Today we will tell you how to apply for a Schengen visa yourself. What are the pros and cons of this process and how much will it cost.

Where to apply for a Schengen visa

There are several authorities you can contact to obtain a Schengen visa:

• Specialized agencies. Contacting such an agency is the most expensive way to obtain a visa. However, they cannot provide a full guarantee that the issue will be resolved in your favor at the consulate. They only help to collect Required documents and submit them to the embassy instead of you.
• Tour operator. The price is the same as when contacting the agency. Tour operators undertake to issue a Schengen permit only if you buy a ticket from them. The advantage of obtaining a visa through a travel agency is that it is more convenient.
• Visa centers. Special organizations created to simplify obtaining Schengen. At the visa center you will be advised on all questions of interest, provided with a list of required documents and assisted with filling out the application form.
• Consulates. The cheapest option. But submitting documents for a Schengen visa to the embassy is the most difficult thing; unlike all other places, it is unlikely that anyone will provide real assistance to the applicant; this is not the responsibility of the employees.

Do not forget that one of the main stages of obtaining a visa is collecting documents. Neither the tour operator, nor the agency, nor the visa center can do this for you.

One way or another, you will have to take a certificate from work, a certificate of bank account status, etc. Also, if you refuse to issue a permit, no one will return your money. In this light, obtaining a Schengen visa on your own looks much more attractive.

Which type of Schengen to choose

There are several types of Schengen visa:

1. Type A – required for transit through a Schengen state to a country not included in the agreement. For example, from Russia to Tunisia via France.
2. Type C – has subcategories C1-C4 and is issued for a period of 15 days to 5 years. Suitable for traveling for tourism or regular business trips.
3. Type D - permission granted by a specific state for permanent residence. Required for official employment or study abroad.
4. Type LTV - permission to enter the country from Schengen to provide humanitarian assistance.
5. Type FTD and FRTD are special transit documents intended only for residents of the Russian Federation traveling to the Kaliningrad region and back.

List of documents

How to get a Schengen visa on your own? The first and main requirement is to provide the consulate with a complete package of documents. Their list is impressive, and collecting all the papers will take time.

To apply for Schengen you need:

• International passport.
• Completed visa application form.
• Photos.
• Medical insurance policy.
• Fingerprinting.
• Certificate from the bank about the status of the cash deposit.
• Certificate from the employer.
• Any receipts, checks, documents confirming the purpose of the trip.

Biometrics

Since 2015, changes have been made to the legislation of EU countries aimed at tightening the processing of Schengen permits. Now, every 5 years, a Schengen applicant is required to undergo the biometrics procedure. In other words, it is necessary to submit fingerprints and do a retinal scan.

In practice, this means that regardless of whether you apply for a visa yourself or turn to agencies for help, you will have to visit the visa center, one way or another. Please note that submitting biometric data will not take much time. To do this you need:

• Contact the visa center and make an appointment.
• Show up at the appointed time, get fingerprinted and have your photo taken with a digital camera.

According to the new rules, fingerprints will be valid for 5 years, photographs - 10 years.

You can not submit biometric data:

• Children under 12 years old.
• People whose physiological or medical characteristics do not allow them to take biometrics. For example, if there are no fingers.
• Heads of state and their companions.

Is it possible to get a Schengen visa if you are temporarily unable to submit biometric data? For example, when your fingers are burned or cut. No, the trip will have to be postponed.

Where to submit your visa application

Where to get a Schengen visa? The easiest way to do this is at the visa center. By contacting here, you receive the following benefits:

• The most complete and accurate information about visa legislation.
• Accurate information about the documents required to obtain a visa.
• Possibility to take a photo on site while filling out the application.
• Unlike tour operators and agencies, the visa center only requires a service fee for their services. It can only be cheaper at the consulate. But, as mentioned above, you shouldn’t count on full specialist support. The consulate only accepts documents and makes its decision. Everything else is your responsibility.
• In addition, if you have not submitted your biometric data, you will still have to visit the visa center.

Price

The cost depends on where to apply for a Schengen visa.

• At the embassy you will only be asked to pay a standard fee. It is the same for any Schengen country and is equal to 35 euros.
• At the visa center, in addition to the consular fee, you will also have to pay a service fee. Its average value fluctuates around 20 euros per person.
• Tour operators and visa agents require payment for their services in addition to consular and service fees. Certain tariffs in in this case No. Let us note that very often agencies resort to tricks and demand more money for opening a Schengen visa for a long period of time. In fact, it does not matter for how long the visa is issued, be it 15 days or 5 years. Consular and service fees will be the same, 35 and 20 euros respectively.

