Tatyana Solomatina

How to independently get a visa to Greece through a visa center in Moscow?

Good day, friends! Tourist visa to Greece independently, difficult or not?

In this publication, I will go a little beyond the casual phrases of information sites on the topic. Just tell you how we got a Schengen visa through a visa center in Moscow. There will be no information on all occasions, I will share your experience on a specific example. Documents were submitted on August 16, 2018 (two mothers with children 11 and 13 years old).

In November, we go on a trip to mainland Greece on a rented car. The route is rich, with short nights in different places. This moment has significantly complicated the collection of documents. All the intricacies of the design procedure will tell in detail.

When the question arose about obtaining a visa to Greece, there were four options (prices for one passport):

1. Arrange directly through the consulate of 35 euros
2. Suppose documents in the visa center 35 Euro + 20 euros
3. Contact mediators 12000 rub.
4. Follow in one of the countries of the Schengen Agreement before traveling on a batch tour

All these options had their pros and cons, short tell what we were guided:

• The first option is the most economical, but tough at technical points. Prior to that, they did their own Schengen visa: once at the Consulate of Italy (at the invitation), once in the visa center of this country, everything went smoothly. But then we had simple trips to one place. This time we were afraid to act in this way due to the complex travel route.
• The third option was the most tempting. It is convenient to shove all the concerns on third parties. However, there is a risk of running on unscrupulous performers (a lot of negative reviews). What are the lime references about work, hotel armor, and so on, will pass to the consulate? Without controlling the process, you can generally stay by the unavailable for a long time. Plus scared the cost of the service. In general, from this path, we also refused.
• There was also a "delusional" idea to search an inexpensive short tour to one of the countries of the Schengen Agreement and to instruct the receipt of the cherished stamp to the tour operator. But the guarantees that the visa thus obtained will be multiple, and will cover the entire period of the upcoming journey, either.

In general, after a long random, they decided to choose the second option, to arrange documents on their own through the visa center in Moscow. We were not mistaken, only thanks to the help of a consultant, we managed to pass the documents on this day. Select the option with the embassy, \u200b\u200bat best there would have to be recorded at the reception of the second time, at worst, they would simply refuse. What is the reason to explain below.

Service and Visa Center Greece

Service and visa center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece for the whole Russian Federation is GLOBAL VISA CENTER WORLD (GVCW). Representative offices are in many cities. Go to their website to see the addresses and phone numbers of offices in the regions.

How to submit documents in Moscow?

Greece Visa Center in Moscow is located at: Moscow, ul. Tully, 66 (Tula metro station).

Record by phone Call Center: 8 (499) 709-83-18 from 9.00 to 18.00 (except weekends and holidays).

The operator on the phone asks to report the numbers of foreign passports of all participants in the travel and contact information (telephone + email). At hand there must be a handle, you are preducing the reservoir number for each person. Then get to Em. mail letter with armor coordinates. It should be printed, though it has not needed in place.

You can choose any date of the current month. We were offered to come literally the next day, the time scatter was also big.

Reception of documents: 9.00 - 16.00 In addition to Saturday, Sundays and holidays.

The operator suggested a lot of paid services: filling in profile, photo, photocopying, exit biometrics, full support by a visa center employee. You can ask questions, willingly respond, but the information owns not all.

Documents for a visa to Greece: Question - answer

Documents I collected on the list from the official website of the visa center https://ru-gr.gvcworld.eu/en/required-documents, Follow the link, I do not see the point of duplicate the list.

Is it possible to fill out a questionnaire and consent to data processing in the visa center?

There is such an opportunity, and not only for money. I saw how many filled papers from hand while waiting for their turn. Blanks lie on the rack in the middle of the hall. Filling samples did not see. True there are two monitors, maybe there is information there.

You can pay 300 rubles. For the questionnaire, the employee will fill it. It is not necessary to look for a rack in advance, everything happens during the delivery of documents.

Buy airline tickets or not?

This item is controversial. Everywhere they write that simple armor is not enough. With us, air tickets were redeemed. But the Greek Airlines Aegean Airlines sent tickets that look like a reservation. Nothing is written now about payment. Checks we also did not get. My personal account on their site is, but to print anything other than the armor, the possibility is not provided, or we simply did not understand.

It was certainly possible to write and ask at least a check, but we did not bother with the correspondence. Attached what was sent. It turned out to be enough.

Reservation or payment of accommodation?

We were going to move around the country with short stops in different locations. Of course, the approximate route was made up. But I did not exclude the possibility that he wants to stay in some place to stay longer, or other unforeseen circumstances will occur (vehicle breakdown, poor well-being, and so on). Initially wanted free movement. It is asked how to confirm the accommodation, while not to be attached to the hotels?

Coming several forums, talked to the managers of tourist agencies, but did not receive an accurate answer. Somewhere they write enough unpaid armor, which then you can cancel, someone advises paying one cheap hotel for the entire period.

