Estonian Consulate Houston – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Estonia Schengen Visa
It doesn’t matter which part of Estonia you visit because this Schengen country is a wonderful place to visit. In the north is the capital city of Tallinn – beautiful in every respect. Plus, there are the seaside villages of Laulasmaa and Vosu – perfect places for a bit of exploration and views out over the Baltic Sea. Or you’ve got Lahemaa National Park, full of forests and hiking trails so you can experience just how gorgeous Estonia really is! In this article learn more about how to apply for Estonia visa at the Estonian consulate in Houston, Texas, 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 Houston embassy.
Estonia Schengen Visa
In 2017, 138,249 Schengen visa applications were received for Estonia. 1,671 of these applications were rejected. There were no figures for the number of Estonia visa applications received by the consulate of Italy in Houston.
Applying for Estonia Schengen Visa from the United States
If you are planning on going to Estonia for any reason, you may have to apply for a visa. If you are a US citizen, you do NOT need a visa, but if you are not a US citizen you DO need a visa. However, in order to apply from the United States, you must be able to prove that you have a legal right to remain in the country.
You have to make sure you apply at the right Estonian embassy and consulate. The Consulate of Estonia in Houston does not deal with visa applications. Instead, you will make your visa application through the Consulate General of Italy.
The Consulate General of Italy in Houston deals with visa applications from residents of the following areas:
- Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas
Therefore, if you live in the above areas, you may submit your application to the consulate’s office in Houston.
Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Consulate General of Italy in Houston
There are 2 types of visas offered at the Italian consulate in Houston:
- Schengen (short-stay) visa – this visa is for the purposes of tourism, business, study etc., for a maximum of 90 days
- National (long-stay) visa – this visa is for the purposes of work, study, residence etc., for over 90 days
Visas are usually issued as:
- Single entry – 1 entry
- Double entry – Up to 2 entries
- Multiple entry – Unlimited entries
Schengen Visa Application Process at the Consulate General of Italy in Houston
The Italian consulate in Houston processes visa applications within 2 weeks. Rush processing is not available, so you should apply well in advance of your departure trip. You can apply up to 90 days ahead, so the earlier the better!
Please note, during May, June, July, August, September, and December the request for visas increases, so it’s advisable to apply at least 3 weeks in advance because processing times can take 2-3 weeks.
To help you apply for your Estonia visa, here are a few steps to follow:
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:
- Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
- 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
- Receive appointment confirmation in email
You can also make an appointment on your own by following the below steps
- The first step is to book your appointment. Go to the consulate’s website and click on: “Visas”:
- On the next page, click on: “Book online”:
- You will be directed to the consulate’s online booking system – Prenota Online:
- You will need to register as a new user:
- Then, login:
You will then be able to make a suitable day and time for your appointment in order to submit your Estonia visa application to the Consulate of Italy in Houston.
Step 2: Complete your Estonia Schengen visa application form
Step 2 is to complete your visa application form. Go to the visa page and scroll down to “Forms”:
On the next page, you’ll be able to download the relevant form:
You also have the option of completing your application form online. However, please note, this is for Schengen visas (short-stay) only. If you are applying for a National visa, you must use the above application form. Click here to be directed to the e-application:
Then, you’ll be able to complete your application. Don’t forget to print ALL the relevant forms including the one with the 2D barcode:
Step 3: Get your documents ready
Step 3 is to get your documents ready before handing them over to the consulate for processing. If you submit an application with anything missing, the consulate will not accept it and/or your application will be rejected. It’s a good idea to spend time looking at the requirements on the consulate’s website before you start.
In addition, you must provide original documents AND photocopies of everything, so remember to do this as this will be seen as an incomplete application if you don’t provide photocopies as well.
Any foreign documents should be translated into English and/or Italian and legalized.
