Schengen visa application form

[Dawie]

Welcome to the world of Schengen. If you want multiple-entry visas you really need to use either Spain or France. As far as I know most of the other Schengen country embassies will only issue single-entry visas for the exact duration of your trip. This concession also depends on your nationality.

[trf0412]

Welcome to the world of Schengen. If you want multiple-entry visas you really need to use either Spain or France. As far as I know most of the other Schengen country embassies will only issue single-entry visas for the exact duration of your trip. This concession also depends on your nationality.

Kind of takes away the whole point of being given a Schengen visa! In essence my wife has been issued with a visa to enter Greece and Greece only. Yes, that's all we need right now, but completely defeats the object of the "Schengen area", as we cannot use the visa to go anywhere else at a later date.

Or is it the embassy's way of getting back at spouses of EU citizens, because they don't like the fact that they have to give the visa for free? I'd be interested to know what kind of visas they issue for those people who pay for the visa.

[Dawie]

If you don't mind me asking, what is your wife's nationality? This can affect what kind of visa you get because unfortunately certain nationalities are viewed as higher risk than others.

[trf0412]

My wife is Peruvian. However, I would have thought that being married to an EU citizen makes that irrelevant, but it seems not to make any different.

Is there nothing in EU legislation that says consulates have to issue multiple-entry visas to those married to EU citizens? Or is the only legislation that visas must be issued free of charge, but apart from this consulates can pretty much do what takes their fancy?

It just seems strange that the only consulates (eg. French) that really do appear to follow the rules (eg. does not ask for questions marked with an asterisk to be answered), also issue multiple-entry visas for 6 months. Consulates like the Greek Consulate, who don't even follow the most basic of procedures, are also the ones who give you the most restricted visa.

[Dawie]

As far as I know each individual Schengen country can exercise its own discretion with regard to length of visa and how many entries. Being married to an EU national does not confer any advantage other than being able to obtain the visa free of charge.

From what I've heard from visa agencies and from speaking to officials at the embassies of the 2 Schengen countries I have got visas from (France and Spain) the following seem to be deciding factors when deciding what kind of visa to grant you:

* Nationality
* Previous Schengen visas held and how they were used (in particular how many previous Schengen visas from the country for which you are making your current application)
* Your current immigration status in the UK and how far away you are from its expiry date
* How affluent you appear to be judging from your letter of employment and bank statements that you have to supply with your application

What is also interesting to note is that the two embassies that grant long-duration multiple-entry visas, France and Spain, are also some of the only Schengen countries that allow you to apply through a visa agency without having to go in person to the embassy.

At the end of the day however, you might also just happen to encounter an embassy official who happened to get out of bed on the wrong side on the particular day that you went for your application.

[EJ]

Just for information. I applied for an Italian Schengen Visa on Monday for a 6 day trip to Venice I got my passport back today and they granted me a 6 month multiple entry visa.

I have ILR and have had one Schengen visa from France about 4 years ago. I used my French visa for 1 day in Calais, for which I did not even get a stamp in my passport, and then for 2 weeks in Portugal. I am South African. So 6 month multiple entry visas are possible to get for countries other than France and Spain.

[Dawie]

Thanks EJ, that's good to know. It's a tough life being on a South African passport but at least we seem to be treated favourably compared to other nationalities when it comes to Schengen visas.

[yorks]

I agree with the post about the arrogance of the staff at the Spanish Embassy in London. Not just arrogant, but rude, incompetent, disorganised and up their *****!

I was there recently and heard so many applicants being spoken to very offensively. A woman ahead of me was turned away (no visa issued) because she had entered through France on her previous visa (issued through the Spanish Embassy) and didn't have her Spain entry stamped.

I ended up getting a 2 week single entry visa despite all documents being in order and having several Schengen visas in the past. Even my previous Sch. visa was for three months. The man with the goatie at the visa application window was especially awful. Seems to hate his job, why doesn't he just leave? Absolute p***k! I am so turned off of going to Spain now.....don't want to spend my hard earned cash to support sheer arrogance.

[trf0412]

A woman ahead of me was turned away (no visa issued) because she had entered through France on her previous visa (issued through the Spanish Embassy) and didn't have her Spain entry stamped.

I thought that was the whole point of a Schengen visa - to allow you to visit any country in the Schengen area... It's flipping ridiculous to turn someone away because they went through a different country!! It appears to me that certain countries aren't happy with the arrangements, so they issue you such a restricted visa that it only allows you to visit the one country you planned to visit anyway!!

