DThis article will be not only interesting, but also useful to those who are planning a trip to Germany by invitation relatives or friends and is concerned about obtaining an appropriate visa. Detailed instructions with a photo of the necessary documents And order of registration A visa will help you get it in a short time and without a headache. The article addresses the issues the cost of a visa, terms and places of its issuance. Given original invitations, questionnaires, job references and other documents in order to apply for a Schengen visa to Germany on your own.
Where to apply for a visa to Germany by invitation
You can get a visa to Germany by invitation in embassy or Consulate of Germany in Russia, by using specialized commercial organizations or using authorized visa application center. Each of these options has certain disadvantages and advantages.
- Obtaining a visa by submitting a package of documents directly to embassy or consulate makes it possible not to pay service fees and will be the most economical. However, in case of lack of documents, errors in them or during the interview, we lose everything: both the trip and the opportunity to open a visa and the funds spent paid for the visa fee;
- Profile commercial organizations, including travel agencies, are in many cases convenient, but they are not endowed with the right to select biometric data. That is, such organizations do not have the opportunity to take the fingerprints of the applicant and transfer them to the embassy for consideration of the application. Therefore, if your biometrics is expired or you did not hand it in, then this option is definitely not suitable for you;
- Official Germany visa application center (partner) in Russia has several serious advantages over the options for applying at the consulate or other specialized organizations. The center works with biometrics, provides services for filling out the required questionnaires and consults on the entire package. It should be said that for their services, as well as other commercial centers, the official visa center makes a service fee.
Based on the above circumstances, it is recommended to apply for a visa to Germany by invitation by contacting authorized visa center.
Which organization is an authorized visa center?
In order to avoid mistakes when planning a trip to the Schengen zone and guaranteed to go on a trip, you should always check with the original source. In our case, this Website of the German Embassy in Russia.
If we switch to embassy website, then in the section "Visa issues" we can easily find an important mention that when obtaining a Schengen visa, one should be guided by the information posted on the website of the embassy and the website of the VisaMetric service partner.
Several clones of an authorized partner are distributed on the Internet, so you should focus on the embassy website.
VisaMetric offices, which is accredited by the representative offices of Germany in Russia visa centerestablished to provide services for the processing of visa applications are located in the following cities:
- in Moscow: along Kievskaya street 2, on the third floor of the building of the shopping center "Kievskiy";
- in Saratov: along the street Academician Vavilov N.I. 28/34, in the building of the business center "Atlant";
- in Rostov-on-Don: on Socialisticheskaya street 74, on the fourth floor of the building of the business center "Merchant's Yard";
- in KazanLocation: 87 Ostrovskogo street, on the second floor of the Business Park business center building;
- in Krasnodar: along Krasnykh Partizan street 152, in the building of the business center "Senate";
- in SamaraLocation: 131 Krasnoarmeyskaya street, on the second floor of the Good'Ok business center building;
- In Nizhniy Novgorod: along Bolshaya Pokrovskaya street 61;
It is advisable to apply to a specific office by administrative districts, in accordance with the place of residence of the applicant.
Schengen visa scheme
Let's consider the order of step-by-step actions. Based on the information posted on the website of the embassy and the VM center, the scheme for obtaining a Schengen visa is quite simple and consists of four stages.
- Preparation of necessary documents;
- Submission of an application with attachments and copies;
- Waiting for the processing of the application at the representation and embassy;
- Obtaining a passport with an open visa.
That is, the first and perhaps the most important stage is the preparation of the necessary documents. What exactly needs to be prepared?
Visa to Germany by invitation: documents 2022
Competent and complete preparation of documents for obtaining a visa to Germany by invitation is 99% a successful solution to the issue. Pay close attention to all the nuances when filling out the application, other required information and opening a visa on your own will not cause any problems or hassle.
The following is a complete list of documents that are needed to obtain a visitor visa at the invitation of acquaintances and friends.
- Application for a visa (questionnaire).
It is recommended to fill out an application in a special online program. Of course, you can print the questionnaire form and fill it out manually, but in case of an error, everything will have to be rewritten. Online filling makes it possible to save data to a file and return to editing. After filling and verification, the questionnaire must be printed and sign in 3 places. Photos do not need to be pasted. This is what the first page of the questionnaire looks like after printing.
Please note that the Travel Guide website here and below provides up-to-date samples and list of all required documents to open a visa. However, to avoid errors in their preparation, use only samples with official site. Do not trust any other third-party resources that offer to download forms and forms, including the online application for a visa to Germany by invitation.
- Consent of a citizen to the processing of personal data.
This is a standard form provided on the basis of the requirements of the Federal Law of the Russian Federation of July 27, 2006 N 152-FZ. With the same application, you authorize the processing of your biometric data. Consent includes:
- The date the consent was filled out;
- Passport data (internal Russian passport);
- FULL NAME. and signature of the applicant.
