ESC

Click the "allow" button if you want to receive important news and updates from immigrationboards.com


Immigrationboards.com: Immigration, work visa and work permit discussion board

Welcome to immigrationboards.com!

Login Register Do not show

Eurostar, travelling to France without Schengen visa

Immigration to European countries, don't post UK or Ireland related topics!

Moderators: Casa, push, JAJ, ca.funke, Amber, zimba, vinny, Obie, EUsmileWEallsmile, batleykhan, meself2, geriatrix, John, ChetanOjha, archigabe, Administrator

bdb303
Junior Member
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:01 pm
Location: London

Eurostar, travelling to France without Schengen visa

Post by bdb303 » Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:09 pm

Was wondering if anyone had any experience of travelling with the Eurostar to Paris without a Schengen visa.

I am Dutch and my non-EU wife has an EEA2 residence permit. We are planning to go to Paris at the end of August but we can't even seem to make an appointment with the French embassy. Unfortunately, I already purchased the tickets (stupid, I know, but who knew 3 months wouldn't be enough to get this sorted!).

Am now just thinking of showing up at St Pancras, just to see what will happen (the tickets are useless anyway as they are non-transferrable, so might as well try).

Does anyone know the procedures with the Eurostar? I have called Eurostar and they confirmed that the French customs check before you enter the train, but does anyone have any experiences of travelling without the Schengen visa via Eurostar?

try-one
Member of Standing
Posts: 427
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:57 pm
Location: London

Post by try-one » Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:50 am

Hi,
Any trip without a visa is a huge risk, just assume that they forget to check passports in london and end up checking in paris while in french territory.....your wife faces detention ...... and you a very stressfull time contacting your embassy. Even then, you would have to return, and without a visa it will not be easy to leave france, as the french immigration authorities may decide to detain her upon leaving the country.

Let me suggest three options:
- You can visit the website of the french embassy and they offer a few appointments on thursdays afternoon
- Call the dutch embassy, as the wife of a dutch citizen she can apply there for the visa and it would be faster and easier (doesn't have to be only france. Granted, france is your first port of entry, however you would stay more time in holland over time.....
- forget about the tickets until you get the visa, once the summer ends, then the number of visa applications declines....then it would be easier to get an appointment.
-------------------------
Life is a journey, not a destination (S. Tyler)

Siggi
Senior Member
Posts: 650
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:26 pm
Location: London

Post by Siggi » Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:50 am

I'm very sorry to hear that you have bought a ticket for nothing.

But in my experience, as one of those many suckers that have to have a Schengen visa, I personal have traveled on the Eurostar to Paris and done many crossing to Calais from Dover.

The French immigration guys check us every time on the UK side, either at Ashford or Ebesfleet, so I 'm sure they will check at St Pancras too.

Just keep on trying at the French Consulate for a appointment, I'm sure you will get a slot between now and the end of August.

dschinghis
Newly Registered
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:29 am

Post by dschinghis » Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:34 am

You can also try to book appointment in french consulate using their premium phone service. It's a bit expensive ( 1£ per minute ) but it's more reliable than trying to book it via internet. The main trick is to call them just after midnight when one additional day is added to their appointment database.

bdb303
Junior Member
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:01 pm
Location: London

Post by bdb303 » Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:39 am

ah call after midnight.. so that was the trick!

Yeah the stupid Dutch embassy refuses to give us a Schengen as they say it is no longer necessary to do so to enter the Netherlands, and you should therefore apply with the country for which you will need one.

86ti
Diamond Member
Posts: 2760
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:07 am

Post by 86ti » Fri Jun 27, 2008 1:39 pm

Read here what happened to someone else. Note, that he was a UK national and his wife on ILR so no residence permit. Later in the thread the reason from the French was given.

bdb303
Junior Member
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:01 pm
Location: London

Post by bdb303 » Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:32 pm

thanks for all the replies.

Yeah I've emailed the French embassy about upholding the 2004/38/EC directive (and not having to get a Schengen visa) and this is what they replied.

