Greece: Traveling to the land of the sun and olives will require a Schengen visa

Russians need a Schengen visa to travel to Greece in 2019, which will also give the right to visit all the states included in the Schengen area. You can apply for an entry document both by personally contacting the Consulate General of Greece, and using the services of visa centers located in most major cities of Russia. When buying a tour, all visa issues are usually handled by a travel agency that organizes the trip. We will touch upon the issues of self-registration of a visa to Greece.

Before contacting the Greek consulate, one important rule should be considered. The visa is opened in the diplomatic mission of the country in which it is planned to spend the most time. If the trip involves visiting several states, the visit to which will last approximately the same amount of time, then the application is submitted to the representative office of the country through which the entry to the Schengen is carried out.

Tourist visa

The Schengen visa is single entry, when only one entry into the country is allowed; double entry - it is allowed to visit the zone twice; multiple - this is the so-called multivisa, which allows you to visit the zone an unlimited number of times.

Most Russians use short-term entry documents of category C for short visits to Greece. This is a Schengen visa, which is issued according to the uniform rules established in the Schengen area. Such a visa is suitable for tourist trips, friendly or business visits. Let us dwell on this visa in detail: with such a document, a Russian will be able to visit Greece and visit other countries of the zone, provided that the trip lasts no more than 90 days in half a year. According to this entry document, the transit crossing of the state is also allowed.

So, we are preparing an impressive list of documents:

Additional information about documents and visa processing can be obtained on the official website of the Embassy of Greece in Russia: greecevac-ru.com/russia/index.aspx

This is the main (let's call it basic) package of documents. For different categories of travelers, you also need additional papers.

For working tourists

1. Certificate from work, which indicates the position, salary, details of the employer.
2. Bank statement issued and certified by the bank itself. Statements received through an ATM are not considered.

For IP

In addition to the main package of documentation, individual entrepreneurs provide a copy of the papers on state registration and registration with the Federal Tax Service, as well as a copy of the income statement.

For students

Students attach to the main package of documentation:

• A copy of the student card or a letter from the educational institution;
• Sponsorship letter (a statement from one of the parents about financial support for the trip);
• A copy of the sponsor's passport and a certificate from his work (the salary must exceed 20,000 rubles).

Important point: Only the next of kin, which includes spouses, children, parents, grandparents, can finance the trip and act as sponsors. Relevant documents are provided to confirm family ties.

For the unemployed

An application from a close relative to sponsor a trip, a copy of his Russian passport and a certificate from work. Or a bank statement with funds over 20,000 rubles is provided.

For pensioners

1. Copy of pension certificate;
2. An extract from a bank account, where there should be at least 20,000 rubles. or an application from a close relative to sponsor the trip (a certificate from his work and a copy of his passport are also attached).

When buying a tour

Travelers who have become owners of a tour package to Greece attach to the main package of documentation invitation from a Greek tour operator, as well as a letter from a travel agency with a visa application. A copy of the invitation is also attached to the applications of all participants in the trip if a group trip is made.

Tips for traveling with kids

Minors over 14 travel on their own passport. It is allowed to enter the parents of young children in the passports. But there is a small nuance here: parents must have an old-style international passport, it is impossible to enter a child in a biometric document.

Another mandatory requirement for minors traveling to Greece is related to registration consent to the departure of the child from the Russian Federation. This document is required if the child travels only with mom or only with dad. Accordingly, the consent is issued from the parent remaining in Russia. Also, paper will be needed when a minor travels as part of a children's group (sports or creative event) or travels with third parties (for example, with a grandmother). If it is not possible to obtain consent from the second parent, confirmation of this fact is provided (death certificate, certificate from the registry office in form No. 25, and so on).

private trip

For a visit to relatives or friends, the same list of documents is required as for a tourist visa. In addition to it, an invitation from a resident of Greece is provided(citizen or foreigner with a residence permit). Both the original document and its copy are accepted, for example, a printout of a letter sent by e-mail or fax. The invitation contains all the information about both parties, the dates of the trip and the address of residence of the invited person.

The invitation is certified by a notary or the police station at the place of residence of the inviting party. In addition to the invitation, a copy of the passport or residence permit of the inviting person is attached. If the visit is made to a relative, then a paper is needed to confirm this fact.

Transit

For transit crossing the country issued category A visa. It allows you to stop in the country for up to 24 hours to transfer to a flight to the country of destination. The visa does not give the right to leave the transit zone of the airport. Russians do not need this type of visa, but when transiting through some European cities where there is no transit zone (for example, when changing in Berlin), an entry document will still be needed.

