Translated material
Hyde by visas to Europe for Russians
What is needed for the application, how long is it considered and how to draw up documents outside the Russian Federation
Over the two years of the war, the European Union states introduced various restrictions for Russians for visas, which is why leaving the Russian Federation to Europe was not easy. Nevertheless, many EU countries continue to give Russians even tourist visas. The “cold” compiled a list of such countries - and found out what is needed for receipt, how long they consider applications and how to apply for a visa outside the Russian Federation. Read about all this in our guide.
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The list of countries of the Schengen zone that continue to issue tourist visas to Russians: Austria, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, France, Croatia, Switzerland, Sweden. Information is relevant at the beginning of 2024, but the situation may change quickly. If you do not serve from Russia, it is always better to personally write to the consulate and ask for accurate requirements and a list of documents. Spain, Italy, France and Greece are most loyal to applicants with Russian citizenship.
🇪🇸 Spain
In Russia
Documents are accepted at the BLS International visa centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Samara and other cities. It is not necessary to sign up for an appointment, you can come and get up live, but the applicants with a preliminary entry will be accepted earlier than those who came without it. The list of necessary documents can be found at this link .
Documents must be submitted no earlier than six months before the planned trip. Officially, applications are considered by about 45 calendar days. In practice, decisions on issuance are most often made for 11-15 business days. Often they give out multivisions (but not always) and for a long time - from 90 days.
Outside of Russia
Formally, you need the right to long -term residence in the country of feed, for example, a long -term visa (from 6 months) or residence permit. You can do without it if you are submitted to the Spanish visa in Armenia . There you can easily arrange a social card that is suitable for the Spanish consulate instead of a residence permit. In short, everything looks like this: you come to Armenia, make a notarial translation of a passport, order a card in any passport table, then transfer it to English and go to submit documents for a visa. Read more about this link .
Recently, the number of people who want to get a social card has grown, so there were queues and to do it in Yerevan, you need a record. If you need to get a card faster, try to go to another city - in chats they say that there you can get in a live queue in the coupon or without (and the lines are smaller).
Also, a Spanish visa can be obtained in Uzbekistan - temporary registration at the place of residence for a period of 6 months is suitable. Here you can read more about this method.
Where to monitor the situation with the issuance of visas
🇮🇹 Italy
In Russia
If you are registered in Moscow or MO, you can apply to the VMS visa center in Moscow. If you are registered in St. Petersburg, the Leningrad region, Karelia, the Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Murmansk, Novgorod or Pskov region - you need to submit an application to the VMS centers in St. Petersburg or Arkhangelsk. If you are registered in other regions, you need to be submitted through the Almaviva visa centers, which are located in Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don and Samara.
Submit documents by preliminary entry. You will find a list of documents and requirements at this link . Typically, the decision on the issuance is made for 20-25 business days. Visas are often issued for a month or for a longer period - six months, a year.
Outside of Russia
In theory, you have the right to be submitted to the Italian Schengen if you have the right to a long -term stay in the country of feed. For example, if you serve from Armenia, you need proof of a legal stay, the total minimum of 3 months after the end of the trip; account in the Armenian bank, which has been opened for three to six months; A certificate from the Armenian place of work indicating the salary received no earlier than a month before applying for a visa. But in practice, it is only known only about refusals to applicants with Russian citizenship who tried to get an Italian visa in Armenia.
You can also get a tourist visa in Kazakhstan if you have a temporary residence permit (RVP) for a period of more than six months.
Where to monitor the situation with the issuance of visas
🇫🇷 France
In Russia
The application can be submitted in 18 cities of Russia , including Moscow, Kaliningrad, Novosibirsk and Vladivostok. You need to fill out the questionnaire on France-Visas , then make an appointment with VFS Global . List of documents here .
Documents are submitted no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before the date of the trip. Most often, free slots appear for about two to three weeks in advance, but it is difficult to catch them. According to reviews , in 2023, receiving a decision on issuing a visa took from 9 to 22 days. Now the design of a French visa can take 20-25 days, but sometimes longer. Visas are often issued for six months and longer.
Outside of Russia
You have the right to be submitted to the French Schengen if you have the right to long -term residence in the country of feed. There is no data on obtaining a visa without a residence permit, but there is, for example, with a social card of Armenia (as it works with Spain).
Where to monitor the situation with the issuance of visas
🇬🇷 Greece
In Russia
Visa centers operate in 19 cities of Russia, including Moscow, Kaliningrad, Kazan and Khabarovsk. Previously, you need to sign up for the feed. An exhaustive list of documents can be found here .
Documents must be submitted no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before the date of the trip. It will take about 15 days to process applications. Judging by the reviews , the visa is issued on average for five to eight working days and give it to the dates of the trip.
Outside of Russia
To go to the Greek Schengen outside the Russian Federation, you need to have a residence permit in the country of feed. For example, an Armenian residence permit is needed for a visa to a visa in Armenia , which will be valid three months after the end of the alleged trip. In addition, you should have a certificate of consular registration at the Russian Embassy in Armenia and a stamp for registration (valid three months after the end of the trip). The list of necessary documents can be found at this link .
Where to monitor the situation with the issuance of visas
🇦🇹 Austria
In Russia
You can apply for a visa in visa centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Novosibirsk and 13 more cities . You must first sign up for the feed.
Actual and detailed requirements for documents can be found on the website of the visa center. Follow this link , select the desired type of visa and the “necessary documents” tab. Please note that for a visa, an insurance policy is suitable only from accredited companies .
They promise to consider the application up to 15 calendar days. Those who were submitted for a visa say that they usually process applications in five to nine working days.
