What certificates need to be provided?
One of the main requirements for consular employees is the provision of a certificate from the place of official employment (in Russian or English). It is equally important to provide a bank account statement.
Appearance of a bank account statement
Obtaining a certificate of income to obtain a Schengen visa is not as simple as it seems at first glance. In order for the issue to be resolved as quickly as possible, the traveler must be aware of the existing pitfalls.
Example of a certificate of employment for obtaining a Schengen visa
The main function of the certificates required to obtain a Schengen visa is to prove that the Russian has a stable and fairly good income in his homeland. That is, he is not interested in moving abroad. The speed of resolving the issue depends on the level of wages.
A person who has an average salary in accordance with current realities has the same chances of obtaining a visa. Conversely, a Russian with a high income is guaranteed to receive a visa.
To obtain a visa you need to provide:
- salary certificate from work;
- statement of the availability of funds in the bank account.
Who issues the document
The income certificate is issued by the organization in which the Russian works.
If an individual entrepreneur applies for a Schengen visa document, then his income is reflected in a certificate from the bank confirming the receipt of money in his account.
Some citizens of the Russian Federation have an unofficial source of income. Even if they receive a high salary, the issue in the consular department is not always resolved in their favor. However, people employed unofficially travel quite successfully throughout the Schengen zone.
What certificates for a Schengen visa will unemployed citizens need?
If a person works unofficially (or does not work at all), or if he cannot boast of a good salary, then the work certificate can be replaced with another document. The main thing is to make it clear that the citizen is able to pay for the services. So what he will need:
- account statement , if there is already money there that would be enough for the trip;
- letter from a sponsor , which can be drawn up by relatives or an inviting company willing to pay all expenses. In this case, all collected papers will also need to be accompanied by a certificate from the sponsor’s place of work or any other paper that would indicate solvency.
You can confirm the fact that the tourist does not intend to stay in another country using certain documents:
- marriage certificate or proof of presence of children. This will be one of the main incentives: a family man is unlikely to leave his relatives in another country;
- document confirming the relative's disability. Such a paper will be proof that the tourist will definitely return, since he will not be able to leave his loved one alone.
How is an extract issued?
A bank certificate for obtaining a Schengen visa is issued by the bank that services the traveler. The Russian must receive this extract at least 30 days before submitting the application. A sample certificate can be found on the bank’s website.
Diplomats in some European countries accept a statement showing the bank account balance. US representatives are less democratic on this issue. Diplomats often ask for information about transactions over the past six months.
The account statement must be confirmed by the seal of the bank branch. In addition, it must be certified by the signature of an employee of this institution. Some diplomats require a round seal. You can also check the sample stamp on your bank’s website. In this case, the processing of the statement may take 3–5 business days. At Sberbank, an extract is issued immediately at the time of application.
If an individual entrepreneur applies for a visa document, he undertakes to provide a high-quality photocopy of the state registration certificate.
Type of state registration certificate
Each European country sets its own requirements regarding the size of the account. Most often, the amount is calculated as follows: 62 euros per day per 1 traveler. The average tourist trip takes up to 10 days. That is, the traveler must have at least 620 euros in ruble equivalent on his account.
Requirements of European States
Each European country has its own requirements for bank statements. To avoid misunderstandings, you need to ask about this issue in advance.
Today it is known that:
- For a British visa, you must attach 2 certificates to the package of documents, one of which must be translated into English.
- A certificate for a French visa must be supplemented with contacts and address of the bank.
- To obtain a visa to Italy, a credit card statement is sufficient.
Translation into English can be performed by bank employees. If the bank does not provide such a service, the applicant must seek help from a licensed translation agency.
Certificate validity period
An important issue is the relevance of the account statement. According to current realities, the certificate is considered valid for three weeks (21 calendar days) from the date of issue.
How much money do you need to have to get a visa?
One of the important factors for obtaining a visa to the Schengen area is having enough money to live in the chosen country. You can confirm your solvency with a certificate from your place of work indicating the amount of your salary, a bank statement on the status of your account and the movement of funds through them for the last quarter.
