Estonian Consulate Los Angeles – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Estonia Schengen Visa
Estonia is a popular place to visit in the Schengen area, especially in the summer months when the resorts and beaches along the coast are packed with people out enjoying the warm weather. Tallinn is the place where most travelers head to, but there are coastal villages, like Kaberneeme and Nova, just as great to explore. Not far from the capital is Lahemaa National Park which is brimming with attractive bays and beautiful forests and some of the best scenery you could imagine. In this article learn more about how to apply for Estonia visa at the Estonian consulate in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Estonia visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Estonian 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 Los Angeles consulate.
Estonia Schengen Visa
There were 138,249 Schengen visa applications received in 2017 and, of these, 1,671 were not issued. It was not possible to find out how many were issued on behalf of Estonia by the Italian consulate in Los Angeles.
Applying for a Schengen Visa from the United States
If you are a US citizen, you do NOT need to apply for a visa to visit Estonia, however, if you are a non-US citizen you DO need a visa. In order to do this, you must live permanently in the US and hold a valid visa. If you have a B1/B2 type visa, you can ONLY apply for an Airport Transit visa and this must be done in your home country.
Estonia is represented by other Schengen member states in the US, and visa applications for Estonia can only be dealt with by the consulate in New York. If you live in any other part of the United States, you must apply through the correct visa office. You can find this information on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia.
You have to make sure you apply at the right Estonian embassy and consulate. If you live in the Los Angeles area, you will see that it is the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles that will deal with your application:
The Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles deals with visa application from applicants who reside within its jurisdiction, so if you live in the following areas, you should submit your application to the consulate in Los Angeles:
- Southern California (Counties of S. Luis Obispo, Kern, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial Valley, Orange), Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico
Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Italian Consulate General in Los Angeles
The Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles offers:
- Schengen visa – up to 90 days for tourism, business, transit and airport transit
- National visa – over 90 days for study, work, sport, residence etc
Schengen 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 Los Angeles
When you apply for your Estonia visa, you should check the consulate’s website before you start. It’s really important to understand what is required and how to go about it.
The Italian consulate in Los Angeles processes Estonia visa within 3 weeks, so you should submit your application at least 3 weeks before you plan to travel to Estonia. In fact, you can apply up to 3 months ahead of time, so the earlier the better. That way, you can be sure that your application will be processed in time.
Please be aware, that the consulate in Los Angeles does not provide rush processing. In addition, applications could take longer to process during summer months and holidays.
Here are a few steps to help you apply for your Estonia visa:
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 the appointment yourself by following the below instructions. The visa office in Los Angeles requires you to make an appointment in order to submit your application. Go to the consulate’s website and click on: “Visas”.
On the next page, click on the type of visa you are applying for.
Then, you’ll see the link that will take you to the booking system. Click on it.
Then, you will see: “Step-by-step guide on how to use the online appointment system (Prenota online)“. Have a look at this before you use the system. When you are ready to book your appointment, click on the other link to proceed.
You will be directed to Prenota Online and you will have to create a new account.
Then, log on.
If you are unable to make a suitable appointment, check the system daily, from 3.00pm, for cancellations.
Once your appointment is booked, you’ll have to confirm it, otherwise, the system will cancel it. You must confirm the appointment for a maximum of 10 days or a minimum of 3 days before your appointment date.
If you no longer need the appointment, please advise the consulate, so other applicants can obtain their own appointment.
Step 2: Complete your Estonia Schengen visa application form
You can complete your application form on the consulate’s website. Scroll down to: “Online procedure for Schengen visa” and click on the link:
Click on: “Proceed to online form“:
And you’ll be able to complete your application form:
When you’re finished, you need to print the visa application form and e-application barcodes.
If you are applying for a National visa, you can download the form to complete manually.
Step 3: Get your documents ready
Step 3 – get your documents ready – is important! You must prepare all the required documents for your visa application. It’s worth spending time looking at the consulate’s website before you begin.
