Can I get Shengen visa for longer than Hotel Booking?

[xleft]

Hi, thanks in advance for your help!

I am Russian citizen living in UK with Post-Study visa. I want to travel to Russia via Helsinki (Finland). So I want to fly from London to Helsinki. Stay there for several days. Then go to Russia by train and stay in Russia for about 3 weeks and then return to Helsinki, then see some Finland attractions for several days and then return to UK.

I need Shengen visa to enter Finland. In Shengen visa application you are asked to provide hotel booking for the trip. I will be in Finland only first 2-3 days and last 3-4 days. About a week in total. But I need Shengen visa for at least one month because I will be in Russia for 3 weeks.

Can I just go to Finland embassy show my hotel booking in Helsinki for several days at the beginning of my trip and end of my trip and get 1 month Shengen visa? Or they will refuse because I will have only about 1 week of Helsinki hotel booking in total and ask for 1 month visa? Can I explain to them my plans and will they understand it and allow me to get this visa or I have to book hotel for 1 month in Finland and then cancel it after I get visa? I want to tell all the truth but on the other hand I don't want to waste my time and visa application fee if they won't like the idea that I have only 1 week of booking and ask for 1 month visa because I want to travel to Russia in the middle.

Could you please advice what is the best to do in this case?

Thank you!

[86ti]

What you will need is a dual/multiple entry Schengen visa valid from your first entry to Finland till the last departure from Finland. (In principle, they could also ask you to apply for another one while in Russia but the time span is probably too short. Quite unreasonable.) The duration of stay can be limited to the number of days you have hotel booking for. Remember, you will also need appropriate travel insurance for that time, sufficient means of maintainance and proof of intent to return. If you had a visa with them before then that may be all easier.

[xleft]

Thank you, it looks quite complicated. Do you think they can refuse or give only single entry and ask to apply from Russia? It just looks so complicated I am not even sure it is such a good idea at all to travel this way. I want to travel this way but it looks like I may not even get visa I need after investing time in all these documents, explanations, etc.

[86ti]

Do you think they can refuse or give only single entry and ask to apply from Russia?

You do not have a right to get the visa and refusal is always possible esp. if the travel plan is not worked out very well and/or they cast doubts on your motifs. But that does not mean that you would not have a genuine chance of getting it provided that you carefully prepare all necessary documents.

Asking you to apply again from Russia for another single would seem very unreasonable. The time frame is very short and practically that may not even be possible. Also, your trip is in essence a single trip. You would certainly want to make sure to explain all details very carefully.

Maybe one option is to visit Finland just briefly through Russia instead of making Finland the transit destination?

[xleft]

Ok. I see. Thank you very much for your comments and help!!!

[ca.funke]

...living in UK with Post-Study visa...

Hi xleft,

Since you live in the UK, I´m pretty sure you´ll get the visa.

What you should ask for is a dual-entry visa (one entry flying from London, one by train from Russia), and together with your return ticket from London this sounds very plausible.

Parameters:

• dual entry
• valid for one month
• duration: 10 days (ish)

Apply for it as early as you can (I think it should be possible 3 months prior to travel), so you can finalise your booking/travel plans.

Your case is exactly what "dual entry" was designed for, so to answer your original question "Can I get Shengen visa for longer than Hotel Booking?" - yes, you can, since it´s plausible to have an "extended" transit visa.

Most important: Please update this thread with the outcome of your case

Thanks and good luck!

[xleft]

Thanks ca.funke.

If I proceed with it, I will update this topic. Looks like quite a lot of preparations for such small visa at the moment. So maybe I will have to change my plans...

Thank you anyway!