When planning a trip abroad, Russian tourists in most cases are faced with the need to obtain a visa. Active travelers who often travel to Europe dream of getting a multi-Schengen for several years. The RIAMO observer has collected tips from experienced tourists on how to get a Schengen visa for long term.

For long term tourist visa for a period of 2 to 5 years, those who have at least one Schengen visa issued within the last three years can apply. And it must be “rolled back” according to all the rules of the visa code on the procedure for moving around the Schengen countries.

When applying for a visa for the first time, you will receive a Schengen visa for up to a year, but the next time you apply to the embassy of any country that has signed the Schengen Agreement, you can apply for a longer visa.

Alena Koryakina, head of the Rambler Travel travel service, notes that the decision on the term for issuing a Schengen visa with multiple entries to the EU countries depends on the number of entries to the EU countries, a correctly completed application form, and the availability of bank statements with sufficient funds on the applicant's account.

First, you need to prepare Required documents strictly according to the list on the website of the visa center or consulate. Since 2015, fingerprints have also been required to obtain a Schengen visa.

If you have not decided on the dates of the trip, then it is not necessary to buy a ticket and pay for a hotel before obtaining a visa. For example, on the Aeroflot website, you can book a ticket with the condition of redeeming it at the box office, and print the reservation for a package of documents for a visa, traveler Evgeny advises. You can do the same with the hotel - book on Booking.com with free cancellation or on the Ostrovok.ru website with payment on the spot.

One of important conditions to obtain a visa will be proof of financial solvency. According to an experienced tourist Evgeny, the more card statements you bring, the better.

In addition to the standard package of documents, there are several ways to increase the chance of obtaining a long-term Schengen:

- Provide documents confirming that you need to visit the country frequently, to whose consulate you are applying for a visa, says the manager of the Kupibilet service, Yulia Kurets. These can be relatives who live in this country, business trips, for example, when the head office of your company is located in the EU, and so on.

- Acquire the status of a permanent traveler. Alternatively, you can make a travel itinerary in such a way that it passes through several EU countries at once, and when applying for a visa, document this desire by attaching tickets and hotel reservations for two or three trips at once, the owner of the Ariadolce visa center recommends. Alexander Stremetsky. You can also take out insurance for a year - this will confirm your desire to travel abroad often. At the same time, there should be no more than 3-4 working days between trips, Stremetsky clarifies.

- Take care of your visa history. If you visit several times during the year different countries Schengen visa, even with an urgent multi-visa, then the next time you apply, it is highly likely that you will be given a visa for 2-3 years. The easiest option is to go on a Euro tour. If some country gave you a multi-visa in advance, then make every effort to visit there several times, then when you apply again, you can count on a longer multi-visa, advises Stremetsky.

- Go on business trips. If documents are submitted under business invitations, then, as a rule, visas are opened for a long period - from 1 to 3 years. But even if it didn’t work out the first time, there is a high probability that if you regularly visit the same country on a business invitation, you will be issued a visa for five years. According to experienced traveler Bella Yuryeva, this method is slow, but effective. Plus, when you're busy with work visas, you don't have to think about vacation visas.

Visa to Spain

In 2016, the Schengen area includes 26 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden, Estonia.

Not every state can give a long-term visa. In particular, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Belgium and Denmark most often issue travel visas. And even if you are an experienced traveler, and you have a lot of seals from European countries in your “abroad”, then the maximum that you can count on from these countries is Schengen for six months or a year.

There are a number of European countries where, according to statistics, more positive decisions are made on issuing a “long” Schengen compared to other EU countries. For example, France and Italy are very friendly towards Russia, notes the head of the Rambler / Travel travel service. Also, a long-term Schengen for a period of 2 to 5 years can be obtained from Spain and Greece.

Spain issues multiple visas Russian tourists since 2011, and even a novice traveler can get it. Many tourists note that it is Spain that issues long-term visas, regardless of previous visits to the country. However, if you spend most of the time on a Spanish visa in other EU countries, then when you re-apply to the Spanish consulate, there may be problems with obtaining a long-term visa, seasoned tourists warn.

Questionnaire and sample filling

Visa to Italy

The facilitated procedure for obtaining Italian visas in Russia has been in effect since 2014, which was declared a cross year of tourism in the two countries. Then everyone who had already had two or more stamps in their passports, and not necessarily Italian ones, could receive a Schengen visa for up to two years. For those who already had a long-term Schengen, Italy began to issue visas for up to three years. At the same time, those who have previously observed the rules of the visa code and have repeatedly visited Italy have a high chance of obtaining a visa.

In 2015, the simplified procedure for obtaining Italian visas was preserved, and in 2016, it became possible to make an appointment at one of the visa centers through the Your Italy website. With a full package of documents, even for the first time, Italians open Schengen for at least 1 year, and upon re-submission, you can get a visa for 2 years already.

Visa to France

According to the majority of interviewed travelers, the French consulate willingly issues multiple-entry visas for a period of 5 years upon presentation of a full package of documents.