Documents include:
- Visa application form – dated and signed in front of the visa officer
- 1 x recent passport-size photograph on white background, full face and front view. Scanned or photocopied photos will NOT be accepted
- Valid passport – must be valid at least three months after the visa expiration date. Please make sure the passport is no older than 10 years and has at least two blank pages to affix the visa
- Permanent Residence Card or other US immigration document allowing re-entry into the United States (e.g., valid long-term US visa, Advanced Parole, etc.). International students must submit original F-1 Visa and I-20
- Driver’s License or State ID as proof of residence OR utility bills, bank statements etc., if you have recently moved
- Copies of most recent Schengen Visas affixed in your passport
- Employment verification – letter of employment indicating position held, length of employment, monthly annual salary, approved vacation time and/or recent pay stubs
- Self-employed workers or company owners – corporation papers/state license plus most recent tax return
- Students – official school enrollment letter or recent transcript
- Proof of financial means – 3 x bank statements and/or a bank letter of financial good standing. Dependents can submit an Affidavit of Support signed by the family member sponsoring the trip along with his/her recent bank statement
- Schengen Medical Insurance Coverage Abroad for the entire period of travel in the Schengen area with a minimum coverage of €30,000 for hospitalization, emergencies, evacuation and repatriation
- Proof of lodging for the entire duration of the trip and for all the countries you intend to visit – hotel reservations OR, for cruises or other organized trips, an itinerary or vouchers with places visited, number of days in each location, and type of accommodation OR a host declaration accompanied by copy of hosts’ ID or copy of a valid Residency Permit “Permesso di soggiorno”
- Flight reservation round trip showing complete itinerary. If you visit more than one Schengen country, please provide means of transportation between countries ( ex. car rental, train reservation)
- Conference registration details
- Letter of acceptance from Italian academic institution
- Authorization to travel signed by both parents with a birth certificate and parent’s ID (notarized)
- A self-addressed, pre-paid express mail envelope
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:
- Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
- Submit the travel details and make the payment online
- Receive flight itinerary in email
Step 4: Submit your Estonia visa application to the Italian Consulate General in Houston
On the day of your appointment, don’t be late! If you miss your appointment, you will have to make a new one and this could delay things for you. In addition, don’t forget the documents you have prepared. Lastly, dress smartly to make a good impression.
The visa officer will look over your application and supporting documents. If they need any more information from you, they may ask you questions about your application. If they do this, simply answer honestly and calmly.
Typical visa interview questions include:
- What do you know about Estonia?
- Have you been to the EU before?
- Are you meeting anyone in Estonia?
- Do you have any children?
- Are you married?
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 cash, money order or cashier’s check payable to the Consulate General of Italy. Please note, this fee is non-refundable even if your application gets rejected.
Estonia visa fees
Type of Visa | Fee |
Schengen visa up to 90 days | $68.50 |
Schengen visa (minor ages 6-12) up to 90 days | $40.00 |
National visa | $132.40 |
National (Study) visa | $57.10 |
If this is your first time applying for a Schengen visa, you will have to provide biometric data which includes a scan of your fingerprints and a photograph.
Step 5: Receiving your visa
Once a decision has been reached about your visa application you can either collect your passport from the consulate in Houston or have it mailed back to you. The decision will be either:
- Approved – you will find your Estonia visa in your passport
- Rejected – your visa application has been rejected for a reason
Common rejection reasons include:
- You have been involved with criminal activities – this could seriously affect your visa application now and in the future. If the consulate feels that you may be a threat in any way, they WILL reject your application
- False travel document – do NOT submit a fake passport or any other document. You will be found out!
- The dates of the visa do not match the dates of your itinerary – the dates of your plans should match BOTH the visa dates and the dates of the documents such as flight and hotel reservations and itineraries
- The birth certificate is missing – if you or one of your party is under the age of 18, you must provide a birth certificate
Contact details for the Consulate General of Italy in Houston:
Address: 1300 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 660, Houston, TX 77056
Email: visas.houston@esteri.it
Tel: 713 850 7520
Fax: 713 850 9113
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 09.00 am – 12.30 pm; Wednesday, CLOSED
Conclusion
All you need to do to apply for your Estonia visa is:
- Book your appointment
- Complete your Estonia Schengen visa application form
- Get your documents ready
- Submit your application to the Italian consulate in Houston
- Receive your visa
Then, you can really start to get excited about your trip to Estonia!
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 San Francisco, California
How To Apply for Estonia Schengen Visa at Estonian Embassy in Miami, Florida
How To Apply for Estonia Schengen Visa at Estonian Embassy in Chicago, Illinois
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