

Schengen visas are divided into types according to the purpose of the trip. Their main varieties are:

• Tourist;
• Transit;
• Guest room;
• Working;
• Business;
• Student;
• Children's;
• Immigration;
• Service and diplomatic.

Transit, tourist and business cards are often issued for relatively short periods. Guest accommodation can be both short-term and long-term. Work, student, immigration, official and diplomatic are usually given for longer periods.

The maximum validity period of a Schengen visa type C is established for citizens who frequently and regularly visit the agreement countries for business reasons. Individuals reuniting with their families or planning to travel for permanent residence can also qualify for a five-year permit. It would be even more convenient for the latter category of citizens to apply for a national long-term visa D.

How much does it cost to get a Schengen visa

When preparing documents, citizens of the Russian Federation need to pay a mandatory consular fee of 35 euros for a permit of categories C or A. This fee is paid regardless of the place where the documents are processed - at the embassy, ​​visa center or travel agency. The cost of opening a national long-term visa D is 60 euros .

The price of obtaining a Schengen visa in 2021 for Russians may be even lower than 35 euros, provided that they fall into one of the preferential categories. These include:

• Citizens going for training;
• Disabled persons with accompanying persons;
• Close relatives of Schengen citizens;
• Persons traveling for urgent treatment;
• Members of official delegations, governments, supreme and constitutional courts, participants in exchange programs;
• Children under 6 years old.

For the listed categories, paperwork can be completely free. However, this depends on the rules set by the embassy of a particular country.

The question often arises of how much a Schengen visa costs for a year or two. The cost of obtaining Type C permits does not depend on their validity period. In all cases, you must pay a consular fee and, if necessary, a service fee.

A service fee is charged when obtaining a permit at a visa center or through intermediaries (travel agency). Embassies and consulates are located only in Moscow and major cities. Therefore, residents of Russian regions in most cases have to use the services of visa centers (or travel agencies, which is even more expensive).

When calculating how much it costs to obtain a Schengen visa in 2021, do not forget about health insurance . Typically, insurance costs 1 euro per day, with total coverage of 30 thousand euros. When traveling to ski resorts, tariffs are higher - 2 euros per day.

The total cost of obtaining a Schengen visa in 2021 will independently include:

• Consular fee, 35 euros;
• If necessary, the service fee, about 21 euros, varies from country to country;
• Medical insurance – from 1 euro for 1 day.

The amount of the service fee may differ significantly from country to country. So, the fee for 2021 is:

Additional costs for paperwork

The timing and cost of obtaining a Schengen visa in 2021 may be interrelated. So, if you are going to get an urgent permit, you will pay twice as much - 70 euros. In this case, documents can be completed in only 3 days.

When obtaining permission from a travel company, the cost of services increases. To increase the likelihood of resolving the issue, they may issue you a “fake” tourist voucher. In this case, the services of intermediaries will cost approximately 70–140 euros.

Who gets a Schengen visa for free?

Some categories of citizens do not need to pay for the services of consular officers when obtaining permission to visit Schengen states. These include:

• Children under 6 years of age.

A visa for a child under 6 years of age is issued free of charge.

• Holders of diplomatic and service passports.
• Relatives (only close ones) of citizens of countries included in the Agreement Zone.
• Representatives of official delegations.
• Disabled people, as well as persons who accompany them.

In order not to pay for permission to visit the Schengen zone, you must provide documents confirming one of the statuses listed above.

Registration deadlines

The question of how long it takes to obtain a Schengen visa can, in certain situations, become the most important for those traveling abroad. Usually documents are processed in 5–10 days. The standard review period is 10 days, but sometimes it can be extended to 1 month. When submitting an application, you should take into account the possible presence of various national holidays in the coming days. Embassies and consulates are closed these days.

An important condition is that you can start processing documents no earlier than 3 months from the planned trip.