In addition, 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:
- Passport or travel document showing your complete date of birth and valid for 3 months beyond your trip, issued within the last 10 years, with 2 blank pages
- Proof of residence – Alien registration card/long term U.S. visa with I-94 Form and valid for 3 months past end date of trip; Students must have a valid I-20 Form endorsed by authorities (re-entry/travel), and exchange visitors must have a valid IAP-66 Form
- 2 x recent photos – passport-size, 2 x 2 in; white background with full face and front view. Must not be scanned or photocopied
- Visa application form – must be completed in full and signed in the presence of a consular officer. If you cannot complete the online application form, you can contact the consulate at visti.losangeles@esteri.it
- Proof of sufficient funds such as last 3 bank statements/pay slip or copy of pension income (if retired)
- Employment verification for example, if employed provide a letter stating position, salary, approval of vacation; if self-employed a business license, corporation certificate and/or income tax return; if student, an enrollment letter
- Round-trip flight reservation
- Proof of accommodation – hotel reservation, rental agreement/lease, proof of private accommodation, permit of stay for foreigners/or host’s ID or tour/cruise itinerary
- Schengen Travel insurance up to €30,000 for medical expenses, hospitalization, and repatriation
- Declaration for business visa from Italian company
- Acceptance letter for study from US and Italian institution
- Financial guarantee (minimum $1,000 per month)
- Proof of participation in any type of event
- Birth and/or marriage certificate
- US certificate of naturalization (ex-Italian citizens)
- Entry clearance documents (Nulla Osta)
- Employment contract
- Enrollment/enlistment contract
- Military orders/letter requesting visa
- Confirmation of religious status/non-employment declaration
- For minor applicants – application form on behalf of minor, declaration of financial responsibility and parental consent, birth certificate translated in English and notarized and notarized copies of both parents’ picture I.D
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 application to the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles
On the day of your appointment, go to the consulate in Los Angeles and arrive early. If you miss your appointment, you will not be seen and you’ll have to make a new appointment.
Make sure you have all the necessary documents. If not, your application cannot be processed and the visa staff will send you home without accepting your file.
Dress smartly too. This is a good way to come across as someone who really wants to get a visa for Estonia.
If the staff want to find out anything else about you or your application, they may ask you questions like:
- Is this your first time to Estonia or the Schengen area?
- What do you know about the country?
- Have you got a reason to return to the US?
- What are your plans in Estonia?
- What is your job in the US?
If this happens, answer the questions politely and truthfully. The consulate is only finding out all of the facts to be able to make a fair decision on your visa application.
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. Cash payments are accepted only with previous authorization. This fee is non-refunded, regardless of the outcome of your application.
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 |
National visa | $132.40 |
National (Study) visa | $57.10 |
After the interview, you may have to provide biometric data (fingerprints) which will be scanned into the Visa Information System to be used by immigration authorities.
Step 5: Receiving your visa
When a decision has been made about your application, the consulate will contact you and you can either:
- Collect your passport from the consulate during their opening hours
- Have your passport returned by mail – if you opt for this, you will need to provide a self-addressed, pre-paid envelope and complete an authorization form to have the document returned.
With any luck, you’ll find your new Estonia visa in your passport. However, visa applications do get rejected for a variety of reasons:
- The purpose of the trip is not clear
- You have forgotten to sign the forms
- Your passport is not valid for 3 months past your trip
- Other documents are missing
- The birth certificate is in a foreign language
Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months past the end date of your trip. If it isn’t, you must apply for a new one before applying for your visa. If you need to provide any documents, including birth certificates, but they are in any language other then English or Italian, you must have them translated and authenticated. You must provide all the relevant documents for your application as well as evidence to prove the purpose of your trip – a travel itinerary for example. Plus, documents should be signed and you should check this before handing over your file.
Contact detail for the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles
Address: 1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1250, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Email: visti.losangeles@esteri.it
Tel: 310-820-0622
Fax: 310-820-0727
Please note, the consulate does not accept telephone queries regarding visas, contact ONLY by email
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Friday: 9.00 am – 12.30 pm; Wednesday: 9.00am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 3.30pm; Thursdays: Closed
Conclusion
It’s a very easy procedure to apply for your Estonia visa. Just follow these steps:
- Book your appointment
- Complete your Estonia Schengen visa application form
- Get your documents ready
- Submit your application to the Italian consulate in Los Angeles
- Receive your visa
Then, all you need to do is begin the countdown to your amazing 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 Consulate in NYC, New York