The mention of the word “island” evokes for many an association of something beautiful, unusual, and mysterious. This is what Iceland is - the northernmost island state in Europe not connected to the mainland.
This is where you can see the beauty of our planet and the greatness of natural elements. Volcanoes and geysers, thermal springs and glaciers, fjords and waterfalls - the landscapes look like something out of a science fiction movie that has become reality.
The main goal of a tourist heading to an unusual country is not to see the achievements of civilization, but to enjoy their absence. Meanwhile, the country cannot be called backward. Life expectancy is high, crime is record low, the environment is incomparable - Iceland is one of the most favorable countries in the world to live in.
Reykjavik, Iceland
The traveler will find an abundance of cultural attractions in the small Icelandic capital - Reykjavik. But a tenth of the entire area of the country is occupied by a natural site - the Vatnajökull National Park, on which the glacier of the same name is located - the largest in Europe.
Main types of visas
Obtaining a Schengen visa is necessary in cases where we are talking about a short stay in the country (up to 90 days within six months). Which type of visa to apply for depends on the purpose of your planned trip.
Individual tourism and tourist visa
To make a tourist trip to Iceland, you can contact a travel agency accredited by the Embassy. In this case, obtaining a visa for up to 30 days will be a faster process compared to obtaining a permit individually. Independent travelers who do not use the services of a travel agency are subject to increased strictness from the Embassy. Their documents may be sent to the Icelandic Immigration Service for consideration, which entails an increase in the waiting period for a decision.
Business visa
When there is a need to visit Icelandic companies, firms, organizations for the purpose of negotiations, concluding deals, or resolving other work issues, the traveler needs a business visa.
Guestbook
To visit close relatives, friends or acquaintances, you need to receive an invitation from them and apply for a visitor visa to Iceland.
Visiting cultural and sporting events
To participate in international events of various nature (cultural, sports, scientific, educational), you must have a visa in hand that corresponds to the purpose of the planned trip.
Visa for seafarers
A separate type of visa that is issued to crew members of ships sailing to Iceland.
Transit
When a traveler travels to a country that is not part of the Schengen area via Iceland, a transit visa is required.
For a long stay in Iceland (study, work, family reunion) a long-term national visa is required.
How much does a visa to Iceland cost in 2021?
A mandatory visa fee is charged from each applicant and amounts to 3,000 rubles. When submitting documents through the visa center, a service fee is required - 2,070 rubles for each application. Citizens submitting a request to regional visa centers pay an additional 450 rubles for sending a package of papers.
Regardless of the content of the decision received, funds paid for intermediary services provided during the visa application process are not refunded.
Meanwhile, there are categories of citizens exempt from paying consular fees. These include:
- persons who are sent for training (schoolchildren, students, graduate students, accompanying teachers, lecturers, scientific supervisors);
- members of official delegations, governments, courts;
- citizens participating in various international level programs (sports, scientific, creative and others);
- children under 6 years of age;
- citizens going to the funeral of a relative;
- persons in need of urgent medical care.
The Visa Center does not charge the cost of services from young children (under 6 years old), disabled people and persons accompanying them.
How to get a visa to Iceland yourself
In order to obtain a visa on your own, without resorting to the help of companies specializing in these issues, you need to contact one of the VFS Global visa centers.
Regardless of the application method, all applicants must undergo the procedure of submitting biometric data (digital photography, fingerprints) at least once every 5 years. Children under 12 years of age and persons with hand injuries, which makes it impossible to take fingerprints, are exempt from fingerprinting.
Iceland
Via Visa Application Center
VFS Global branches in five major cities of Russia provide information, administrative, and intermediary services to their clients who wish to obtain an entry permit to Iceland.
All visa applications are processed centrally at the Embassy of Iceland in Moscow, therefore the VCs are not responsible for the content of the final decision provided to the applicant.
For successful cooperation, you need to strictly adhere to all the rules for submitting documents and visiting the CC:
- Make an appointment in advance;
- Clearly formulate the purpose of the trip;
- Collect all the documents necessary for the trip specifically for your purpose, according to the list;
- Submit biometric data (if this has not been done previously), submit documents to the CC employee, await the result of the consideration of the visa application;
- During your visit, adhere to established safety rules.