I ended up getting a 2 week single entry visa despite all documents being in order and having several Schengen visas in the past. Even my previous Sch. visa was for three months.

Same happened wheh my wife applied for Schengen visa to visit Greece. She has previous Schengen visas (one for 6 months!) and yet they still insisted she showed them loads of bank statements and issued her with a single-entry visa for the exact dates of our trip!

Is there no legislation against this? I mean, it completely defeats the object of even having a Schengen travel area!

[Marie B]

My husband went to the French embassy today for a schengen visa and they didn't issue a 6 month multiple entry visa, just a 19 day single entry visa!! So even the French Embassy (who everyone says will issue 6 month multiple entry visas) seem to make up the rules as they like.

They only asked for documents as a spouse - marriage certificate and both our passports, didn't want any of the starred questions filled in (how affluent you are isn't taken into account in the case of spouses of EU citizens so can't affect the length of visa issued).

According to the French Embassy, the Greek Embassy is to blame for the length of the visa they were able to issue my husband (- so beware trf0412 - the incompetence of the Greek Embassy knows no bounds).

My husband has a previous schengen visa from the Greek Embassy issued on the 10th April 2006 for two separate visits of 25 days each, valid for a total of 3 months. The woman at the French Embassy said the Greek Embassy should have issued a 6 month visa (as he is the spouse of an EU citizen) and because they didn't she can only issue a visa for the remainder of the six-month period from the date the Greek one was issued - a visa, which by her calculation, is valid until the 9th September 2006 although 6 months would actually be until 9th October. So he has a visa for 19 days. Thankfully we are just going to France for the bank holiday weekend, but we did want to visit family and friends in Germany in the autumn and have been invited to the south of France for Christmas so will have to go through the whole process again.

The woman at the embassy said she could have cancelled the Greek visa (even though it has already expired) and instead issued a one year schengen visa from 10th April 2006 - 9th April 2007 if he had long enough remaining on his spouse visa. He would need a month remaining on his UK spouse visa after the expiry of the schengen one to do this, which he has - just - as it expires on 11th May 2007 - but her calculations were off again and she said he didn't have long enough left so she could only give the remainder of the 6 (5) months that the Greeks didn't issue. (You would think people working in embassies would be able to calculate from a certain date how long a month is and how long six months is, but no - that is too much to ask - he did argue that her calculations were incorrect but the woman could not comprehend the point he was trying to make - he was at the embassy 4 1/2 hours).

It is probably a good thing that she didn't 'cancel' the Greek visa as no doubt that would count against him at some point in the future.

I would have thought she could issue a new 6 month visa, the last one expired 6 weeks ago and by just issuing 19 days they are compounding the 'mistake' of the Greek Embassy. Or at least for 3 months, as the Greek one was valid for 3 months (to make up a total of 6 months). What happens when he applies for the next one but this one wasn't for 6 months? Will they only issue another visa valid to 6 months from the start of the Greek one, or perhaps for 5 months from today, or maybe for some unusual amount of time in no way relating to when we actually want to travel??

How incredibly annoying........ and really quite strange. Unfortunately, I have a feeling it is all down to the fact that he is Albanian.

I think they see your nationality and make up the rules. Having an Albanian passport means my husband gets jumped on at all passport controls and embassies and questioned loudly as to what he is up to - and whether he wants to 'go back home' (meaning Albania where he has not lived since he was a child rather than our actual home in England). Albanians seem to have a very bad reputation when it comes to immigration, and contrary to earlier posts, my husband is white yet IOs seem to have an inbuilt radar / x-ray vision and can spot the word 'Albanian' on the front of his passport even when it is in my bag half a mile away. Roll on May 2008 when he can apply for British Citizenship.

[trf0412]

(how affluent you are isn't taken into account in the case of spouses of EU citizens so can't affect the length of visa issued).

This did not seem to be the case when my wife applied for a visa at the Greek consulate, as they insisted she show them bank statements!! Explain that if you can! It's beyond me...

The woman at the French Embassy said the Greek Embassy should have issued a 6 month visa (as he is the spouse of an EU citizen)

Interesting. From what the woman at the French embassy says, spouses of EU citizens should automatically be issued with a 6-month visa! Out of three applications, this only happened once for my wife.

because they didn't she can only issue a visa for the remainder of the six-month period from the date the Greek one was issued - a visa, which by her calculation, is valid until the 9th September 2006 although 6 months would actually be until 9th October.

