How much does Lithuania provide for Schengen? Visas to Lithuania: personal experience

Holidays in the Baltic countries are a fairly popular destination for tourism in Russia. But due to the fact that they recently joined the EU and signed the Schengen agreement, Schengen is needed to visit them. For Russians, a visa to Lithuania is required regardless of the purpose of the trip, but obtaining a permit does not require significant time investment.

For those who decide to apply for a visa without refusals, quickly and inexpensively, we recommend the Online visa center.

Lithuania is the largest and most populous country located in the southern part of the Baltic states.

Types of visas

The Republic of Lithuania issues four types of permits for visiting its territory. Each species has its own name according to the division into categories:

Category A;
Category B;
Category C;
Category D;

Categories A and B are transit and this moment They are almost never issued anymore. They were replaced by a category C permit, valid for 5 days, with the “transit” stamp. Lithuanian airports issue an A visa for citizens in transit. A category C permit is a classic short-term Schengen visa to Lithuania. Using it you can visit not only the Republic of Lithuania, but also other Schengen countries.

A national permit provides the opportunity to visit other Schengen states for tourism purposes.

Simplified transit documents (STD) are a kind of transit visa through Lithuania for a trip to Kaliningrad. It can be obtained by a citizen of the Russian Federation traveling to Kaliningrad and crossing Lithuanian territory. There are two types of UDTs:

For road transit;
For rail transit.

The differences between them are not only in the method of crossing Lithuania, but also in the validity period. according to the railway FTD, 6 hours of stay in the country are given, according to the usual FTD - 24 hours. But to obtain railway transit documents, it is enough to purchase a train ticket, which is much easier than preparing documents for FTD at the Lithuanian Embassy in advance.

Documents for a Lithuanian visa

Russians who need a visa to Lithuania to travel need to prepare documents based on the purpose of the trip. The general package of documents always submitted includes:

A foreign passport valid according to Schengen standards for at least 180 days after the visa expires;
Questionnaire;
Two photographs 35x45 mm;
Medical insurance;
Confirmation of place of residence;
Copy of Russian internal passport;
Document confirming payment of the visa fee;
Consent to the processing of personal information.

The Lithuania visa application form must be filled out and signed personally by the person requesting the visa. You can enter money into the form either by hand or using a computer, but the signature on the application must be “live.” You can also fill out the online version of the Lithuania visa application form, located on the website https://visa.vrm.lt/epm/.

The allowed languages for entering data into the form are Lithuanian, English and Russian, but you must fill out the fields with your full name in Latin letters, as it is written in the passport.

The health insurance policy must comply with Schengen requirements:

Valid in any Schengen country;
Insurance coverage 30,000 euros.

A copy of the Russian internal passport must be made of all pages that contain information. Blank pages do not need to be photocopied.

To confirm the place of residence, it is necessary to indicate the exact address of the applicant’s location when visiting Lithuania. This could be a hotel, inn, personal property in Lithuania, a guarantee of housing from the host party.

Additional documents for different types of visas

In addition to the general list, based on the purpose of the trip, additional documents must be prepared to obtain a visa to Lithuania.

For tourists:

Confirmation of place of residence (lease agreement, property documents, hotel room reservation);
Financial guarantees of availability Money(bank certificate, sponsorship letter);
Document on employment in the Russian Federation;
Tour program.

To get Lithuanian business Schengen:

Confirmation of membership in the official delegation or the presence of business ties with Lithuanian partners;
Funds for stay in Lithuania (bank statement, presence of a sponsor);
Invitation from the Lithuanian side.

Visa to Lithuania for Russians in 2019 wishing to visit relatives, is issued on the basis of such additional documents:

Invitation from a relative;
Confirmation of his legal residence in the republic;
The fact of having money for the entire period of stay in Lithuania;
Confirmation of family ties;
Availability of legal registration of relatives in Lithuania.

To open a short-term student visa to Lithuania required:

Document of enrollment;
Invitation from the Lithuanian side;
Confirmation of the minimum financial security, for example, bank accounts.

Financial guarantees must be confirmed in writing. This could be a sponsorship letter, personal bank account information, traveler's checks, or other options. When sponsoring, you need to confirm the financial status of the sponsor.

