The Spanish Visa Application Centre has notified tourists about new requirements for documents when applying for a visa.
A new requirement came into force on 1 October 2024. The partner of the Spanish Embassy, the BLS Spain Russia visa application centre, wrote about this on its website. Now all Russians who have reached the age of 18 are required to provide a certificate of their work over the past 10 years. Such a certificate is issued by the Pension and Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation.
More about the new requirements
But it is not necessary to bring a paper version with a stamp (a “live” signature) when applying. It is also allowed to provide an electronic document with a digital signature.
The BLS Spain Russia visa application centre in the Russian Federation warns on its website that if these documents are not available, the application for a Schengen visa will not be accepted. At the same time, according to some applicants who visited the office today, their documents were accepted according to the old standards. However, in the near future, the provision of this certificate or its electronic equivalent will probably become mandatory.
Similar requirements were previously introduced by Italy, and in Germany they have existed for many years. It is likely that other Schengen countries will follow a similar practice.
It is assumed that the new requirement will relieve the employees of the Visa Application Center and may even speed up the approval of visas. Currently, inspectors spend a lot of time to independently obtain confirmation of the applicant’s employment. But with a certificate from the pension fund, they will not have to do this.
What to do for those who are currently unemployed
If you are unemployed, any evidence of your strong connection to Russia will do. This could be:
- Documents about having children and/or a spouse (this is relevant only if they are not flying with you);
- Documents about owning a business, real estate in the Russian Federation;
- Documents about owning large property in Russia (car, land).
If there are no such documents, or if they are incorrectly completed, applicants will be forced to re-register for submission, depending on the available places. If necessary, you can use the additional services of the visa center.