- Foreign passport in original.
The passport must be valid, have at least two blank pages and be valid for at least 90 days after the end of the travel period stipulated by the permit.
- Copy of foreign passport.
The main data contained in the international passport (two pages in a spread) are provided in the form of copies by all citizens. But, if you previously received a Schengen visa, then you also need to make a copy of the visa with biometric information.
- Two photos with "biometric" parameters.
In practice, this means a photo that you took no later than six months before applying with certain parameters:
- Photos must be in color;
- Photo size 35 by 45 millimeters;
- The face in the photo should be located in the center;
- Corners and other foreign elements in the photo are not allowed.
- Medical policy for insured events.
The policy must be in the name of the applicant and have live print. In addition, it must contain certain information and meet a number of requirements:
- It must be valid for the duration of the trip;
- The territory of action must extend to the countries of the Schengen agreement;
- The amount of insurance coverage cannot be less than 30 thousand euros per applicant.
- Passport of a citizen of Russia in the original.
The provision of a passport is mandatory for all Russian citizens over 14 years of age. It must have valid dates and be able to meet the requirements for personal identification documents (readability, lack of soiling, obvious abrasions, etc.).
- Copies of the pages of the passport of a citizen of Russia.
In addition to the original passport, it is required to make copies of its individual pages. These "separate" pages include ALL pages that contain personal information about its owner.
Besides, in without fail Copies of the following pages are required:
- Pages with a photo and personal information;
- Pages showing places of registration;
- Pages with information about previously received passports;
- Pages with information containing data on marital status.
- Invitation from a private person in the original.
An invitation for a visit to Germany from a private person can be a statement of acceptance of obligations in an official form - "Verpflichtungserklärung" or free form invitation:
- Official invitation from a German citizen Verpflichtungserklärung issued on a special form of the established form and returned to the applicant after consideration of the package of documents for a visa;
- Free form invitation provides for the presence of a number of mandatory items in its content. Requirements for the content of an invitation in free form are not exhaustive. It is advisable to cover as widely as possible all issues related to the place of residence, kinship, goals and duration of stay. In addition, it is required to attach a copy of the document confirming the status of the inviting person (passport, etc.).
- A copy of the invitation from a private person.
Make a double-sided copy Verpflichtungserklärung and attach it to the application.
- Guaranteed financial solvency of the applicant.
The applicant is obliged to provide information about his financial reliability, that is, to support his stay in Germany financially. Documents of this nature include:
- Bank statement with a reflection of the movement of funds for 3 months preceding the citizen's application, indicating their balance on the account. Pay attention: not just a certificate of account status is required, but an extract with the movement of funds for three months with a "living" seal of the bank;
- If you have a deposit made on a savings book, then you need to present the book itself and its copy;
- As a guarantee of financial viability, it is possible to provide a letter of guarantee from a sponsor, that is, a third party who is financially responsible for your security for the period of the trip. The letter has a definite form. In addition, a document is required that guarantees the solvency of the sponsor and a copy of his passport (personal data page).
If the inviting person declares that he/she bears all the expenses associated with your visit to the Schengen area, the above information is not required. The very fact of such a statement must necessarily be reflected in the Verpflichtungserklärung.
- Information about the applicant's employment.
The documents that are provided as information about the applicant's employment are:
- Signed by the head and certified by the seal of the organization certificate on official letterhead. It must contain a number of mandatory information. Such information includes: the legal address of the organization, including telephone contacts, the date of issue, the position of the citizen and his monthly income in this organization;
- If the applicant is an individual entrepreneur, then he is required to comply with documents confirming the status. These include: the original and a copy of the IP registration certificate, one of the certificates in the form 2-NDFL or 3-NDFL and an extract from the tax or trade register. All submitted documents must be certified by a live seal, so online receipt of the same extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities is not suitable;
- For persons who are pensioners, regardless of the grounds for obtaining the status, it is possible to provide the original and a copy pensioner's certificates or an original and a copy of a certificate issued by the relevant body making pension accruals. The original certificate is provided only to confirm the information and is returned to the applicant;
- For schoolchildren and students of secondary specialized and higher educational institutions, it is required to submit certificate issued by the relevant institution. The necessary requisites for correct reference are: information about the institution (name, address, contact details), signature of an authorized person and a "living" seal of the educational institution.
- Information on confirmation of readiness to return to the Russian Federation
- As such information, some documents may be attached to the application indicating that the applicant has immovable or movable property (Vehicle). These include valid certificates of ownership issued earlier by the Rosreestr authorities or extracts from the USRN certifying the fact of state registration of the right. In the case of providing information about the ownership of the vehicle, it is required to prepare a vehicle passport (PTS). All documents are provided in the original and in a copy;
- Documents confirming having strong family ties applicant in the Russian Federation. Such relationships include marital relations and the presence of minor children. As a general rule, originals and copies of certificates are provided.
