31.08.2015
С 14 сентября попасть в Грецию и другие страны ЕС можноwill be only after the procedure of fingerprinting. Even before its introduction tourists have a lot of questions about the order of passage and changes in the process of obtaining a visa, as well as the emergence possible difficulties. Does fingerprinting complicate the task of those used to relax in Greece, and what you need to know about the procedure?
New rules for issuing visas: major changes and nuances
The introduction of new rules, many tourists have already rated as machinations Europeans. But in reality the situation is different. Go to Such a system is common for tourists from many countries. And with September, all citizens over 12 years old are forced to take prints fingers without fail. And holders of passports old sample – also photos of the retina. Luckily, you will need to repeat the procedure only after 5 years. Owners valid visas may not worry: until the end of the Schengen fingerprinting results are not useful.
As for the cost of a visa, according to experts, it will remain the same. To amend the unilateral desire of the EU not enough – the cost is determined by state agreements. Same refers to the visa fee. And for new procedures additional no charge.
The main innovation of the procedure for obtaining a Greek visa has become the presence of a tourist in the visa center or consulate. If before it was enough to collect documents and prepare for rest, now personal visit is inevitable. Tour operators were quick to report assistance in recording fingerprinting. Worth note that fingerprints and necessary documents must be filed simultaneously. Therefore, through a travel agency or courier they are no longer send, although travel agencies will still be responsible for collection of documents and filling in the questionnaire. For clients tour operators in the visa centers will make additional windows.
How much time will take all the new procedures – another question which bothers tourists. However, the removal of prints will not more than a minute, and the Greek Schengen will be available in the previous terms (from 48 hours). Moreover, the EU representatives said that In some cases, a visa will be processed even faster.
In Moscow, documents must be submitted at Nikitsky Boulevard, 17. Visa Application Center accepts them on weekdays until 13:00. For ready documents can be received after 16:00. In St. Petersburg for obtaining a visa you need to contact the center on Chkalovsky Ave., 7.
Why prepare for tourists?
Already, many experts predict the EU, and Greece in particular, a sharp decline in tourist demand from Russian citizens. Not the last role in this is played by the high rate of the euro. Due to the rise the cost of rest in 2015, Greece was missing thousands of Russians. The number of people entering Hellas from our country decreased by 60%. Additional conditions for obtaining a visa may be reoriented. tourists to more accessible alternative destinations – Turkey, Russian resorts and Asian countries.
The problem is that only residents of large cities can easy access to the nearest visa center. Most tourists from small towns or cities will have to overcome dozens, and then hundreds of kilometers. And all this is an additional cost, due which wanting to relax in Greece will be even less. True, opening of new centers can be a way out – such an option considered by diplomatic missions.
Meanwhile, the new system has several important advantages for tourists themselves:
- Reduces the risk of errors when applying for a visa;
- Security data storage. Probability of use travel documents by other persons and access to information intruders sharply reduced;
- Anyone can get comprehensive information about how which data about it is stored in the information system. BUT also request the deletion of improperly entered data or making adjustments;
- Transparent identification procedure increases the chances of getting multivisa.
Therefore, to talk only about the negative impact of innovations worth it. In addition, in some cities tourists are required to preliminary electronic registration in the visa center. Which means that you don’t have to queue up. Fingerprinting procedure along with filing a package of documents takes no more than 20 minutes.
Despite the fact that biometrics can confuse tourists and some refuse to travel to Europe, innovations do not seem complex for execution. For lovers of holidaying in Greece You will have to make a little more effort just once every 5 years. But in return, tourists will receive a guarantee of the security of their confidential data without a significant increase in processing time documents.