VCs provide a number of additional services aimed at increasing the comfort of applicants and saving their time.
VFS Global Customer Service
The cost of additional services is paid separately from the service and visa fees.
Applicants can order services that will allow:
- Save time on coming to the office:
- – this is the collection of biometric data and the receipt of a package of documents at the client’s address;
- “Home visa” – acceptance of documents by a VFS Global employee at the client’s premises (relevant if the fingerprinting procedure has been completed previously).
- Receive a ready-made passport by courier, having previously placed an order for such a service;
- Take advantage of the professional help of a personal assistant;
- Submit your application in the extra comfortable conditions of the Premium Lounge without waiting in line;
- Make photographs, copies of documents;
- Get help filling out the form;
- Buy insurance.
After visiting the CC, each applicant can leave a personal review about the company, make suggestions for improving the office’s work, or complain about the service. In order to do this you need to follow the link.
Via the consulate
The Icelandic Embassy strongly recommends that your visa applications be submitted to an authorized VFS Global Visa Application Centre.
The exception is the need to obtain a long-term visa. In this case, you need to contact the Icelandic Embassy in Moscow directly. Applications of this kind are sent to the Icelandic Immigration Service.
Documents for a visa to Iceland: list from 2021
All documents for obtaining a visa must be collected according to the list, filled out correctly, and validity periods must be met. The package of papers that the applicant must bring to the VC includes:
- Completed application form;
- A valid foreign passport, which expires at least 3 months from the date of return to Russia. The original document and copies of all its pages are provided, as well as other existing passports, including those that have been cancelled;
- Two photographs of the established standard;
- Copies of all pages (except blank ones) of the Russian passport;
- An insurance policy valid throughout the Schengen area for an amount of at least 30 thousand euros. You can apply for insurance online using the Cherehapa service;
- Papers that confirm the applicant’s solvency, since living in Iceland requires 50 euros per day: traveler’s checks, a certificate from the place of work indicating income, a bank account statement, cash;
- Purchased round trip tickets;
- Confirmation of the applicant’s place of residence in Iceland;
- Receipts for payment of consular and service fees;
- Certificate from the educational institution confirming status (for pupils, students).
Copies of all papers must be confirmed by the presence of the original.
Please note that the visa officer of the Icelandic Embassy has the right to call the applicant for an interview and ask for additional documents.
Iceland visa photo
Photos taken more than six months ago are not suitable. In addition, to obtain a Schengen visa, the Embassy puts forward certain photo requirements that must be strictly observed:
- photo size 35x45 mm;
- The photo paper is of high quality, the edges are not damaged, no scratches;
- the facial expression of the person being photographed is neutral (a smile, squinted eyes, and a slightly open mouth are unacceptable);
- a light blue, light gray or white background is used;
- no glasses (except for medical reasons), no headwear (exceptions are allowed only for persons professing certain religious beliefs, but covering the face is not allowed).
Visa documents for children
Parents wishing to apply for a visa for a minor child provide a birth certificate and a copy of it, permission to travel from the other parent, if one of them will accompany.
The said permission must be notarized. Such a document is not required only for objective reasons: deprivation of the second parent of parental rights or in the event of his death.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Additional documents for different types of visas
To the main list of documents you need to add additional papers, the contents of which depend on the purpose of the planned trip.
The receiving party must issue an invitation for a Russian citizen traveling to Iceland. For a visitor visa - an invitation from relatives, for a business visa - from an Icelandic company, for participation in events - from a relevant organization or institution.
The content of the invitation should cover the following key points: information about the inviting party (last name, first name, patronymic of an individual, name of a company or organization), details of the invited person, purpose and duration of the trip, information about the relationship between the two parties, the financial side of the issue (who pays the costs) .
If we are talking about a visa for the purpose of visiting relatives, then the inviting party fills out the first 2 pages of a special UTL form, the applicant fills out the last page.
Each applicant, regardless of the type of visa requested, must sign a consent to the processing of personal data at the VC.