Consider other expenses:

• If an urgent visa is required, the consular and service fees are doubled, 70 and 40 euros respectively.
• Medical insurance, without which no one will open Schengen, will cost about 1,000 rubles.
• Don’t forget about the photo, the average price is 300 rubles.

Deadlines

The Schengen visa rules state that the application must be completed at least 15 calendar days before the planned date of travel. However, you should not fill it out earlier than 3 months before the trip.

If we take the average figure into account, it takes approximately 15 calendar days to make a decision at the consulate. In some cases, this period can reach one month. And if after 30 days you still have not received a response, you should sound the alarm, but do not start a scandal at the embassy. Otherwise, your visa will most likely be denied.

How to get a Schengen visa on your own in this case? Call periodically and politely remind them of your existence.

Typically, the processing time for an application directly depends on the date of travel: the closer it is, the faster a decision will be made. The date of application is not taken into account.

To speed up the decision-making process, you can go in two ways:

1. Pay additional consular and service fees. Then a quick solution to the issue is guaranteed.
2. After submitting the documents, ask the consul to meet you halfway. For example, you can say that you urgently need a passport to obtain a visa permit at another consulate. Of course, this does not guarantee a faster resolution of the issue.

Step-by-step instruction

Summarize. To open a Schengen visa yourself you need:

1. Select the state you want to travel to.
2. Find the embassy closest to you that will issue permission to visit the Schengen zone. Instead of the embassy, ​​you can use the services of a visa center.
3. Go to the embassy website and familiarize yourself with all the requirements for a visa applicant.
4. On the same website, see the list of required documents.
5. Collect all certificates. Please note that some certificates are valid for only three months, so do not rush too much.
6. Take a photo. Photos must strictly comply with the requirements.
7. Download the application form from the Internet. You can either apply for it yourself or contact a visa center for help. Please note that not all consulates accept the form filled out by hand, so enter all the data directly from the computer and only then print it out. Don't forget to put the date and signature.
8. Call your embassy or visa application center. Find out how reception is carried out: by appointment or on a live basis. If by appointment, ask to schedule a time for you.
9. It is possible that the consul will ask you to undergo an interview. Prepare for it in advance: read reviews on the Internet, go to forums. This way you can make a list of sample questions for yourself, and answering them will be easier. But keep in mind that you should be frank at the embassy. If the consul suspects that you are providing incorrect information, he has every right to refuse to issue a permit.
10. Once again, check your documents with the list from the embassy.
11. Go to the visa center/embassy and submit your documents. Now all that remains is to wait.

Many intermediary agencies offer assistance in applying, but obtaining a Schengen visa on your own is not so difficult, especially in Moscow.

Selecting a visa and state

First of all, you need to decide on the type of visa and the country where you plan to get it. The main type that most strive to do is C or multiple visas, divided into several types:

• semi-annual, released in 4-8 days;
• annual, estimated release time – 4-8 days;
• urgent for a year, can be issued in 2-3 days;
• for 3 years, receipt period – up to 10 days;
• for 5 years, prepares up to 12 days.

Please note that these are official deadlines, which in reality may take longer, especially during the tourist season.

Regardless of the validity period, the holder of a multiple visa has the right to stay in Schengen territory for 90 days during each six months. The cost of registration is set by each of the visa centers (if the state does not have one in Moscow, the application is submitted to the embassy, ​​and no service fee is charged) separately and can range from 21 to 70 €. When receiving an urgent visa, the price of services increases up to 2 times.

In addition to the service fee, you must pay a consular fee, the same for all countries - 35 €. The following categories are exempt from this fee:

• students heading to study;
• close relatives of citizens of Schengen member states;
• disabled people and their accompanying persons;
• leaving for treatment.

Choosing the country for which you want to apply for a Schengen visa yourself is very important. Most of them issue six-month or longer permits only if a visa has been issued before C1, the period of which is limited to one month. But there are exceptions, for example, Spain issues documents for six months without taking into account previous trips, and at the Greek visa center you can get it for 3 years.

