Estonian Consulate Chicago – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Estonia Schengen Visa

It’s a small country when you compare it to other European Union countries, but Estonia still has lots to see and do. The capital city of Tallinn, where most people start their trip, is full of character and is a joy to get to know. Wander across the country and you’ll find all sorts of beautiful places – the seaside town of Haapsalu; the university city of Tartu; the picturesque town of Parnu which comes into its own during the summer. Wherever you end up in Estonia, you’re sure to have a lot of fun! In this article learn more about how to apply for Estonia visa at the Estonian consulate in Chicago, Illinois, Estonia visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Estonia visa application center, flight itinerary for Estonia visa, hotel bookings for Estonia visa, Schengen travel insurance for Estonia visa application, and Estonia Visa Application Process at the Chicago consulate.

Estonia Schengen Visa

During 2017, there were 138,249 Schengen visa applications received for Estonia. Just 1.21% of this number were rejected. There were no figures from the consulate of Italy in Chicago regarding the number of Estonia visas they dealt with.

Applying for Estonia Schengen Visa from the United States

If you are living in the United States on a permanent basis, but you are not a US citizen by birth, you need to apply for a visa if you are planning on visiting Estonia for any reason.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Estonian embassy and consulate. Applying for your visa from the United States is a simple procedure, but you must apply at the correct visa mission. It is not possible to obtain a visa from all of the Estonian representatives in the US, so in order to find out where to apply, go to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia and check which country’s representative offices deal with visa applications for Estonia. Scroll down, and find your location:

If you live in Chicago, your visa application will be submitted through the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago.

The consulate in Chicago will accept your visa application as long as you live within its jurisdiction of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Italian Consulate in Chicago

The Consulate General of Italy in Chicago offers:

1. Schengen visa – up to 90 days
2. National visa – over 90 days

There are several categories of the above visas and the one you apply for will depend on your reason for traveling to Estonia.

1. Airport Transit (Schengen/short term visa)
2. Business (Schengen/short term visa)
3. Elective Residence (National/long term visa)
4. Family Reasons for Spouse or Family Member of non-EU/EEA Citizen (National/long term visa)
5. Lavoro Subordinato / Work (National/long term visa)
6. Lavoro Autonomo / Self Employment (either short or long term visa)
7. Italia Start-up Visa (National/long term visa)
8. Mission for family of US Military Personnel (National/long term visa)
9. Mission for Civil Contractors assigned to work in Italy for a firm/company which has a contract with a US Military Base (National/long term visa)
10. Religious / Catholic denomination (either short or long term visa)
11. Religious / non-Catholic denominations (National/long term visa)
12. Sport (National/long term visa) 
13. Study (either short or long term visa)
14. Study (for applicants under 18 years of age)
15. Tourism (Schengen/short term visa)

Visas are usually issued as:

1. Single entry – 1 entry
2. Double entry – Up to 2 entries
3. Multiple entry – Unlimited entries

Schengen Visa Application Process at the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago

The Italian consulate in Chicago processed visas within a period of 2 weeks. If you are applying for a National visa, the processing time could be longer depending on the category of visa and your nationality. It’s important to bear that in mind.

Please be aware that you may have to wait up to 2 months for an appointment, especially during the summer months and holiday periods, like Christmas etc. You can apply as much as 3 months ahead of your planned departure date, so it’s up to you to apply in time for your application to be processed in time. Rush processing is not available and visas will NOT be issued on the same day.

Please do NOT send your application by fax or email ahead of your scheduled appointment because they will not be accepted.

To help you apply for your Estonia visa, here are a few steps to help you along the way:

Step 1: Book your appointment        

Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment yourself by following the below steps:

1. You need to book an appointment in order to hand over your Estonia visa application to the consulate of Italy in Chicago. Go to their website, and click on: “Visas”
2. On the next page, click on: “How to schedule an appointment”
3. On the appointment page, click on the link
4. You will be directed to the consulate’s online booking system – Prenota Online
5. You will need to register as a new user
6. Then, log in

When booking your appointment, make sure you choose the correct service as there are several options.

Once you’ve booked your appointment, if, for some reason, you no longer need it, please cancel it to open up the slot for other applicants.

Step 2: Complete your Estonia Schengen visa application form

The next step is to complete your Estonia visa application form. You can find the forms on the consulate’s website. Go to the visa page and scroll down to forms:

Then choose which application form you need:

Schengen visa application form:

National visa application form:

Step 3: Get your documents ready

Before you start step 3, take a look at the consulate’s website. Everything you need to know about your visa application is there. From how to apply to what documents you need for your type of visa. So, it’s worth the extra time to do this. If you submit an incomplete application or you fail to comply with the requirements, it could end up with a rejection.

