Fast-Track Schengen Visas for Russians through Italy and France
A practical route many Russians consider for securing a Schengen visa quickly is to apply at visa centers in Italy and France. Dilya Demidenko, who heads Online Tours at Travelbelka, shared insights with socialbites.ca about this approach.
Demidenko notes that Italian visa centers typically issue short, 5-7 day approvals, while French centers may extend a bit longer. She also cautions that summer is a busy period, which can push processing times higher due to increased demand.
The expert adds that holders of a prior visa for Italy or France may have a chance to obtain a longer visa, potentially valid for a year or more, under the right circumstances.
For first-time travelers, the most common outcome is a visa valid for travel dates or up to 90 days. This aligns with standard procedures for initial Schengen entries, where shorter durations are often issued to new applicants.
Demidenko emphasizes the importance of a solid visa history when pursuing a long-term Schengen visa. If an applicant has recently acquired a new passport, she recommends gathering and presenting copies of prior visas with the current paperwork to bolster the application and improve the odds of securing a longer visa.
In practice, some Schengen states have firm rules regarding visa issuance. For example, Spain may not issue a visa without prior visa history, while Hungary often issues visas strictly based on travel dates, even when there is a positive visa history. These nuances illustrate how consulates weigh past travel and the specifics of each country’s policy in the evaluation process.
The discussion about upcoming tourism trends for the season was provided by former hotelier Yunus Teymurkhanli, who spoke about what travelers might expect this summer. [Source: socialbites.ca]