The next important condition is the “first visit rule”. It is believed that the visa must be issued at the embassy of the country that will be the first on the route. But in reality this rule is only mandatory for visas C1. For multiple visas, it is advisory in nature, and permission can also be obtained at the representative office of the state where the tourist expects to spend the most time. This rule is not observed everywhere (and France does not take it into account at all), but some participants in the Schengen agreement strictly monitor its compliance:

1. Denmark,
2. Germany,
3. Austria,
4. Spain.

The next point to consider is the ease of issuing visas by a specific embassy. The easiest countries include Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, and Greece.. But Belgium, Norway, Germany and Austria have a high percentage of refusals.

Documents for obtaining a Schengen visa

Complete information on the composition of the required papers can be found on the official website or directly at the visa center office in Moscow. If an incomplete package is provided, the tourist may be refused.

1. International passport

The validity of the passport must expire no earlier than a certain time after the end of the specified travel period. Specific requirements are set by the receiving state and range from 3-6 months. It is advisable to prepare photocopies of your old passport with Schengen visas received earlier. If your passport is new, you can (not necessarily) provide a certificate confirming this fact. Sometimes they may also request photocopies of internal passport pages.

2. Medical insurance

It can be done either in the office of any insurance company in Moscow or independently, online. Insurance coverage is at least 30,000€. For Schengen, the cost of 1 day is 1€ (for ski resorts- 2€). Those who often travel abroad can take out an annual (115€) or semi-annual (65€) policy. If you purchased insurance online, a printed version is sufficient.

3. Confirmation of financial solvency

One of three documents is required:

• 2-NDFL certificate from the place of work (original with stamp and signature);
• , confirming the willingness to pay your expenses and a certificate of his income;
• bank account statement of at least 50€ for each day of stay abroad.

If it is not possible to obtain a certificate from your workplace, when filling out the column of the application form about your place of work, you can write “ freelancer”, and account statements (major, savings or international credit card) are often sufficient. It is advisable to demonstrate not only the account balance, but also the movement of funds over the last 3 months.

These documents are treated liberally at visa centers in Finland, Slovakia and France, and Malta does not even list them as mandatory.

4. Air tickets, hotel reservations

Both the first and second can be done independently on the Internet. First, a plane ticket is booked for certain dates, then a hotel reservation is made for the same time in the country for which the visa is being issued. You don’t have to pay attention to the cost - after you have received a Schengen visa, you can select both a flight and a hotel in accordance with your desires and capabilities. Only when choosing a hotel to receive a copy of your reservation should you choose a hotel with the possibility of free cancellation of the reservation.

It is worth considering that if you cancel your hotel reservation, your visa may be cancelled. Therefore, after you select another hotel (if, of course, you will do this), you should send a letter with a corresponding message to the embassy’s email address. This will keep you out of trouble.

5. Questionnaire

Completed independently, either by hand or in in electronic format, with a required signature. When filling out handwriting, capital block letters are used. Before filling out, you need to figure out how to add dashes (requirements may vary). The completed application form is submitted to the embassy or sent by e-mail(for Switzerland, Norway, Slovakia, Latvia and Liechtenstein).

The form must be filled out in the language of a specific state or in English. At the missions of Estonia, Germany and Poland, you can obtain a Schengen visa by submitting an application filled out in Russian.

The “host” is the hotel whose reservation is attached; the name of the hotel must be written in Latin letters. If you have any doubts about the correctness of filling out any items, it is better to leave it blank (if it is not an electronic version) and clarify the details when submitting it directly.

A photograph is attached to the application form, which can be taken at the visa center itself, in Moscow - this guarantees the correct format of the photo.

This completes the procedure for collecting documents; they are submitted to the visa center window. If everything is done correctly, a contract is signed, and payment of the service fee can be made directly on the spot. You receive a check with a MOAC number - you can use it to track the registration process. A few days later, an SMS is sent to the number specified in the application form notifying you that the permit is ready. At this point, the procedure for independently obtaining a Schengen visa in Moscow can be considered complete.

The Schengen Agreement allows citizens to move freely within the borders of the Schengen area. The Schengen zone includes 26 countries. To open a Schengen visa, you can contact a visa agency or do it yourself. A visa is issued for a country where a long-term stay is planned, and then from this country you can travel unlimitedly to other countries included in the Schengen zone.