Indeed, I spotted that error straight away, logged into the forum to post a reply, and I realised you're edited your post!

The woman at the embassy said she could have cancelled the Greek visa (even though it has already expired) and instead issued a one year schengen visa from 10th April 2006 - 9th April 2007 if he had long enough remaining on his spouse visa.

What makes one embassy think they have the right to go cancelling EXPIRED visas? What is that all about? That's absurb. How can you cancel something which is no longer valid? And if they can issue a one-year visa (obviously meaning they feel your husband met all the requirements for a one-year visa), why not just go ahead and issue it, or at least a 6-month visa?

(You would think people working in embassies would be able to calculate from a certain date how long a month is and how long six months is, but no - that is too much to ask

You would think - but seems they're all as thick as two short planks. They should have child-proof charts, which allow them to see the difference between two dates at a glance!

From my wife's experience with visas I find the whole thing to be utterly ridiculous. She's the spouse of an EU citizen and can't get more than a 2-week visa to go to Greece. Meanwhile the Brits have just left 600,000 Europeans in through the front door!

[Kayalami]

What makes one embassy think they have the right to go cancelling EXPIRED visas?

IIRC the Schengen Visa Convention does allow for the participating member states to cancel any 'Schengen Visa' issued regardless of the issuing state - however they may not cancel designated individual country visa's e.g. the Spanish consulate may not cancel a French Long Term/ Circulation Visa as this is done under French domestic law.

Note too that current visa policy for several countries including the USA and Canada is to cancel any visas that are expired or would run concurrently with a fresh one where a new one is requuested and is of the same category e.g. you have a B1/B2 that expires 30 September 2006, you are traveling to the US on 2 October 2006 and have a succesful appointment at the US consulate on 31 August 2006 with a B1/B2 visa issued for arguement's sake on the same date - the B1/B2 for 30th will get cancelled. Such cancellations are usually anotated 'cancelled without prejudice' to negate any concerns border officials may have about your 'behaviour' that led to said cancellation.

[MouseyOne]

Hi, I am Zimbabwean married to a British person and when I applied for all my schengen visas I had 2 year Limited Leave to Remain.
I have never had to fill in the items to be filled in if you are NOT the spouse of an EU citizen, and never had problems.
My French visa was done by post, no problems at all, was given 6 months multi entry for 90 days at a time.
My italian one, they were a bit funny in Manchester but that wasnt my fault, the guy was very ignorant, but it all worked out in the end, I got 3 months multi entry for 30 days at a time.
I got one for sweden, I also got 3 months multi entry for 30days at a time, but i think thats because my uk visa was about to expire. BUT can I just say, the people at the embassy of sweden were the nicest visa people I have ever encountered. I got there 15 mins before they opened in the morning [at the time, I had travelled frm leeds and told them i couldnt guarantee an appointment time, they just said I should turn up whenever, as they were expecting me]. When i got there, there were about 3 other people in line outside, I was fourth person to be seen to, it took 5 mins, only and was on my way home by quarter past the hour. Got my visa in 4 days by post. Ialso used it to cross over to go to Denmark.
When I went to Switzerland, I didnt need a visa, as long as you have a permit for UK, which is more than 3 months, they'll let you in.

[happyfamily]

hi MouseyOne,

you said that you are Zimbabwean and your french visa was done by post But i know that Zimbabwe is in the red list means in list of countries which there is a delay of several weeks to process for applications and applicants from theses countries must apply in person at the Consulate.

so how did you do by post? what did you provide as documents? And so you never had any problems anywhere?

[MouseyOne]

Hi, I just confirmed with my hubby, it was about 2 weeks before I got my french visa.
It was done by post, I can't remember where i sent it to, but I was based in yorkshire at the time. This was early 2005, maybe things have changed now. But I have honestly not had any problems to date. As a spouse of a british person, I only provided a copy of my flight booking, and my insurance and a photo - I also didnt have to pay anything - and sent a prepaid special delivery envelope. They gave me 6 months.
I have not had any problems elsewhere, except with the Italian consulate in Manchester, the guy was a bit funny, but he was like that with everyone, he told me to disregard the information on the website, and only to follow the information in their office, despite the fact that you couldn't actually speak to a person when you called them, and I would have had to travel for an hour to see the information in their office - in short - he was just an a*se. But I got my visa anyway, with the same documents - flight booking + insurance + photo. [note* I've also had to provide my marriage certificate because I use my maiden name + to prove that I am a spouse of an EU national].
Happyfamily, I assume you are Zimbabwean too? What type of visa do you have?

