UK visa

The country is now open and issuing visas. It’s not difficult to get it – you don’t need to go through an interview, just prepare the documents. Even those who have never been abroad have a high chance of becoming a British visa holder.

If you are flying to study short-term language courses (up to six months), the Standard Visitor visa is suitable for you.

The first thing you need to do is fill out a form. This can be found on the UK Visa and Immigration website .

If you apply for a visa with Repafi, we will send you a questionnaire and fill out the form for you. Just book your visa support.

On the website of the visa immigration service you can also sign up to submit documents to the visa center. You will need to submit biometric data on site. There, a center employee will take your visa photo.

What documents will be needed:

1. Valid passport. And the previous one, if there is one.
2. Completed and signed visa application form.
3. If you are working: a certificate from your place of work on letterhead with a stamp. It must contain addresses, telephone numbers, your position, length of service in the company, salary and confirmation of leave for the duration of your studies.

If you are studying: a certificate from the place of study.

If you are an individual entrepreneur: a copy of the registration certificate of a private entrepreneur, a copy of the tax return, a copy of the TIN. If there is no tax return, attach a certificate of income with the individual entrepreneur’s stamp and signature.

1. Certificate of bank account and statement from it.

The Consulate requires that the account balance be sufficient to cover course fees, accommodation, flights and daily expenses while in the UK.

Calculation of pocket expenses: 

Up to 2 weeks – 70 pounds for 1 day.

From 2 weeks – 1000 pounds per month for a trip to London and 800 pounds per month for trips outside London.

1. Sponsorship letter from the person paying for the trip. You will also need a copy of his passport, a certificate from his place of work and bank documents.

And if there are any, documents proving relationship with the sponsor (for example, a birth certificate). If the sponsor is not a close relative, you need to explain why he is paying for the trip.

1. A copy of the student’s or sponsor’s proof of ownership.
2. Copies of marriage certificate, birth certificate of a child – if available.
   
3. Copies of diplomas and certificates of education received and completion of language programs abroad – if available.
4. A copy of a letter from a UK university, college or school confirming acceptance to a course of study. If the educational organization does not provide accommodation, then you need to attach, for example, an apartment rental agreement or a hotel reservation.
5. It is advisable to provide a motivation letter in which you explain the reasons for your trip to the UK and how studying can be useful to you.

All documents required to obtain a visa must be translated into English. If the translation turns out to be of poor quality, incomplete or raises doubts, the visa center staff may refuse to review the documents. So it is better to contact a specialist.

Documents in PDF format must be uploaded to the TLScontact website . They can also be provided in person at the visa center, but you will need to pay 2,520 ₽ for this .

A Standard Visitor visa is issued for six months. Consular fee at the embassy is $12. It must be paid on the UK Visa Immigration website after completing the visa application form.

Currently, the process of obtaining a study visa to the UK takes about two to three months. So plan your trip in advance.

Irish visa

If you are planning to visit the country to take a short language course, then you need a type C visa – with it you can stay in Ireland for up to 90 days. Consular fee – 60 €.

To get started, fill out the online form on the website and print it. Then make an appointment at the visa center through the VFS Global portal . You will need the same documents as for a UK visa, which we discussed above. However, there are small nuances:

• You will need two photographs 3.5×4.5 cm, color, on a white background, without corners or ovals.
• A bank account statement is required for the last six months . It should show that the account was active for the previous six months and transactions were carried out regularly on it.

The balance requirement is €1000 per month of travel. This amount does not have to be in the account for the entire six months. However, the final account balance must match the required amount. For example, if you fly to study in Ireland for two months, then you must have at least €2000 in your account.

• Additionally, documentary evidence of full payment for the training program will be required. A letter from an educational institution with the phrase “Everything has been paid” is not proof of payment. Documentation of bank transfer or online payment is required.
• Another important document is the Letter of Application. This is a letter with a detailed description of your trip and a guarantee that you will comply with the law and not exceed the permitted period of stay in Ireland. If you apply for a visa with Linguatrip, we will help you create it.
• To obtain a visa, you will also need medical insurance that covers the entire period of your stay in the country. The minimum insurance amount for a type C visa is €30,000.

All documents will need to be translated into English. There is no need to notarize.

Italian Schengen

To travel to Italy you need a Schengen visa. You can go to short language courses with a tourist card, which allows you to stay in the country for up to 90 days – type C. Even those who have never received it before can now apply for it.

Before going to the visa center, you will also need to fill out a form , print it out and take it with you. Documents are accepted at VMS visa centers . They are in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Arkhangelsk. You can make an appointment through the official website.

Now there is a rush among those wishing to obtain a Schengen visa, so you will have to “hunt” for free windows for submitting documents.