Documents for a national visa

If a Russian intends to work or study in Lithuania, then he will need to apply for a national long-term visa, which gives the right to reside in the country for up to one year with the opportunity to find legal work. This Lithuanian visa gives the right to tourism in Schengen.

Registration of a national permit, which can be single or multiple, is more complicated than a short-term Schengen permit. Documents requested by the consular department for national visa to Lithuania are the same as for a short-term visa, with the exception of the application.

Multiple visas are given to foreigners who do not have a residence permit. It allows entry into Lithuania an unlimited number of times.

The main reasons for obtaining a national permit:

Family reunification;
Legal work activity in Lithuanian interests;
Participation in educational programs;
Investment.

Lithuanian visa photo requirements

The standards for preparing photographs for a request for a Lithuanian visa are specified in the requirements of the International Organization civil aviation(ICAO). Familiarize yourself with the main errors and shortcomings with examples.

The general list of conditions put forward for a photo for a visa to Lithuania is as follows:

Not older than six months;
Size 35 x 45 mm;
The image of the face is strictly from the front;
No hats;
Open face;
The face takes up 70-80% of the entire photograph;
Only one person is depicted;
Light solid background;
No glare from flash;
No red eyes.

Applying for a visa to Lithuania yourself

It is worth taking care of obtaining a visa in advance. You can independently obtain a visa to Lithuania using two methods. The first is to submit documents to the Consulate at the Embassy, the second is to contact the regional Visa Center. CCs are located not only in Moscow, but also in several more remote regions of the country, for example, in Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Vladivostok, St. Petersburg and other large cities.

Before visiting the CC or the Embassy, it is recommended to check work time and hours when documents are accepted.

Through the Embassy

Obtaining a visa to Lithuania through the Embassy is mandatory if the applicant requests national approval. For a short-term Schengen visa, submitting documents directly, bypassing the VC, speeds up the process and reduces costs, since there is no need to pay a service fee. To get Lithuanian Schengen, you need to follow this algorithm:

Make a pre-registration through the website via the Internet or by telephone;
Fill out the electronic version of the form, which must subsequently be printed and certified with a personal signature;
Attach a photograph to the electronic application prepared in advance;
Appear at the Embassy at the specified time and date;
Pass necessary documents, having paid visa service, and if you need to answer questions;
Wait for the request to be considered. You can control the process on the website;
Come and get a passport with a visa.

All required documents must be submitted in original or certified copy. Papers other than international passports cannot be returned.

Contacting the Lithuania Visa Application Center

A visa to Lithuania can also be ordered through the Visa Application Center. The only type of permits not issued through the CC is category D. A short-term Schengen visa to Lithuania is issued through the center at the request of a person planning a trip to this Baltic country. An applicant applying to the Visa Center must act in the following order:

Pre-entry;
Preparation of a package of documents, filling out an application;
Submitting the application form and its attachments personally or through a representative;
Waiting for the request to be processed;
Receiving ready documents.

Documents for a visa to Lithuania can be submitted by:

The applicant personally;
Parents for minor children;
A close relative who needs to confirm the relationship;
Attorney-in-fact.

Based on the introduction of a new procedure for submitting fingerprints, it is necessary to personally visit the Visa Application Center or Embassy to obtain data. This is not necessary if a similar procedure has already been carried out within the last five years. The data is stored in a single Schengen database for five years.

To Lithuania with children

To travel with a child you need a child visa to Lithuania. Therefore, to do this, you need to prepare a child visa package of documents:

Regardless of the child’s age, a questionnaire is filled out for him;
A photo of children over 6 years old must be pasted into the parent’s passport if the child does not have his own passport;
It is necessary to have a birth certificate and a certificate from educational institution(if there is);
In Lithuania, as in other Schengen countries, you need a power of attorney from the second parent in the name of the one accompanying the minor;
If a child will travel accompanied by another relative, as a member of a sports team, or cross the border with an accompanying person, then a power of attorney is needed from both parents.

Transit through Lithuania

Transit movement within Lithuanian territory is possible on the basis of:

Transit visa through Lithuania category A;
Short-term visa C, indicating “transit”;
Simplified transit documents.

