Finnish Schengen: procedure and terms of registration
It is worth recognizing that obtaining a Finnish Schengen is much easier than a visa to Germany, for example, the UK or the USA. The process of registration will bring the least hassle to residents of the border St. Petersburg. But nevertheless it is necessary to tell about what the process itself is.
Order to follow
So, if a person wants to get a Finnish Schengen, then the first thing he needs to do is collect all the documents necessary for this (which ones will be discussed later). Also, you need to fill out a form.
The second step is to make an appointment with the Finnish embassy or consulate. Some apply to visa centers.
The third step is to apply for a visa. The fourth is waiting for a decision. If a person messed up something with documents, a questionnaire, or he aroused some suspicions among superiors, then all the papers that he submitted along with the questionnaire will be returned to him. But more often than not, the application is approved. And if this is the case, then the fifth step is to get a ready-made visa.
Identity documents
So, to get a Finnish Schengen, you need to collect a lot of papers. The most important thing is the survey. It can be completed in Swedish, Finnish, English or Russian. What to use for this? Computer or typewriter. You can also fill in by hand, the main thing is that the letters are printed and Latin, as in a foreign passport. The pen must be blue or black. In total, there are 37 different items in the questionnaire, and all of them must be filled out without exception.
You will also need one passport photo and a passport. It must remain valid for another 3 months after the person returns from the trip. It is also necessary to present copies of all completed pages of a civil passport. You will also need medical insurance, the amount of coverage of which should exceed 30,000 euros.
Confirmation of the purpose of the trip
Naturally, like any other visa, the Finnish Schengen is not issued just like that. In addition to the above documents, you will also need to provide those that confirm the purpose of the trip. Firstly, these are tickets for a plane or any other transport, both in one direction and in the other direction. If a person goes by his own car, then you need a green card (international insurance) and a personalized travel itinerary. In addition, you need a registration certificate for the car and a driver's license.
Secondly, you must provide a printout or fax of your hotel reservation. If you plan to relax with relatives at a party, or rent an apartment, you will need an invitation. It is compiled in free form. There you need to indicate the contact details of the person who is the inviting party, and passport details. Plus to it - the purpose and duration of the planned trip. If a person goes to visit, then he must indicate who the inviting party is to him. Friend, buddy, relative, etc.
Financial questions
You also need to provide proof of income. It can be taken in the personnel department at your work, for example. It should contain information about the position, salary, term of work and the provision of leave with the preservation of the place. This is a guarantee for the embassy that a person who wants to travel does not intend to stay in the country illegally and will definitely return home.
You can also use a statement from your bank account. There must be a certain amount. 30 euros for each day. If a person goes on a trip for 10 days, then at least 300 € must be on the card. This will convince the Finnish Consulate that the potential tourist will be able to support himself during the trip.
About cost and terms
So, how much does a Finnish visa cost? Schengen will cost 35 euros. This is the price for Russians, Georgians, Armenians and Ukrainians. Citizens of other countries will have to pay 60 euros. And children under 6 years old get a visa free of charge. By the way, if you need to make this document urgently, then you will have to pay 70 euros.
True, there are also visa centers. They also make Finnish Schengen. Its cost, however, will be many times higher, since visa centers, as a rule, take care of all the concerns of a potential tourist related to the collection and submission of a document. Therefore, if you want to free yourself from unnecessary troubles, you will have to prepare a lot of money.
By the way, it should be noted that in case of refusal to issue a visa, the money is not returned. Therefore, when submitting documents to the embassy, it is necessary to carefully double-check them. Otherwise, you may not get a Finnish Schengen.
Application processing time is usually 10-12 days. If you need an urgent visa, then it can be done in 3 days. By the way, if you want to go to Finland for the New Year, you should contact the embassy in advance. Many people want to go there for the holidays, so the influx of applications is increasing.
What is worth knowing?
Documents for the Finnish Schengen must be submitted no earlier than three months before the planned trip. Another visa is issued for a period of up to one year. But not for the first time. Usually "newcomers" are issued visas, the validity of which is limited to travel dates. If a person proves to be a law-abiding traveler (that is, he simply behaves normally and returns to his homeland on time), then the next time he will receive a longer permit to stay in Finland. For example, for a year. True, within one half-year he cannot stay in the country for more than 90 days in a row.
But, after a person visits Finland several times, he can be given a Schengen visa for 2 years. Moreover, there is even a chance to get the so-called multivisa. And it gives the right to freely travel around the countries for 5 years. That is why a visa to Finland is so “convenient”. A person draws it up, crosses the border of this country, and then flies to wherever he wants. In some cases, this is really easier than opening a visa to the state that is the main goal.
When can they refuse?
As mentioned above, getting a visa to Finland is quite simple. Here are just cases of failures also take place.
In practice, there were situations when a visa was issued, but the customs officers canceled it right at the border. The fact is that before letting the traveler into the territory of the state, he is asked questions. Customs officers ask about the purpose and place of the trip. Often you need to show a hotel reservation. At these moments, many "pierce". You can cancel the reservation, spend the night in the car, and the next day go to the country where you originally wanted to. If the customs officers discover this and find the availability of tickets to another state (they have the right to search), the visa will be canceled immediately. Moreover, a person will be punished with a ban on obtaining a Schengen visa for a period of three months to several years.
And one more nuance. If a person plans to visit not only Finland, but also other countries using his Schengen, he needs to know that he must spend most of the trip on its territory. Let's say the trip is scheduled for 24 days. Of these, he must spend 13 days, at least, in Finland, and the rest of the time in another state. Or 9 days there, and divide the remaining 15 into two other countries. In general, the principle is this.
friendly visit
What if a person needs a so-called "guest" Finnish Schengen? St. Petersburg, Moscow, Murmansk, Petrozavodsk - whatever city consulate he applies to, he will have to provide an invitation. This is the basis for issuing a visa to a person who wants to stay with relatives or friends.
The invitation must be drawn up. It must be certified. The inviting person is obliged to indicate in the letter that he is ready to bear all the expenses that will be spent on the stay of his guest in Finland and medical insurance. Such a letter will greatly facilitate the process of obtaining a visa. You will not need to provide a hotel reservation, make insurance and confirm your own solvency. You will need a standard package of documents - a questionnaire, foreign and civil passports, photos and travel tickets. By the way, it is desirable that, along with the invitation letter, the person submits a copy of the Finnish passport of the person who will receive it.
Other cases
It is worth noting that, in addition to tourist and guest visas, another type of Schengen visa is also issued. And they are no less popular. These are visas for work, study or treatment, for participation in scientific cooperation, conferences, competitions or competitions. And in each of these cases, a separate Schengen is issued. And the basis for its issuance is an invitation from an employer, university, clinic, etc. It is usually not difficult to obtain them, since the receiving party knows perfectly well that such a document is required to obtain a visa.
By the way, if you need a Schengen for a child, then, in addition to the main package of documents, you will also need a birth certificate and the consent of the second parent (if he remains in Russia) to leave.
Getting a Finnish visa is quite simple. The main thing is to be more attentive to the collection of documents and filling out the questionnaire. And do not go for any tricks that were described above.