After studying the information, I decided not to risk. Booked and fully paid five hotels on the route. Received by email Mail from them confirmation of accommodation and 100% payment (on blanks, with a list of all guests). Oddly enough, it took a little time. Answers came within 1-3 hours. Text we made arbitrary in Russian, then stupidly transferred to English with Google- Transfer.

It would seem, all is well. But when submitting documents, it turned out, no confirmation of one night. Hotel in Kalambaka (meteors) incorrectly pointed dates. And we "loaved", wrapped. "And on the old woman there is a drup." And in the case of an incomplete set of documents, an employee of the visa center puts the mark (it warned). What follows this - I do not know. It may be a more thorough check in the consulate, may refusing without proceedings, and may also ride. But how to risk when already the round sum is spent?

We decided to transfer the documents for another day. But then the girl, God for her health, suggested the exit. Attached to documents a car rental booking, the printout lay in a separate folder with another "garbage", taken just in case.

My practicality was useful. Car rental could be left on the last day before the trip, but I love to do everything in advance. Anyway, it would have to act through international booking systems, local offices are unlikely to agree to return the car in another city.

Asks, what is the connection with the confirmation of accommodation? The answer is: if there is a car, you can say that you have a night crossing, and this is enough. The replacement of all hotels on the route the car will not be, but for one or two nights such a confirmation ride. Checked for yourself!

In the end result, the documents we passed without any negative marks.

By the way, the same girl told us that paid confirmation from hotels is preferably, but not necessarily! Most likely, we would calmly cost a printout of Bucking for the entire stay. Believe it or not - your business. Simply keep in mind that the decision is still accepting the staff of the consulate, and not workers of the visa center.

To collect a separate set of documents?

In the visa center of Greece for each participant in the trip, a separate package of documents are completed! Even if mom is going with a child. "Experienced" friends told the opposite. Now I can say with confidence, they were mistaken. So do two photocopies of general documents (hotels, tickets, insurance and other).

A child rides with mom: a sponsored letter necessarily?

In my opinion it is nonsense. And so it is clear that the cost of the child will pay itself (applied a certificate from work). Nevertheless, it is required.

We have compiled a letter in an arbitrary form indicating passport data and travel time. Then transferred it into English ( Google-translator). Could not bother, quite Russian version.

Do not forget to make two help from work. The child demanded the original.

This question was tormented by me over the past two years. The ten-year passport of the younger son I did in 2012. The difference in appearance between the child eight years and fourteen teenager, noticeable.

We attended countries with a simplified visa regime without problems (, Turkey,). But as will look at this discrepancy at the Embassy of Greece? Without finding reliable information, I decided to radically -.

In the visa center, I still asked: Do I need to change your passport to a child if he grew up and has become quite unlike the photo? I was answered like this:

"Not compliance with the photo in the passport because of the child's appearance changed with age is not the cause of refusal to provide permission to visit the country. The main thing is that the photo applied to the package of documents for a visa corresponded to the appearance of the child at the moment "

It is asked why I initially did a passport for a child for a period of 10 years? Why replaced it before traveling? Do not repeat my mistakes!

Procedure for putting documents: how is it in practice?

We arrived an hour before the appointed time. There was no queue at the inlet.

The guard asked for one passport. Attached it to the scanner, probably thus checked recorded on this day or not.

I asked to disable the phones, so there will be no exclusive photos from the scene. Enough, once already a little behind forbidden shooting at the border. Now I'm afraid, so the phone turned off. The guard issued a ticket with the number and said to follow the tablo.

The hall is spacious and light. There was enough free places, air conditioning worked. We fell number 158. At the time of arrival it was 134 room. I was waiting for about 30 minutes, but I handed over documents for more than an hour!

We had four passports. As I have already written above, an individual package has collected a separate package for each visa center, everyone printed a questionnaire, only the contract for payment was one to the entire group.

We requested a multiple visa for three years. She began with children. The missing photocopy did there. How much is one photocopy not say, because the score was general. And he entered the consular fee of 35 euros from the passport, payment of the visa center for 20 euros, compilation of the questionnaire 300 rubles. Each, delivery by courier of all passports at one address (in MO 790 rubles) and all photocopies. In general, without one consular fee (a child of 11 years from payment is released) for 4 people paid 18600 rubles.

At the end of the design reported that the children would most likely give a visa short. The consent of the Dads we were provided for only a year. Oh, these men! They in the notarial office "padded noodles", which is the maximum term, they believed. And an employee of the visa center told us that they often bring consent even before the age of adulthood. It all depends on the notary. In general, if desired, it can be done for any time, this is not prohibited by law.

After passing the documents, redirected in the box office. The window was free. We paid for the card, but cash also accept. Here you can not pay the currency.

Next, waited 15 minutes. On the scoreboard again, our number caught fire. The elder child went to hand over prints. They are required from 12 years. But no matter how paradoxically, it sounds, valid for 5 years.
The procedure took no more than 5 minutes. On this we were free.

A total of about two hours in the visa center. Almost anywhere did not wait, most of the time went to the delivery of documents in the first window.