FTDs are a replacement transit visa to Lithuania for Russians if they are traveling to Kaliningrad. To obtain standard FTD, you need to contact the Embassy and submit the following documents there:

International passport;
Copy of internal passport;
Photo;
Questionnaire for FTD;
Justification of the need for transit.

It is important that although documents are not required when accepting documents, when crossing the border you need to have with you:
Medical insurance;

Vehicle registration certificate;

International driving license;

International "motor citizen".

For transit by train, UTD Railways is required. They are issued by consular officers directly on the train traveling from Russia to Kaliningrad or back. The basis for obtaining such permission is a train ticket purchased no later than 28 hours before departure. Before boarding, you must obtain confirmation of permission to cross the border.

Price

Cost of Lithuanian short-stay visa when applying directly through the Embassy:

Payment for consular services is made in euros. The following are exempt from paying the fee:

Persons under 12 years of age;
EU citizens;
Disabled persons and accompanying persons;
Members of humanitarian missions;
Close relatives;
Persons officially invited by the Government of Lithuania;
Those heading for study or internship;
Participants of conferences, seminars, meetings;
Arriving on an exchange program.

When submitting documents for a Lithuanian visa with a subsequent visit to other Schengen countries through the Visa Application Center, the cost will increase. An additional service fee of 20 euros is included.. Payment for visa and service services at the CC is made in rubles, at the rate established by the Lithuanian Embassy. You can pay in cash or by card.
Service fee is not paid:

Children under 6 years old;
Disabled people and their accompanying persons.

Registration deadlines

A regular visa to Lithuania, submitted through the Visa Application Center, is issued within 5 – 7 working days from the moment the documents are received at the Embassy. If the permit is issued directly through the Embassy, then the period for consideration of the request is no more than one week.

An urgent decision to issue a visa is possible if you submit documents confirming the need for prompt consideration, as well as pay a higher cost of the consular fee (70 euros). Urgent processing occurs within three business days.

Validity periods

A Schengen permit for a short-term visit is usually issued for a period slightly longer than that specified in the invitation or tourist voucher. Typically this visa is issued for a period of 1 month. A single-entry visa ceases to be valid if the foreigner has left the territory of Latvia, even if the permit has not yet expired.

The presence of old Schengen visas in the passport has a beneficial effect on increasing the validity period of the issued permit.

A multiple-entry visa to Lithuania gives the right to cross the border several times, within the validity period of the permit. The standard period is one year, with a limited period of stay. But they can give a multiple visa for 5 years and for a period of less than one year. The holder of a multiple-entry visa is allowed to come to Lithuania for no more than 90 days within six months.

It is important to ensure compliance with time limits on when you can visit Schengen. Periods, according to the new rules, are now floating and are not tied to calendar months.

Refusal

Being denied a visa to Lithuania is the last thing you want. Therefore, it is better to exclude in advance possible reasons for which a visa may not be issued:

Deception;
Incomplete package of documents;
Violation of visa regime;
Committing an offense on a previous trip.

Holidays in the Baltic countries are attractive due to their relatively low cost and the opportunity to travel to own car mobile In the Baltic direction, the most popular is Lithuania, which is visited annually by more than 3,000,000 tourists from Russia and the CIS countries. In this regard, the issues of obtaining a Latvian visa do not lose their relevance.

Lithuania is a member of the Schengen agreement. Therefore, travelers (including Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians) need to take care of obtaining permits to stay in the country even at the stage of planning their trip. They are divided into several categories.

Transit categories A and B

Previously, this type of visa was quite common and was issued directly at the airport to persons who used Lithuania as an intermediate travel point. Of the listed categories, today the Lithuanian authorities can only affix a stamp with the letter “A” to a foreigner’s passport.

It gives the traveler the following rights:

Cross international transit zone in the arrival sector;
Stay at the airport terminal before boarding the flight.

Tourist under the letter “C”

This document is most often called “Schengen” and is classified as a classic visa. Tourists planning to visit Lithuania for the purpose of sightseeing are required to obtain a permit of this type.

It gives the right:

Live in the republic for 3 months;
Enter and exit states that have signed the Schengen agreement.

A short-term visa, as it is also called, is also issued to those who:

Going on a business trip;
Plans to study at Lithuanian universities;
Invited to the country on a private visit.