Question “How much money should be in the account to obtain a Schengen visa?” is the most popular among tourists. Each country has its own minimum daily living wage, it all depends on the economic level of the state. In Hungary it is enough to have 4 euros per day, in Poland - 24 euros, Greece - 50 euros, France - 120 euros. To find out what amount must be in the bank account to obtain a Schengen visa, you need to take the required minimum of the country you have chosen to visit and multiply it by the number of days of stay.
Note! If it is not possible to have such an amount at your disposal, then you can provide a document stating that the person who invites you to the country undertakes to sponsor all expenses. It must also guarantee that it will provide the necessary housing for the entire period of stay in the state.
Insurance for Schengen visa
Financial support
Bank card statement
Today, the vast majority of Russians use bank cards. This is very convenient, since you can withdraw cash not only in your hometown, but also in any country where there is a unified banking system.
Therefore, many travelers are interested in the question of attaching to the package of documents an extract not from a bank account, but from a card. This is relevant for travelers who are faced with the need to urgently go abroad. Theoretically, your own printout of data on a computer is not quoted. But in practice, the consulates of many countries accept this document. The only requirement is the presence of a bank seal.
Diplomats at the Italian consular office are more democratic on this issue. If a married couple is going on a short trip, then one of them can provide a receipt from an ATM and a scan of a bank card. In this case, the second applicant must submit all certificates according to the specified template. There are no problems with this, and a visa is usually issued to both.
Certificate from work for a Schengen visa
Having a permanent job with a good salary (from 80 thousand rubles) is a financial guarantee that a person will receive a Schengen visa with only a certificate from work. But I suspect that in Russia most people receive their salary in envelopes, and can only document the subsistence level.
In this case, you will have to print out the bag and deposit at least the funds for the trip into your bank account. For example, for a deposit.
And then make a bank statement. So that the consulate does not suspect that you are a beggar who wants to dance and sing in the Paris metro for food.
Statement for Sberbank clients
Many Russians are clients of Sberbank. This bank, which has subsidiaries in all CIS countries, is considered the most reliable.
Such an extract is given at Sberbank
Usually Sberbank employees provide an account statement on the same day. There is no special need to wait.
It is important to understand that a Russian can receive an account statement only at the office where the card is serviced. But for many consular offices, a statement of the amount on the card’s spending limit is sufficient. This extract must be certified. You can get it at any bank branch. A certificate from Sberbank is issued for 150 rubles.
Today, you can make an extract online. This helps to save a lot of time.
What do you need to get help?
A statement of the account balance is issued to the client of the banking institution upon request. You must provide a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation or other identification document. You can obtain information about your available account balance online, through a mobile application, or in person at a bank branch.
An application fee may apply. For example, at Sberbank you need to pay 200-300 rubles for a certificate.
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What data is indicated in the document:
- Public information about the owner.
- Banking institution data.
- Account opening date.
- Account details.
- Information about deposits and debits of money.
- Transaction data.
- Bank card balance.
- Signature of the specialist who prepared the extract.
- Bank office stamp.
Available funds are converted into the currency of the host country. Therefore, you need to calculate your balance in advance at the current exchange rate in order to receive documents for a visa.
What else can you encounter?
The “pitfalls” that Russians who decide to temporarily travel abroad stumble over every now and then also depend on the entry requirements of specific countries. The type of visa document is also taken into account. Thus, for some national study visas of category D, the statement must be made exclusively at the central branch of the bank. In this case, the applicant must wait at least 2 days for the certificate.
Representatives of Austria and the United States are very suspicious of the newly appeared money in the account. Therefore, to obtain a visa to these countries, you need an account statement in which the money has been lying for a sufficient amount of time.
What documents can supplement the certificate?
A bank certificate for a visa is certainly not the only document that can confirm a person’s solvency. It can be supplemented or replaced, for example, with an extract from the state register of real estate ownership or, for example, with the assets of an enterprise.
Many consulates of countries, especially those that have strict requirements for guests from abroad, require that the document in question be supplemented with a certificate from the employer. This source is supposed to reflect the fact of employment, as well as the level of a person’s salary. Actually, the corresponding document in some cases is even more important for consulates than a visa certificate from a bank.
Of course, the size of the deposit a person owns also plays a role. Let's study this aspect in more detail.