A single-entry visa is issued for a specific country through which you can enter Europe. For example, if you want to fly to Spain, but the visa is issued for France, then only from France you can get to Spain and nothing else. And you can go home from any country. A multiple entry visa allows you to enter Europe through any country in the Schengen area. Another advantage of a multiple-entry visa is that you can enter and leave Europe several times during the validity period of the visa, which is issued for a period of 1 month to 1 year. To obtain a visa, you must contact the Embassy of the country where you plan to travel. There are special visa centers that also accept documents, and there you can make additional photocopies, take photographs, apply for insurance, get advice and use additional services

, for example, delivery of documents to your home in any city in the country. There is a high risk of refusal if you apply for a visa yourself to the migration service. List of documents provided for visa application in different countries

• The Schengen zone may vary (the largest list of documents is provided for obtaining a visa to Germany), but the main ones are:
• a foreign passport, the validity of which must be more than 3 months after the end of the planned trip, a photocopy of its first page;
• originals of previous international passports, if they contained notes on the issuance of a visa;
• photocopy of all pages of the internal passport;
• a completed application form with a photograph attached to it;
• a certificate from your place of work or a bank account statement;
• insurance in the amount of at least 30,000 euros;
• originals and photocopies of round-trip tickets;

birth certificate, if the citizen submitting the documents is a minor, and if he will travel alone or accompanied by only one of the parents, then also written permission from the second parent.

• It is easier to obtain a visa for those who have relatives living in the country where they are planning to travel, because lower failure rate. In this case, in addition to the above documents, you will need:
• original and copy of invitation;
• documents confirming family ties (birth certificate, marriage certificate);
• a certificate from the place of employment indicating the salary of the inviting person (if the inviting person pays for the trip);

The process of reviewing documents for a visa can take from 4 days to 1 month or more. The timing will depend on the country and its political situation.

When submitting documents for a Schengen visa, you should carefully fill out the application form and, just in case, have additional photocopies of documents and blank forms. After all, an incomplete set of documents or filling them out incorrectly can be a reason for refusal to issue a visa.

To cross the borders of a number of countries, Russian citizens must have a visa - a special permit. At the same time, there are a number of countries that maintain a visa-free regime with Russia, and when entering some countries, a visa can be issued directly at the border.

What does the visa procedure depend on?

The time it will take to complete the document directly depends on a number of factors. Firstly, immigration visas (in the case of a change of citizenship and a person moving to another country) take longer to process than tourist (non-immigrant) visas. Secondly, a lot depends on how much time a person plans to spend in another country. Thirdly, the purpose of the trip (work, study, tourism, guest) is important. It is also worth noting that today there are many various types visas - sports, diplomatic, “medical”, “religious” and so on.
Regardless of the type of visa, the procedure for obtaining the document is approximately the same. You can do the work yourself, or entrust it to specialists. The easiest way to obtain a visa is through a travel agency. In this case, it is advisable for the person to bring the necessary documents.

What will you need?

To obtain a Schengen visa you must have:

• International passport. It is very important that the document is valid for another 3 months after the end of the trip. Otherwise, you will not be able to obtain a visa;
• If you have a second passport, which is still valid, its presentation is also mandatory. It will not be possible to hide this fact, because the passport of a citizen of the country must have a note about the issuance of the document. If fraud is detected, the visa will be denied;
• Questionnaire must be filled out very carefully to avoid mistakes. One mistake in a name or address can lead to a refusal;
• Can't do without two photos standard size 3.5*4.5. Photos must be fresh, in color and on a white background. If the person in the photograph is unpresentable or vulgar in appearance, the request will be rejected;
• Certificate of employment is required. The document is drawn up on company letterhead and in Russian (for Russian citizens). A prerequisite is to indicate the legal address of the company, complete data of the person, position held, length of service, information about future leave, salary, and so on;
• Photocopy of civil passport. Photocopies of all pages must be made. The surnames on the internal and foreign passports must match. If the last name has changed, then a replacement document is mandatory;
• Medical insurance. If a person travels to the Schengen countries, then having an insurance policy is mandatory. Typically, when applying for a Schengen visa, the document must be issued for the entire period of the trip;
• Solvency guarantees. These include any documents that would confirm the availability of money - bank statements, credit cards, photocopies, and so on. If there are family ties with a person in another country, then there must be a supporting document.