To the visa center you need to take:

1. A foreign passport with at least two blank pages, which will be valid for at least three months after the visa expires.
2. A copy of a valid international passport. And the previous one, if there is one.
3. Russian passport and copies of pages with personal data and registration.
4. Photo 3×4 or 3.5×4.5 cm on a white background. You can familiarize yourself with the requirements on the website of the Italy Visa Application Center .
5. Certificate from work or study.
6. Bank account statement for the last three months. The minimum amount on the account depends on how many days you will be in Italy. The requirements for it are stated here .
7. A copy of the invitation from the language school. If the educational organization does not provide accommodation, then take your apartment rental agreement or hotel reservation with you to the visa center.
8. Route confirmation (round trip air tickets)
9. Consent to the processing of personal data. ( Download )
10. Medical insurance with a coverage amount starting from €30,000, which will be valid in all Schengen countries throughout the trip.

You will need to pay a consular fee, it is €35⁣. The service fee differs depending on the city. At the visa center in Moscow it is 4710 RUR, in St. Petersburg and Arkhangelsk – 3200 RUR. On average, tourists receive a visa in seven working days.

French Schengen

Now anyone can apply for a French visa. For short-term language courses, you will need a standard tourist Schengen visa, which is valid for up to 90 days.

Before submitting documents, fill out the form on the France-Visas website. And then make an appointment at the VFS Global France visa center – they are in 18 cities of Russia.

In addition to the questionnaire, you will need to provide:

1. A foreign passport with at least two blank pages, which will be valid for at least three months after the visa expires.
2. Copies of the first page of the international passport and pages with visas and stamps.
3. Copies of pages of the Russian passport (pages with personal data, registration, information about marital status and previously issued passports).
4. Two photographs 45×35 mm.
5. Certificate from work or study.
6. Proof of financial solvency: bank account statement or sponsorship letter.
7. A copy of the invitation from the language school. If the educational organization does not provide a place to stay, then take your apartment rental agreement or hotel reservation with you to the visa center.
8. Route confirmation (round trip air tickets)
9. Consent to the processing of personal data (Download here )
10. Medical insurance with a coverage amount starting from €30,000, which will be valid in all Schengen countries throughout the trip.

You will need to pay a consular fee – €35⁣, as well as a service fee – €35.5⁣. This can be done online or when submitting documents to the visa center. On average, visa processing takes about 7–10 days.

American visa

Now it is not possible to obtain a US visa in Russia. Therefore, the only option is to submit documents and undergo a personal interview abroad. Repafi students go to apply for a visa to Serbia, Poland, Italy, France, Spain, Israel, Belgium and Croatia.

If you want to go to English courses for a period of less than 12 weeks and an intensity of no more than 20 academic hours, a B1/B2 visa is suitable. In the future you will be able to fly with her to the USA as a tourist.

The first step to obtaining a visa is to complete the DS-160 application at ceac.state.gov. It is voluminous and will require a lot of information from you. For example, you will have to remember all the places you studied and worked, the countries you visited and much more. Before filling out, take a photo on a white background in good lighting – you will need it for the application form.

The application form must be downloaded prior to the interview. You will receive confirmation of completing the form. The visa officer will see your application form before he begins to communicate with you personally, so any errors or inaccuracies in the application form can seriously spoil the first impression.

After filling out the form, a window for paying the consular fee will appear. It is equal to $160.

After submitting your application, sign up for an interview. Open the “Visa” section on the US Consulate website and look at which registration system the country in which you are going to be interviewed is attached to, and follow the link. Select a convenient date and print your appointment confirmation – it will be generated automatically.

What documents are needed for the interview:

1. Valid passport.
2. Confirmation page for filling out the form.
3. Printed confirmation of your appointment for an interview.
4. 1 paper photo. US visa photo requirements are published here .
5. Invitation from the language school and confirmation of accommodation.

In addition, Repafi experts recommend preparing documents that will prove your strong connection with your homeland and the availability of money to pay for training, accommodation, flights and everyday expenses in the USA:

1. A certificate from work, which indicates the position, period of work in the company, salary and information about vacation. If you are studying, a certificate from your place of study.
2. Certificate and bank statement.

The minimum balance is an amount equivalent to the cost of the course, accommodation, air tickets, plus money for living in the States at the rate of $1000 per month.

Let’s say you’re flying to a two-week course that costs $400, tickets are $600, and accommodations are $500. Then you need at least $500 for pocket expenses, and the total amount in the account should be at least $2000.

1. Marriage and birth certificates of children – if available.
2. Documents for real estate in the country of residence – if any.

You will learn about the decision to issue a visa at the interview.

If you have questions about your language trip, you can sign up for a consultation . Our specialist will tell you in detail how to choose the right country, school, course for your level of language proficiency and how to apply for a visa.