- Information on how to arrive in Germany
The most frequent and most widely used way to get to Germany is by air travel. In addition, it is possible to use rail transport and buses. If you are planning to use one of these forms of public transport, please provide your booking or ticket purchase information printed from the respective online services. The original is not required when booking online.
The procedure for submitting documents and obtaining an open visa
After preparing all the documentation according to the list, it is required to submit the generated package to the consulate or to one of the offices of the authorized partner of VisaMetric. On the partner's official website indicated earlier, there is the possibility of pre-registration for submitting an application.
You must arrive at the office at the appointed time and at the registration desk receive a ticket with the queue number. After the call, go through a short conversation and hand over all prepared materials. Further, in the absence of any errors, you need to wait again for the call to go through the fingerprinting procedure.
Upon completion of the fingerprinting procedure, it is necessary to pay the visa and service fee under the contract, which is issued by the center employee during the interview.
The cost of obtaining a visa to Germany
When applying at the visa center of the official partner "VM", the total cost consists of two amounts:
- Payment of the visa fee, which for Russian citizens is 2470 rubles;
- Payment for the service fee, which is 1440 rubles.
In total, the total cost of the service will be 3910 rubles, both for an adult and a minor. For citizens of other states, except for those with which there is an agreement on a simplified visa regime, the tariff increases. At the same time, the cost of the service fee is the same for all categories of applicants.
Obtaining a passport with an open visa
The maximum period for making a decision on permission to enter the territory of the Schengen area is 10 working days. However, as a rule, the issue is resolved within 3-6 business days.
The status of the solution to the issue can always be tracked on the main page of the VM website, by entering passport data and an identification number under the contract. In addition, the letter received by e-mail after registering for an appointment with VM contains a link with the status of the application in graphic format.
Obtaining a ready-made passport is allowed only by a person with whom a contract for the provision of services has been concluded. At the same time, other persons included in the contract may, when submitting an application, authorize in writing the receipt of their passport by the person with whom the contract was concluded.
To obtain a foreign passport, it is required to present an internal Russian passport and a service agreement. Pick up is done on weekdays and does not require an appointment.
EN 
RU 
How far in advance can I apply for a Schengen visa to Germany to be sure that the planned trip will take place?
You have the opportunity to apply for a Schengen visa at the Consulate General or the German Embassy or at one of the offices of the official partner of foreign German representations of Germany in Russia within a period not exceeding 90 calendar days before the start date of the planned trip.
If I live in the Smolensk region, but I am temporarily in Novosibirsk, can I apply for a visa at the German Consulate General in Novosibirsk?
On the official website of foreign representations of Germany in Russia germania.diplo.de the territorial delimitation valid when submitting applications is indicated. In other words, documents for a visa are submitted to the representation that corresponds to the administrative district of the applicant's residence.
For example, the German Consulate General In Ekaterinburg accepts applications from citizens living in the Republic of Bashkortostan, the Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Districts, the Perm Territory, as well as in the Chelyabinsk, Tyumen, Kurgan, Sverdlovsk and Orenburg regions.
The full scheme of the division of diplomatic missions and VisaMetric offices can be found on the partner's website at visametric.com/Moscow/Germany/ru/p/administrativnye-okruga
How long does it really take to get a visa ready after applying?
If your documents are prepared in full, the application (questionnaire) for a visa is filled out correctly and without errors, then the waiting period, as a rule, does not exceed 10 calendar days. In practice, the term for issuing a short-term Schengen visa through a VisaMetric partner takes on average up to 6-8 days, in Moscow it is faster.
However, in some cases, the period for processing the submitted documents may increase when the representative of the representative office decides that it is necessary to obtain additional information about the applicant. It should be understood that at the stage of processing the application by employees of foreign representations of Germany in Russia, it is impossible to obtain any information about the progress of the process.
How is the procedure for collecting biometric data and how long is it valid?
It must be understood that the procedure for selecting biometric data actually consists of two stages. The procedure itself requires the personal presence of the applicant.
First stage is the provision by the applicant of a photograph made in accordance with the requirements (specified above in the text of the article).
Second phase is the selection of the applicant's fingerprints. The selection of fingerprints is carried out using a stationary fingerprint scanner without the use of coloring pigments.
Selected fingerprints valid for 59 months. After the expiration of this period, you will need to go through the specified procedure again.
My visa for 5 years ended in June 2020. There is a new invitation for 5 years. Do I need to provide insurance in the documents, tk. I don't plan to travel for the next 4 months.
A medical insurance policy is a mandatory document that is provided when applying for a visa to Germany. Taking into account the fact that its validity should extend to the period of the trip, it is possible to issue its validity for the period of the planned departure, on the dates you need. That is, when applying for a policy today, you yourself choose the period of its validity, for example, from November to January, etc.