Slovakia is one of the Schengen countries. To visit it, Russian citizens need a visa. It can be done in the consular departments of Slovakia in Moscow and St. Petersburg. You can also apply for a visa in Yekaterinburg through the Hungarian consulate. In this case, slightly different rules apply.
Collecting documents
To obtain a visa to Slovakia, you must collect all the necessary documents. Their list differs little from the usual package for a Schengen visa, but there are some nuances. For example, a visa application form can only be submitted electronically. There is only one exception: if you apply through the Hungarian consulate in Yekaterinburg. The required package includes the following documents:
- passport, valid 90 days after the end of the trip;
- a photocopy of the first page of the passport with personal data;
- photocopies of previous Schengen visas;
- photo 35 x 45 mm;
- certificate from the place of work;
- bank statement;
- tickets to the country (by plane, train or bus);
- hotel reservation or private invitation;
- driver's license, Green Card insurance and registration certificate for the car, if you drive it;
- documents on the ownership of real estate or other property (optional);
- health insurance policy for the Schengen countries.
The questionnaire is filled out on the website of the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is recommended to use the Internet Explorer browser, although the site may work in other programs. When filling out, you can choose different interface languages, but it is recommended to prefer English or German, since the translation of the questionnaire questions with them is the most correct. As soon as you fill out the form, a bar code will be generated, and the document itself will be saved in pdf format, then this file will need to be printed and signed. After filling in, you can also choose the date of your visit to the consulate.
The certificate from the place of work must be issued on the letterhead of the organization, it must be certified by the chief accountant and the head of the company. You will also need an account statement, which must contain an amount at the rate of 56 euros per person for each day of stay in the country. It is allowed to present traveler's checks for the required amount as proof of financial solvency. Another feature of Slovakia is that this country does not accept health insurance policies purchased over the Internet: the document must be signed personally by the insurance agent.
Also, the country requires that confirmation of the purpose of stay be received in its original form and with a seal. This applies to both travel vouchers and online hotel reservations. Photocopies and prints are not accepted, you must show at least a fax. The same applies to private invitations: strictly originals, certified by the consulate of Slovakia or by a notary in this country, are required. The invitation is valid for no more than three months.
Submission of an application decision of the consulate
When all the documents are ready, you need to appear at the consulate of Slovakia at the time chosen when filling out the application form. As a rule, the decision to issue a visa is made within 5 working days, but during the high season this period may be increased.
Slovakia is controversial in its decisions on issuing visas to Russian citizens. Some people receive multiple visas valid for 2 and 5 years, while others receive short visas exactly for the period specified in the application. It is not possible to predict the decision of the consulate, even if you already have a lot of Slovak visas in your passport.
