Author: Anastasia
In the list of documents for registration of the Schengen, there is such a column as a certificate for a visa from the place of work. Why is it so important for consulates, and what are the requirements for paperwork in 2021? In the article, we will consider + 2 more options: what form to ask the employer and what to do if you are an individual entrepreneur, freelancer or student.
A word from the editor. I recently got my 3rd Spanish visa for two years! This is because the material was written by our author - I checked everything, shared my experience in issuing a certificate from work for a visa to Spain and made edits here and there.
Do I need a certificate of employment for a Schengen visa?
If you decide to spend your vacation in one of the Schengen countries, and the purpose is a tourist visa, then a certificate from work at the embassy is required (if you have employment). It will serve as proof of your intention to return, not stay.
Information that you have a stable job with a solid salary will convince the consulate of your reliability. An applicant with such a “history” is unlikely to dare to violate the rules for visiting the country and become an illegal migrant.
However, there are categories that do not work a priori. For example, students or retirees. In this case, they are required to provide a certificate of study / pension certificate.
Notethat some countries do not insist on a certificate from work and only allow a confirmation of the financial. consistency. Popular ones are Greece, Germany and France.
You can download the form here >> and buy cheap insurance
for 300-500 rubles - on Cherehapa >>
Is it possible to replace it with something?
Yes, 2NDFL is possible. Did you want to hear something? :)
If the salary is small or your current status is "temporarily unemployed" - there are 2 good news:
- Several countries from the Schengen zone ↑ request either a certificate of income (from work, that is), or a certificate from a bank. Only one thing.
- You can simply not attach the document. Aren't unemployed or freelancers allowed to travel? 🙂 Here is a personal example: a friend received a Spanish Schengen for a year with only one certificate from the bank, indicating “freelancer” in the application form (although Spain requires confirmation of employment).
BUT. And in that and in that case, to guarantee approval, make an extract from the bank account with an amount of 100,000 rubles or more (hint: borrowed - put - recorded in the certificate - given).
Requirements and sample certificate from the place of work for a visa
How to issue a certificate of employment? The letterhead of the company with the details of the organization and contact information (legal address, phone numbers in the header) will not interfere.
A work certificate for a Schengen visa in 2021 may be in free form, but mandatory items go:
- name of firm / company / enterprise
- company / company / enterprise address
- your position and time of work in the company
- the period for which the leave is granted and the note "with payroll"
- monthly income (preferably from 25 thousand rubles) or average salary per year
The visa certificate must be certified by the seal of the organization and the signature of the director / accountant.
By the way, the consulate does not call to work. We and our friends were not bothered, we did not see such reviews on the forums either. But if an employee of the consulate called your soul, let me know in the comments, please.
Are you a sole proprietor? A certificate from the IP for a visa includes a copy of the registration certificate and a copy of the TIN.
You can download a sample certificate from the place of work for a visa below.
List of documents for a Schengen visa
Obtained a Schengen visa to Spain for 2 years
Schengen is a visa that will allow you to fly to any country in the Schengen area: Italy, the Czech Republic, and almost all of Europe. Next, we will describe an approximate package of documents that is required to obtain it in 2021 (if the purpose of the trip is tourism / recreation).
The list depends on the country, but usually the list - for an applicant over 18 years old - includes:
- questionnaire - for each country its own
- photo (2 pieces)
- international passport - original and copies
- copies of the completed pages of the Russian passport
- travel insurance (where to get inexpensive - read below)
- accommodation reservation (hotels and hostels on Booking, apartments and houses on Airbnb - both are 100% visa-friendly)
- flight booking (the best search engines are here)
- certificate from work at the place of demand
- bank statement or sponsorship letter
To the above, you can add documents for your movable property and real estate. As additional proof that you will not leave your apartment / car and return home.
For a child, the following are added to the list above:
- instead of a certificate from work - a certificate from the school
- as financial support - sponsorship letter
- up to 14 years old - copy of birth certificate
- parental consent to leave (each country has its own requirements)
Insurance for a visa - where to find the cheapest one?
The Schengen zone also includes medical insurance as mandatory documents for entry. Without it, the granting of a visa is unlikely. And that's not even the point. In the event of an unexpected illness or even injury, "European treatment" will be expensive.