One visa is issued under the time of a trip or for a short time (two to four weeks), they can be issued to others for a longer period, and many are refused. Consulates mainly indicate such reasons for refusal: doubts about the purpose of the trip; doubts that the applicant will return to Russia after the expiration of the visa; insufficient financial guarantees.
Outside of Russia
You can try to get a tourist Schengen if you have a confirmation of a legal long -term residence in the country of submission, valid for another three months after the expected departure date from the Schengen zone. There is no information about successful cases.
Where you can monitor the situation with the issuance of visas
🇭🇺 Hungary
In Russia
Documents are accepted at VFS Global visa centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Ufa and so on. In total - in 21 city of Russia . You need to submit an application by preliminary entry .
A full list of documents and requirements for them can be found on the VFS Global website. Follow this link and at the bottom of the page select the type of visa "Tourism/ other private visits".
Documents can be submitted a maximum of six months before the date of the trip. The minimum period for which they promise to consider the application is 15 calendar days from the date of receipt of documents to the consular department of the embassy. The day of submission of documents is not taken into account. Sometimes terms can increase to 45 days. There are not many failures, but mainly visas are issued under the dates of the trip.
Outside of Russia
According to the general rules, you have the right to be submitted to Schengen if you have a residence permit in the country of feed. We were not able to find information about some successful cases of receiving a visa without a residence permit.
Where you can monitor the situation with the issuance of visas
🇩🇪 Germany
In Russia
Documents are accepted in Visametric visa centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad and Novosibirsk. Before submitting documents, you need to fill out a questionnaire on the embassy’s website in advance, and then sign up for a visa center . The list of documents can be found on Visametric in the Schengen visa section.
Applications must be submitted no earlier than six months before the date of the trip. They are promised to consider no more than 45 days, but the terms can be increased. Also, if you are not from Moscow, the documents are still sent to the visa department of the embassy in Moscow - this can also increase time. In practice, everything is different . Someone is waiting for the due three to four weeks, at other statements, they examined in several business days.
Outside of Russia
You must have a residence permit in the country of filing to be submitted to the German Schengen visa. Judging by the reviews from chats, sometimes there may be enough RVP ( for example, in Kazakhstan ) for six months (provided that it will not end until the end of stay in Germany). At the same time, the MyRELOC project claims that before serving on a tour, you need to live in Kazakhstan at least six months. And if you have lived less, but want to get a visa, you need to attach a work contract in Kazakhstan.
Where to monitor the situation with the issuance of visas
🇵🇹 Portugal
In Russia
Documents can be submitted in BLS visa centers in eight cities of Russia. First you need to sign up . A full package of documents here . Fees for consideration of the application can be paid only in rubles and cash.
The visa center reports on such terms of application processing: standard 15 business days, sometimes the deadline may increase to 45 days. In practice, the statements are often considered 8-13 days, but it happens much longer-several people wrote that they were waiting for one or two months. The visa is mainly issued under the dates of the trip.
Outside of Russia
You have the right to be submitted to Schengen if you have a residence permit in the country of feed. It was not possible to find information about any exceptions or successful cases of obtaining a visa without the right to live in the country of feed.
Where to monitor the situation with the issuance of visas
🇸🇮 Slovenia
In Russia
Applications are accepted in 19 cities. You need to sign up first. The list of necessary documents can be found at this link (select the “Tourism” visa category). Please note that the already paid air ticket to Slovenia and vice versa must be attached to the documents.
The application can be submitted at least 15 days before the trip and a maximum of six months. The decision on issuance is made on average in 15 days. Visas are issued under the dates of the trip.
Outside of Russia
You have the right to be submitted to Schengen if you have a residence permit in the country of feed. It was not possible to find information about any exceptions or successful cases of obtaining a visa without the right to live in the country of feed.
Where to monitor the situation with the issuance of visas
🇭🇷 Croatia
In Russia
Visa centers operate in 19 cities. We need a preliminary record for the feed. Also, before going to the visa center, you need to fill out the questionnaire on the website of the Croatian Foreign Ministry . You will find a list of documents at this link (select the “Tourism” visa category).
It is better to submit documents at least 45 calendar days before the trip, because the documents are considered for a long time - about 30 calendar days, but it is possible to wait within two months. Visas are issued under the dates of the trip.
Outside of Russia
You have the right to be submitted to Schengen if you have a residence permit in the country of feed. It was not possible to find information about any exceptions or successful cases of obtaining a visa without the right to live in the country of feed.
Where to monitor the situation with the issuance of visas
🇨🇭 Switzerland
In Russia
Documents are accepted in five cities . You need to register and fill out the questionnaire on the site of the visa center . The list of documents can be found here .
It is recommended to submit documents 45 days before the trip, but in practice they are considered for 3-10 business days. Visas are issued both for a short time (five to nine days) and for a long (six months, year).
Outside of Russia
You have the right to be submitted to Schengen if you have a residence permit in the country of feed. It was not possible to find information about any exceptions or successful cases of obtaining a visa without the right to live in the country of feed.
Where to monitor the situation with the issuance of visas
🇸🇪 Sweden
In Russia
Visa centers operate in 20 cities. You need to sign up first. You will find a list of documents at this link (select the “Tourism” visa category). The Swedish embassy does not recommend paying for tickets to receive a visa.
Recently, applications are considered for 15 calendar days. But it happens differently: sometimes they can be considered faster, and in some cases longer. Also, the country often refuses to issue a visa, even if the applicant has an invitation from relatives - Sweden citizens. Refusals are mainly motivated by doubts that the applicant will return to Russia, and insufficiently reasonable (or inaccurate) goals of the trip. And if the visa is still issued, then mainly for the dates of the trip.
Outside of Russia
You have the right to be submitted to Schengen if you have a residence permit in the country of feed. It was not possible to find information about any exceptions or successful cases of obtaining a visa without the right to live in the country of feed.