A permit document with the letter “C” obliges the foreigner to:

Comply with all laws of the country;
Comply with the conditions and rules of staying in the Schengen country;
After a set period of time, leave the state.

Most often, a short-term visa is issued with two notes:

"One-time";
"Twice."

In recent years, this type of document has often been issued to transit travelers. In this case, a special mark is placed - “transit”. This visa is valid for no more than 5 days.

National visa category D

It is done immediately for 12 months;
Allows you to travel to Schengen countries and stay in them for up to 3 months per six months;
Registration is accompanied by a thorough check of the candidate.

Resolution D is divided into 2 categories:

One-time (one-time)– issued to persons who have a Lithuanian residence permit or the right to permanent residence;
Multiple– issued for those foreigners who need to stay in the country for a long time.

The following apply for a reusable permit:

Students;
Businessmen organizing a business trip;
Persons who have a work invitation or cooperation agreement with a Lithuanian company;
Relatives of citizens of the country.

A visa with the letter “D” obliges the foreigner to obey the laws of the country in which he is located.

This document is essentially a multiple-entry visa of category C. It allows the foreigner to freely enter and leave Lithuania at the request of a foreigner. It is impossible to obtain a multiple visa when submitting documents for the first time.

It is given to those tourists who:

Have several Schengen visas in their passport;
Several times over Last year visited Lithuania;
They did not violate the visa regime.

Obtaining a simplified transit visa is a common procedure for those of our compatriots who need to enter the Kaliningrad region across the Lithuanian border.

It has two types:

UTD-ZhD.

For traveling by car, a TTD is made. The same category is filled out by Belarusians who plan to travel from Minsk or, for example, Grodno on a trip through the territory of Lithuania in their own car. The document is valid for 24 hours and does not limit the number of entries and exits from the republic.

If a train travel document is purchased for travel, then it is necessary to make a UTD-Railway (the visa gives the foreigner the right to stay on the territory of the state for no more than 6 hours).

Where can I get a Lithuanian permit stamp: list of institutions

The following structures are responsible for issuing permits in Russia:

Embassy in the capital;
Visa centers;
Consulate General.

Lithuania Visa Application Center in Moscow

Consulate General of Lithuania in St. Petersburg

Pskov Office of the Consulate General of Estonia in St. Petersburg

Consulate General of Lithuania in Kaliningrad

Consulate of Lithuania in Sovetsk

Consulates General are open in a number of Russian cities:

Irkutsk;
Omsk;
Saratov;
Rostov-on-Don;
Samara;
Krasnodar;
Saratov;
Ekaterinburg;
Permian;
Khabarovsk;
Krasnoyarsk;
Vladivostok;
Kazan;
Novosibirsk;
Nizhny Novgorod.

Reception and registration of papers at the embassy takes place only after prior appointment.

All information on the topic of entry permit and stay in the country is posted on

Schedule;
Phone numbers;
Links to application samples.

How to get a visa to Lithuania for a Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian: stages, methods, nuances, main list of papers

You can prepare documents in 2 ways:

On one's own;
Through an attorney.

The first option is the most common among potential tourists. Since there are enough places in the Russian Federation where you can apply without any problems necessary papers, and then receive a stamped passport.

If the procedure for obtaining a visa takes place through third parties (this group includes travel agencies), then the traveler must take care of obtaining a power of attorney. It is notarized and gives the attorney the right to conduct business on behalf of the principal.

An appointment is required to visit embassies and consulates located in the capital. This is done through a phone call. The employee will select a convenient date and time for the visitor. You must arrive for your appointment 20-30 minutes before the indicated hour.

At visa centers and consulates, applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. If desired, the visitor can sign up in advance, but this is not a requirement.

Main package of papers

To obtain a Lithuanian permit stamp, applicants must provide:

Foreign passport (its validity period is calculated using the formula: date of return to homeland + 180 days);
Photo (35 by 45);
Medical insurance;

Premium travel insurance

A document confirming the availability of a place to live in Lithuania;
Copy of ID;
Receipt for payment of the fee.

Each applicant attaches a permission form for the processing of personal data to the listed papers.

Document requirements

Medical insurance must be issued according to special rules. Mandatory conditions will be:

Coverage of at least 30,000 euros;
Valid on the territory of any country included in the Schengen agreement.