Please note that, to this day, we have not received any new instructions
from the French Authorities regarding the application of the EU Directive
2004/38/EC. I therefore wish to inform you that family members of EU
Nationals, resident in the UK, still require a visa to travel to France.


So I guess I will:
1) wait for a miracle and hope that in the meantime the French implement 2004/38 and follow the Dutch, Italians etc in not requiring a visa to enter if accompanied with an EU family member. Surely they must also see that it will help their embassies with their workload.

2) try and book an appointment tonight with the embassy and hope it all gets done before we go (somehow doubt it).

3) Rewatch the Holland - France Euro 2008 match to make me feel better.

ribena
Member
Posts: 221
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:56 am

Post by ribena » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:27 pm

at times i feel very frustrated and angry about staff at embassies and High commission that seems to be ignorant on eu law.( i am quite sure i am not the only one here feels that way)

for instead, bdb303's case, i really don't understand why his wife would need a visa to enter france or any other EU states when they are married; any by virtue of EU Law on freedom of movement, his wife as his family member, has every right as he has to move around EU without needing any visa.

the residence card itself is sufficient to confirm her right as any european citizen.

and it doesn't make sense if she has the eu freedom of movement and yet she needs to apply for visa to another eu country. it is like asking a french to apply visa to germany or wherever in eu.

if i were bdb303, i would send a letter to french embassy and asking them to point out exactly to why/where in the law that your wife need to apply the visa when she has the right of movement as any eu citizen.



sorry! need to vent :s

republique
BANNED
Posts: 1342
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2008 5:58 pm

From Paris to London only

Post by republique » Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:13 am

Usually immigration is at the beginning of the train ride as you check from Paris to London so you can always try to chance it buy a full fare ticket and if refused to board then trade or cash it back in.

paulp
Diamond Member
Posts: 1071
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2007 8:34 pm

Post by paulp » Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:39 am

The french also have exit checks at the Eurostar terminal in Paris. So even if you get in, there may be problems when you leave.

carlabeach
Junior Member
Posts: 58
Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 5:20 am

Post by carlabeach » Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:22 pm

my sister needed a schengen visa to france and spain and this two embassys are really difficult with appointments. Someone told us to applied in the belgium embassy was really easy and fast. She didnt went to belgium only they give to her schange visa with two entrances that means to any european country.
Other friend get refusse in the spanish embassy the exchange visa went to the belgium one and they give her schange visa for a month.
Dont travel without visa that can make you trouble in future !!!!!

dsab85
Member
Posts: 224
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:44 am

Post by dsab85 » Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:12 am

disregard...

spindoctor27
Newly Registered
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2008 2:51 pm

Post by spindoctor27 » Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:48 pm

.. there are some appointments available right now... just fyi

giruzz
Junior Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:47 am

Post by giruzz » Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:34 pm

I would personally ditch the French visa try and go to request a visa to an Embassy that might be less popular but much more organized that those a******* at the French consulate.

(Belgian Visa request center in SOHO fells in the same category as the French staff)

I would give a try to the Hungarian, Danish or Finnish Embassy...but this is just a suggestion...not that I did it :P

giruzz

mym
Member of Standing
Posts: 353
Joined: Mon May 28, 2007 11:44 am
Location: London

Post by mym » Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:29 pm

The German embassy does postal visas in about 5 days - see their website.
--
Mark Y-M
London

giruzz
Junior Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:47 am

Post by giruzz » Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:57 pm

mym wrote:The German embassy does postal visas in about 5 days - see their website.
Germany doesn't issue Schengen visas to EEA Family permit holders.

g.