If you are very pressed for deadlines, it is worth ordering a permit through an accelerated procedure. It will cost about 2 times more, but you will get the finished result in 3 days. This solution may be especially appropriate in the summer season.

Sometimes applicants incorrectly fill out application forms or other submitted documents. No one can answer you for sure how much Schengen is being done in this case. In order not to waste time, increasing the likelihood of refusal, all documents must be filled out extremely carefully. If this causes serious difficulties, it is better to turn to intermediaries.

Additional expenses

When calculating upcoming costs, take into account the fact that expenses are not limited to the consular fee, the price of transport tickets and payment for accommodation and food. There are other expenses that will have to be incurred in order to obtain permission to enter Schengen.

Example of an international insurance policy. Valid in all Schengen countries.

Average cost of health insurance

But the list of included services is also important. For a week, an inexpensive option can cost only 400–500 rubles. It is important that the document covers medical expenses in the amount of 30 thousand EUR.

On average, our tourists spend 2–3 thousand rubles on insurance. Here you can buy insurance at the best prices, the service has been personally verified several times.

Rules for document preparation

Let's move on to the most important question: how to open a Schengen visa. To avoid refusal, you should fill out the application form correctly and carefully prepare the documents. The form must be filled out in English or the language of the country of application. Some states allow filling out the application form in Russian.

Serious difficulties may arise when translating text into a number of languages. By contacting an intermediary company, this problem will be eliminated, since the translation will be handled by professionals. But you will need to pay for translation services.

The new conditions for obtaining a Schengen visa provide for the mandatory submission of biometric data by the applicant. To obtain biometrics, you must personally visit the consulate or visa center. The collected data is valid for 5 years.

Rules for obtaining a Schengen visa for a long stay

In 2021, the Schengen application process has become more complicated due to mandatory financial documents and travel obligations. Therefore, the percentage of refusals to apply for a long-term Schengen visa is increasing. To prevent this from happening, it is better to collect a complete package of documents in advance. You must have a valid passport (at least three and a half years). If you plan to obtain a five-year permit, the validity of the passport increases to five and a half years after the intended date of first entry into the Schengen area.

Documents are submitted in the following ways:

1. 
   Regardless of how you apply for your visa, you will need these documents.

   Read also:  Student and tourist visa to France

   Through the consulate. This is a proven and inexpensive option, in this case only the consular fee is paid, but sometimes difficulties arise with

   registration at the consulates of some states.

2. Through the visa center, where in addition to the official fee you will have to pay a commission (20 euros per person). Registration is made via the Internet on the website of the selected visa center.
3. Through travel agencies and agencies. The most expensive option: obtaining a visa will take at least a month. The price of the service ranges from 5,000 to 8,000 rubles per person.

It is better to download the application form for a Schengen visa in advance on the website of the visa center of the country to which you are planning a trip.

Important points to pay attention to when filling out the application for a long-term visa:

1. In point No. 24, be sure to do o.
2. Record previously issued Schengen visas (for the last three years);
3. Indicate the date of submission of biometric data (if available).

It is better to consult with a visa center employee on how to correctly set the expected dates of entry and exit. You can fill out the form only in Latin. To the package of documents you can add a letter in free form with a request for a long-term visa with justification for the need for such permission. It will be better if the letter is written in the language of the country for which a visa is required.

Required documents

The Schengen visa rules establish a standard list of documents that the applicant must provide. This list includes:

1. A completed application form signed by the applicant;
2. International passport;
3. Certificate of income from work;
4. A copy of your general passport;
5. Two photos;
6. Medical insurance;
7. Confirmation of solvency;
8. Confirmation of the purpose of the trip.

Pensioners also need to provide a pension certificate, minors - parental consent, a copy of the birth certificate, and a copy of the accompanying person's visa.

Please note that the list of documents may vary slightly for different countries and trips for different purposes.