Independent visa application

If you apply for a visa yourself, you will have to go to the embassy, ​​consulate or visa center of the country where you are planning to travel. Make an appointment at the consulate in advance. In this case, it is very important to carefully study the information on the stands and decide on the course of action. It is better to rewrite the list of necessary documents so as not to forget anything.
Preparation of a set of documents required according to the list at the Consular Office: collecting certificates from banking structures, photocopying certificates, passports, photographing. After this, you need to take two application forms (the second one just in case) and carefully fill out the document. All questions asked must be answered clearly and the font must be readable.
When transferring all papers, you must be prepared to pay the consular fee. The size of the penalty, place and currency of payment may vary, depending on the requirements of the institution. As practice shows, it is better to arrive at the embassy as early as possible in order to get an appointment. You can make an appointment in advance by calling.
Now we have to wait. If the documents provided are not enough, you will have to provide the missing papers. In some cases, you will need to appear yourself to speak with a consular officer.

What should an ideal tourist be like?

Speaking from the position of a consular officer, the person who applies for a tourist visa must be married (the family remains in the homeland), occupy a good position and have a large salary, have no comments on previous trips, own real estate, have credit card with money in the account and all the necessary documents in hand.
If all of the above factors converge, then such a tourist will never be denied a visa.

How to apply for and obtain a Schengen visa yourself. The documents required for this are a questionnaire, as well as the price and deadlines for registration.

One of the four fundamental freedoms proclaimed is the freedom of movement of people within its borders. For all those entering countries that are members of the union, there is a single Schengen visa, having received which you can then move freely throughout almost the entire continent, not paying attention to such conventions as state borders.

This is what a single Schengen visa looks like, the only difference is in the name of the country that issued the visa.

2015 marked thirty years since the signing of the agreement to abolish border controls within Europe.

But then this only applied to the Benelux countries, France and the Federal Republic of Germany. Moreover, between three of them, namely Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, a similar regime already existed and turned out to be very convenient for the residents of these states close to each other.

The place for signing the agreement was chosen so that it would be at the junction of three countries at once. It turned out to be the border river Moselle. It was there, on the deck of the ship, looking at the nearby Schengen village, that the heads of state signed the document. From that moment on, a zone free of passport control when moving between countries arose. For European residents, many of whom live in one country and work in another, this turned out to be very convenient.

Candidate countries for EU membership are marked in green.

Ten years later, in 1995, two more countries joined the agreement: Spain and Portugal. The rest of the European states, despite the fact that the European Union formally existed since 1992, the full effect extended to all its member countries only in 1999, when the Schengen rules became part of EU legislation. Since then, provisions on the free movement of citizens across borders have become general. Among them are not only Western European countries, but also the Baltic countries and some Eastern European states. Its closest neighbor also stands apart. They are in no hurry to abolish passport control at their borders.

What does this visa provide?

1. First of all, the opportunity, having received a visa from one state, to move freely within the European Union without requesting additional entry permission.
2. Secondly, when crossing state borders you do not need to go through passport control. Except for exception countries.
3. Thirdly, the presence of such a visa makes it possible to visit some countries in other parts of the world, again without issuing a separate visa.
4. Fourthly, having a Schengen visa, you can enter and leave its coverage area at any point.

How to get a Schengen visa yourself

The process of applying for a visa yourself is not as complicated as some tourists think. Doing this yourself is quite easy. But you should still know a few subtleties. They relate to the choice of the country for which you will need to apply for a visa, and the type of visa.

The fact is that there is no such country as Schengen. This means that you will have to apply for an entry permit to a very specific European state. According to reviews from tourists, it’s easier, or. Not surprising, since these countries receive a significant portion of their income from tourism.

As for the type of visa, not only the purpose of the trip plays a role, but also whether any Schengen visa has been previously obtained. And also whether any violations were identified related to its registration and rules of stay in European countries. If they are not found, then you can get a visa again with for a long time stay.

You need to apply for a visa, which gives you the right to travel freely throughout almost all of Europe, at the embassy or consulate of one of the countries that are members of the union.

You can apply for it in person, but many prefer the services of various types of intermediaries. This is completely acceptable. You just need to make sure that the organization is trustworthy.

Embassy of Greece in Moscow at the address: Spiridonovka, 14.

What visas exist

Issued by embassies can be divided into three large groups:

• transit;
• short-term;
• long-term.

They are designated by the letters of the Latin alphabet - A, D, C and D. There is also a division within them, depending on the length of stay, the number of possible entries and exits, and the purposes of visiting the European Union.

Designed for those traveling to countries in another region: America, Africa or Asia. At the airport, when connecting in Europe, you will need to present them. But there are a number of significant differences between them.

