Visa

Introduction

a. Schengen Visas

- are visas that allow a short stay (no longer than 90 days in any 180-day period) within the Schengen area for third-country nationals who are not nationals of Member States of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or the Swiss Confederation, who are not exempt from the visa requirement under Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 November 2018 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (OJ L EU of 28.11.2018, L 303/39).

The rules for issuing Schengen visas are governed by Regulation (EC) No. 810/2009 of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code).

Data on applications for Schengen visas, decisions taken on the basis thereof, visa stickers issued, information on the extension, revocation and annulment of a Schengen visa shall be stored in the Visa Information System (VIS) in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No. 767/2008 of 9 July 2008 on the Visa Information System (VIS) and the exchange of data between Member States on short-stay visas (VIS Regulation).

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b. National Visas

- are visas enabling foreigners to stay for a long time for more than 3 months and less than 1 year.

At the same time, they allow travel to other Schengen countries, provided that the stay in these countries does not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period, the foreigner's travel document is recognized by the above-mentioned Member States, and the foreigner's data have not been entered into the national entry ban to which they are going.

The rules for issuing national visas are regulated by the provisions of the Act of 12 December 2013 on foreigners.