To open a Schengen visa, the applicant will be required to confirm the purpose of the trip and his own solvency. Confirmation of the first can be a letter from the employer, a document on enrollment in a university, an invitation from relatives, a travel voucher with air tickets. You can confirm your solvency by means of a certificate from work, a bank statement or a sponsorship letter. It is advisable to make a statement not only on the status of accounts, but also on the movement of funds for 3 months.

Photos are usually required to be 35x45mm in size. The passport must have at least two blank pages and be valid for at least 3 months after completion of the trip.

Questionnaire

Which embassies provide long-term Schengen visa?

Among the countries that most often issue long-term visas are:

1. Greece. The state does not refuse to issue permits exclusively to Russians. Now, mainly in the summer, the country willingly distributes long-term visas for up to 3 years. Tourists who follow all established rules are issued documents valid for up to 5 years. Vacationers in these parts speak well of the work of the staff of the Greek consulates - documentation is processed there quickly and in an organized manner, and the result is known within 3-5 days.
2. Slovakia is a power in which there is every chance for a Russian citizen to obtain a permit for 5 years, while having only one Schengen.
3. Finland also often issues long-term Schengen visas.
4. Spain – if you already have one Spanish visa in your passport, then getting a long-term visa is just around the corner.
5. Italy – this country issues an annual visa if you already have one Italian one. Then the third stamp is placed for a period of two years.

A five-year Schengen visa is often issued by Croatia, where you are allowed to travel with a Schengen visa.

How to apply for a Schengen visa yourself

If you do not want to overpay for paperwork, you can complete all the necessary procedures yourself. Let's look at an example of how to get a Schengen visa yourself in Moscow.

First, you need to decide which embassy to apply for a visa at. If you are planning a short-term tourist trip with a one-time permit, then there are no options - you need to get it at the agency of the destination country.

But to obtain a multiple visa, you can try to choose an embassy where it is easier to open a permit. In this sense, Russians are treated quite loyally in Finland, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, and Greece.

If there is a visa center for a specific country in Moscow, then it is better to contact it. You can also try contacting the embassy directly and try to get a Schengen visa for only 35 euros. But usually, when a visa center is opened, all functions for processing documents are transferred to it.

The procedure for obtaining a visa on your own

1. When contacting a consular office, first of all carefully study the list of all required documents. Decide on available dates, make an appointment, and receive a form. Please read the rules for filling it out carefully.
2. After this, proceed to collecting documents (see sample list above). How long you take to collect documents, the solution to the whole issue will take so long.
3. Having collected all the documents, submit them to the consular officer at the appointed time. You pay the consular fee and, if necessary, a service fee.
4. The consular officer will schedule a time for you to come and get your visa.

In some cases, all stages of document processing can be tracked directly on the consular website. Please note that you may not be issued a visa. If this happens, you will be informed of the reason for the refusal and a corresponding stamp will be placed in your passport.

Let's return to the question of how to get a Schengen visa in Moscow for a year. When applying for a multiple visa, the procedure is exactly the same. You just need to consider a number of factors that contribute to a positive decision. Among them are the following conditions:

• You regularly visit Europe for business or leisure trips;
• You have relatives living in Schengen;
• You have real estate in the agreement zone;
• You intend to study abroad;
• Do you have business contacts with enterprises from countries in the zone?

What is the best way to prepare documents – independently or through intermediaries?

Above we described how to apply for and obtain a Schengen visa yourself. It is worth understanding that a minor mistake when preparing documents can cause a refusal. You may write something incorrectly in the application form or miss the validity period of a specific certificate. It can be quite difficult to notice such flaws yourself and, as a result, you will not be able to obtain a permit.

To eliminate such excesses, you can contact an intermediary agency. In this case, permission will be made within a clearly defined time frame with a very low probability of refusal. You will pay a small amount for the services of intermediaries (approximately 3,000–5,000 rubles), but your chances of a timely and positive resolution of the issue will significantly increase.