In order to leave Russia, it is enough to take a valid passport with you to the border. But in order to enter most European countries, you need to get permission at the consulate or embassy. In 1985, in the city of Luxembourg in the Schengen castle, an agreement was signed on the abolition of control of the border services of European countries. At first it was the Benelux countries, Germany and France. Now the Schengen Union includes 26 European states. Therefore, to visit at least once all of these countries, you must have a single permit. How to apply for a Schengen visa yourself?
In reality, this is not as difficult as it might seem. To apply for a visa for some countries, a personal presence is required, therefore, in these cases it is easiest to get a Schengen visa yourself. Personal submission is required for countries: USA, UK, Portugal; delivery through mail is allowed - Belgium; submission is through Visa Application Centers - all other states.
Myths about the Schengen visa
1. The first myth created by residents of St. Petersburg who have a six-month Finnish visa is that you must open the visa of the country where you plan to enter. And all because many people strive to immediately fly to Spain or Germany, having received a Finnish visa using a simplified system. But it’s not even the first entry, but the number of nights spent in the country where the visa is opened. You can fly through Amsterdam, where you will get Dutch stamps at the entrance to Spain, where you will spend most of your vacation, so you should do a Spanish visa. Therefore, you must obtain a visa from the country where you spend the most nights.
2. The second misconception - you can not enter other countries if the visa is open for only one. Since there are no borders between the countries of the “Schengen Union”, this is just a myth. There is no control on intra-European flights, which allows Russians to travel throughout Europe with a Spanish visa. But it should be remembered that the final decision is still made by the border guard, so he must be convinced that Spain is the main destination of the trip.
3. The third myth usually sounds like this: "How to apply for a Schengen visa yourself, if it's so complicated ?!" In fact, this is a false statement. If all the documents are in order, then no problems should arise.
4 steps to a visa
So, how to apply for a Schengen visa yourself? To do this, follow 4 simple steps.
- Choose a country and find out where its embassy is located.
- Find out at the embassy (not from acquaintances, not on the Internet, not from a tour operator) what documents you need to provide for a visa. And try to ask all your questions and get reliable answers only at the embassy.
- Prepare all the necessary documents. Usually it is: hotel confirmation, income statement, tickets, insurance, application form, photos, proof of the availability of the necessary amount to ensure a stay in the country. You can check the full list at the embassy of the country you are planning to visit.
- Take an interview at the embassy at a predetermined time.
Still wondering how to apply for a Schengen visa? Independently - longer, with the help of intermediaries - more expensive ... That's right, but if time allows and your trip is not very urgent, it is better to do everything on your own. Moreover, the embassy will always tell you how to open a Schengen visa as quickly as possible, and will help.