You must also provide photocopies as well as original documents, so don’t forget to do this.

Any foreign documents should be translated into English and/or Italian and legalized.

Documents include:

1. Visa application form – the form must be dated and signed in front of a visa officer
2. Recent passport-size photograph (1.2”x1.5” or 3×4 cm), on white background, full face and front view, stapled/glued to the application form. Scanned or photocopied photos will NOT be accepted
3. Valid passport plus 1 copy of the page with photograph and expiration date. It must be valid at least three months after the end of your trip. Also, your passport must not be older than 10 years and it must have at least two blank pages to affix the visa;
4. Original plus 1 copy of Permanent Residence Card OR other US immigration document allowing re-entry into the US. Valid for at least three months beyond trip
5. F-1 visa and valid I-20 – for students
6. Original plus 1 copy of Driver’s License or State ID as proof of residence
7. Copies of most recent Schengen Visas (if applicable) including entry/exit stamps from Schengen country
8. Copies of all the visas needed for the current trip
9. Letter of employment – to include position held, length of employment, salary and approved vacation time
10. For self-employed workers or company owners – copy of the business papers or license plus most recent tax return
11. For students – school letter stating full-time enrollment
12. For pensioners – pension certificate or other proof of pension income
    
13. Proof of financial means – 3 x bank statements
14. Affidavit of Support (if applicable for dependents)
15. Verification of Schengen Medical Insurance Coverage Abroad for the entire period of travel in the Schengen area with a minimum coverage of €30,000 ($50,000) for hospitalization, emergencies, evacuation and repatriation
16. Proof of lodging for the entire trip – confirmed hotel reservation or official itinerary with places visited, number of days in each location, and type of accommodation OR Host declaration
17. Confirmed flight reservation for a round trip showing complete itinerary
18. Proof of participation in any type of event
19. Proof of family ties
20. Nulla Osta (Entry clearance)
21. Marriage/birth certificate
22. Letter of invitation
23. Pre-paid, self-addressed envelope required in the event that you cannot collect the visa in person (USPS Express mail or Priority Mail only) including a tracking number
24. Consent to send by mail

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 4: Submit your application to the Italian Consulate in Chicago

On the day of your appointment, remember to do the following things:

1. Arrive early – if you are late, you may have to reschedule your appointment
2. Take all your paperwork – if there is anything missing, the consulate cannot make a decision about your visa
3. Dress smartly – if you dress too casually. Every little thing helps when you are trying to get a visa

When the staff starts to look over your application, they are within their rights to ask you for any more information. If they do, just answer any questions politely and honestly. Interview questions could be:

1. Who lives with you and what do they do?
2. Who will pay for your trip?
3. What other Schengen countries are you planning to visit?
4. Which company do you work for?
5. Are you going to look for work in Estonia?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

You will also pay the fee for your visa. You can pay by money order or cashier’s check payable to the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago. This fee is non-refunded, even if your application is rejected.

Estonia visa fees

The final part of your appointment will be providing biometric data (fingerprints) if you have never applied for a Schengen visa before.

Step 5: Receiving your visa

When you submitted your application, the consulate would have given you a date after which you can either collect your passport from their office or arrange for it to be mailed to you.

Hopefully, you’ll find your visa inside your passport. But, if it isn’t, it would have been rejected. Common rejection reasons include:

1. False travel documents
2. You have overstayed in the Schengen zone on a previous occasion
3. No proof of sponsorship
4. Travel insurance does not cover hospitalization
5. Providing a birth certificate in a foreign language

If you have previously overstayed your visa, this could have affected your current visa application. The simple answer is – always leave a country before the expiry of the visa. If you hand over false documents, the consulate will find you out, so don’t even think about attempting this. You must provide all relevant documents for your application, including proof of sponsorship. Plus, all foreign documents must be translated into English or Italian. Lastly, the travel insurance MUST cover you in the event of hospitalization while you are away.

Contact details for the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago

Address: 500 N Michigan Avenue, Suite 1850, Chicago, Il 60611

Email: visti.chicago@esteri.it

Tel: 312 995 5487

Fax: 312 467 1335

Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday – 9.00 am to 12.30 pm

Conclusion

All you need to do when you apply for your Estonia visa is:

1. Book your appointment
2. Complete your Estonia Schengen visa application form
3. Get your documents ready
4. Submit your application to the Italian consulate in Los Angeles
5. Receive your visa

Once you have your visa, it’s simply a matter of looking forward to your trip away!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

How To Apply for Estonia Schengen Visa at Estonian Embassy in Washington, DC
How To Apply for Estonia Schengen Visa at Estonian Consulate in Los Angeles, California
How To Apply for Estonia Schengen Visa at Estonian Consulate in NYC, New York

Worldwide Visa Requirements