How long does a Schengen visa take

Traveling to another country is not only an opportunity to get positive emotions and vivid impressions, but also the hassle associated with the preparation of permits, as well as waiting for their readiness. As a rule, difficulties arise when registering the Schengen.

The so-called Schengen visa is a kind of admission ticket to the territory of the countries participating in the Schengen agreement, ensuring unhindered entry into a country that is part of the zone defined by the agreement.

Requirements for obtaining a visa and the timing of the preparation of materials arouse increased interest among citizens who are planning to spend a vacation on the territory of a foreign state. In addition, tourists are often interested in whether it is possible to speed up the process of obtaining a Schengen visa. You can: read on how to do it.

Basically, tourist organizations are engaged in the registration of the Schengen, while performing the role of an intermediary between the applicant and the embassy. The advantage of travel agency services is the ability to avoid visiting the consulate and short processing times. Cons: high cost of services and independent collection of the necessary documents (preparation of documentation remains with the client). Therefore, some tourists prefer to apply for a Schengen visa on their own.

How to make Schengen yourself

You can get a Schengen visa at one of the embassies of a country that is a member of the Schengen Agreement and is included in the zone defined by the agreement. As a rule, a visa is made at the consulate of the state in whose territory the person will be staying the longest.

According to established practice, the highest chances of a positive answer for Russian citizens are in the consulates of such countries: Spain, Poland, Greece, Finland, Czech Republic

Procedure:

1. make an appointment with the visa department;
2. collect the necessary package of documents (the list of documents is described below);
3. submit documents during an interview at the embassy
4. receiving a response.

During the reception, the visa officer's questions should be answered clearly, without hesitation, so as not to arouse unwanted suspicions and additional checks.

The consular fee for obtaining the Schengen is 35 euros. Plus the cost of document processing services.

List of required documents

You can clarify the list of documents required for obtaining a Schengen visa directly at the visa department of the consulate. Usually the package of required materials consists of the following documents:

• international passport;
• a certificate from work, certified by an authorized person, containing information about the organization with which the applicant is in labor relations, his position and the amount of salary;
• confirmation from an educational institution for schoolchildren and students;
• employment history;
• for individual entrepreneurs, you must provide a certificate of state registration of the enterprise;
• confirmation of the existence of a bank account and the amount on it not lower than the established size (as an option - a sponsorship letter);
• copy of passport (all pages);
• availability of hotel reservation;
• insurance;
• a questionnaire with personal data;
• a photograph of the applicant in duplicate.

How long does a Schengen visa take

Schengen registration usually takes from five to ten days. The period for issuing a document depends on the following aspects:

• point of appeal (country). You should take into account the national characteristics of the state in which you plan to apply for a visa, since the period for preparing the document includes only working days. For example, when contacting the Finnish consulate in winter, you should take into account the fact that December 6 is the country's Independence Day, so the embassy does not work;
• number of applicants. If the application is filed in the summer or New Year's, the registration may take more than 10 days (up to 15 days);
• type of visa;
• way of considering the application. According to the accelerated schedule, you can get a Schengen visa in three days. You will have to pay an additional 35 euros for this. The total cost of Schengen will be 70 euros.

Reasons for refusal, decoding of the refusal code

The grounds for refusal to obtain a Schengen visa are the following reasons:

• the applicant's monthly income does not meet the established criteria;
• insufficient funds in the bank account;
• committing in the countries of the European Union, acts stipulated by the country's criminal law (crimes);
• the presence of an outstanding and not legally removed conviction;
• being under a recognizance not to leave;
• providing false information or not in full.

In case of refusal to obtain a Schengen visa, a stamp is put in the passport indicating the category of the visa and the code of the reason for the refusal.

The table shows a detailed decoding of the code with explanations of possible causes.