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Greek embassy/Schengen Visa Query

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charliegal
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Greek embassy/Schengen Visa Query

Post by charliegal » Fri May 02, 2008 1:11 pm

Hi Im not sure if I have posted this is the correct place ... sorry if I havent ...

My husband and I have booked a holiday to Greece. He needs to apply for a schengen visa. We are staying at his brothers house in Greece and the Greek embassy are telling us his brother needs to write a letter stating his address and the date we are staying there, he then needs to take this to the police station to be stamped. He also has to take his passport and residence permit (and photocopies) to be stamped. Has any one else had to do this? It just seems like a massive process, as he needs to do all this, then send us the documents and then we have to apply for the visa and wait for it be issued!
I was wondering if anyone else has been in this situation.
Thanks, Charlie x

bani
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Post by bani » Fri May 02, 2008 2:21 pm

Yes, it's a big hassle and the brother might even have to pay a fee to get the stamping done.

If I am staying with friends, I just book a hotel anyway through a website like venere.com or expedia.com. Then I cancel it after I get the Schengen visa. The embassy will use the hotel reservation as proof of accommodation.

djb123
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Post by djb123 » Fri May 02, 2008 3:59 pm

You are a British citizen aren't you? If so the Greek embassy should not be asking your husband for anything more than proof that he is married to a British citizen (ie your passport and your marriage certificate). They have no right to ask for details of travel plans, finances, accommodation, etc.

charliegal
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Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:22 pm

Post by charliegal » Sat May 03, 2008 2:13 pm

Yes Im a British Citizen ... The Greek Embassy seem really rude and not very helpful ... I didnt realise going on holiday with my husband would cause so much hassle! All i wanted was a nice holiday with plenty of sunshine and ouzo!!

xxx

Marie B
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Location: London

Post by Marie B » Sat May 03, 2008 7:24 pm

Just out of interest what country is your husband from? My husband is Albanian and he had a nightmare time at the Greek Embassy in London getting a schengan visa. They did give him a visa valid for about 6 weeks for two trips without having to show any finances, job info, accomodation or flight booking details - the security guards and the woman who dealt with his application were really rude.

djb123
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Post by djb123 » Sun May 04, 2008 5:31 am

It's not just the staff at the Greek Embassy that are rude, the woman at the Italian vice-consulate was rude to my wife as well. Maybe it's because they don't like issuing free visas to the spouses of British citizens.

You could try complaining to SOLVIT http://ec.europa.eu/solvit/site/index_en.htm about the Greek Embassy as it even states on the Greek Embassy web site that for spouses of EU citizens they require "some proof of their intended trip to Greece" which they are not allowed to do.

charliegal
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Post by charliegal » Sun May 04, 2008 6:10 pm

yep he's albanian!
People always give looks and ask loads of questions when theres an albanian and british couple. I find it quite upsetting at times :(
xxx

Marie B
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Location: London

Post by Marie B » Sun May 04, 2008 8:24 pm

Know exactly what you mean!! It's a real conversation stopper!

My husband was wrestled to the floor by security guards at the Greek Embassy when he walked in the door, they said they had spotted his Albanian passport and asked him what he was doing there! The woman at the desk then told him that she could arrange for him to 'go back home' for free. How nice. He also gets stick from the immigration officers at airports. They've asked him questions like 'did you just arrive on the back of a lorry' and told him that 'he married a stupid English girl from a council estate to get a visa' (I've never lived on a council estate and have a Masters Degree).

He was arrested by Police in London after being attacked by a gang (he ran to the police for help - they asked his nationality and cuffed him as soon as he said Albanian). They let the other six blokes go (who mysteriously had no injuries), held him in cells overnight for 'GBH' and then tried to deport him to Albania the next day (he had ILR but it 'didn't show up' on the computer).

It drives me mad - I find all of it really insulting. Your husband shouldn't have to show anything other than your passports and marriage certificate to get a schengan visa, but they (and other EU Embassies) have told my husband that they have the discretion to ask for anything they like.

clairey
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Location: London

Post by clairey » Mon May 05, 2008 3:26 pm

Same here ladies! I've not yet had the pleasure of trying to go to Greece with my Albanian husband, but I'm sure it wouldn't be easy!

Our Albanian friend who is married to a German girl told us that when he recently went to Greece, he was detained by 15 Greek immigration officers who suggested that he had "made the Schengen visa on a photocopier". It's just outrageous.

Wanderer
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Ireland

Post by Wanderer » Mon May 05, 2008 3:40 pm

Same thing for my Russian gf, they have to stand by their countries reputations.

In the UK she's regarded as quite cool, when not mistaken for being Polish, I think a lot of us are ever mindful of the CCCP standing up the the Yanks....

However in Germany, with a large number of Russian ghettos and the shadows of WW2 she tends to keep her mouth shut, she just feels embarrassed to be Russian...

Lord know why we wanna live there!
An chéad stad eile Stáisiún Uí Chonghaile....

charliegal
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Post by charliegal » Mon May 05, 2008 7:29 pm

I cant believe all these stories! Its awful! No one should have to put up with all this rubbish all the time! Why cant people just love who they want and go on holiday when and where they want! Its crazy! xxx

kavanspace
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GREECE VISTOR VISA -- URGENT

Post by kavanspace » Tue May 06, 2008 10:01 pm

hi charlie,,,

do you know how long it will take to get a greece visitor visa...

i m indian, my wife is polish,we living in uk for 4 years works fulll time.

i got 30th may as appointment and i have already booked the tickets on 08 June , sunday to crete.

