Procedure for obtaining a Schengen visa for pensioners in 2021

Visa to France for wealthy pensioners

In France, it is possible to issue two types of visas for older people - regular Schengen , but with extended financial coverage and health insurance, as well as an investment pension visa .

The first group is short-term, it gives the right to stay abroad for up to 90 days every 6 months. An investment permit requires the applicant to meet a number of requirements. They apply to both the immigrant's age and financial status. The pensioner must make a contribution to the local economy of at least 500 thousand euros, confirm the presence of passive income of 50 thousand euros annually.

France visa for retirees

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Reasons why a pensioner may be denied a visa

Obtaining a Schengen visa for a pensioner is a rather complicated process. Refusals to issue things happen quite often. They are usually associated with a low pension and the lack of other papers to confirm solvency. But also a negative decision on the issue of Schengen issue can be made for the following reasons:

• there is no clear purpose of the visit;
• problems with the law (criminal record);
• false or incorrect information in the application form;
• lack of necessary documents in the package.

It is quite possible to obtain a Schengen visa for a pensioner on your own. The process is in many ways similar to obtaining permission for other categories of Russians, but you need to take a responsible approach to preparing all the necessary papers. This will avoid most questions and other difficulties.

Cost of a visa to France

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Applying for a Schengen visa for pensioners

One of the most joyful and exciting events that a person can give himself is traveling to unfamiliar cities and countries. To visit most European countries you need to obtain a Schengen visa. Today this is real not only for young working people, but also for retirees. Obtaining a Schengen visa is possible after all necessary documents have been prepared and submitted.

Schengen visa sample

Of course, this is influenced by the different size of pensions; European pensioners can afford to vacation several times a year, and even without a visa.

Visa cost

If you apply on your own, the consular fee is 35 euros, but if you apply for a visa through intermediary companies, the cost will depend on the place of application.

For a foreign state, the category of a Russian citizen does not matter, whether he is a minor, an entrepreneur, an employee or a pensioner.

Rules for obtaining a Schengen visa in 2021

1. Possibility to apply for a visa 6 months before the trip.
2. The procedure for obtaining long Schengen visas becomes clear and orderly - “Step by step”.
3. The cost of a Schengen visa will not change - 35 euros will remain the same.
4. The list of documents for a Schengen visa has not changed. These are: an application form, travel documents or itinerary sheet, hotel reservations, financial guarantee, travel insurance.

List of documents for a Schengen visa - separately listed the standard package of documents that will allow you to obtain a Schengen visa.

List of official visa centers in Russia.

Other changes in the rules for obtaining a Schengen visa

New rules from 2021 not only establish a unified visa issuance system for all states. There are some other changes as well.

The deadline for submitting documents for obtaining a visa has been extended. From 2021, it will be possible to register six months before the intended trip (but no later than fifteen days). Today this period is only three months.

It is possible to submit a Schengen application electronically. In this case, everything depends directly on the specific country. If the state has such a technical capability, then it can introduce the practice of submitting applications remotely.

Therefore, obtaining a Schengen visa for Russian citizens will cost, as before, only 35 euros. If the visa is issued through a visa center, then the visa center fee must be added to the consular fee.

When and how to apply for a visa

The deadlines for submitting documents for a Schengen visa have also changed. If until now it was possible to apply for a visa a maximum of three months before the trip, then according to the new rules, you can start processing the visa six months in advance (and for sailors, nine months in advance). This solution will allow travelers to plan their vacation in advance, and consulates and visa centers to reduce workload ahead of the busy seasons - for example, before the New Year or May holidays. Now you can apply for a visa to travel for the New Year at the end of summer.

But the minimum period for submitting documents for a visa remains the same - you need to have time to submit them 15 days before the start of the intended trip.

An application for a Schengen visa can be submitted traditionally - at the embassy or visa center, or electronically. Filling out the application online will not entail any additional requirements or costs, and the cost of the visa will remain the same.

The list of documents remains the same:

– travel documents or route sheet,

– financial guarantees (employment certificate, bank statement),

– biometric data – they will have to be updated every five years.

Children under 6 years old, as before, are exempt from the visa fee.

Visa to France for pensioners - how to get

If you need a short-term or long-term retirement visa, you need to follow the steps listed below.

• Submit an application for issuance. Application forms are accepted at government agencies - the consulate or embassy of France in Russia. It is possible to transfer the application to a visa center to which the French Embassy has outsourced. Advanced pensioners can submit an application online. It is recommended to submit your application at least three weeks before your trip, but no more than 3 months.
• Pay the visa fee. The fee required to process a retirement visa depends on the period of time the tourist needs to remain in the EU. For a stay abroad of less than three months, you will have to pay 60 euros. If a tourist intends to stay in France for more than 3 months on a long-term visa, a fee of 75 euros must be paid. Please note that if your visa is refused or your application is withdrawn, you will not receive a refund of the amount you paid.
• Collect a complete package of documents . Pensioners entering France on the basis of a single Schengen visa complete the general package of documents for tourists. Additionally attached:

1. invitation from the host party (for a guest visa),
2. sponsorship letter from children or other relatives,
3. pensioner's ID,
4. extended medical insurance.

