Finland is a beautiful country! Many people dream of going there. Someone just to relax, some to get acquainted with the culture and traditions of the local population, others to work. But this requires a visa. As well as many other documents. So, what is the deadline for applying for a Finnish visa, as well as what is required to obtain it, it is worth noting special attention.
Briefly about the process
Finnish visa is very popular among Russian citizens. And all because it is very easy to get, unlike many others (for example, from the American one). Especially if you do it in St. Petersburg, which borders the state. But the territory of the Russian Federation can be made in Moscow, Murmansk, Vladivostok, etc. Many cities have consulates or embassies. And the deadline for applying for a Finnish visa at the Consulate of St. Petersburg, or in Vladivostok, Moscow is almost the same.
True, it is worth noting something. The Consulate General can exclusively serve the residents of the NWFD. Except perhaps the citizens of the Kaliningrad region. And the consulates located in Petrozavodsk and Murmansk serve only their residents. That is, those people registered in the area. For everyone else, the capital's embassy opens its doors. Or regional centers with accredited travel agencies. True, the deadline for applying for a Finnish visa in Moscow will be longer than in St. Petersburg. This is because the embassy of the capital accepts everyone from all over Russia. Accordingly, there are more customers. And they do not have time to serve everyone quickly. Will have to wait.
Visa Application Centers
Many talk about them. And the first thing to note is that the deadline for applying for a Finnish visa at the visa center is minimal, but the cost of the service is too high. And all because the process for customer centers is simplified. What do they need to do? The first is to collect a specific package of documents and fill out a questionnaire. The second is to make an appointment at any visa center. This can be done both by phone and through the site. Many are without an appointment. Third - apply for the treasured document (or rather, the stamp in the passport). It is still simpler here - you can pay for delivery by courier.
After a package of documents has been submitted, a person is left to pay a consular and service fee. A check is a must! Then the client receives the long-awaited annual visa.
How to pick up?
After the Finnish visa expires, a person needs to pick it up. How to do it? There are several options. The first is to pick it up personally. To do this, you will need to present a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, as well as an agency agreement. It will also require the notorious check of payment of fees. In order for the center employees to know - the service is paid.
The second option is to get a visa through your immediate family. Relations with them must also be confirmed. Passports will be enough. You can still pick it up through an employee of the company. To do this, you need a power of attorney certified by a notary and a copy of your passport.
Or, as an option, pick up a visa through third parties. But here you need a copy of your passport and power of attorney.
Package of documents
So, the deadline for applying for a Finnish visa is one thing. But what documents are needed to receive it is another. Naturally, you need a visa application form. You can fill it out either manually (but always in printed Latin letters), or on a computer.
Still need your picture in the passport format (47 by 36 mm). A foreign passport is required. And it must be valid for at least three more months after the person returns from Finland. And still in it must remain two empty pages. You must also provide a copy of your internal passport. All pages that are full - the rest is not necessary. Health insurance is also a prerequisite. The amount of coverage is standard - at least 30,000 euros. Still need plane tickets in both directions and confirmation of hotel booking (or rental agreement). If a potential traveler intends to live with friends or relatives, you need an invitation. Compose it in free form. The invitation must contain the data of the inviter (name, telephone number, address and who the tourist is).
Departing by car, you must show the consulate the route (in writing), driver's license, TCP and Green Card (international insurance).
Additional documents
In addition to the above, you will need something else. In particular, a statement of income. It is received at the place of work. It should contain information regarding the position of the departing person, his salary, work experience at this enterprise. And, of course, it is important to indicate that he is granted vacation time. Unemployed this help is not necessary. Students will need to take a certificate from the dean’s office stating that they are students of this university.
But everyone is obliged to confirm their income. The term for applying for a Finnish visa will be reduced by several times if a person convinces the consulate that he is able to independently bear the costs of his stay in the territory of a foreign country. In general, the requirements read as follows: a person should have 30 euros with him for every day of his stay. Therefore, so that the consulate does not have unnecessary questions, it is necessary to present an extract from your bank account. If a person travels to Finland for two weeks, the card must have 420 euros. But it is better if the amount is 500-600. There will be no excess.
If a person is not wealthy, he needs a sponsorship letter. That is, evidence that someone else is charged for his spending. In addition to the official application, a copy of the sponsor’s passport is provided - spouse, parents, etc.
How long to wait for the result?
And now in more detail about this. Many people worry that the term for applying for a Finnish visa in St. Petersburg or in any other city is too long. But be that as it may, an application to the consulate can be submitted a maximum of three months before the date of travel. In general, it is recommended to contact the embassy two weeks before. But not later.
In the event that a person is not satisfied with the deadline for applying for a Finnish visa in St. Petersburg or in another city, this must be agreed upon in advance - just when submitting your application. But! Without written justification, which is the reason for the “quick” issuance of a visa, nothing will work. This must be taken into account. In the same way, as well as the fact that after the adoption of documents to expedite the consideration will not succeed. And one more thing: if a person travels to the country for the purpose of relaxation, you can be sure that they won’t get a visa in three days. Unless in Moscow. But there are so many people there.
Special conditions
So, the statements of people who live 500 kilometers further than Moscow are usually considered in three days - if possible. Need to speed up the process? A surcharge of 70 euros will solve everything. In three days they can make a decision only if the person himself personally came to Moscow from his hometown. By the way, then he has the right to submit documents for his relatives (wife / husband, children). But only the connection needs to be confirmed. You must have a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation or a document by which you establish your place of residence with you.
Generally accepted deadlines
So, in general, the term for applying for a Finnish visa in St. Petersburg, as in other cities, is approximately 12 days. It happens less, and sometimes more. Here, in fact, it all depends on the time of year. The influx of tourists to Finland is greatly increased in December and January. That is, during the Christmas holidays. Because, as a rule, in this time period in Finland it is very beautiful and interesting. Therefore, in order not to be nervous in anticipation, you need to worry about getting the coveted stamp in your foreign passport in advance - not in two weeks, but somewhere in a month. A person will not lose anything, especially if he travels to the country for a couple of days or weeks to rest. All the same, a visa is issued for 90 days. If you need to apply for it for a longer period, then you need a residence permit.
In the end
In the end, I would also like to note some nuances with attention. What, for example, is the term for applying for a Finnish visa without registration in St. Petersburg? Well, if you recall that the Consulate General has the right to serve only residents of the Northwestern Federal District, then this question disappears. People who do not have a residence permit in the Northwestern Federal District cannot get visas there.
But you can get it in other places. There are visa centers in Moscow - you do not need to pre-register there, it works from 9 am to 5 pm. The capital also has an embassy department. But there, the reception of citizens is possible only by appointment - from 9 to 12 in the morning. Only three hours, it turns out. This does not suit everyone (many people are not ready to wait, and the record is usually distributed for many weeks in advance), because they turn to visa centers, where you can pay more, and they will do everything faster. The term for applying for a Finnish visa in Vladivostok, Moscow, Murmansk, and in other cities is much shorter if you use their services.
In general, as you can see, getting a long-awaited stamp in your passport that allows you to travel to Finland is not so difficult. You just need to prepare for what you have to wait (first - the dates of your admission, and then - until they prepare the document), as well as a package of all those certificates and certificates required at consulates, embassies and centers. In any case, it is better to do everything in advance than to overpay. Moreover, given the current rate, the prices are rather high. The fee is, for example, 35 euros.