I am scared they only have one week.....I cant even find visa application form on website. .... dailing 090 number for appointmetns was so much difficult and even after doing that i am not any where..I M BIT TAKE OFF NOW BY THE WHOLE EXCITEMENT GREECE.


DO THEY HAVE ANY EXPRESS, SAME DAY SERVICE WITH CHARGE.

PLEASE HELP

mirnat
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Location: London

Post by mirnat » Tue May 13, 2008 1:22 pm

I’ve been reading all the posts and just thought I’d post about my experience (sorry it’s not directly relevant to getting a Schengen visa from the Greek Embassy!) - my husband is also Albanian and he has had 2 Schengen visas from the Belgian Embassy. Although because I am British they should not ask for flight, hotel reservations etc the reality is that they do! The first time we got the visa we were actually staying with his brother but didn't mention this so he provided them with confirmation of eurostar tickets and all the other stuff (payslips, bank statements etc etc) and they still wouldn't give him the visa until he provided proof of a hotel booking!! So I did what bani suggested - booked the hotel, paid only a deposit and then cancelled it once he'd been given the visa!

We are due to fly to Canada for a holiday on Saturday and he has been given the visitor's visa for Canada, again though by providing proof of everything and not just showing our marriage certificate! Interestingly though he has been given a Canadian visitor's visa for a longer period of time than his Schengen visas were ever granted for!

It's a pain but at the end of the day, especially if you've booked flights etc, it's only us that loses out if we don't give in to the Embassies for whatever they ask because it's not them that loses out on their holiday!! Good luck with getting the Schengen visa anyway!

julielee
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Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 11:10 am

Greek Embassy in London sucks!

Post by julielee » Fri Jul 16, 2010 12:44 pm

I haave made a visa appointment in the Greek Embassy this month, before going there I still have few questions that I wanna ask ,after going through their website, I couldn't find any clear answers.
Initially I wrote an email, the replyI got was three words: Thanks For Contacting! That was a shock apparently, it was not those auto mails for confirming your email has been sent and all, It Was the Actual Answer! Ok, Now I try to call them, I think I've tried the number + 44 (20) 73135600 at least 100 times, and yet nobody ever answers it never!
Then I tried to call the press office, the lady give me 02073135623 to try, so I tried, so came the nightmare!

The woman who picked up the phone was SUCH A MANIAC! The question I asked was very direct, but all of sudden, she started to shout at me as loud as any Human Being Can Be! I seriously don't know why!My heart started pumping like crazy! I lost all my words and I was in disbelief! She sounded like she had this huge anger in her and she just took all out on me! I mean I didn't expect them to be nice or patient, but I definitely don't deserve to be shouted at! The experience was just traumatic! It was at 10 am I called her, I have to say that Crazy Bitch has ruined my day and my excitement toward Greece.

My neighbor is a very friendly Greek guy, before planning my trip to Greece, he suggested that I should not go to the Greek Embassy and told me that these staff are relatives of those important figures in Greek politics, so their jobs are very secured. He warned me that they might be incredibly rude and horrible, at that time I thought he was just being dramatic and subjective. Cos in my mind I still believe that those civil servants who represent their beautiful country can't be That Bad! But Man! It turns out he's absolutely right. According to him: 'they're people with no responsibility, no logic and no decency! they don't give a shit about if those tourists will boost our sucking economy or not, they're all bastards, how can you reason with bastards! Don't try to complain, I can assure you it won't help the least bit, no matter how badly they treat you, they'll still be able to work in the Embassy.’

I've now decided to ditch that appointment cos I just don't wanna disgust myself by talking to them or looking at their stupid and rude faces! My suggestion is that unless absolutely necessary, DO NOT GO OR CALL! It's just not worth doing it!

Plum70
Diamond Member
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Post by Plum70 » Sat Jul 17, 2010 10:07 pm

And so the Greek embassy joins the hall of shame of which Spain and Italy proudly belong...

Hint: The French are decent and Paris makes for a nice, hassle-free holiday (if not already been a gazillion times).

Wanderer
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Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 12:46 pm
Ireland

Post by Wanderer » Sun Jul 18, 2010 9:19 am

Plum70 wrote:And so the Greek embassy joins the hall of shame of which Spain and Italy proudly belong...

Hint: The French are decent and Paris makes for a nice, hassle-free holiday (if not already been a gazillion times).
I hated Paris! I had the woman in the Metro ticket office throw all my money on the floor in front of me, and I had two French students working in another Metro booth sniggering at my admittedly poor French....

Google 'Mers El Kabir'.....
An chéad stad eile Stáisiún Uí Chonghaile....

Plum70
Diamond Member
Posts: 1363
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 11:07 am

Post by Plum70 » Sun Jul 18, 2010 11:14 am

Really? I find the Parisians endearing in that they grumble (initially) when providing a service (be you French, French-speaking or not) but a few secs in and they are chattering animatedly and even smiling!

Poor spoken French will hurt you in Paris though; I either rehearse vigorously before releasing my tongue or let my hubby do the talking! We're in Paris again next month... i'll look out for "the woman in the Metro ticket office" and give her the evil eye on your behalf. :wink: And the next time a Parisian sniggers at you just retort, "Ta gueule salope OR fils de pute!"

Oh and keep a safe distance; prepared to run!

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