Difference between visa and Schengen.

The concepts of "visa" and "Schengen" are often viewed in a general context. But each of them has peculiarities of interpretation. How are they most often expressed?

What is a visa?

The concept of a visa is most often correlated with a permit document, the presence of which gives a citizen of one state the opportunity to cross the border of another country - if a visa regime is established between both subjects of international relations. The document in question is not needed if the countries have agreed to establish, in turn, a visa-free regime.

The visa is most often pasted into the traveller's passport. It can be:

1. short-term (to act for several days or months);
2. long-term (lasting several years);
3. tourist (intended only for entry for the purpose of recreation and does not give the right to work);
4. business (intended for a person to visit another state for business purposes);
5. working (intended for the entry of a person into the country in order to carry out labor activities);
6. immigration (involving the subsequent registration by the entering person of a residence permit or citizenship).

There are certainly a large number of other types of visas, but the ones listed above are the main ones.

It can be noted that there is such a document as a transit visa. It gives the traveler the right to stay only in the international zone of an airport or other transport terminal located in another state, but does not allow him to cross the border of the country (or it does, but for a very short time - as a rule, for several hours).

It is worth noting that the presence of a visa for a traveler does not guarantee his admission across the border of the state to which he is traveling. The border guard has the right to question him in detail about the purpose of the visit, and if the answers do not suit him, refuse the person to enter the country. Of course, such cases are rare, but the refusal of a traveler with a valid visa to enter the territory of the state is a procedure that is provided for by the migration rules of many countries.

Visas are also classified:

1. for those issued upon arrival of the traveler in the state;
2. to those for the receipt of which it is necessary to notify the authorities of another state in advance;
3. for those, the receipt of which requires preliminary submission of documents for consideration by the migration structures of another country, as well as their consent to issue a visa;
4. those that require a successful interview with the migration authorities of the host country;
5. paid;
6. for free.

In general, most visas issued by modern states correspond to at least one of the above criteria.

The so-called exit visas are known in world practice. They were introduced, for example, in the USSR. A citizen of the Soviet Union in order to leave the state, it was necessary to obtain the appropriate permission from the migration departments.

Russians can leave their state freely. However, citizens of the Russian Federation to enter Europe may need to apply for a Schengen visa - or, in a simpler version, a Schengen visa. Let's consider the specifics of this permission document in more detail.

What is Schengen?

By " Schengen" it is customary to understand a visa that gives a citizen of the Russian Federation the right to enter the territory of any of the states that have signed the Schengen Agreement, as a rule, regardless of which particular state issued the visa... But it is recommended, of course, to cross the border of the Schengen zone precisely through the country that has issued the corresponding permit document. Or - as soon as possible go to this country and spend a significant amount of time there.

"Schengen" refers to visas that are classified as:

• paid sometimes a service one is added to it - about 21 euros);
• issued on condition of preliminary submission of documents for consideration by the migration structures of the country of visit, as well as obtaining consent from their side to issue a visa.

Having a valid Schengen visa allows a citizen of the Russian Federation to visit some European countries that are not part of the Schengen zone - Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus.

Comparison

One or another difference between a visa and a Schengen visa should be sought if, under the first concept, we consider a permit document that does not coincide in its main features with the second - that is, it is free or does not require preliminary submission of documents to the consulate.

So, for example, free visas for citizens of the Russian Federation are issued by Vietnam (lasting from 1 month, you can enter for up to 15 days without a visa), Lebanon, Malaysia. The same states, as well as many others (such as Myanmar, Nepal, Zambia, Cape Verde), do not require prior submission of documents to the consulate for a visa.

The peculiarity of a Schengen visa is the ability of its holder to freely cross the borders of any states that are part of the Schengen zone. In turn, national visas, as a rule, allow you to visit only the country that issues the relevant documents.

Having determined what is the difference between a visa and a "Schengen", we reflect the conclusions in the table.

Table