European countries where you can get a Schengen visa during the May holidays have been named

The long May holidays are just around the corner, and Russians have increased demand for trips to spring Europe – this is claimed by domestic tour operators. There are still no direct flights to the EU from the Russian Federation, logistics, like prices in euros, are tough, but this does not stop our citizens. The secret of the increased demand was revealed to us by visa intermediaries – the EU became more willing to give us visas.

“Europeans have become noticeably more energetic in issuing visas to Russians,” state consular experts who assess the situation based on statistics on the issuance of Schengen stamps to Russian citizens during 2024.

Analysts have several versions of such “encouragement,” but visa “fixers” – intermediaries from compatriots who helped fellow citizens get the coveted Schengen – operate only with facts.

“France, Italy and Spain will definitely have time to get a visa in time for May,” visa intermediary Alexey is confident.

Moreover, according to the EU Visa Code, the period for standard (without identified problems) consideration of an application for a visa to the Schengen countries is not 15 calendar days, and in some cases can be extended to 60 days.

“Yes, there was a period when some countries actively used this permission for up to 2 months, deliberately delaying the consideration of documents of Russian citizens,” admits the visa intermediary. “But that’s in the past now.” At least for those who have a good visa history, there are no overstays (exceeding the permitted period of stay in the country – author) and other violations.

– And how long will it take me to get, say, an Italian Schengen visa?

– If you already have stamps in your passport from Italy, there are no violations, and you find a slot (a temporary window on the visa center website for in-person submission of documents for a visa – author) for the next few days, then you will get it done in 2 weeks.

Visa intermediaries say that the main key to success in obtaining a Schengen stamp is contacting them, although they themselves admit that they do not have the opportunities and connections that they had in visa centers before the geopolitical complications.

Here’s what you need to know for those who dream of a European vacation during the May holidays.

France is in demand among Russians and reciprocates (in 2023, Russians entered the top ten most often receiving French Schengen, taking 6th place). Last year, France issued more than 116 thousand Schengen stamps to Russians, which is 70% more than in 2022. However, there are also difficulties: the number of windows for signing up to submit documents is very limited.

“You have to catch slots,” explains visa intermediary Alexey. – Time windows appear a week or two before the possible recording date. Their appearance is monitored around the clock by citizens who have the time and energy for this, as well as visa intermediaries. If you catch a slot in the next week, then there is every chance of meeting May 1 in Paris.

“The French most often issue annual visas,” the visa intermediary shares his observations. – Although there are inexplicable surprises. All other things being equal, the French issued a five-year visa to one of my clients, although he did not ask for it. And for the other, three months, although he was counting on at least six months. The French joke like that.

Italy and Spain, together with France, are among the top three most popular among Russians, if the applicant has no violations, they “shengenize” citizens of the Russian Federation in 3-4 weeks, with multiple visas allowing multiple entries.

“If you want to do it in 2 weeks, I advise you to take repeat biometrics; from experience, this speeds up the process,” notes Alexey.

Based on practice, Greece, Hungary, Portugal and Austria in 80-90% of cases give Russians a single-entry visa strictly for one confirmed trip, but they do it promptly, no longer than 3 weeks, and most often it is completed within 14 days. “Slots” for submitting documents to the visa services of these countries usually appear on the website of the European Visa Application Center in about a week or two. Germany also gives its compatriots the coveted Schengen, but asks them to indicate an account in a European bank, as well as European insurance. Slovenia and Malta followed the same path, but those who provide the required documents are allowed to enter the EU without any problems.

From March 31, Bulgaria and Romania will join the Schengen zone, but partially – border controls for air and sea travelers traveling from these countries to the EU will be abolished, but thorough document checks will remain at the Bulgarian and Romanian land borders. From April 1, both Bulgaria and Romania will begin to put stamps of a single Schengen type C type instead of the previous national visas. For this reason, Bulgarian and Romanian visas have risen in price to the European level, and they began to require biometrics, which was not the case before. In the last week of March, the issuance of visas by these countries will be suspended in order to completely switch to visas according to the Schengen model. National short-term visas issued by Romania and Bulgaria before March 31 of this year do not grant entry into Schengen. But long-term 2024 does not give the right to travel to other Schengen countries. However, residence permits and type D (long-term) visas issued by these countries before joining Schengen will remain valid until their expiration. According to domestic visa intermediaries, having become “stunned”, visa centers of the ex-socialist camp in the Russian Federation will begin to work quickly, without delaying the consideration of documents, because the influx of Russian tourists at the very start of the spring-summer season is primarily beneficial to themselves.