In order for a person wishing to visit the countries of this zone to go through several stages. The first document that consular officers are asked to present is a Schengen visa application form. This document is completed in accordance with the requirements of the country of entry.

This is what a Schengen visa to EU countries looks like

And yet, experienced travelers recommend contacting the consular office of the selected country approximately a month before the intended trip.


In most cases, the procedure for obtaining a visa document is not delayed. But it also happens that diplomats respond only in the second or third week after submitting an application.

Embassies of some countries allow you to submit an application at any convenient time. At other diplomatic institutions, you must sign up for a queue in advance. This requirement applies to everyone applying for a short-term visa document.

If there is no consulate in the city

One of the most common difficulties that residents of the CIS countries face is the lack of consular offices in small localities.

It's important to understand

Sometimes a person applying for a Schengen visa may face a refusal.

This is what a Schengen visa refusal stamp looks like

This can happen even if the applicant submits everything. Download the list of documents. Diplomats of European states never justify a refusal, but the applicant always retains the right to resubmit a package of documents.

Features of filling out the form

Survey questions

By filling out the application form, the applicant undertakes to correctly answer the following questions:


The applicant notes that he is aware that in case of refusal, the money paid for the visa fee will not be returned to him.

Example of a visa fee payment receipt

The traveler also confirms his awareness of the need to have health insurance.
It is equally important to confirm your consent to the processing of personal data. It is noteworthy that the data can be disclosed at the request of the intelligence services of the Schengen countries. This is necessary for the timely detection of offenses.

In this case, the person is informed that he has the right to protest if he discovers that his personal data has been processed illegally or incorrectly. The person also confirms that he is aware of the responsibility that he bears for providing false data.

Features of filling out an application

According to existing legislation, the application is considered by consular officers only after the visa fee has been paid in full. The application can be submitted along with a package of documents required to obtain a Schengen visa.

Example of an electronic record for obtaining a Schengen visa to Italy

The application form can be downloaded from the official website of the consular office of the country of entry.

Important subtleties and pitfalls

Despite some difficulties that have arisen in the political arena, the flow of people wishing to obtain a Schengen visa has not decreased even today. Not only tourists go to Europe, but also people who have businesses there.

Given this fact, the interview scheduled for the applicant may take place only a few weeks after submitting the package of documents. In this regard, the traveler should take care of submitting the application at least one to three months before leaving the country. This is especially true if the rendezvous is planned during the summer holidays or Christmas holidays. The application form is always processed electronically.

Photo requirements when obtaining a Schengen visa

This obliges the applicant to complete both documents as legibly as possible. None of the above points should be skipped.

It is noteworthy that the application can be either printed in Word format or written by hand. All European consulates have special requirements for the text. So, it must be typed strictly in Latin. Only capital letters should be used. This is also true for those who fill out the form manually. Printing can be either one-sided or two-sided.

The application, like the questionnaire, must be certified by the traveler’s signature. If a minor is interested in obtaining a visa document, the form must be filled out only by his guardians or parents.

Documents for traveling with children:

Permission for a child to travel abroad with one of the parents
Permission for a child to travel abroad without parents
Sponsorship letter, in English