Spain is a country located in the south of Europe. To enter it, Russian citizens need a Schengen visa, which can be obtained at the Spanish consulate, but any other visa issued by a country that is a member of the Schengen Union can be used.
Tourist visa
To obtain a tourist visa to Spain, you need to prepare a package of documents. This is a questionnaire, a passport, photographs, an insurance policy, financial papers, which usually include a certificate from work and a bank statement, as well as confirmation of the purpose of the trip. This can be a hotel reservation or an invitation from people legally residing in Spain. Among other things, round-trip tickets to the country are required. Consulate staff have the right to require additional documents, so it is best to check the exact list at the place where you apply for a visa.
If you apply for a visa through a travel agency, the package of documents may differ, since there is a special system for submitting documents for travel agencies, and it has its own requirements. This is usually even easier for tourists.
When making a visa in Moscow or St. Petersburg, you can count on the fact that it will be ready within 5-10 working days. In this case, the maximum time for consideration of the application is officially 3 months. In the low season, decisions are made faster, in the high season, more slowly. When submitting documents at visa centers in other cities, you should add 2-6 working days to send documents.
There is a possibility of urgent registration, in this case the cost of the visa is doubled.
Validity periods of visas
As a rule, the Spanish consulate issues multiple-entry six-month visas with a stay of 90 days. If you have other Schengen visas in your passport, then a visa with a validity of 1 year can be issued, the time of stay for it is 180 days (no more than 90 days within six months). In some (rather rare) cases, the consulate issues short visas, which are valid for 3 months.
How to apply for a visa
Decide in which visa center you are going to apply. The rules in each of them may differ slightly. Somewhere additional papers are required, but somewhere only personal submission of documents is allowed. Usually in the EC of Spain you can submit documents without an appointment.
You can also apply for a Spanish visa by contacting the Spanish Consular Section in Moscow or St. Petersburg directly. This is possible by appointment only.
Visa cost
Any Schengen visa for Russian citizens costs 35 euros, but payment is made in cash in rubles at the current exchange rate. There is also a service fee that must be paid at the visa center, it is 1016 rubles. When submitting documents directly to the Consulate, you do not need to pay a service fee.