It’s not for nothing that Visa A is called an airport visa. It gives a person the right to stay exclusively in the transit area of ​​the airport terminal. In order to spend a few hours between transfers from one flight to another. So, holders of this visa will be able to look at Europe only from the airplane window and the windows of the passenger terminal.

Visa B, although it is a transit visa, gives its holder the right to spend from 1 to 5 days in Europe. With such a visa you can leave the airport if the time between flights is up to several days. Or even go further by land transport, crossing the borders of states inside the Schengen zone. The main thing is not to exceed the time allotted for your stay in the European Union.

When issuing transit Schengen visas, the same requirements are observed as for issuing a visa of another type. The documents that accompany the application for a transit visa are also the same.

Type C visa is the main type of Schengen visa. This is what most tourists going to Europe strive to get. Within this type, several subtypes can be distinguished, the receipt of which largely depends on the purpose of the visit.

Assumes a period of stay in the Schengen zone of up to one month. However, you can only enter it once. After crossing the border of a Schengen country with a third country, it is no longer possible to return with this visa. For the first tourist or short-term business trip to some countries, this type of visa will be issued.

All other type C visas are classified as , that is, they allow you to enter and exit the country several times during the validity period of the visa. The length of stay is also limited and amounts to three months. If a multiple-entry Schengen visa is issued for a period of more than six months, then it may set a maximum period that can be spent in the country for six months. For example, Spain can issue a 6-month Schengen visa immediately for the first time. Therefore, many travelers prefer to contact the Spanish embassy or visa center first.

The C2 multiple entry visa is valid for 180 days. It can be obtained if a tourist visa was previously issued for a month, and during your stay in the Schengen countries there were no violations of the terms and destination. True, some countries are still inclined to provide such a visa only to those who travel to Europe solely for business matters.

It is provided only for serious businessmen, and C4, which is valid for up to 5 years, is intended for special categories of high-ranking people: politicians and diplomats. Type D visas, strictly speaking, are not Schengen. These are the registration of which gives the right to a longer stay in the country.

Depending on the purpose of your trip to the country, a special work or student visa may also be issued.

What documents will be needed

First of all, of course, a foreign passport, as the main document confirming a person’s identity. You just need to make sure that there is a certain period left from the declared end of the trip until the end of its duration. The requirements for it differ in different countries. The range ranges from three months to six months. Therefore, this point should be clarified when submitting documents.

To obtain a multiple visa, you may also need a photocopy of your old passport, especially if it already contained a Schengen visa. Therefore, experienced travelers are advised to have such a copy. But those who have this international passport for the first time may need a certificate of this fact.

In addition to a foreign passport, some European embassies are also interested in an internal passport. Or rather, a photocopy of it. And although most often they demand to photograph only those pages where there are records, it is still better to play it safe and have copies of absolutely everything, even blank ones.

Next you will have to fill out an application. It can be downloaded from the official website of the diplomatic mission, filled out, printed and signed. In fact, this is a form that can be filled out in Russian, English or the language of the country that issues the visa. A photograph that meets the requirements is pasted onto the application form.

• a certificate from work with a signature and stamp (2-NDFL is possible) about the received wages a certificate from work with a signature and stamp indicating the salary received (a sample can be downloaded in Russian

  
  

  Paid tickets for any type of transport and a paid or confirmed hotel reservation will also be needed for those who are applying for a Schengen visa for the first time. A single-entry visa necessarily requires such confirmation. In this case, it is necessary to clarify whether the booking document through one of the online systems is valid.

  You will also have to obtain medical insurance to obtain a visa. It is better to find out the amount of coverage at the embassy, ​​as it may vary depending on the specific country. Recently, this condition has been mandatory for everyone, regardless of whether you are applying for a multiple or single entry visa. Motorists must obtain insurance for their vehicle.

  For children, even those who already have their own passport, a birth certificate may be required. When leaving with one of the parents, the other must issue a notarized consent. Sometimes an apostille is also required, as well as additional information, the need for which must be clarified in advance. You will also need a completed application form and a photo.

  
  

  Completing the fingerprinting procedure.

  From September 14, 2015, fingerprinting is required. The European Union wants to introduce this practice to simplify control over the issuance of visas, as well as to carefully monitor the legality of refusals. In addition, such an identifier will serve as additional protection personal information and personal data.