St. Petersburg

Applying for a visa to the Schengen area

• 1. Applying for a visa
• 1.1. Types of Schengen visas
• 1.2. Documents to be submitted upon application for visa
• 1.3. The state fee for processing the visa application
• 1.4. Appeal the decision on refusal, annulment or revocation of a visa
• 2. EU citizens family member
• 3. Complaints

1. Applying for a visa

Diplomatic missions and consular posts of Estonia are following when processing visa applications the regulation establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code). Visa Code establishes the procedures and conditions for issuing visas for transit and stays in the territory of the Member States not exceeding three months in any six-month period.

Consulate General of Estonia in St. Petersburg serves Russian citizens and residents who live in St. Petersburg city, Leningrad oblast, Karelia, Novgorod oblast, Arhangelsk oblast, Vologda oblast and Murmansk oblast.

Visa applications can be submitted on weekdays to the visa centres of the external service provider VFS Global (no prior appointment is needed).

By prior appointment visa applications can also be submitted to the Consulate General of Estonia ONLY by EU citizens family members on weekdays from 9.00 until 12.00. For appointment please call +7 (812) 627 14 71 (on weekdays from 9.00 until 12.00).

At the time of submission of the application, 10 fingerprints of the applicant will be collected. Therefore, you must submit your visa application in person.

The following applicants shall be exempt from the requirement to give fingerprints:

• children under the age of 12;
• persons for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible;
• heads of state or government and members of national government with accompanying spouses, and the members of their official delegation when they are invited by Member States’ governments or by international organisations for an official purpose;
• sovereigns and other senior members of a royal family, when they are invited by Member States’ governments or by international organisations for an official purpose.

Visa application may also be submitted through an authorised representative or a commercial intermediary. A representative may be:

• A legal representative of a minor or of a person whose active legal capacity is restricted by a court – a legal representative shall together with the visa application submit a document certifying the right of representation;
• A minor is person under 18 years of age. A person who is at least 15 years old may submit a visa application in person;
• Couriers of state agencies, administrative or local government agencies or international organisations;
• Other persons holding the respective authorisation document – to that group mostly belong the representatives of tourist agencies, who are also competent to explain the travel arrangement and the purposes of the travel.

At the request of a consular officer, you are required to appear at the Consulate General in person in order to provide explanations concerning facts which are relevant in application for the visa.

A visa application should in principle be lodged at least 15 calendar days before the intended visit and cannot be lodged earlier than six months before the start of the intended visit.

The processing time at the Consulate General of Estonia is up to 10 working days. That period may be extended up to a maximum of 30 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed or in cases of representation where the authorities of the represented Member State are consulted. Exceptionally, when additional documentation is needed in specific cases, the period may be extended up to a maximum of 60 calendar days.

The list of third countries whose nationals or specific categories of such third country nationals who are subject to prior consultation.

1.1. Types of Schengen visa

Airport transit visa (type A) – is issued for passing through the international transit areas of airports situated on the territory of the Member States.
Common list of third countries whose nationals are required to be in possession of an airport transit visa when passing through the international transit area of airports situated on the territory of the Member States

Short-term visa (type C) – is issued for transit through or an intended stay in the territory of the Schengen States of a duration of no more than 90 days within the period of 180 days. Principles of calculating the period of stay on the Schengen territory (149.6 KB, PDF)

If you wish to visit only Estonia, the Schengen visa has to be applied for at the Consulate General of Estonia in St. Petersburg.

If the travel destination includes more than one Schengen member state, the application must be lodged at the representation of the main destination. The main destination is understood to be the destination where you intend to spend the longest time or where the main purpose of the intended journey is carried out.

If you wish to visit several Schengen member states and you are not sure of the state of main destination or plan to spend the equal number of days in each state, the visa must be applied for at the representation of the state through which the visa applicant intends to enter the Schengen area.

1.2. Documents to be submitted upon application for visa

The following shall be submitted upon application for visa:

• a valid travel document which is issued within previous 10 years, contains at least two blank pages for visas and is valid at least 3 months after the expiration date of the visa;
• a filled in and signed application form. In case several persons (minors or a spouse) are covered by the same travel document, individual application forms must be filled in and signed by the persons concerned, in case of minors signed by the parental authority or the legal guardian. A minor at least 15 years old may lodge and sign a visa application personally;
• photo (size 35x45mm);
• insurance policy valid in Schengen countries with a coverage of at least 30.000 EUR for the entire duration of stay in Schengen area;
• supporting documents:
  • documents indicating the purpose of journey;
  • documents in relation to accommodation or proof of sufficient means to cover your accommodation;
  • documents indicating that you possess sufficient means of subsistence both for the duration of the intended stay and for the return to your country of origin or residence (100€ for each day in Estonia);
  • information which enables to assess your intention to leave Schengen area before the expiry of the visa.

According to the EU Visa Code visa applicants are required to present documents indicating among other things the purpose of their journey. In order to ensure a harmonised application of the common visa policy, the EU Visa Code requires the need to complete and harmonise the lists of supporting documents to be assessed within local Schengen cooperation in each jurisdiction in order to take account of local circumstances.

