Ukraine Travel Forum

My wife and I are returning to her home in Kiev for 2 months. Can anyone explain the procedures and cost etc that she needs to go through in Kiev to apply for a Schengan Visa ?? We would like to look briefly into Hungary/Slovakia/Poland
regards
Peter & Lena - NZ

None of those countries have signed the Schengen agreement so that means that she might need visas for each of those countries. Check out Schengen visa info at http://www.schengenvisa.cc/ and the individual embassies in Kiev:

Hungary: http://www.konzulatus.uz.ua
Slovakia: http://www.slovakia.kiev.ua/
Poland: http://www.polska.com.ua/_old/ or http://www.polska.com.ua/pol/visaseng/4495/

I think the thing to do is to go through Google...... which is probably why you are asking VT!! As I understand it, one has to apply for a Schengen visa at the Embassy of the country in which you would spend the most time. However, I have heard that some countries are easier than others. Slovakia springs to mind. There are quite a lot of useful websites which will give you answers re cost and if you download an application form, you will get an idea of the procedure - www.schengenvisa.cc That said, I don't think that the visa is something that you will be able to obtain in a short time frame, so if you are going to be in the Ukraine for only 2 months, perhaps it would be better to apply before you leave.

My bad. They have signed the agreement. The Schengen visa site I gave you has the wrong info. However, the links to the embassies should help you out :) I'm so sorry for writing the wrong info.

The way I understand it works, and please correct me if I'm wrong, is that she should apply for the visa at the country's embassy where she's to spend the most time. Say, you're going to Hungary for a week, then to Slovakia and Poland for a weekend, then she should apply at the Hungarian embassy in Kiev. There's updated info about Schengen visas at http://www.theschengenoffice.com/explained/schengen_visa.html

The Schengen visa site says "the following countries joined the Schengen Agreement on 21st December, 2007", amongst which is listed Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. There is obviously a difference between "joined" and "signed up" - or is there?!!!

Just in my head, hawkhead, hehe. The first word I thought of was "signed up", but "joined" is much better - I was thinking in Spanish and translating as I wrote so thanks for the remark :). Hey! I didn't see the new countries that joined in schengenvisa.cc! I do need to improve my eye sight :)

If your wife is citizen of Ukraine, she will have to submit the set of documents required for Schengen Visa. Basically the documents are common for all embassies but may vary slightly. The best way is to look through the web site of the embassy of the country which you decide to apply for Visa.

On the web site you may download an Application form for Schengen Visa and check necessary documents.
You should submit to the Embassy all mentioned documents together with passport and completed Application List, pay 35 Euro, pass interview and wait for a week. In a week when you come to get your passport back you will know if they granted you Visa or not.

Among the requested documents, the most funny are: confirmation of hotel booking and payment and the papers which prove your financial background as sufficient to stay in Schengen countries….though stay in Ukraine sometimes more expensive than stay in some Scengen countries…

Wish you and your wife success in this uneasy exercise.

The part that I think is ridiculous is that the 35€ fee is non refundable, so if they didn't give your wife the visa (God forbid), the money is lost.

The best advice here is to focus on the country you want to visit most, and apply to the respective consulate. The application may be reviewed for as long as 3 weeks, so you're better off applying as early as possible.

Thanks to all and your advice, much appreciated. I think we might just focus on Hungary and get a Visa via the Embassy in Kiev. Looks like its free and can be processed in ten days.

Just a small thing as recently I had a problem.
I agree with all that is said.
Go to the country where you are first visiting but explain to them that you are visiting other countries and that you would like to have the visa for all of your trip.
I had a problem with the Spanish Embassy and they only gave me a short visa for my wife.
I asked why and they told me most countries are tightening regulations and not giving long visas.
And it is correct that many applications I have made require proof of your stay,airline tickets,provisional hotel reservations etc.
Some countries are nto so strict as others.

And one thing more it is correct that if that country has NOT signed Schenegen agreement ( for example United Kingdom) then you need a seperate visa.
Best check with each Embassy web site