The conclusion of the Schengen Agreement has facilitated travel in Europe not only for its citizens, but also for tourists from various countries. Indeed, with a special Schengen visa, there is no need to draw up a document to enter every European country. But are there such visas for a year, and not for three months, and how to get them?
Necessary
- - international passport;
- - visa application form;
- - money to pay the visa fee and translation services;
- - other documents, depending on the requirements of the consulate.
Instructions
Step 1
If you do not have a passport yet, apply for it. Contact the Federal Migration Service of your place of residence. Fill out the form, pay the fee and wait for the document to be processed. It usually takes one month. When submitting papers, you can choose what kind of passport you want to get: "new generation" (valid for ten years) or old (for five years).
Step 2
Find out what documents you need to prepare to obtain a visa. It depends on the purpose of your trip and the country you are traveling to. For people traveling abroad for family reasons, you will need documents proving family ties with citizens of the European Union, for example, a birth or marriage certificate.
Step 3
Students will be required to present an invitation from an educational institution, and people who have found a job in Europe will need to confirm this with an invitation from an employing company or a work contract. Also, for a visa, it is often necessary to confirm that you have enough money to live in the country. At the same time, unlike paperwork for a short-term trip, you usually do not need to buy tickets in advance.
Step 4
Translate all documents, except for the passport, into the language of the country of destination. The translation must be done by an official translator and certified by a notary.
Step 5
Sign up to submit documents to the consulate. Do this in advance, as the time of the consular officers can be planned many days in advance. Recording is usually done by phone, but the missions of some countries have made it possible to register online on the embassy's website.
Step 6
At the appointed time, hand over all documents to the consular officer. If necessary, go through an interview for a visa.
Step 7
After the waiting period for the decision has expired, collect your passport. If the answer is yes, the visa will be pasted into it. This visa is of the national type, that is, it is not legally Schengen. However, it offers similar travel opportunities across almost all of Europe.