Visa to Iceland for Russians in 2021
Iceland - this is how the name of the beautiful state of Iceland is translated into Russian. The island power is located in Northern Europe, in the north Atlantic. Its territory consists of the island of Iceland and small surrounding islands. To visit this amazing region, Russians will need an entry document. Let's find out where and how to obtain a visa to Iceland.
- Entry document required!
- The main thing about Icelandic entry documents
- Procedure for obtaining an entry document
- Recommendation for visa applicants
- Basic set of documents
- Additional documents
- Visa payment
- The reply is in process
For Russian citizens, the answer to the question of whether a visa is needed to visit Iceland is positive. But since the Northern European republic is part of Schengen, you can enter its territory:
How long does it take to get a visa to Iceland?
The period for receiving the final decision is determined by the type of visa requested: 7 days – seafarer visa, transit visa, business visa; 10 days – guest, tourist, participation in international events.
If the documents are sent to the Icelandic Immigration Service, then you will have to wait at least 1.5 months.
How to check your visa readiness
When a foreign passport from the Embassy arrives at the visa center, a text message is sent to the applicant’s phone (the service is ordered in advance when submitting documents).
It is also possible to independently track the stages of consideration of a visa application using a special link.
The applicant can receive a passport in person, his relative, providing a document of relationship, a third party by power of attorney certified by a notary, or a representative of an accredited travel agency.
Visa for a child
The preparation of documents for children requires special attention. Many cases require individual consideration. The most common things to consider are:
- A child of any age must have his or her own visa or a visa sticker in the parent's passport;
- If the child does not have his own passport, then he must be included in the parent’s passport and have a photograph;
- In any case, the same package of documents is drawn up for him. In addition, an application from the second parent agreeing to the child’s travel abroad is attached;
- If a child travels abroad alone, then a notarized application is submitted from both parents.
If you still have questions about obtaining a visa for a child, it is better to contact the Iceland visa center or tour operator.
Read about how to apply for Schengen for a child by following the link.
Embassy, visa centers of Iceland in Russia
Icelandic Embassy in Moscow
Address: Khlebny lane, 28 Moscow, 115127
Tel.
Website: iceland.is/ru
Iceland visa centers in the Russian Federation
All VFS Global visa centers accept documents from 09:00 to 16:00 from Monday to Friday, except for the VC in Novosibirsk, which starts accepting documents from 8:30.
Passports are issued from 09:00 to 16:00, except for the CC in Moscow (issue starts from 11:00).
Single contact phone number.
Iceland Visa Application Center in Moscow
Address: st. Shchipok, 11, building 1 Moscow, 115054
Iceland Visa Application Center in St. Petersburg
Address: st. B. Raznochinnaya, 16/7 St. Petersburg, 197110
Addresses of Icelandic representative offices
- VFS Global.
Consultation, including acceptance of documents, from 09.00 to 16.00. Working days are Monday-Friday. Passports are also issued at this time. The exception is the center - in Moscow, delivery starts from 11.00.
- Moscow, st. Pinch, 11.
- St. Petersburg, st. B. Raznochinnaya, 16/7.
- Ekaterinburg, st. Kuibysheva, 44
The Embassy in Moscow specializes in issuing Schengen category D (duration of stay in the country from 90 days) and all types of visas to citizens of the Russian Federation.
- Moscow, Khlebny lane, 28. Email address: [email protected]
Please note that in addition to holidays in Russia, the following are considered holidays in the Kingdom: Lutheran traditional holidays, President's Day and the proclamation of the republic.
Obtaining a visa may be delayed due to personal biographical facts.
You need to familiarize yourself with the rules of stay at the embassy and visa center. It is prohibited to bring video and photographic equipment, players, laptops, and disks. Among the personal items in the bag there should be no cutting, piercing or flammable objects.
To make an appointment, you can use the number provided on the website or write to online support. The consultant will tell you whether it is possible to join the electronic queue, what you need to have with you when coming to the appointment.
The manager will tell you the time and date, so don’t be late. It is recommended to register 3-4 weeks before your planned departure date. It takes a little time to collect documents and obtain a visa pass, but it is better to deal with this issue in advance.