General requirements for registration of the policy:
✓ the amount of insurance coverage is from 30,000 euros or more (we usually take from 50,000)
✓ coverage area - ALL Schengen countries
✓ policy validity period - total time spent on the territory of a Schengen country
The most time-saving and cost-effective option for obtaining insurance for a Schengen visa is online. The most famous services:
- Cherehapa
- Compare.ru
- Strahovkaru
You can contact a travel agency or visa center. However, in our experience, there will have to overpay twice as much.
Alternative - a bank statement or sponsorship letter
A visa without a job certificate is real. Prove financially sound. It can be confirmed by:
- Sponsorship letter. This is the written consent of the other person to bear all the costs of your trip. In this case, you will need to provide a copy of his passport and account statement. Anyone can act as a benefactor: husband, parents, sister, friend, colleague - it depends on the requirements of a particular country (and we explained in detail in the article at the link below). The sponsorship letter is always included in the package of documents for the child.
- An account statement with a good amount (at the rate of 90 euros for every day on the trip, but ideally from 100 thousand rubles) will also replace the income statement for a visa. Well, and her statement - in turn, is allowed to be replaced with a certificate of purchase of euros or dollars, traveller's checks or a credit card statement - but we did not practice that.
On a note: for some countries, the bank statement of the account status may be replaced by a check of the balance from an ATM and a photocopy of the card. Works exactly as a reference for a visa to Spain.
If you have a Tinkoff card (like ours), then not everyone accepts a certificate with a facsimile seal - the original is needed! Therefore, either order in advance (2 weeks in advance, will come by mail), or find out about the check from the ATM. With others, there are also problems - sometimes a certificate from the bank costs 150 rubles.
Sample sponsorship letter
What are the requirements for a sponsorship letter? You can read about this in our article "How to issue a sponsorship letter?" In it, we analyzed frequently asked questions by tourists: who can become a sponsor, features of the letter for different countries and what a sample document that is relevant for Schengen includes.
Basic questions about help from work
Help from work for Schengen: small FAQ.
What language should I fill in? It is allowed to issue a document in Russian. But sometimes embassy officials ask for a certificate in international - English.Specify specific requirements on the spot, by phone or on the website of a separate consulate. We always did it in Russian - there were no problems.
How long is the visa certificate valid? As a rule, it should be no older than 1 month by the date of submission of documents. The validity of a check from an ATM is 3 days.
And what about private traders? An individual entrepreneur needs to prepare a tax report for the last six months (a new form - the 2021 form 3-NDFL) and a copy of the registration certificate.
Are work certificates different for different countries (visas)?
The work certificate form for a Schengen visa in 2021 does not differ for different countries. The requirements are, in principle, the same. We advise you to independently study the information on the documents on the website of the consulate of the selected state.
Once again, the points that are needed in the help:
- A4 letterhead
- company details (you can also specify the site)
- outgoing number and time of issue of the certificate
- position and date of employment
- salary
- vacation dates
- signature of the general and chief accountant
- seal
Help from work for a visa to Spain, Greece and Italy
An important role is played by the traveler's income. Although the embassy does not put forward official requirements for salaries. However, the higher the number, the more reliable the tourist is in their eyes.
- A certificate for a visa to Spain is required. Housewife, study, freelance? You can be forgiven for not having a piece of paper if you attach a "fat" statement from the bank.
- For a visa to Greece, a job certificate is not required. Freely replaced by a financial document.
- With Italy, a simple indication of "freelancing" will not work - the consulate requires copies of contracts for the provision of services.
Our advice after received 9 Schengen
So, a summary of the article or our tips for obtaining a Schengen visa:
- Want to save money? Don't overpay agencies. Collect the package of documents (only carefully) for the Schengen area yourself and submit to the consulate / authorized visa centers.
- Where is the best way to make a visa? The easiest Schengen visa to apply is to Spain.
- Where to get insurance? We will repeat: it is cheaper and more convenient on Cherehapa or Compare.ru. Insurance for 7 days will cost 300-700 rubles, for 14 days - from 650 to 1500 rubles.
- Difficulty with your income document? You can ask friends with an LLC or individual entrepreneur to make you a certificate, as a rule, it is not checked. Just in case, notify the contact person who can be called for confirmation.
- What should a non-working or freelancer do? An account statement with an impressive amount (remember, 90 euros for each day of stay) or a sponsorship letter will help out. The second in the questionnaire about the place of work can write like this: freelancer.
- Salary less than 25,000 rubles? We return to the previous point.
- And yes, remember that everything should be natural. You receive 30 thousand a month, and in the statement from the bank on the balance - all 300? Somehow it does not inspire confidence.
