Slovakia massively issues Schengen multiple entry visas to Ukrainians

Since January 2013, Slovakia has started to issue long-term Schengen visas to Ukrainians.
As a result, the number of visas, issued by the diplomatic missions of Slovakia in Kyiv and Uzhgorod, has increased drastically.

In January, Slovak diplomats gave six thousand visas to Ukrainians, which is almost twice as much as in December.

Slovakia has greatly expanded the number of categories of people, who can apply for multiple entry visas, having included business travel and tourism in the list.

Under the rules, if a person has never been in a country – party to the Schengen agreement, he will receive a visa for a period from six months to two years. If he has already had the Schengen visa, he can be issued multiple entry visas for two - five years.

"If a person has already had a visa, and he used it within the law, that is, if he had a tourist visa and he was really there and went back in time – such a person can be issued a visa for five years," Consul General of Slovakia in Uzhgorod Janka Burianova explained.

Slovak diplomats are convinced that they also benefit from such simplification: for a month of the new rules, Slovak tour operators and hotel owners have already felt the influx of Ukrainian tourists.