It is important not to forget to indicate France as the country of first entry in the application form, attach air tickets to any city in France and hotel reservation, and also put the appropriate mark in the box on the planned number of entries - multiple, which means that you intend to come to the European Union several times and want to get a multiple-entry visa, says Alena Koryakina, head of the Rambler Travel travel service.

A long-term visa is not always given for 5 years, but if you already had at least one french visa, then it is quite possible to apply for a Schengen for 2, 3, 5 years.

Getting a Schengen visa is not difficult, but if you like to travel to Europe often, like me :), then making a visa for every trip is tiring. It is better to get a Schengen once and forget for 3 or even 5 years. From my own experience, I came up with a few rules for myself on how to get a Schengen multivisa - thanks to them, all my friends now even get their first visa in a clean passport for at least six months. In order not to explain every time, I will save here and will update as necessary. I hope my advice will help you get a Schengen visa for a year or more. Detailed instructions, what documents are needed and how to apply for a visa, using the example of visas to Greece, I have already, but here I will tell you more universal rules for the entire Schengen area.

The main thing to understand when applying for a visa is that it is important for the consulate to understand that you are not going to stay in Europe or look for work there. Our task is to prove that we are traveling for tourism purposes. Here is how to properly collect and apply for a Schengen visa:

1. Collect and apply for a visa yourself

If you think that the agencies have some connections in the consulates, then you are mistaken. Agencies can only suggest how to properly collect documents for a visa. But for this they take money. I'm here to tell you the same thing and even more, but for free.
In addition, by submitting documents for a visa on your own, you can add, add, or correct something locally.

2. Prove your financial solvency

To get a long-term Schengen, verify your finances

In addition to a certificate of employment, be sure to attach an official certificate from bank accounts - do not limit yourself to the minimum required amount, let it be indicated as possible more money and on different accounts: credit, debit, currency, etc. It is better if the amount on your accounts will cover the minimum required by 5-10 times.

The amount on your credit card is also proof of your ability to pay. Additionally, take a certificate from the bank about this account.

3. Make insurance for a visa not only for the days of the trip, but an annual multi-insurance

Travel insurance is required to obtain a multiple entry visa. Many tourists make insurance only for the days of the trip - this is big mistake! What happens if you don't get a visa at all?
It is best to take an annual multi-insurance, which is valid not for one single trip, but throughout the year. This means that you can stay abroad as many times as you like, but no more than 90 days per trip.

Firstly, if suddenly for some reason you are not given a visa, then with this insurance you can go to another country, for example, and at another time - you are not tied in terms.

Secondly, for obtaining a “long” visa, such insurance looks more convincing - you show that you are going to make not one trip, but several.

Thirdly, annual insurance is cheaper than several one-time ones, provided that you travel abroad in total for more than 30-50 days a year. More details have already been written. For children and those who do not want to deal with insurance when an insured event occurs, I recommend buying more reliable insurance from Mondial (you don’t have to pay anything on the spot, they really help and don’t “take out the brain”) - for more details, why these travel insurances are better, read .

4. Attach copies of the pages of the previous passport

In the photo: show all previous Schengen visas

If your previous passport has expired, but it had visas (not necessarily Schengen ones), then be sure to attach copies of all pages - this will show that you love to travel, but always return to your homeland :) If there was at least one Schengen visa in your old passport , then the new one is likely to get a Schengen for a year or more.

5. Where is the best place to book a hotel

Many people ask if booking from is suitable for a Schengen visa - yes, it is. But in practice, tourists sometimes have questions from the consulate. Therefore, it is better to make a reservation on Booking for a visa for the first trip - there have never been any problems. Moreover, almost all the same apartments as on AirBNB are already presented on Booking.com.

Ideally, if you attach a detailed planned route to your hotel reservations, what and where you are going to see.

6. Book a hotel without cancellation

In the photo: to get a multiple Schengen visa, the hotel should be booked for real

Often, novice tourists find on the forums that you can book a hotel without prepayment for a visa, and then cancel the reservation. Keep in mind that more and more consulates are now canceling visas if a tourist cancels a reservation. Or next time it may be the reason for refusal of a visa. Sometimes tourists learn about the cancellation of a visa only at the border. There have already been cases - for example, and.
In addition, hotel reservations made without a credit card at all do not contribute to obtaining a long-term visa. To get a multi-Schengen, it is best to submit prepaid reservations. If in doubt about obtaining a visa, then look for a hotel on Booking with the possibility of cancellation, but one in which you will really stay later so as not to cancel in the future.
And if suddenly, after obtaining a visa, it was necessary to rebook a hotel or apartment, then it is better to write a letter to the consulate and attach an explanation and a copy of the new reservation.

7. Make copies of the property title deeds

Some European consulates do not require a certificate for an apartment, car, house, etc., but they do not refuse copies of these papers, because. these documents confirm that you have something to lose, and you are not going to stay homeless in Europe.

8. List of countries where it is easiest to get a long-term Schengen visa

In the photo: all Schengen countries

Multischengen is the easiest way to get to France, Spain, Italy, Slovakia. But keep in mind that it is these countries that zealously ensure that the tourist rests on their territory as long as possible, and does not rush all over Europe. Therefore, when submitting documents, there will be more chances to get a long-term visa at the consulate of the country where you have already rested last time. This means that if you already had, for example, a French visa, then it is better to apply for the next visa at the French consulate. Those. try to stick to the consulate one countries.

