Finnish Schengen: the order and timing of registration

It's worth acknowledging that getting a Finnish Schengen is much easier than a visa to Germany, for example, the UK or the US. The process of registration will be the least painful for residents of the border city of St. Petersburg. But nevertheless it is necessary to tell about what the process itself is.

The order to be followed

So, if a person wants to get a Finnish Schengen, then the first thing he needs to do is collect all the necessary documents for this (which ones - it will be said later). And still need to fill out a questionnaire.

The second step is to record an appointment with the embassy or consulate of Finland. Some apply to visa centers.

The third step is to apply for a visa. The fourth is the expectation of a solution. If a person has confused something with documents, a questionnaire or he raised some suspicions among the superiors, then all the papers he handed in together with the questionnaire will be returned to him. But most often the application is approved. And if this is the case, then the fifth step is getting a ready visa.

Documents confirming identity

So, to get the Finnish Schengen, you need to collect a lot of papers. The most important thing is a questionnaire. It can be completed in Swedish, Finnish, English or Russian. What to use for this? A computer or a typewriter. It is possible to fill in and from hand, the main thing is that the letters should be printed and Latin, as in a foreign passport. The handle should be blue or black. In total there are 37 different items in the questionnaire, and all of them need to be filled without exception.

One more photo of the passport format and a passport will be required. It must remain valid for another 3 months after the person returns from the trip. Also it is necessary to present copies of all the completed pages of the civil passport. Still need medical insurance, the amount of coverage 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 need to provide those who will confirm the purpose of the trip. First, there are tickets for airplane or any other transport both in one direction and in the other direction. If a person goes in his car, then you need a green card (international insurance) and a personalized trip route. Still, besides this, you need a technical passport for the car and driver's license.

Secondly, you need to provide a printout or fax reservation number in the hotel. If you plan to relax with relatives at a party, or rent an apartment, then an invitation will be required. It is made in free form. There it is necessary to indicate the contact details of the person who is the inviting party and the passport data. Plus to this - the purpose and duration of the planned trip. If a person goes to visit, then he should indicate who the inviting party is to him. A friend, a friend, a relative, etc.

Financial questions

Still need to provide a certificate of income. You can take it in the personnel department at your job, for example. It should contain information on the position, salary, time of work and on granting leave with preservation of 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 necessarily return home.

Even an extract from your bank account. There must be a certain amount. For 30 euros for every day. If a person goes on a trip for 10 days, then the card must be at least 300 €. This will convince the Finnish Consulate that a 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 of consular fees for Russians, Georgians, Armenians and Ukrainians. Citizens of other countries will have to pay 60 euros. And children up to 6 years of age are issued a visa for free. By the way, if you need to make this document urgent, then you have to pay 70 euros.

However, there are still visa centers. There, too, do the Finnish Schengen. The cost of it, however, will be many times greater, since visa centers, as a rule, take care of all the cares of a potential tourist, connected with the collection and filing of the document. Therefore, if you want to free yourself from unnecessary trouble, 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, we must carefully recheck them. Otherwise, you can not get a Finnish Schengen.

The processing time for the application is usually 10-12 days. If you need an urgent visa, then you can do it for 3 days. By the way, if you want to go to Finland for the New Year, you should apply to the embassy in advance. Many people want to go there on holidays, so the influx of applications increases.

What is worth knowing?

Documents for Finnish Schengen should be submitted not earlier than three months before the planned trip. Another visa is issued for a period of up to one year. But not the first time. Usually, "newcomers" are issued visas, the validity of which is limited to the dates of the trip. If a person manifests himself as a law-abiding traveler (that is, he will just behave normally and return to his homeland on time), then next time he will receive a longer residence permit in Finland. For example, for a year. However, during one half-year, he can not 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 for 2 years. Moreover, there is even a chance to get a so-called multivisa. And she gives the right to freely travel to the countries of the Schengen agreement for 5 years. Because the 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, it is really easier than opening a visa to that state, which is the main goal.

When can they refuse?

As already mentioned above, it's quite easy to get a visa to Finland. Here only cases of failures also take place.

In practice, there were situations when a visa was issued, but the customs officers annulled it right at the border. The fact is that before admitting the traveler to the territory of the state, he is asked questions. Customs officers are asked about the purpose and place of the trip. Often you need to show the hotel reservation. At these moments, many are "pierced." The reservation can be canceled, the night can be spent in the car, and the next day you can go to the country you originally wanted. If the customs officers find this out 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 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 Shengen, he needs to know that most of the trip he is obliged to spend on its territory. Let's say the trip is scheduled for 24 days. Of these, he must stay for 13 days, at least, in Finland, and the rest of the time in another state. Or 9 days there, and the remaining 15 divided into two other countries. In general, the principle is this.

Friendly visit

What if a person needs the so-called "guest" Finnish Schengen? St. Petersburg, Moscow, Murmansk, Petrozavodsk - in the consulate of which city he would not apply, will have to be invited. This is the basis for issuing a visa to a person who wants to stay with relatives or friends.

The invitation must be made by a resident of Finland. It needs to be assured. The inviting person is obliged to indicate in the letter that he is ready to take on all the expenses that will go into 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 hotel reservations, make insurance and confirm your own solvency. A standard package of documents - a questionnaire, a foreign passport and a civil passport, photos and tickets for travel will be required. By the way, it is desirable that together with the inviting letter a person submit a copy of the Finnish passport to the one who will receive it.

Other cases

It is worth noting that, in addition to tourist and guest visas, they also give out other types of schengen. 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 registration is an invitation from the employer, university, clinic, etc. Receiving them is usually not difficult, since the receiving side knows perfectly well that the availability of such a document is mandatory for obtaining a visa.

By the way, if you need Schengen for your child, then, in addition to the main package of documents, you will also need a certificate of his birth and the consent of the second parent (if he remains in Russia) to leave.

It's quite easy to get a Finnish visa. The main thing is closer to the collection of documents and the completion of the questionnaire. And do not go to any tricks that were described above.