• Attending a personal interview is required if a France visa for retirees is being applied for by an elderly investor or if there is a need to request a long-term document.

We must not forget about the mandatory procedure for taking biometrics every 5 years . It is worth remembering that entry regulations change from year to year. The rules that were previously in force are being updated, which is reflected in the application procedure. To avoid mistakes, you must submit your application through the visa center.

Where to contact

Applying for a visa at the embassy begins with the preparation of documents. The success of the entire procedure depends on how responsibly you approach this process. The application form can be downloaded from the embassy website and filled out on a computer to make it easier for visa clerks to process it. In the columns you need to indicate your contact information, address, travel route, and also mention who bears the costs of paying for the flight, accommodation, and meals.

If you don’t know who issues visas, the consulate or embassy, ​​then there is nothing to worry about. All information about the procedure for obtaining visas is usually contained on the official website of the embassy. But you will need to obtain a visa at the consulate. Assistance in obtaining entry permits, including for pensioners, is also provided by visa centers that cooperate with them and have official accreditation.

How long is a visa valid for pensioners in France?

If you apply for a short-term visa, you can either obtain a visa for a certain number of days (15 or more) or request a multiple-entry visa.

A multiple visa allows you to enter and exit Schengen as many times as needed, but you are prohibited from residing in the country for more than 90 days within a six-month period.

If a pensioner requests a long-term visa, they are allowed to stay in the EU for up to 12 months . After the expiration of the visa, it is possible to submit an application to extend the entry document or obtain a residence permit.

Schengen validity period for pensioners

The duration of a visa depends on its type, which, in turn, is determined by the purposes of foreigners visiting the Schengen state. The most common is a 30-day permit. However, it is possible to receive it for six months.

It should be taken into account that it is better to submit the first application for Schengen for a minimum duration with one entry. After recommending your identity as a bona fide tourist (by following uncontrolled rules), almost any country participating in the Agreement will issue a long-term multi-entry visa.

Reasons for refusal

The most common reasons for refusal are:

1. presence of criminal records or other “criminal” factors in the applicant’s application form;
2. if you cannot confirm legal grounds of residence in the country of application;
3. if there is reason to believe that you lied about the true purpose of your visit to the Schengen countries;
4. with a tourist visa, cancellation of a hotel reservation (hotel employees are required to inform the consulate about the cancellation of a reservation by a foreign citizen);
5. the applicant requests a visa for a very short period of time for no apparent reason;
6. inability to confirm the intention to return to one’s home country.

Despite the fact that the review period ranges from 5 working days to two months, usually a decision is made quite quickly.

Schengen visa for pensioners - self-application in 2020

Schengen for pensioners is issued on the basis of a special package of documents. The Schengen visa gives people of retirement age the opportunity to travel, see the diverse culture of European countries, and visit 26 European countries without additional permits. The visa period is up to 90 days within 6 months. To obtain a visa, a pensioner needs to confirm his financial income and ability to pay for the trip. When a pensioner does not have sufficient financial resources, he can prepare a sponsorship letter from relatives.

A Schengen visa for a working pensioner is easier to obtain.

Waiting for the result

The deadlines for reviewing documents of pensioners at consulates are the same as for everyone else. The accelerated procedure will take an average of 3-4 days, and the regular procedure – from 5 to 10 days. Long-term D visas can take at least a month to prepare. When deciding how a pensioner can get a visa, pay attention to the services of intermediaries that will save an elderly person from standing in queues.

It is also worth actively using online services that help you fill out and send questionnaires, order mobile biometrics at home and sign up for an interview (if required).

• on websites by receipt number (portal of the Unified Document Center, embassy websites);
• on the visa center website using the contract number (the number is entered with dots), the applicant’s date of birth;
• in person by coming to the consulate on time.

Many sites (for example, Italy, Finland) have services to help job seekers. There is also the possibility of SMS notifications about the readiness of the stamp, which is provided for a fee (approximately 50 rubles).

If you are applying for a visitor visa, it is better to do it in advance and buy tickets and book them. But for a pensioner to participate in a tourist tour, no problems will arise if he has already paid for everything and the level of his pension is quite high to cover minor expenses during the trip.

The main problem is the low pension amount and the lack of a sponsorship letter.

Types of Schengen visas

The validity period of a visa also depends on its type and type. The following types of permissions exist:

• A – allows transit through the airport;
• B – opens for transit by land transport, given for 1–5 days. Today it is not issued by the Schengen zone states; instead, it is necessary to obtain a type C permit;
• C is the most popular type. Can be issued for both short periods (15 or 30 days) and up to 5 years;
• D – national visa, it can be issued for a period longer than 5 years. Type D permits with long validity periods allow you to travel to other Schengen states.