At the moment, a transit crossing mark is put on a short-term visa of category C. This document entitles you to a 5-day stopover to transfer to an aircraft heading to the destination. For a transit visa, the same list of documents is prepared as for a tourist visa. Additionally, copies of air tickets and visas to a third country are attached.

biometric data

In connection with the innovations that took place in September 2015, when the procedure for submitting biometric data was introduced, it became possible to obtain a Schengen only with a personal visit to the visa center or consulate. A personal visit is required for fingerprinting and digital photography. Taking fingerprints is a must. It will not work to refuse to pass it - they will not accept an application for a visa. But there are categories of foreigners who are exempted from passing it. This is primarily for children under 12 years of age.

According to the new rules, fingerprinting is required once every 5 years. This is how long the results of the procedure are stored in the database and then deleted. The photo must be taken no later than 6 months before the application is submitted. A digital photo must be provided by all foreigners who open visas, including children.

Urgent visa

Often there are situations when, due to unforeseen events, it is necessary to urgently travel abroad. In urgent cases, an urgent visa is allowed. The decision to issue it is made by the consulate, visa centers do not provide such a service. Some Schengen countries, for the emergency opening of an entry document, take into account only tragic events that have occurred with the applicant, for example, the death or illness of a relative. Greece in this regard is more loyal to the Russians. And in order to obtain a line visa, it will be enough, in addition to the main package of documents, to provide documents justifying the urgency of the departure. These can be purchased air tickets or just bought a last-minute ticket.

For urgency, you will have to pay double the fee - 70 euros.

Applying

Documentation for visa applicant personally transfers to the visa center or consulate general. The transfer of documents through third parties is possible only when applying for a visa again, when the applicant has already provided his biometric data.

Consulate of Greece in Moscow

Greek diplomatic missions are located in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novorossiysk. You can choose the nearest visa center and pre-register (registration is required) at the link:

https://www.vfsvisaonline.com/Global-Appointment/Account/RegisteredLogin

After registration, a notification will be sent to your e-mail, it must be printed and attached to the rest of the documents.

On the selected date, you can go to submit documents. If the visa is opened for the whole family, the presence of at least one member with documents proving kinship will be required.

After receiving the documentation, a mark is placed in the passport, which contains information about the place of application, the type of visa requested and the date the application was considered. The received visa is subsequently glued to the place of this mark.

You can track the readiness of documents after their transfer by following the link:greecevac-ru.com/russia/Tracking1.aspx

When submitting an application in Moscow or St. Petersburg, a traveler can count on a fairly quick execution of an entry document - from 3 to 5 days. The Consulate General in Novorossiysk will issue a visa in 10 days. Urgent visa opens in 1-2 days.

The presence of a visa does not guarantee unhindered entry into the country. The final decision on the possibility of entry is made by border guards when crossing the border. To avoid unpleasant complications, you must have all supporting documents with you, as well as money at the rate of 50 euros per day for each travel participant.

Validity

Category C visa entitles you to stay in the country for up to 90 days. Initially, it is opened based on the number of days indicated in the hotel reservation or invitation. Obtaining a double or multiple visa becomes possible upon repeated application, but there are exceptions.

National visa

For a long trip that goes beyond the time frame of 90 days, opens Greece national visa categoryD. Such an entry document is issued exclusively at the consulate of Moscow, St. Petersburg or Novorossiysk and only upon personal application of a foreigner.

The main reasons for opening this type of entry document are:

1. Long-term (over 3 months) training;
2. Family reunion;
3. Work in a Greek company;
4. Long-term cooperation with Greek entrepreneurs;
5. Marriage to a Greek resident.

A visa is issued after the provision of all documents, the list of which depends on the purpose of the trip, and the applicant must also undergo an interview at the Consulate General to clarify the purpose of the visit to the state. The term for consideration of the application is from 7 to 12 days.

It is allowed to open an entry document of type C + D, which allows visiting not only Greece, but also other Schengen states.

Visa cost

The cost of an entry document directly depends on the chosen method of registration. The visa fee for opening an entry document type C will be 35 euros- how much you will need to pay if you transfer the documentation personally to the consulate general. For opening an urgent visa, you will have to pay double the amount - 70 euros. The cost of a national visa is 90 euros. Visa Application Centers will charge an additional fee for their services. Its size is about 1400 rubles. With a fairly remote location of the regions, it may be necessary to pay transport costs for the delivery of documents.

Payment is accepted on the day of application. Children under 12 and the disabled are exempted from paying fees.

Visa-free entry

In previous years, Russians had the opportunity to visit the Greek islands of Rhodes, Lesvos, Kos, Samos, Symi, Kastelorizo ​​and Chios without the obligatory opening of a visa, provided that they were visited from Turkey, by ferry. However, at the moment the situation with visa-free entry is uncertain, and most of the Greek islands require a full-fledged Schengen. Perhaps something will change in the near future.

Refusal to issue a visa

Greece can be called a country that is most loyal to Russian tourists. However, sometimes the consulate refuses a visa. Main reasons:

If the consulate makes a negative decision on the application, a special mark is placed in the passport, which contains a coded justification for the refusal. The stamp consists of letters and numbers. The letters indicate the visa category, and the numbers: