How to find out why a Schengen visa was denied. Why you may be denied a visa or not allowed into the country. Grounds for refusal

27.12.2021Heading: Payment

Before getting a Schengen, a person submits a package of documents. The visa center checks it and makes a decision. It often happens that a citizen is denied a visa. An organization can do this for a variety of reasons. In case of refusal, a special stamp is affixed to the foreign passport, and in order to obtain a new visa, you will have to explain why it was refused to receive it earlier.

False personal information about a citizen. If a person automatically made a mistake when writing a name or date, did not notice this, handed over the documents, then the specialists of the visa center will definitely report this. In this case, the typo can be corrected.

If a citizen deliberately reports false information about himself, for example, indicates a large salary, another place of work, then when this fact is clarified, he will definitely be denied a visa. A person must indicate only the correct information about himself, this is easily checked by the authorities.

Refusal

There are two types of visa refusal.

In the first case, this is a formalized refusal on a form with signatures and a seal of the visa center. Such a document is issued if violations in the papers or their filling out are easy and quick to correct, for example, typos, incorrect dates.

In the second and most common case, a refusal stamp is affixed directly to the passport. The stamp indicates the date of refusal and a code by which you can understand the reason for not issuing a visa.

The code consists of the numbers 1.23, which means the degree of violation, and the Latin letters A, B, C, D. The letters indicate the type of visa. The desired letter and number are circled.

If the code contains the letter D, then the consulate refuses a visa with a residence permit.
A and B are visas for transit, they very rarely cross the border.
C - Schengen for tourists, the most common type of document. C1 - refusal to issue a Schengen visa, C2 - you need to go for an interview at the embassy, C3 - lack of important documents, C4 - refusal forever, is rare.

In any case, you can always deal with the refusal and contact the consulate again to re-submit the corrected papers.

What to do in case of refusal?

If a citizen has received a refusal to apply for a Schengen visa, you should not put an end to the trip. You can not leave the case without trial, which takes some time. If a citizen agrees with his offense and does not want to correct it, then this information will fall into a single visa database. After that, getting a Schengen even after many years can be extremely difficult.

As soon as a person receives a refusal, he must immediately contact the consulate with a refutation. He should be given a response with an explanation of the refusal. You can use it to navigate, correct errors and resubmit a package of papers.

It’s better not to delay the process, the faster the documents are corrected, the faster the citizen will receive a visa. Typically, European countries allow 30 to 60 days to correct errors.

Mistakes

You should not submit documents to the same consulate where it has already been refused. Experts will rely on their initial decision. It is better to apply to another institution.
You can not get a visa through bribes. This is a criminal offense and is punishable by law. Such intrigues are carried out by cunning agents who are trying to earn money by any means. They can ruin the passport, present false documents, tear out the refusal page from the passport.
You do not need to change a foreign certificate if there is a refusal. There is an opinion that if you show blank pages at the consulate, they will be loyal and issue a visa. Documents and a citizen are checked against a single visa database, where all actions and manipulations are reflected. Rejection will also appear there.

Conclusion

To travel to the Schengen area without unnecessary problems and time-consuming, you need to deal with the visa in advance. It is better to submit a verified and correctly executed package of documents immediately, otherwise the probability of refusal may be high. It will take a long time to correct this defect, running through the authorities and proving the need to send to another country. It is necessary to fill in the documents with reliable data, avoid fakes and tricks when making a package.

Things have already been collected, the mood is “suitcase”, tickets are in your pocket, it seems that only a simple formality remains - to get a visa. And suddenly - a shock, because instead of a long-awaited visa, a short answer comes: "denied". It sounds like a death sentence to plans that have long been built. Now you have to spend your vacation in a country cottage instead of the azure tropical shores. In another variation, plans to make good money abroad turn into ashes, and an unsuccessful labor migrant is forced to look for work at home or, in extreme cases, in another country. And there is no longer any certainty that another country will not refuse a visa. Consider the most common reasons for visa denial and the possible actions of an unsuccessful applicant in this case.

Immigration policies of countries

Today there are more than 250 countries in the world, of which 195 are independent. Almost each of them has its own immigration laws. The exception is the European Union, which has almost unified immigration laws. The rules are more or less similar for the Maghreb countries (countries located north of the Sahara Desert and west of Egypt) in the East African Union. The states of Latin America are relatively loyal in terms of immigration. Quite complex legislation in the countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Therefore, it is almost impossible to talk about the existence of common reasons why they can refuse to issue a visa to any country of the European Union, Latin America, the United States, Australia or, for example, China. Each diplomatic mission is more or less strict in verifying documents submitted for a visa, and also has its own criteria for verifying and assessing the integrity of the applicant.

There are 252 countries in the world, almost each of which has its own immigration laws.

What types of visa documents and where are denied most often

Visas are different. They can be:

tourist,
guest,
workers
business,
investors and so on
as well as immigrant and non-immigrant.

Accordingly, for each of the types there are also the most common reasons for failure.

According to statistics, tourist visas are most often requested. The trend of the modern globalized world is a significant liberalization of the visa regime in many countries. For example, citizens of the Russian Federation in 2018 can come without a visa to 116 countries of the world for tourism purposes or as part of short-term private visits. Nevertheless, many popular holiday countries still have to open visas.

It is tourist countries that are most loyal in matters of immigration policy, if we talk about foreign tourists. But even when visiting such a country, it is very often difficult to obtain, for example, a work or business visa. Therefore, the same state can be loyal to foreign tourists and at the same time have much stricter rules for guests who come for other purposes.

So, there can be a lot of reasons for refusal to issue a visa. However, the main trends can still be identified. The exceptions in this case are states such as North Korea and China, which have a fairly strict immigration policy and consider potential guests not only in terms of their integrity, but also political loyalty to the communist regime. It is also necessary to say about those countries in which hostilities are underway and an extremely unstable political situation. We are talking about Syria, Iraq, Ethiopia, Eritrea and many African states. Not only can you not find those who want to visit these countries, at least for tourism purposes, during the day with fire, but also their governments are extremely reluctant to allow foreign guests into the controlled territory.

The main reasons for the rejection of the Schengen

Let's try to systematize the main reasons for refusal on the example of a Schengen visa. The Schengen Agreement includes 26 countries that are full members, as well as several European states that have agreements on police and legal cooperation with them. In this territory, there is a single Schengen legislation and the Visa Code, which is constantly being amended and adjusted. Therefore, it is advisable to consider precisely the refusals of a Schengen visa and analyze their reasons. After all, it is no secret to anyone that Europe has long and firmly held the palm as the main direction of migration traffic from the CIS countries. In addition, European immigration legislation has absorbed not only the latest achievements of scientific and technological progress, but was also initially built on the principles that later formed the basis of the laws of most countries of the world.

The European Union is an interstate formation of 26 European countries

To successfully obtain a Schengen visa, two key points are of fundamental importance:

preparation of a package of documents;
passing an interview.

The success of obtaining a Schengen visa depends on the correct preparation of documentation, and the results of the interview often form the basis for the decision of European immigration authorities to issue a visa or refuse it. In principle, a similar procedure is provided for when obtaining visa permits to other countries of the world.

The main reasons for refusal to issue a Schengen visa, as a rule, are:

incorrectly completed visa application form;
false information provided by the applicant about himself, his situation and intentions to travel to a European country;
improperly selected and prepared documents;
lack of a strong connection with the homeland (in other words, the intention to return to their country);
lack of funds to financially support the trip;
obvious signs of fictitiousness or forgery of documents;
lack of sufficient travel preparation (tickets have not been purchased or their reservation has not been ordered, and a hotel room has not been booked);
non-compliance of the declared purpose of travel with the type of visa requested;
refusals to issue a Schengen visa or cases of violation of the immigration laws of the Schengen countries;
serious problems with the law;
potential threat on the part of the applicant to the national security of the state for which a visa is requested;
suspicion of involvement in terrorist or extremist activities;
previously unused or misused Schengen visa;
administrative offenses committed during a previous visit to the Schengen area;
the presence of an infectious disease that may become a threat to the population of the host state;
lack of valid grounds for requesting a certain category of visa.

Video about the refusal of a Schengen visa to the Czech Republic and further actions

What reasons for visa refusal can be encountered in other countries of the world

Here are a few of the most common reasons for visa denial (some of them can be considered even exotic with a stretch), which can be encountered in other countries:

visiting the state of Israel (typical for several Arab countries);
an attempt by a young woman or unmarried girl to come to a country of orthodox Islam without being accompanied by a man;
no deposit (for young people under 23 years of age applying for a visa to the United Arab Emirates);
lack of necessary documents and grounds for requesting a journalist visa (typical for India, Ethiopia, Eritrea and even the USA);
lack of sufficient professional qualifications when trying to participate in a specialized immigration program;
attempting to obtain an immigrant visa for family reunification without a sufficient level of family ties;
lack of necessary vaccinations when entering certain countries;
lack of grounds for participation in the repatriation program.

There are many more reasons, we have listed above only the main ones. But they should be detailed in order to understand what can directly or indirectly serve as the reason why they can refuse a visa.

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is a required document when obtaining a visa to many countries in Africa.

Indication of false and incorrect information

The receipt of the visa permit itself largely depends on the correctness of filling out the visa application form to any country in the world. Each of the states has its own visa application form, in the Schengen countries it is universal, but even in this case there are certain adjustments adopted by each European country. You should carefully monitor the information entered in the visa application form and control its compliance with the passport.

So, for example, you need to correctly write your last name, indicate the place and country of birth, clearly indicate the purpose of the visit. For example, in English there are several variations of the spelling of the same surname, but in the questionnaire you should write the same way as the surname is written in the passport. Also, one of the most common mistakes is the incorrect spelling of the country of birth. For example, the country "Russia" does not exist, if you look at this issue from a legal point of view. It will be correct like this: "Russian Federation". The same is true for Belarus, which should be written like this: “Republic of Belarus”. Applicants born during the Soviet Union on its territory should write “USSR” as the country of birth, and not the name of the independent state that formed after its collapse.

The questionnaire should be filled out in legible handwriting, preferably in block letters, Latin and at the end put your personal signature.

Incorrect filling of the visa application form can lead to a refusal of a visa (in the photo - a sample of the correct filling)

False information provided about yourself will definitely cause a negative decision on issuing a visa. For example, the applicant claims to have a scientific degree or any international grants that he did not receive. The purpose of this false information may be an attempt to obtain a work visa and, in the future, the Blue Card of the European Union, which only highly qualified specialists can count on. Also, the applicant can hide any important information that affects the decision to issue a visa, ascribe to himself a high level of material support, and so on. It will also be deceitful to indicate, for example, tourism as the purpose of the visit, when there is an intention to get an illegal job in Europe. There can be a huge number of options for incorrect information, so it is simply not possible to describe each of them. Cases of fraud when indicating the purpose of the visit are very common, so the immigration officers of European countries (and not only European ones) carefully try to find out the applicant's travel plans (in some cases, even a written description of the intended travel route will be required). These nuances are usually clarified in the process of conducting a personal interview with a visa applicant. That is why it is necessary to carefully prepare for this procedure, regardless of which country a visa is requested for.

Some visa applicants, especially those trying to get it for the first time, initially pay little attention to preparing for an interview. And by the way, it's very useless. It is worth noting that any immigration officer always considers the visa applicant as a potential immigrant. His task is to find out the true motives for the request for a visa permit and the intentions of the applicant. If the immigration specialist has even the slightest doubt that the applicant intends to return to his homeland within the time limits set by the visa, then he can either postpone the decision on issuing a visa for further verification of information, or simply refuse. The interview is usually conducted in the language of the applicant's country of residence, which is spoken by employees of the foreign diplomatic mission, or in the language of the host country, or in one of the main languages of international communication, if the applicant is familiar with one of them. Communication can take place in an informal setting, or it can be extremely formalized. It all depends on the rules adopted in the relevant diplomatic mission and the skills of the interviewer. The human factor must also be taken into account. After all, each of the immigration officers has its own principles of work, its own temperament and character traits. If one is scrupulous and meticulous in his professional duties, then the second can approach the issue of the exceptional from a formal point of view. If visas are opened for the whole family, then usually all its members are invited for an interview at the same time. When it comes to, for example, a group of specialists traveling abroad, or members of an international delegation, then each visa applicant in this case is interviewed individually. Once again, I want to say that during this procedure you should not relax. After all, every immigration officer has undergone serious training and a priori must have the skills of a psychologist. Therefore, lies, false information, false intentions can be revealed to him not only by the answers of the interviewee, but also by his behavior, demeanor and other indirect evidence. And the result will be a refusal to issue a visa, which will come as a complete surprise to her unsuccessful applicant.

You should come to the interview prepared not only internally, but also externally. A neat appearance, consistent with this procedure, will greatly strengthen the confidence of the immigration specialist in the interviewee.

Preparation of documents

When obtaining a visa to any state, you should first familiarize yourself with the contents of the basic package of documents that will be required for this. It is important not only to collect all the necessary documentation, but also to prepare it correctly. Particular attention should be paid to:

for a visa photo, which must fully comply with the requirements;
for the expiration date of the foreign passport, it must be several months longer than the period of validity of the requested visa;
for certificates, confirmations, contracts with employers and so on.

In the absence of the necessary documents, a visa will be unambiguously refused until all identified deficiencies are eliminated. You should familiarize yourself with the specifics of preparing visa documents by reading the relevant materials posted on the website of the diplomatic mission of the host country. If a translation is required, you need to make a copy of the document, translate and certify everything with a notary.

In addition to the application, the basic package includes many documents

"Relationship with the motherland" is the official concept adopted in the visa office workflow. As already mentioned, the immigration authorities of any country consider visa applicants as potential immigrants. This is especially true for European countries, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea. Therefore, the applicant must confirm in every possible way that he is going to return home after the end of the trip, since he is connected with his homeland not just by strong ties, but by steel ropes.

For example, as evidence of a connection with the homeland, you can present:

Documents confirming the ownership of expensive real estate, the presence of a large deposit in a bank, the possession of which automatically excludes the possibility of being in another country as an illegal labor migrant.
Letter from the place of work. It testifies, firstly, to its presence, and secondly, to a sufficient level of income that will not force the visa applicant to again go abroad as an illegal labor migrant.
A notarized copy of the marriage certificate and birth certificates of children. These documents will not become redundant, although they may not be included in the mandatory list, they will become intangible evidence of a strong connection with the homeland.

Most countries in the world require proof of sufficient funds to live in the country. In the case of the Schengen countries, this is an amount clearly set by each of the states, which can vary from 3 euros per day in Hungary to 120 euros in France during the same period. The required average daily amount will need to be multiplied by the number of days of travel, determined by the availability of round-trip tickets or their reservation. In cases of obtaining a multiple-entry visa, we are talking about a fixed amount, which is set by each European country separately, and you must first consult the diplomatic mission of this state about its amount.

Almost every country requires confirmation of the solvency of its guest

The developed countries of the world are most demanding on the availability of funds, and the least, respectively, are the developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America. You can prove the availability of sufficient funds by bank statements on the movement of funds for the last three months before applying for a visa, statements from credit and debit bank cards, sponsorship letters. Sponsorship letters can be submitted by persons who have the opportunity to document their own solvency. It is desirable that these are representatives of the host country or immediate relatives. Documents that will confirm a sufficient level of solvency have a validity period of one month from the date of issue. Lack of sufficient funds for travel is often the basis for visa denial, especially for European countries, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Overseas immigration professionals can sometimes tell at a glance if the documents are forged and have signs of fictitiousness. It's no secret that applicants for visas, in particular Schengen visas, quite often use fictitious evidence of their own solvency, since the income of an average resident of the CIS in most cases does not allow living in a European country. The same is true for the United States of America, as well as for other economically developed countries of the world. Today, there are dozens of ways to confirm non-existent travel funds. Almost all of them have already been well studied by foreign immigration officers and can be recognized. Frankly fake documents are also identified quite quickly. Use of such documentation may result in:

refusal to issue a visa;
to a ban on entry into a certain state formation or a separate state for a long period;
to the appeal of employees of a foreign diplomatic mission to the law enforcement agencies of the applicant's country of residence, which may well result in the opening of a criminal case under the article on the use of forged documents.

As you can see, the refusal to issue a visa in this case will be the least of the evils.

As a rule, when applying for a visa, it is necessary to present round-trip tickets, as well as a hotel reservation or an indication of the future address of residence in the territory of the host country, if we are talking about obtaining a visa by invitation. The invitation must indicate the address of the guests. This is especially true when obtaining short-term visas, providing for only a single visit to the country. Tickets in this case will be required to confirm the intention to legally enter the country and leave it within the time limits set by the visa. A hotel reservation guarantees a place to stay.

When applying for a long-term visa, as a rule, a medical certificate of satisfactory health is required. It implies that the applicant is not a carrier of diseases such as AIDS, an open form of tuberculosis, he is not a drug addict and does not pose a threat to the society of the host country.

Visiting some epidemiologically unsafe countries requires vaccination against yellow fever. This requirement is typical for most African countries and some countries of Indochina. Failure to vaccinate will result in visa refusal. If a visa is issued online, then sometimes this requirement is simply not mentioned, and the traveler can be returned back right at the border control point of the visited country.

When visiting the Schengen countries, as when traveling to most countries in the world, health insurance is required. Upon receipt of the "Schengen" this document must have a minimum coverage of 30 thousand euros and, in addition, a period of validity covering the entire period of stay of a foreigner in the territory of the countries of the agreement. A similar condition is relevant in other countries, only the amount of coverage may differ significantly. Therefore, you should familiarize yourself with the requirements for this document even before applying for a visa. In the case of the Schengen countries, the lack of insurance will be an unambiguous reason for refusing to issue a visa.

An insurance policy is a mandatory document for traveling abroad

When obtaining a visa permit, minors must present the original and a copy of the birth certificate. Also, in the event that a trip outside the homeland is made either only with the father or only with the mother, the absent parent must issue his notarized consent. The vast majority of countries in the world will not issue a visa without such a document. In addition, a visa may be temporarily denied to the parent accompanying the child. When traveling with a third party, the accompanying person must have the consent of both parents of the child, which must be translated into the language of the host country and notarized.

Violation of laws and rules of conduct as a reason for refusal

Violation of immigration laws during the last visit can most likely lead to a refusal of a visa. It may be about exceeding the permitted time of stay in the country, labor activity without the appropriate permission is also considered a serious violation of immigration laws.

For a Schengen visa, non-compliance with the “preferential stay rule” and the “first country” may become critical, in which most of the time spent in the Schengen area must be spent in the state that issued the visa permit. It should also be the first one when entering the territory of the agreement. If a person applying for a Schengen visa has an unused visa permit for visiting the Schengen area in their foreign passport, in most cases they may be denied a new visa. In any case, the argumentation of the reason why the previous visa permits were not used must be very strong and documented.

A serious obstacle in obtaining a visa will be:

the presence of an outstanding criminal record;
a ban on leaving the country of residence due to the presence of debt obligations and the corresponding court decision;
being wanted (including by Interpol);
criminal case opened against the applicant, and so on.

Many things can be understood as a threat to national security.

For example, for this reason, those applicants who are considered to be involved in the activities of the intelligence services or previously convicted of espionage (military, political or economic) will be denied. It is possible that certain countries will ban entry to their territory to foreign nationals who have previously been seen making public statements critical of their ruling regimes. North Korea is a typical example.

It should be said that the reason for refusing a visa due to a potential threat to the national security of the state can very often be simply far-fetched.

Suspicion of involvement in terrorism and extremism will become an obstacle in obtaining a visa, including a Schengen one. But the suspicion must be justified and based on undeniable facts and evidence. Only in this case is a refusal given and most often a ban on entry into this state is imposed.

Suspicion of terrorism will be an unequivocal reason for visa refusal

Administrative offenses committed during a previous visit may prevent the issuance of a new visa. Minor offenses such as disorderly conduct, drinking in public places, traffic violations, for which an administrative fine has been issued repeatedly, indicate that the visa applicant is unlikely to behave accordingly on the next visit. Most likely, he will not be issued a visa.

A previous visit to Israel, about which there is a corresponding mark in a foreign passport, will become an obstacle in obtaining a visa to some countries of orthodox Islam. Examples include Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria and many other Arab states. When visiting Israel, it is recommended to put a visa stamp on a separate sheet or use a new passport when visiting Islamic countries.

Almost the same Islamic countries will also refuse unmarried girls, young women who are going to visit these states without a male escort. An accompanying person can be a husband, father, older brother. Proof of kinship will also be required in this case. This approach is determined by Islamic laws and rules of conduct in society.

Interest in the United Arab Emirates on the part of tourists and labor migrants has increased many times in recent years. It should not be forgotten that the UAE is an Arab state and when visiting it, you must comply with the laws of the Islamic society. Young people under the age of 23 can apply for a tourist visa to this country without any problems. But in any case, they will have to open a deposit when crossing the border, on which they will put at least three thousand US dollars. The deposit will guarantee that they will not become illegal labor migrants. These funds will be returned upon departure directly at the border control point. The fact is that when applying for a visa at a travel agency, you can get it without any problems, but they may not always inform you about the need to open a deposit. As a result, the necessary funds may simply not be available and you will have to return home. In addition, next time it will be much more difficult to get a visa to the Emirates. Young women and girls should also inquire about the possibility of crossing the border of the Islamic state without a male escort when obtaining a visa at a travel agency. By the way, the employees of the travel agency themselves may not have such information. Therefore, it is advisable to apply for a visa on your own and get all the information in the diplomatic mission of the Islamic country that they are going to visit. This will save you from wasting money and deep disappointment in the event that local border guards prohibit entry into your country.

Video story about the reasons for the refusal of a Chinese visa

Confirmation of the basis for issuing a visa

The type of visa requested must be fully consistent with the purpose of travel. It is indicated in the questionnaire and is confirmed by documents. If it is a tourist trip, then a tour must be purchased or the corresponding purpose declared in writing when a private trip is supposed. When applying for a work visa, it is necessary to have a contract with the employer and an invitation from him to work, students submit an agreement with a higher educational institution and an attitude from its administration with a request to issue an appropriate type of visa to a foreign student. Non-compliance of the requested type of visa with the document substantiating this request may lead to refusal of its issuance.

If the applicant requests a multi-visa that involves an unlimited number of visits to the Schengen countries, then he must have good reasons for this. For example, those who are going to regularly go on business trips abroad should take a letter from the employer confirming such a need. A multivisa can also be opened for those who already have several used Schengen visas in their foreign passport, as well as an impeccable visa history. Applicants who apply for a multi-schengen during the first request will most likely be denied.

In some countries, for example, in India, the United States of America, Saudi Arabia and other foreign journalists traveling to work in these countries, a special journalist visa is required. The document is issued on the basis of an editorial assignment, an international journalistic certificate and media accreditation in a given state. Visas will not be issued to journalists without relevant documents.

Even for a business trip to the United States, journalists will need a special visa, which may not be issued to everyone

Participation in some professional immigration programs implies that the applicant has a high level of qualification. In particular, this is typical for the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as well as the Republic of South Africa. Lack of confirmation of a sufficient level of education and profile work experience may lead to refusal of immigration and visa issuance.

When participating in the family reunification immigration program, which operates in most countries of the world, it is necessary to have close family ties with residents or citizens of the host state. In most cases, spouses, parents and children, grandparents, as well as blood brothers and sisters can take part in it. More distant relationship does not give the right to participate in the family reunification program and obtain a visa.

If the visa applicant applies for participation in the repatriation program of representatives of a certain people, then he must confirm the presence of the corresponding roots in his family tree. Naturally, this will require documents that must be real and fully confirm the applicant's belonging to a particular ethnic group. If a forgery is subsequently opened, then all the reasons for being in the country will be completely lost, followed by deportation and a long-term ban on entry.

Video on US visa denial and next steps

Encoding decoding

In almost every diplomatic mission of a foreign state, when a visa is refused, an explanation of the reason is attached. Each country sets its own failure symbols. They can be alphabetic or numeric.

In case of refusal of a Schengen visa, there are standard encodings. The letter (A, B, C, D) indicates the category of the visa that was denied, and the number indicates the reason for the refusal. For category C visas (short-term), there are such designations:

C-1: Denial of a one-time Schengen travel visa for up to a year. The reason, as a rule, is administrative or immigration violations during the last visit;
C-2: involves an additional interview with the visa applicant and clarification of some contentious issues that arose from immigration specialists when considering the application and submitted documents;
C-3: the visa was denied due to insufficient documents, their invalidity, incorrect filling of the visa application form, and so on. The refusal is not final and provides for the possibility of re-submitting documents for a visa;
C-4: the most unpleasant form of refusal, which implies a lifetime ban on visiting countries that are part of the Schengen area.

For long-term visas of category D, the following codings are provided:

D-1 - visa cancellation;
D-2 - deportation for violating immigration rules;
D-3 - forced emergency deportation with preliminary detention;
D-4 - return to home country under escort.

Previously, when a Schengen visa was refused, only a stamp was put in the passport, where the refusal code was indicated. Since 2011, consular services are required to provide applicants with full information about the reason for the refusal. Therefore, the codes remain more for internal use, and the applicant receives a letter on a standard form.

Schengen legislation obliges to explain to the applicant the reason for refusal of a visa

An example of a negative experience when applying for a Polish work visa: the documents were submitted on time and properly. They were accepted without question. A day later, the applicant received a call from the Polish embassy. Several questions were asked related to the purpose of the trip. The result was an unpleasant surprise. The work visa was denied due to insufficient explanation of the purpose of the trip.

Algorithm of actions in case of failure

What to do if the long-awaited visa is still denied? First of all, you should not despair and sprinkle ashes on your head. It is necessary to carefully analyze the current situation and understand how easily the cause of the failure can be eliminated. If it consists in an incorrectly completed application form, typos and mechanical errors in the documents, then these shortcomings can be easily corrected and you can re-apply for a visa. If the error is not so obvious, you can call the embassy or consulate for clarification. In the case of the Schengen countries, the law does not limit the time when you can next apply for a visa after a refusal. In some states there is a moratorium, the period of which can last from several months to two years.

If a Schengen visa is denied, an attempt to obtain a visa to another Schengen country will have no effect, since a single immigration database operates in the territory of the agreement, which contains information about all applications, refusals and other actions of the applicant. If, for example, a Polish visa is denied, then when contacting the Italian consulate, its employees will see this immediately and will also refuse the Schengen visa.

The European Union has a single immigration database

In certain cases, there is a possibility of misinterpretation of documents, biography facts of the applicant, his personal situation, and so on. In this case, it makes sense to appeal the negative decision in issuing a visa. Schengen immigration law provides for this two-month period, in other countries it may differ, but varies within the same limits. An appeal letter should be prepared and submitted to the consul of the country that provided the visa. Its preparation sometimes requires fundamental legal knowledge, as well as knowledge of immigration laws. Therefore, sometimes it is worth using the services of special immigration lawyers who have successful experience in resolving such issues. When this document is received by the diplomatic mission, its employees will be required to re-examine the documents and the visa application. It is quite possible that the facts set forth in the appeal letter will force a different look at the controversial issues and the decision of the immigration authorities will change. In most cases, in this situation, the appellant is called for an additional interview. The final decision on issuing a visa or refusing it depends on its result. If the decision remains the same, then this means a final refusal.

Two refusals to obtain a Schengen visa, which are in the passport, practically reduce the likelihood of opening a "Schengen" to zero. In most cases, this also means a ban on visiting the Schengen countries for a period of five years.

If the embassy or consulate refuses again, it is unlikely that it will be possible to obtain a visa at all

A sample application to be submitted at the time of appeal, along with an appeal letter, can be obtained from the diplomatic mission of the foreign country that denied the visa. As an additional measure, you can apply for an audience with the consul or other responsible person, during which there will be an opportunity to explain the situation. Very often, this way of solving a problem brings a tangible effect. If the appeal is satisfied by the consul, the “rejected” stamp is sealed with a visa permit or “extinguished”.

Today, in the immigration field, as well as a few years ago, a significant number of scammers are engaged in earning easy money. They call themselves intermediaries, their services cost a lot. As a rule, the intermediary promises assistance in obtaining a visa as soon as possible and guarantees a positive result. But a few days later the phone rings, and with a feeling of deep regret, he informs the applicant that the diplomatic mission has refused a visa. As you know, most countries do not return the visa fee in case of refusal. In this case, it is possible that the volunteer did not even go up to the threshold of the consulate of the country to which the visa was requested. He simply took the money for himself and informed the applicant that his visa had been denied. This was one of the main types of Schengen visa fraud. But the introduction in 2015 of the norm on the delivery of biometric data significantly reduced the possibility of this income. Nevertheless, when applying for a visa to other countries of the world, this scheme continues to work. On the Internet today you can find a lot of proposals for resolving contentious immigration issues, and in particular visa denials. The decision on whether or not to contact intermediaries is made by the applicant himself. After all, it is no secret that many, having received a visa refusal, throw a foreign passport on a distant dusty shelf and forget about this document for a year until the next vacation. The question is how important is the visa of a given country for the applicant. In some cases, it is still worth using the services of intermediary agencies. But it is recommended to check their reputation first. To do this, it is advisable to visit the agency's office, familiarize yourself with the license for the relevant type of activity and ask for feedback from customers who were able to change a negative decision with the help of the efforts of such a structure. In fairness, it is worth noting that it is much more difficult to effectively appeal against a visa refusal than to initially obtain it.

A 100% prepaid advance when working with intermediary agencies that supposedly guarantee a positive resolution of the issue in case of refusal of a visa is almost always synonymous with fraud. In this case, payment should occur, as a rule, upon successfully completed work.

Of course, the refusal of a visa is always extremely unpleasant. He can not only destroy plans, but sometimes change the course of life. But do not despair, it is enough to have complete information about the possible reasons for the refusal, try to avoid them and understand what can be done in this or that case. Sometimes from the hopelessness of the initial defeat to the final victory - just one step.

Denial of a visa is an extremely unpleasant event in the life of any person. They let him go on vacation, the hotel is booked, the tourist is languishing in anticipation of an exciting journey. And then a foreign passport is returned from the consulate without the coveted sticker and often without any explanation of the reasons for its absence. Plans are crumbling like sand castles that are no longer destined to be built. It is very bad when a visa refusal disrupts a business trip and the work process suffers.

How to get a Schengen visa easily and painlessly - watch the video:

Why might they refuse?on a Schengen visa?

Often consulates of foreign countries return documents without any explanation of the reasons. Therefore, you often have to guess on the coffee grounds what exactly was wrong. Consider the reasons why a visa can be denied.

Documents filled with errors

Typos or spelling errors were found in the submitted documents, mandatory columns were not filled in. European consulates carefully study the papers provided. If you draw up the documents yourself, then carefully double-check everything, do not spare a few minutes, which can then cost a vacation. If you use the services of a tour operator or a specialized company, then remember that no one is sinless, anyone can make a mistake. No need to be shy, carefully study all documents, review your data for typos. The forums are full of sad stories about how, due to the carelessness of a travel agency, when filling out paperwork, a refusal came.

False documents and false information

To obtain a Schengen visa, you must provide a certificate from the place of work, which will contain information about the position, the applicant's salary and all the details of the organization, including a phone number. So, attempts to “add” a few zeros to your income or name your position more elegantly can lead to a refusal to issue a visa. Not too trusting consular officers like to call the applicant's place of work in order to verify information. Accordingly, the call should be answered by someone who can confirm the information provided. If confirmation is not received, permission may not be given.

Those who like to book hotels and plane tickets for the sake of obtaining documents for a visa, and then cancel the reservation, fall into the same category. The consulate may contact the hotel and be surprised to learn that the applicant has canceled the trip. And if he refused, then he does not need a visa.

If registration is carried out at the invitation to enter the country, then you need to understand that this information will also be checked. The provision of falsified documents is sufficient grounds for refusing to issue a Schengen visa.

Low income

27 states of the European Union have joined the Schengen Agreement. These states have different income requirements for the applicant. It is obvious that rich guests are preferred to poor ones. The level of income and financial security is confirmed in three ways:

certificate from the place of work;
bank statement confirming the availability of sufficient funds;
sponsorship letter.

It is necessary to study in advance the minimum financial requirements for guests in the state where the trip is planned. Consulates consider this indicator as a guarantee that the applicant will return home safely, and will not remain illegally in search of a better life.

Sample letter of employment:

Violation of the rules of entry and stay

For example, a visa was obtained at the Austrian consulate, but you did not go to Austria, but went straight to Greece. At the next appeal, the Austrians may refuse. This is a violation of the "first country" rule.

Or, on their first trip after receiving documents, they looked into Austria for a day, and then spent three weeks relaxing on the sunny beaches of Greece. This is a violation of the "primary country" rule. If you plan to stay in Greece for most of your vacation, then you need to apply at the Greek consulate.

These rules only work for the first trip after the visa is issued. Then you are allowed to travel anywhere in any order as long as the permit is valid.

Attention! Staying on the territory of another state with an expired visa is a gross violation, which is guaranteed to result in a refusal to issue a permit in the future.

Violations of the law and fines

We will separately mention the issue of obtaining a visa for an applicant with an expired criminal record. Please note that there is simply no point in the questionnaire where you can declare the presence or absence of a criminal record. European consulates are more concerned about the behavior of guests during previous trips. Violations of the law on the territory of the Schengen countries, unpaid fines, detentions, not to mention deportation, will make consulates think about whether it is worth letting such guests into their homes.

What does a Schengen visa refusal look like?

This is a rectangular stamp in the passport.

The letters symbolize the type of visa:

A - airport;
B - transit;
C - tourist;
D - national.

The numbers indicate the option of failure:

1 - failure.
2 - you need to come to the consulate for an additional interview.
3 - you are required to provide additional documents. Typically, such a decision is accompanied by a letter indicating what exactly needs to be conveyed in order to receive a positive decision.
4 is the hardest failure. It is issued indefinitely and only for serious violations of the law in the territory of the Schengen countries, fraud, links with organized crime and terrorist groups.

The passport can be returned without stamps. The presence or absence of a stamp does not fundamentally change the situation. Consulates have a single information system that contains all the necessary data. Replacing the passport will not solve the problem either.

What should I do if my Schengen visa is denied?

« A previous refusal does not entail an automatic refusal to grant a new application. A new application is considered based on all available information". This is stated in paragraph 9 of the Visa Code. So when can you reapply if you were denied? The faster the better. Eliminate all possible reasons for the refusal of a Schengen visa, and everything will work out.

There is an unpleasant restriction called "visa quarantine", when the chances of obtaining permission are extremely close to zero. Quarantine lasts from several months to a year. But you should not be afraid of this. Such strict restrictions are not imposed due to errors in documents or problems with confirming information.

If time is lost, the trip has already “burned out”, then you can appeal the decision of the consulate. The problem is that each country has its own rules for filing appeals. For example, in Belgium the appeal is sent no later than 30 days from the date of refusal. And categorical Finns do not accept any appeals at all. Of course, you will have to taste the European bureaucracy, but if this is a matter of principle, then you can and should fight.

You always worry when you apply for a visa: what if they don’t give you? I don’t work, I’m young and unmarried, I didn’t open a previous visa - everyone has their own reason. Life turned to the EU Delegation in Russia and debunked the most common myths about Schengen.

1) Will they refuse those who did not use the previous visa?

Our reader Tatyana received her first Schengen visa only at the age of 25. In May I was going to go to Paris. She was given a three-month visa at the French consulate, but her friend was denied. She did not have time to "give in" again. Actually, Tatyana herself, out of a sense of solidarity and for reasons of economy, also did not go anywhere and did not use a visa. She turned to us with a question: "If I did not go to France on my visa, will I ever be given a Schengen?"

The press secretary of the European Union, Soren Liborius, answers Life: obtaining a visa does not oblige her to use it. "If there are no other reasons that can lead to a refusal to obtain a visa, then no problems will arise."

2) Will they refuse all unmarried and unemployed?

If you are not married, it means that you are going to Europe for your husband. If you don’t work, then you decided to go for a better life. And in both cases, the tourist visa is just an excuse to stay in the EU. This is what many novice travelers think and are afraid of being rejected.

In fact, "there is no rule that would deny a visa to non-working or non-family citizens," the EU delegation assures. If you provide all the necessary documents, including proof of the purpose of the trip, the ability to support yourself financially during the entire trip and the intention to return to the country of permanent residence, then there will be no problems. That is, you need to book air tickets and a hotel and a certificate from work or from a bank.

3) Will they not give a visa if there has already been a refusal before?

It is scary to submit documents every time. And what about those who have already faced rejection. After all, this stigma remains with a person for life in the database. But the main thing is a properly assembled package of documents, and your unsuccessful visa past does not matter. Moreover, immediately after the refusal, you can re-apply documents and calmly get a visa.

The applicant can also re-apply for a visa, especially if the reasons that led to the refusal of a visa are eliminated, the EU Delegation said.

4) Will they refuse journalists / civil servants, etc.?

A year ago, I applied for a tourist visa to the Latvian consulate. On the certificate from work, which said that I was a journalist, the employee simply "hung". I studied for a long time, then called someone, studied again. In the end, he pointed a video camera directly at me and asked: are you sure you will not be engaged in professional activities on the territory of our country? I left the building with full confidence that I would be denied a visa. But in the end, there was an annual Schengen, because I really wanted to just go to Riga on the weekends.

Visa applications are considered individually and taking into account all the information provided. In principle, there is no such profession that would cause "special attention" when considering a visa application. At the same time, it is also important that the declared purpose of the trip corresponds to reality, the EU delegation explained.

5) Will they refuse if the previous time I received a visa in one country, but went to a completely different one?

Sometimes you need to get a Schengen visa as quickly and simply as possible. Then many choose for this not the country where they are actually going, but, for example, Italy, in the visa application center of which you can come without a queue even tomorrow. And then with an Italian visa they go to conquer Europe.

Here, the EU Delegation warns: "Having a Schengen visa does not automatically mean the right to enter the Schengen area. When crossing the border of the Schengen area, the visa is checked and the relevant information can be entered into the common Visa Information System (VIS) of the Schengen countries."

That is, if you enter Slovakia on an Austrian visa, this seems to be true, since the countries are nearby, but the presence of an Italian visa that has not yet been opened may seem strange.

The general principle is that you need to obtain a visa in that country of the Schengen area, which is the main country of residence in terms of the duration or purpose of the trip. If the applicant plans to visit several countries of the Schengen area during one trip and the main country of residence cannot be determined, then the visa should be applied for in the country whose border the applicant intends to cross first when entering the Schengen area, remind the EU Delegation.

6) Will they refuse if I have traveled to other countries much more times in the Schengen area of one country?

This primarily applies to residents of St. Petersburg, who receive an annual Schengen in Finland, once "open" a visa in the nearest border town and then quietly ride to other countries.

The EU Delegation says that it does not matter how many times and to which country the Schengen holder has traveled. This will not be grounds for refusal, “if the principle of the “main country of residence” is respected and if we are not talking about exceeding the number of entries allowed by the visa. Thus, a single entry visa gives the right to make only one entry into the Schengen area. With a double and multiple entry visa, you can enter, respectively twice or more times during the period of validity of the visa.

It should be noted that in 2015 only 1.3% of Russians did not receive a Schengen visa (slightly more than 45,000 citizens out of almost 3.5 million applicants). And most often this happens due to inattention, when people simply make mistakes in documents. Read about which countries are the most loyal when issuing long-term visas.

The main reasons for the refusal of a Schengen visa

In short, a visa is denied when:

documents submitted to the consulate do not meet the requirements;
(i.e. not presented in full, or fake (having signs of a fake), expired, unreadable, etc.);
not proven, not confirmed the purpose of the trip;
there is no confirmation of sufficient funds to complete the trip;
there is no valid medical insurance policy for the entire duration of the trip that meets the requirements;
the consulate has doubts about the authenticity of the submitted documents or the reliability of their content, about the reliability of the statements made (about the purpose and travel plans) or doubts about the intention to leave the EU territory upon the expiration of the visa;
the permitted periods of stay in the territory of the EU countries have expired in this period of time;
(not to break the rule);
the person requesting a visa is prohibited from entering the territory of the EU by decision of any of the Member States;
the person requesting a visa is considered as a threat to the rule of law in the territory of the EU countries.

The reasons for refusal are described in more detail in the EU Visa Codec, and are discussed in detail below. As for the above list of reasons, we can say this:

Points "a" - "d"

These are purely mechanical checks, and if you are denied on these points, then these shortcomings, as a rule, are very easily eliminated. On these points, many consulates often sometimes do not refuse, but simply request additional documents in the process of consideration.

For example, “Your photo does not meet quality requirements. Bring a new one, please." Or, “You indicated the purpose of the trip, “visiting relatives.” Please provide certified copies of documents confirming family ties”, etc.

Item "e"

This item is the result of a subjective assessment and analysis by the consul (an employee of the visa department of the consulate) of the total package of documents submitted for consideration. That “consular decision” is a pure human factor.

If you were refused for this reason, it means that the consul has doubts about the purity of your plans and thoughts for the upcoming trip, or doubts about your intentions to return home from the trip. This is a difficult point to overcome the denial of it.

For example, a single, young man (or girl) who does not own real estate, does not have a solid bank account, does not have a family, does not have children, lives on a minimum wage, suddenly applies for a visa for the purpose of tourism.

The consulate may have well-founded suspicions that the purpose of the trip is not “tourism” at all, as stated in the questionnaire, but somewhat different. B Common people don't spend money on traveling in Europe - it's not cheap and it's not their way of spending time.

The consul may decide, for example, that the true purpose of such a trip is to seek work in the EU, or ( in the case of a girl though,in modern times, perhaps with a young man) find a husband (“friend”) there, and stay there to live illegally.

By the way, it is for this reason that consulates are not very willing to issue visas. young people traveling alone(has b Ohigher percentage of refusals for such applications). Not all consulates, but some have doubts about their intentions.

If the refusal occurred for this reason, then if you work hard (most likely, you will need a personal visit to the consulate), you can try to convince the consul that everything will be in order, and you really have no other (hidden) purposes of the trip, except for the one you declared when filling out the questionnaire.

But here already - as lucky.

Item "f"

A refusal under this item only means that you have already stayed in the territory of the EU countries for the maximum allowed number of days for the period (for half a year). You can apply for a visa again when a certain period expires.

For example, you lived in the EU for three months, returned home, and the next day applied for a new visa, with the goal of visiting there again in 10 days.

They will refuse you (because in this case you will violate the “90/180” rule) and will be offered to apply for a visa no earlier than three months later (well, or some certain period, depending on the specific situation).

This clause cannot be overridden. Here you just need to wait a certain time. However, those multivisa holders who spend maximum time on them in Europe know about it.

Points "g" - "h"

Refusal to issue a visa on these points cannot be bypassed in any way (even if you change your last name and passport - the prints have already been submitted). Here you just have to put up with it, and wait until the ban on visiting EU countries (if it is set) expires.

If the consulate has no reason to refuse, a visa will be issued.
If there are reasons for refusal, they will be indicated in the refusal decision.

What to do if your Schengen visa is denied

Contrary to popular belief, (“Oh horror! They refused a visa! Now it will never, never be issued again! Horror, horror!”), most visa denials are not critical.

The visa code says directly(p. 9, art. 21):

A previous refusal of a visa does not automatically result in the refusal of a new visa application. A new application is considered on the basis of all available information.

That is, the shortcomings indicated by the consulate can be eliminated and the documents can be resubmitted, without any consequences (see paragraph above) . The only thing you will lose in this case is the visa fee (and even then not always). If the visa was denied due to the incompetence of the consulate, then it will also be returned.

If the reason for the refusal is precisely in the illiterate execution (or insufficiency) of documents, this is one case. Redo the documents, eliminating the violations and errors indicated in the refusal decision, and resubmit the documents. There is nothing terrible.

But if the reason for the refusal was information in the SIS that you violated the rules of stay in the Schengen area and now you are prohibited from entering its territory (or another reason that you cannot eliminate, for example, you have exhausted the allowed number of days of stay in this period) , then well ... the trip will have to be postponed.

Reasons for visa refusal

The reasons for refusing to issue you a uniform Schengen visa are defined in Visa Code of the EU. First, I will give this paragraph in its entirety, and below I will give a transcript of all the points (for those who need it).

VISA REFUSED(Art. 32):

a) if the applicant:

i) presents a forged, falsified or misrepresented travel document;

Everything is clear here - do not use fake passports. Among other things, it is also punishable under criminal law :)

ii) does not provide confirmation of the purpose and conditions of the intended stay;

These documents are included in the list of required. The purpose of the trip is described by you in the travel plan (statement of the itinerary of the trip), and the conditions of the intended stay are confirmations from hotels that the accommodation is booked and prepaid in full / in part - depending on the requirements of a particular consulate.

iii) does not provide evidence of sufficient funds to existence both for the duration of the intended stay, and for returning to their country ... ... or unable to legally acquire such funds;

"Availability of sufficient funds" - these are the funds that you have available (on a bank account, on a bank card).
“Legally Acquire Such Funds” is proof of salary from your employer or any other legal source of your funds.
I will say right away that the larger the amount of funds in the account you show when submitting documents to the consulate, the better, the less likely it is to refuse.

iv) already been in the area countries of the Schengen agreement ... ... three months during the current six-month period;

This problem concerns people who go there regularly. Checked for compliance with the 90/180 rule. For a tourist trip once a year - no problem.

v) is an object sent within the framework of the SIS information request for non-admission;

vi) regarded as a threat public order, internal security or public health…, or the foreign relations of any of the Member States and, in particular, is… …an object informational request for non-admission under national databases Member States or

The previous two points - you are threatened with a refusal if you either “screwed up” somewhere during the last trip, (violated the law, violated the Visa Code), or, suddenly, are an honorary member of some international criminal group (if this information is known to European law enforcement authorities).

vii) does not provide evidence of an adequate and valid travel health insurance contract when required, or

Everything is clear here: if you do not have a valid health insurance policy for the duration of the proposed trip, then you will be refused. However, without it, your documents simply will not be accepted.

b) if there is reasonable doubt as to the authenticity of the submitted applicant supporting documents or the reliability of their content, about the reliability of the applicant statements or his intention to leave the territory Member States until the requested visa expires.

Explanations for part "a" of this article are given in footnotes. There, in principle, there is nothing incomprehensible. Much more questions arise on point "b". This is an important and most "subtle" item from the general check. I will decipher it line by line.

How to reduce the likelihood of refusal of a Schengen visa

In contrast to paragraph "a", with which everything is clear, and which, in fact, simply regulates the verification of the availability and quality of documents, as well as information bases to see if you have had any violations and whether you have been banned from entering the countries of the Schengen Agreement, paragraph "b" leaves free rein for the consul.

Because, in fact, it describes the procedure for assessing the risks of your trustworthiness. There are no specific instructions in this paragraph, only general ones. But they are important. Let's figure it out.

"The authenticity of the submitted supporting documents"- try to ensure that the documents you provide for consideration (copies of documents, when appropriate) do not raise doubts with the consul.

The seals and the documents themselves must be readable, there should be no corrections and erasures in the documents, the documents must be “fresh” (active).

For example, a permit to take a child abroad is valid until the expiration of the period specified in it upon issuance, a certificate from the place of work - one month, a power of attorney to drive a vehicle - until the period specified in it, etc.

"Integrity of Content" Documents must not contain clearly false or unreliable information, or information that raises doubts about its veracity.

If you submit as a confirmation of solvency (availability of funds) a certificate from the place of work, which says that you work as a loader in the Horns and Hooves office, but the salary will be indicated at 150 thousand rubles a month - the “reliability of the content” of such document is questionable. Promise.

Don't look stupid for yourself. Consuls, if not reliably, then approximately, imagine the standard of living and wages in the country where they work.

The same applies to corrections, erasures and illegible (unreadable) places in documents. They raise doubts about the authenticity of the content. They shouldn't be.

"The reliability of the statements made"— I don't know what it means and how it is checked. Perhaps the item refers to conducting a personal interview (in appearance, behavior, etc.). And here's the thing:

“Intention to leave the territory of the Schengen countries”, then this is a rather important point. H I remember Article 21 of the Visa Code:

«… Special attention given assessing the risk of illegal immigration… …who could be represented by the applicant, as well as assessing the intention to leave the territory Member States until the date of expiration of the requested visa.”

See how: special attention to assessing the risk of migration and assessing the intention to leave the territory.

Here, documents such as:

a certificate from the place of work indicating the salary (especially if the salary is decent, well, or at least above average);
documents confirming that you have real estate in the territory of the Russian Federation (apartment, garage, cottage, etc.), that is, something that ties you to a particular country;
a certificate from the bank proving that you have some quite significant funds by the standards of Europe (3-5 thousand euros, for example, (it can be in rubles) in your account - this will be very good).

That is, documents proving that you are, in general, a respectable and wealthy person, everything is in order with work and property, and therefore you most likely will not try to stay in the EU countries and look for a better life there.

I repeat that it is precisely on this point: “doubts about ... the intention to leave the territory of the Member States”, visas are not very willing to give single young and unsecured women or men.

The consul is worried that such people are at risk of illegal immigration (may try to stay there). Although, the attitude and assessment of the consul as a whole also depends on the interstate relations of the two countries.

And if you have real estate on the territory of the Russian Federation, if, for example, your family and children stay at home, or when you have a decent and well-paid job, then in this case, the consul, regarding the assessment of the likelihood of your return, is calm for you.

A visa in such a situation is issued with ease, provided, of course, that all other documents are in order and all other conditions are met.

And if you have nothing and no one at home (and there is no house itself), you are young, lonely, do not have a decent job ... then the consul may think and make a decision not in your favor (refuse to issue a visa).

And even tickets bought for the return trip (if you are not traveling by car), and which are also proof of the intention of your return, may not work. After all, they can be handed over (or thrown away) for a short time if that.

So don't be surprised that your visa will be denied if you indicate that you are a young, single, unemployed specialist (or work as a janitor for 8,000 rubles), who does not own property in Russia, and you have only 500 euros in your account ... Sorry, but you look a little like a tourist in this case.

Here I will emphasize that the above is related mainly to individual tourism / private trips.

If you are traveling as part of a tourist group (that is, you paid for a ticket), then in fact you are provided with accommodation and meals, you have tickets there and (most importantly) back (the road is paid), and the risk of your not returning to your homeland is reduced (from the point of view of the consul issuing the visa, of course).

In general, when traveling in an organized manner, it is easier to get a visa. If in doubt, for the first trip to the EU, buy the simplest and cheapest tour there. At the same time, you will conduct reconnaissance. And the second Schengen visa (and subsequent ones) is already easier to get.

How to find out that a visa was refused and why it was refused (refusal decision)

This can be seen immediately upon receipt of documents from the consulate. If you come to the consulate (visa center) to pick up your passport and see that instead of a passport you are given your own package of documents, then you were denied a visa (you can even not open your passport to make sure of this).

If you are given only a passport, then without opening it you can be sure that it contains a visa. Another point - open it and check immediately so that all the data in the visa (namely, your full name and passport number) are recorded correctly (usually, everything is correct there, but ...).

At the same time, you will find out for how long and for how many entries you were given it. :)

If all the documents were returned to you (they refused to issue a visa), then among them there should be one in which it will be indicated on the basis of which you were refused.

The decision is made on a standard form (form) contained in Appendix VI of the Visa Code. If you are interested in more details, then follow the link above, the whole process is described in detail there.

A visa denial can be appealed. Complaints are filed against the state that has made the final decision to refuse, in accordance with the national law of that state. Consulates provide information on how to appeal, as indicated in Annex VI.

Cancellation and revocation of a visa what are the differences

VISA IS CANCELLED in the event that it is found that at the time of its issuance the conditions for issuing a visa were not met, in particular if there are serious grounds for believing that the visa was obtained fraudulently.

Cancellation of a visa is carried out by the competent authorities of the state that issued it. But a visa can also be canceled by the competent authorities of another state.

In simple words, a visa is canceled if it suddenly turns out in hindsight that the consulate was deceived when it was received (inaccurate data was presented, etc.).

In this case, upon arrival at the border, they will simply tell you: “Sorry, your visa has been canceled, goodbye.”

VISA IS SUPPOSED in the event that it is found that the conditions for issuance are no longer fulfilled.

The cancellation of a visa is carried out by the competent authorities of the Member State that issued it. A visa can be canceled by the competent authorities of another state.

“The conditions of issuance have ceased to be fulfilled” is when, for example, a visa was obtained for the purpose of “tourism”, but a person who entered the EU with such a visa got a job with it. In such a situation (if this is discovered), the visa will be canceled, and not even necessarily by the authorities of the country that issued it.

A visa can be canceled at the request of its holder. The competent authorities of the issuing State shall be informed of such cancellation.

Cancellation of a visa is simple: go to the consulate that issued it, write a statement that you want to cancel your visa, and it will be canceled for you.

Why is this needed? Well, for example, you received a Finnish visa, but you understand that basically, you need to travel not to Finland, but, for example, to Germany. Then, in order not to violate the rules governing the request for a visa, you must cancel the Finnish visa, and get a German one.

Science doesn't know for sure if anyone has done this, but the rules make it possible (and even require it).

However, if you are going to mainly get to Germany by ferry via Helsinki, then this can not be done. But the point, I think, is clear. - it is not recommended to break.

BTW FOR INFORMATION

Failure to present one or more supporting documents at the border does not automatically lead to a decision to annul or cancel a visa, but may be the reason for refusal to enter the country.

Let me remind you that supporting documents include (except for a passport with a visa) both documents confirming your accommodation option and documents confirming your ability to pay.

So, if you do not present them (at the request of the border guard, on the basis of), during the border check, then you will receive a visa not cancel. But they may not be allowed to go abroad.

They ask them, however, quite rarely, but once a year, they say, and the stick shoots. Just keep that in mind.

In principle, to successfully obtain a Schengen visa on your own, it is enough to study this note (so as not to step on a rake), and a note with. And you can apply - you can't go wrong.

With this I will end a note on the reasons for the refusal of a Schengen visa, as well as ways to reduce the likelihood of a refusal to issue a visa, what to do in case of refusal and what it threatens.

I hope the above information has helped you understand how, for what and why, you may be denied a Schengen visa. And he who is forewarned is, as you know, armed.