It is important to distinguish between the validity period of a Schengen visa and the permissible period of stay abroad. Thus, a multivisa C valid for 180 days allows you to stay abroad for no longer than 90 days in a row (and no more than 90 days in total). Annual – no more than 90 days every six months.

C visas are divided into the following subtypes:

The longest period that is possible when applying for a standard Schengen multiple visa is 5 years. If you need to increase it, you need to obtain a national long-term visa D.

Service and diplomatic.

Visa costs in 2021 for Russians

From February 1, 2021, Schengen countries have increased the visa fee for many countries. Fortunately, these changes did not affect the Russian Federation.

A Schengen visa for Russians costs the same as before – 35 euros. The consular fee for an urgent visa (3 days or less before travel) is about 70 euros.

Additional visa costs depend on a number of factors:

1. The cost of health insurance is from 1 to 3 euros per day.
2. The service fee at the country's visa center is 1300-2000 rubles
3. The price of photographs is 200-500 rubles

Wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, children, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, grandchildren.

New profile

But the form that you need to fill out to apply for a visa has changed a little. New forms have already appeared on the websites of consulates and visa centers. For example, the Italian questionnaire at the link.

There are no significant changes. The only thing is that now you only need to write the dates of your trip, and the point where you could “ask” for a visa for a year has been removed. But don’t worry about this - to be honest, the duration of the visa has always been at the discretion of the consulate.

The documents are also the same.

Registration deadlines

In general cases, 10 days are allotted for consideration of the application. In fact, the time spent studying documents may increase by a month - if they are prepared poorly, and the consular officer may have additional questions. On average, embassy and consulate employees complete their work in 5-10 working days.

If the receipt date is important to you, find out in advance whether national holidays of the receiving state fall in the near future. Embassy and consulate employees usually rest on these days.

It is recommended to apply for Schengen visas in advance - three months before the trip. But there are situations in which the decision to leave is made unexpectedly. In this case, you can order an expedited registration procedure. The process of obtaining a permit will take no more than 3 days (for double payment).

The period for issuing a Schengen visa greatly depends on the accuracy of the applicant: if he makes a mistake in the application form or other initial documents, the consideration of the application may take an indefinite period of time, and the matter may end in refusal. Therefore, if you are not confident in your abilities, immediately involve intermediaries.

The price already includes all consular and visa fees. The price is final.

Send a request

In some situations, if any doubts arise, the applicant may be required to provide additional information or even be invited to a personal conversation.

How to apply for a Schengen visa for a pensioner: instructions

The procedures for obtaining a Schengen visa for pensioners and other categories of Russians are virtually the same. The easiest way is to get permission for a one-time short trip on an already purchased tour, but the most difficult thing is to apply for a multiple visa for a period of several years.

Step-by-step instructions for obtaining a Schengen visa for a pensioner include 5 steps:

1. Prepare a package of necessary documents. In many ways, the decision that consular officers will make depends on him. Particular attention should be paid to documents confirming financial solvency.
2. Complete an application and submit it to the selected Embassy, ​​Consulate or visa center. You can fill out the application yourself or use the help of various agents and other intermediaries. Increasingly, applications are now accepted via the Internet.
3. Passing the fingerprinting procedure. It is mandatory for everyone if the database does not contain fingerprints submitted over the past 5 years. They go through it at the visa center or the Consular Section.
4. Payment of the established duty. Visa centers accept payment immediately, Embassies and Consulates have their own rules for accepting fees, sometimes you need to go to the cash desk of an accredited bank, and sometimes you can pay the money right away.
5. Receive a decision and a completed visa. It will be pasted into the passport.

If you plan to obtain a long-term multiple visa, you must consider the following rules:

• To obtain a multiple visa, you must first use at least 3 short-term visas, and for a period not exceeding 2 years.
• The first multiple visa is always issued with a validity of 1 year.
• If you use the first annual multiple visa correctly, you can expect to receive a 2-year multiple travel permit, and then a 5-year one.

Obtaining Schengen does not guarantee unhindered entry into the territory of the countries participating in the agreement.

Applying for a visa to Portugal for pensioners

The hospitable Portuguese Republic is a desirable area of ​​residence not only for retirees from Russia and the CIS, but also for other developed European countries. After all, Portugal is regularly present in the top 5 countries in Europe in terms of living standards and is a combination of various positive factors (good environment, excellent medicine, warm climate, inexpensive but high-quality food, etc.).

And if for a European pensioner it is not difficult to fulfill the Portuguese requirements and settle down calmly, then the standards for the majority of Russians of retirement age will seem unbearable.

We will discuss this and other nuances regarding moving to PR in this article.

Visa for pensioners to Portugal

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• Consultations with a visa specialist are held Mon-Fri, from 9:00 to 18:00

Consultation