There are two ways to fill out the form:

By hand;
On the site.

After entering the data using the last method listed above, you need to print out the form. It is accepted only if there is a signature made by the applicant.

The choice of language to fill out the application depends on the wishes of the tourist. The following are considered acceptable:

Lithuanian;
English;
Russian.

In the columns where the surname, name and patronymic of the applicant are indicated, information is entered only in the same form as in the international passport.

Stages of registration

The procedure for obtaining a visa occurs in several stages:

Preparation of papers;
Making an appointment at the embassy/consulate/visa center;
Visiting the institution at the specified time;
Payment of the fee;
Transfer of documents;
Passing fingerprinting (carried out once every 5 years);
Waiting for a decision;
Receiving a passport.

Visa centers process all types of visas except national ones. The decision to issue it is made only after submitting papers to the embassy.

Tourists should know that the transit permit document has its own registration nuances:

Category A is issued at the airport;
UTD-ZhD is stamped on the train;
A category C visa marked “transit” is issued as usual.

Deadlines for obtaining a visa to Lithuania: is it possible to speed up the decision-making process?

The standard period that is usually stated when submitting documents is 2 weeks. This time interval is distributed as follows:

Forwarding papers – 7 days;
Review of the application takes from 5 to 7 days.

On average, it takes about 9 days to make a decision on issuing a visa. During this period, decisions are made on applications that do not raise additional questions.

If a tourist does not have the opportunity to wait for permits as long as necessary, then you can try to submit a request for urgent consideration. The procedure takes place only at the embassy in 1-3 days. The reasons for its initiation must be compelling. Most often this is the need to fly to Lithuania in the next 3-4 days for health reasons or in connection with business.

If questions arise for the visa applicant, the period for consideration of the application will be extended to a month. This time is given to prepare and provide additional package papers

It happens that permits expire before a person can return to their homeland. In this case, you cannot hide. This will lead to difficulties at border control when leaving the country. Travelers are advised to contact the departments migration service.

They are located in all major settlements of Lithuania, and in some cities there are more than two such branches (Vilnius falls into this group). If a foreigner presents compelling evidence of force majeure that prevented him from leaving the country, the visa will be extended free of charge. If there are other reasons, the renewal procedure will cost 30 euros.

Methods for obtaining a passport

There are two ways to receive a stamped passport:

The second option is available only to those persons who submitted papers to the embassy or CC of large cities that cooperate with courier services.

Information about the readiness of documents is posted on the official website of the embassy.

Price

The price of a permit depends on its category and place of registration. If the papers were submitted to a consulate or embassy, the cost may be as follows:

Visa with letter “C” - 35 euros;
Category D – 60 euros;
Simplified visa – 5 euros.

The registration of a visa of the UTD-Railway category will be free of charge.

If the applicant needs urgent review of documents, then he will have to pay 70 euros.

The following are exempt from paying fees:

Children under twelve years of age;
Citizens of the European Union;
Applicants whose relatives live in the republic and have citizenship;
Students going to study (including exchange students);
Persons whose goal is an internship in the country;
Disabled people and their accompanying persons.

Those who go to conferences and seminars, as well as foreigners who have received an invitation from members of the Lithuanian government, do not need to pay for a visa.

Payment at the embassy is made only in euros.

Everyone pays them except:

Children under six years old;
Disabled people (this group also includes persons accompanying them on the trip).

If you use the services of special agencies, the costs increase by 100 to 150 euros.

Reasons for making a negative decision

The Lithuanian authorities are quite loyal to Russians, but negative decisions on applications are still made. The reasons for refusal are:

Incomplete package of papers;
Inability to confirm your financial status;
Unclear purpose of visiting the country.

The listed reasons can be eliminated and the documents can be submitted again. There are no specific regulations regarding the waiting period between two attempts to obtain a visa. But the consulate staff themselves recommend waiting up to 2 months.

Refusal is also possible due to the following factors:

Fake documents;
Inaccurate information;
Visa violations;
Problems with the law at home;
Violation of the country's legislation during previous travels.

These reasons may lead to a ban on attempts to obtain a visa within a certain period of time. It is impossible to change the situation before this period expires.

The likelihood of receiving a negative decision can be reduced only by carefully following all the rules for preparing and submitting documents.