[John]

I also used it to cross over to go to Denmark.

And why not! A Schengen visa is valid in all 15 countries of the Schengen area.

MouseyOne, you do seem to be applying for an awful lot of Schengen visas! You mean that you are making a new application after the expiry of the previous Schengen visa? Or are you not appreciating that a Schengen visa gives you so much access to Europe?

Do you intend to apply for Naturalisation as British once you have been in the UK for three years?

[MouseyOne]

Hi John, yes I am applying for a new one only after they expire. My last one expired before I renewed my visa for ILR. I am due to go to Portugal, it would be interesting to see how long I get, now I have my ILR.
will keep you all posted.
I have been here for more than 5 years, I am thinking of applying for citiznship obviously, the benefits of this look promising, with regards to the fact that I wont need to stand in line for an hour at immigration at the airport, however, when I came back from sweden having been in the queue with my husband for an hour and 30mins, the immigration guy said if I got my ILR I wouldn't have to got to the international queue, I could just got to EU + British queue. Is this right?
I am also finding the application process such a nightmare, maybe someone could shed some light about what next after ILR - provided you already have sufficient english qualifications and want to apply for ctznship etc.

[JAJ]

I am also finding the application process such a nightmare, maybe someone could shed some light about what next after ILR - provided you already have sufficient english qualifications and want to apply for ctznship etc.

What do you need to know about naturalisation? Have you downloaded form/guide AN from the IND website?

For most people, naturalisation is a simple process. However if not married to a British citizen you do need to have ILR for 12+ months before applying.

[MouseyOne]

JAJ, I phoned the IAS and they had said I could apply for ctznship straight after i got my ILR. I initially had a work permit then way before it expired I applied for ILR with 2 yr limit which I renewed this August to get ILR. Since August this yr, I have been here 5 yrs in total + a month or so.
Would I still have to wait 12 months?
I downloaded the form from the IND website, which seemed almost straight fwd, but there are other things I also need to do - Do I need to get in touch with my lacal authority or something, about some ceremony + do some britishness test + prove my english ability etc? I am not what order I need to do these things.

[Christophe]

however, when I came back from sweden having been in the queue with my husband for an hour and 30mins, the immigration guy said if I got my ILR I wouldn't have to got to the international queue, I could just got to EU + British queue. Is this right?

Not officially, but sometimes the authorities at airports can be relatively relaxed about family members - it might be worth asking, but don't be offended by a refusal. However, at busy airports (e.g. Heathrow), is there not sometimes a separate queue within the non-EU/EEA section for people with prior entry clearance (i.e. visas) and indefinite leave?

[John]

MouseyOne, on 25th August you posted "I am Zimbabwean married to a British person", and accordingly you could have applied for Naturalisation as soon as you had been in the UK for three years. Not doing so has meant that you will of course be applying post November 2005, and thus you will will to study for and pass the Citizenship Test before being able to apply for Naturalisation.

A study guide? Click here.

[MouseyOne]

Cheers, John.

[JAJ]

JAJ, I phoned the IAS and they had said I could apply for ctznship straight after i got my ILR.

If you're married to a British citizen, then you don't need to have ILR for a specified time. If you are not married to a British citizen then you do.

Do I need to get in touch with my lacal authority or something, about some ceremony + do some britishness test + prove my english ability etc? I am not what order I need to do these things.

The Home Office or your local authority will contact you about a ceremony shortly after your application is approved. You don't become British until you attend the ceremony.

Life in the UK Test: http://www.lifeintheuktest.gov.uk

You must pass the test before you can apply for naturalisation. A pass on the test also proves your English language ability.

[rachelclem]

Hi,

I was wandering if you had your wifes flights booked when she applied for the visa. I want to wait and get a last minute deal but they say they want "provisionally booked" details - what exactky does that mean???

Thanks

[John]

rachelclem, that is your first post .... welcome to this Board ..... but a little more information please. So is it you needing the Schengen visa? Your UK visa status? Are you married to a British Citizen or indeed an EU citizen?

Just wondering whether you are permitted to leave unanswered the starred questions on the Schengen visa application form?