Types of visas. How to apply for a US visa and a Schengen visa

It would be useful to start with an interpretation of the concept in question. Visa - A special document (permit) that provides the opportunity to visit another state. As a rule, he is pasted into the passport as a coupon. It also happens that a visa has the appearance of a seal.

It is important to note that in different countries the types of visas and visa regimes are not always identical. A large number of countries that are part of the EU apply Schengen visas. Their implementation has greatly simplified entry into the 25 leading states of Europe, as they are part of Schengen area.

Schengen visa: essence, procedure of registration

It provides an opportunity to freely visit the above countries. All member states of the Schengen Agreement are EU members (with the exception of Iceland, Switzerland, and Norway). And Ireland and Great Britain signed this agreement, but did not cancel passport control.

Obtaining this permission is possible at the consulate of the country that you wanted to visit. To obtain a visa (Schengen), as a rule, it takes more time than usual. In addition, it is also necessary to collect a rather large package of documents.

It is worth noting that departure to the Schengen zone should be made from the country where the Schengen visa was issued. If you plan to visit several countries, you will have to justify the purpose of your visit at the border of each state, even if the latter are also participants in the emergency loop.

Types of Visas

The following permissions are accepted:

• short term;
• long term;
• tourist;
• Guest
• business;
• transit;
• multivisa;
• student
• workers.

Short-term visas: time limits, nuances of registration, subspecies

Their presence indicates that the owners of these entry documents can stay in the country for which the visa was issued for no more than one month. The purpose of the trip under such permission must be determined in advance and subsequently not change, as it is indicated in a special invitation. As a rule, this permission provides the opportunity to enter the country only once.

Short-term visas, in turn, are divided into the following subspecies:

• tourist;
• transit;
• business;
• guest rooms.

It is worth considering separately each of the above permissions.

Temporary stay for tourist purposes

For this, a tourist visa is suitable. It also opens if there is a private invitation to the country. With this permission, a single visit to the state of destination is allowed with a stay of no more than 2-3 weeks.

There are only 2 options for issuing it:

• individually taken tourist;
• the entire tourist group (for example, through a travel agency).

To apply for such a visa, you must book a hotel or have a special travel voucher in hand. This kind of permission does not grant the right to prolonged stay in the territory of the state either for tourism purposes or for business reasons.

Transit visas: purpose of discovery, subspecies

They are used in situations where it is required to enter a country through another state. This visa is opened for a short period of time, it can only be used for transit purposes. This kind of permission also does not make it possible to stay in the country for a long time or to stay there for employment purposes.

In many countries, in order to open a transit permit, it is also necessary to present a basic visa (for the country of destination) along with plane tickets.Within this document, the following distinction exists:

• single entry visas;
• double.

It is important to note that some states are quite tough on the procedure for opening transit visas (for example, this permission may be required even when the aircraft lands for refueling).

Business visas: reason for opening, types

In another way they are called business (service). They are opened for a business trip when there is an invitation received from foreign companies. These visas do not provide the right to delay in the country for the purpose of employment or training.

The resolution in question has 3 types:

• single entry business visas;
• double;
• multiple.

Guest visas: conditions for obtaining

They are a special permit that allows you to temporarily stay in the country of destination. The purpose of this visit is to visit acquaintances (friends, relatives) at a previously sent private invitation. It is a prerequisite in order to obtain a visa for citizens who independently draw up documents for this procedure. This permission also does not provide an opportunity to stay and find a job in the country.

Long-term visas: essence, subspecies

As mentioned earlier, in addition to the short-term permits discussed, there are other types of visas that are opened for the purpose of a long stay in the country. There are a lot of them. This may include the following visas:

• student
• workers;
• in order to reunite with family members;
• due to relocation to permanent residence;
• others.

Student visas: conditions for obtaining

With this kind of resolution, things are not so simple. Along with the standard set of documents, written confirmation is also required from the educational institution (foreign) regarding the fact that the subject (visa recipient) is really accepted at the specified institution for training.

In addition, it is necessary to justify issues related to living abroad, tuition. This can be done by presenting a document confirming the sponsorship of the respective fund or the fact of the availability of the amount necessary to pay for studies.

Work visas: opening nuances

This is a special permit required for employment in the country of destination. It is issued at the request of foreign organizations. Such a firm must necessarily have permission from local authorities regarding the hiring of a foreign specialist. In addition, you will need to collect a large number of additional documents so that a work visa is open. The embassy may even conduct an interview.

An important point is the paid procedure for issuing the considered entry document by the embassies. Moreover, the cost of a visa depends on the country of destination, its so-called advancement. The payment of the visa fee is not made for the issuance procedure, but only for the consideration of the application.

So, the types of visas, conditions for obtaining them and types were listed above. Now it’s worth analyzing a popular question regarding the procedure for processing an entry document in the USA.

List of documents for applying for a U.S. visa

This will require:

1. International passport.
2. 5x5 cm photo.
3. Electronic application form DS-160.
4. Interview Invitation Notice.
5. Payment document proving the payment of the consular fee.
6. The list of documents supporting this information: information about the trajectory of the travel route, letters from your work, documents confirming solvency (bank statements, own property, tax deductions, own business). All information provided must be relevant at the time of the interview.

Depending on what kind of visa is required in the USA, some nuances are highlighted, that is, additional documents may be required.The term of its execution is 7-30 days (the degree of workload of the embassy, ​​the presence of the need for an administrative audit).

As for students, you will need to submit a certificate from the place of study, certificates (diplomas), financial documents to the consulate employee.

An important point is that a visa to the United States can be obtained even with a criminal record. For this, it will be necessary to present certificates, information regarding criminal arrests, sentences, all convictions. They will need to be presented even if they are already paid off. A sample US visa is shown below.

Application form DS-160

To fill it out, you need the following information:

• series, passport number, passport of a citizen of Russia;
• name, location of the organization in which the subject is currently employed (undergoing training), contact number, position, duties, as well as data from the previous place of work (study);
• You will need to upload an electronic photo of a certain format;
• time, place, rank - all about military service;
• surnames, first names, middle names, dates of birth of parents and spouse;
• List countries visited in the last five years;
• estimated travel route.

It takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to fill out this form. First you need to upload an electronic photo. Then indicate F.I.O., date of birth and address of registration, passport number, type of visa. Next, you must enter information regarding the parents, spouse, place of work (study), military service.

Consular fee: payment procedure, size

The applicant must pay it before the interview. Consular fee is not refunded in case of refusal to issue a visa. It is a fee for an MRV (machine readable visa). The amount of the fee depends on the type of entry document. Payment is made at the exchange rate in cash or by bank transfer. It is possible to spend it at the post office. The receipt received after paying the consular fee is valid for a year. Throughout all this time, the subject has the right to apply at any time for another visa - not an immigration one.

The size of the consular fee, based on the category of visa, is presented in the table below.

As can be seen from the table, the cost of a visa to America is the size of the consular fee. No additional payments.