Is it necessary to enter only the country where you apply for a visa? Not! This is not in the rules. However, there are rumors that consular officers take into account entry stamps when issuing the next visa.

There is no first entry rule - you can enter any country you want, but then, according to the rules, you must spend most of the trip in the country where you are applying for a visa. This is confirmed by hotel reservations.

What are the basic rules for using a Schengen visa?

1. According to the rules, you cannot stay in the Schengen area for more than 90 days out of 180. To calculate exactly when you can enter, here is the official visa calculator.
2. You must spend most of the trip in the country whose visa you received. This means that, for example, with a Schengen visa to Spain, you can visit, but in each of them you cannot spend more time than in Spain. For example: 10 days in France, 7 days in the Czech Republic, 12 days in Spain.

Have something to add? Write in the comments! Do not forget to add in which country you received a Schengen visa and in which city.

In 2017, tourists who plan to travel to Greece can again count on "long" Schengen visas. But the consular staff will try to avoid. Experts and market participants give an optimistic forecast for the demand for Greek resorts in the coming summer. They say, for example, that the rate of early booking is already 4 times higher than last year. The editors of the site figured out how good everything is in Greece, and at the same time remembered the key events on the visa "front" in the outgoing year.

Image losses were compensated by multischengen

Everyone remembers the difficulties that those who traveled to Greece at the beginning of last summer had to face. Kilometer queues in Visa Center on Nikitsky Boulevard, dozens of tourists from different regions of Russia who did not have time to receive documents and could not fly to Greece for the May holidays. Or they flew away, but with a delay of several days and at their own expense. And as a result, there were image losses that both the direction itself and market participants suffered: almost every major tour operator had hundreds of passports “hung” at the consulate on the May dates of departures.

Fortunately, by mid-June the situation leveled off - Greece broke into the top three destinations beach holiday the Russians. It helped, on the one hand, the lack of an inexpensive package Turkey, on the other hand, the arrival of a new consul of Greece, who accelerated the process of processing visa applications: the productivity of the department increased by almost 3 times due to an increase in staff, replacement of computers and software. The image loss from the May collapse was compensated by a loud statement Ioannis Pediotis- at the very first meeting with journalists, he promised to issue visas to Russians for three and five years. And he practically fulfilled this promise. So, according to information from several tour operators at once, the number of "long" multi-Schengen issued by the Greeks in the period from June to December this year amounted to 85% of the total number of processed documents.

In queue? Except for a "long" visa

The visa collapse will not happen again in the new year - market participants say with one small caveat: "Anything can be expected from the Greeks at the start of the season." One way or another, the situation with the delay of passports at the Greek consulate is a problem that is typical not only for May 2016. Not on this scale, but it has happened before. Experts familiar with what is happening on the market say that the consulate is only partially to blame for the delay - often tour operators themselves send documents at the last moment.

How will the spring-summer 2017 season be different? “There is some optimism in the fact that the Greek MFA already preparing for the summer season. Additional staff will arrive in Russia in early March and immediately begin work. . The head of the Greek agreed with him. According to him, the consulate has worked out the mechanism for issuing documents and will try to do everything so that last year's collapse does not happen again. In addition, many tourists received a “long” visa this year and next year they simply won’t need it.

The words of market participants in an interview with the portal were confirmed by the Consul General of Greece in Moscow, Eleni Vakali: Consulate General is the issuance of multiple-entry visas to all who meet the requirements ... Measures have been taken to ensure that the necessary additional personnel arrive with the start of the new tourist season. It is clear that “May 2016” was a time-limited and isolated case.”

So if tourists are counting on a multivisa, you can safely orient them to Greece. Of course, it is impossible to get a stamp in a clean passport for five years at once, but for a tourist with a good visa history for two or three years it is quite realistic. The main thing: to observe, and then - the rules for entering the Schengen zone.

Tour operators will try to keep price increases

A number of observers are sure that the unconditional popularity of Greece this summer was brought precisely by the lack of inexpensive tours to Turkey. And that the Greeks may not count on the same success in 2017. However, market participants share optimistic statistics - they record a surge in sales of early booking promotions. For some tour operators, by mid-December, sales increased 4 times (Mouzenidis Travel), for others - by 30% (TEZ Tour). However, representatives of other companies surveyed by the site said that sales for the new summer season are at the level of last year's figures.

“Interest in Greece is stable, but we do not observe any explosive demand indicators. The number of sold tours corresponds to the data of December 2015," such information was shared by CEO.

But the sharply increased interest in the destination from European tourists was confirmed by all the interlocutors of the online magazine. In this regard, some Greek hoteliers decided to increase prices in 2017. However, this rise in prices is still at the level of 5% and is correlated not only with increased demand. As the general director explained, the hotel owners included the new VAT rate and hotel maintenance costs in the contract price. However, Russian tour operators are confident that they will be able to keep the cost of vouchers at the level of last year - they are going to offset the price by the exchange rate difference (compared to last year, the euro fell by almost 10 rubles).