Local Schengen cooperation in the Russian Federation has drawn up a harmonised list of supporting documents: Harmonised list of supporting documents to be submitted by applicants for a Schengen visa in the Russian Federation

1.3. State fee for processing the visa application

NB! Visa fee can be paid in the Consulate General of Estonia by bank card only.

It is also possible to pay the visa fee to the following bank accounts of the Ministry of Finance of Estonia:

• SEB Pank EE891010220034796011
  SWIFT: EEUHEE2X
• Swedbank EE932200221023778606
  SWIFT: HABAEE2X
• Luminor Bank AS EE701700017001577198
  SWIFT: RIKOEE22

Reference number of the MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS:
Review of visa applications – 2900073630

The following persons are exempted from paying the visa fee:

• Children under 6 years.
• A family member of an Estonian or an EU/ EEA citizen of a third country whose nationals are required to hold a visa for the Schengen area
• Persons who intend to attend meetings of the United Nations or its organizations, the Council of Europe, the European Union or the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to be held in Estonia.
• School children, students, post-graduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake trips for the purpose only of study or educational training.
• Researchers coming from third countries travelling in the Community for conducting scientific research with a view to facilitating proceedings carried out by Member States for issuing uniform short -stay visas.
• Persons invited by Parliament or the Estonian Government.
• Anyone who, by virtue of an international convention, is entitled to a visa free of charge.
  Representatives of non-profit organizations aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events organized by non-profit organizations.
• Holders of diplomatic and service passports
• According to Visa Facilitation Agreements

NB! When applying for a visa through an external service provider the applicants must also pay their service fee (VFS  11€) which is added to the state fee.

ADMISSIBILITY OF THE VISA APPLICATION

A visa application is admissible when the following conditions are met:

 

• the application is lodged at least 15 calendar days before the intended visit but not earlier than six months before the start of the intended visit;
• the applicant has submitted an application form;
• the applicant has presented a valid travel document which is issued within previous 10 years, contains at least two blank pages for visas and is valid at least 3 months after the expiration date of the visa;
• the applicant has submitted a photograph;
• the applicant´s biometric data have been collected;
• the visa fee has been collected.

 

1.4. APPEAL THE DECISION ON REFUSAL, ANNULMENT OR REVOCATION OF A VISA

Foreign citizen has the right to appeal the decision on refusal, annulment or revocation of a visa.

The refused visa applicant or a visa holder whose visa has been annulled or revoked can turn to the relevant representation by submitting a written application (PDF) within 30 days. If the decision remains unchanged, it is possible to submit a second appeal to the consular department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within 30 days from receipt of notification. The appeal can be filed personally, by post or through a representative.

The fee charged for processing the appeal is 20 EUR.
Appeal fee can be paid in the Consulate General by bank card only. It is also possible to pay the appeal fee to the following bank accounts of the Ministry of Finance of Estonia:

• SEB Pank EE891010220034796011
  SWIFT: EEUHEE2X
• SwedbankEE932200221023778606
  SWIFT: HABAEE2X
• Luminor Bank AS EE701700017001577198
  SWIFT: RIKOEE22

Reference number of the MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS:
Review of the appeal – 2900073630

If it is not possible to enter the reference number on the payment order of a foreign country, the reference number must be entered in the clarification field.

Clarification of the payment: Review of the appeal

PLEASE NOTE THAT REFERENCE NUMBER AND CLARIFICATION OF THE PAYMENT ARE COMPULSORY FIELDS ON THE PAYMENT ORDER.

Please note, the fee will be taken for the review of an appeal.

2 EU citizens family member

EU CITIZENS FAMILY MEMBER – Directive 2004/38/EU

This directive shall apply to all Union citizens who move or reside in a Member State other than that of which they are national, and to their family members who accompany or join them.

The following persons are EU citizens family members, as defined by the Directive:

(a) the spouse;

(b) the partner with whom the Union citizen has contracted a registered partnership, on the basis of the legislation of a Member State,  if the legislation of the host Member State treats registered partnerships as equivalent to marriage and in accordance with the conditions laid down in the relevant legislation of the host Member State;

(c) the direct descendants who are under the age of 21 or are dependants and those of the spouse or partner as defined in point (b);

(d) the dependent direct relatives in the ascending line and those of the spouse or partner as defined in point (b)

The above family members enjoy the rights granted by the Directive when they join or accompany an EU citizen. EU citizens family member apply for entry visa to Schengen under simplified conditions and they do not have to pay any charge for a visa application.

Requirements:

• passport or other travel document, including copy, valid for at least three months after departing from the Schengen-area
• A completed application form
• One photograph of passport style and size [35 x 45 mm] for all applicants, including minors.
• Documentation proving that you belong to one of the categories mentioned
  above (marriage certificate, certificate of registration of partnership, birth certificate or other official documentation). The document needs to be legalized or certified with an apostille certificate, if an international agreement does not foresee otherwise.
• If necessary, consul is enabled to ask a copy of passport of the relative who is EU citizen

 

3. Complaints

Schengen visa applicants may submit complaints about the conduct of the consulate staff, the external service provider or the visa application process.

A complaint can be submitted to the consular department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by e-mail: konsul@mfa.ee.