86ti
Diamond Member
Posts: 2760
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:07 am

Post by 86ti » Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:11 am

mym wrote:The German embassy does postal visas in about 5 days - see their website.
Yes, they say so for spouses of EU nationals but they also say on another page that no visa are needed for residence permit holders as in the case of bdb303. The question is if they wouldn't act they same way as the Dutch embassy, i.e. do not issue visa for Germany (except for their own nationals) and refer people to the other embassy where they want to go to?

bdb303
Junior Member
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:01 pm
Location: London

Post by bdb303 » Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:23 am

yeah have managed to get an appointment for the end of July - I wonder if they'll be able to do it in a month (the Philippines being on the Schengen shitlist).

giruzz
Junior Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:47 am

Post by giruzz » Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:12 am

86ti wrote:
mym wrote:The German embassy does postal visas in about 5 days - see their website.
Yes, they say so for spouses of EU nationals but they also say on another page that no visa are needed for residence permit holders as in the case of bdb303. The question is if they wouldn't act they same way as the Dutch embassy, i.e. do not issue visa for Germany (except for their own nationals) and refer people to the other embassy where they want to go to?
This is what I was told. Germany, Netherlands and Italy refused to issue the visa.

The Italian consulate gave my girlfriend a letter saying that a visa was not required anymore

giruzz

86ti
Diamond Member
Posts: 2760
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:07 am

Post by 86ti » Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:43 am

giruzz wrote:
86ti wrote:
mym wrote:The German embassy does postal visas in about 5 days - see their website.
Yes, they say so for spouses of EU nationals but they also say on another page that no visa are needed for residence permit holders as in the case of bdb303. The question is if they wouldn't act they same way as the Dutch embassy, i.e. do not issue visa for Germany (except for their own nationals) and refer people to the other embassy where they want to go to?
This is what I was told. Germany, Netherlands and Italy refused to issue the visa.

The Italian consulate gave my girlfriend a letter saying that a visa was not required anymore

giruzz
Thank you for confirming this.

Leaves one problem I think: according to the Schengen rules you need to apply to the country you intend to stay the most time in. What if you plan a day trip to a neightbour country still requiring a visa?

giruzz
Junior Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:47 am

Post by giruzz » Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:53 am

86ti wrote:
giruzz wrote:
86ti wrote:
mym wrote:The German embassy does postal visas in about 5 days - see their website.
Yes, they say so for spouses of EU nationals but they also say on another page that no visa are needed for residence permit holders as in the case of bdb303. The question is if they wouldn't act they same way as the Dutch embassy, i.e. do not issue visa for Germany (except for their own nationals) and refer people to the other embassy where they want to go to?
This is what I was told. Germany, Netherlands and Italy refused to issue the visa.

The Italian consulate gave my girlfriend a letter saying that a visa was not required anymore

giruzz
Thank you for confirming this.

Leaves one problem I think: according to the Schengen rules you need to apply to the country you intend to stay the most time in. What if you plan a day trip to a neightbour country still requiring a visa?
Than you can either choose to request a visa for the destination country (e.g. day trip from Italy to France you require a visa for France) or you can stay in Italy and ditch the trip to France.

giruzz

bdb303
Junior Member
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:01 pm
Location: London

Post by bdb303 » Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:33 pm

Leaves one problem I think: according to the Schengen rules you need to apply to the country you intend to stay the most time in. What if you plan a day trip to a neightbour country still requiring a visa?
The Dutch embassy says the Schengen should be issued at either the main destination, or if no visa is required to enter the main destination, i.e. the Dutch case, you should apply at the first country you enter that does require one.

Basically, the Dutch will no longer issue any Schengen visa to non-EU family members with residence permits when travelling with their EU spouse or family member. I think it's a smart thing, because of all the time they're saving. If only other countries could realise the savings in workload.

Hexy
Newly Registered
Posts: 29
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:01 am

Post by Hexy » Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:55 am

Got this from another thread and I just read this entire thing. Granted its 2004 and things change and rechange but its interesting if this is the true law.

http://img23.xooimage.com/files/c/f/d/g ... 3fe3d6.pdf

mym
Member of Standing
Posts: 353
Joined: Mon May 28, 2007 11:44 am
Location: London

Post by mym » Sat Jul 05, 2008 9:57 am

Of course it's the law. Do some research before posting such a basic and well-known pdf file and you won't look like a kitten that just saw snow for the first time :)
--
Mark Y-M
London

Hexy
Newly Registered
Posts: 29
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:01 am

Post by Hexy » Sat Jul 05, 2008 2:23 pm

but but mym I am said kitten. I see so many responses to questions "they have no right to (insert issue here)" by terms of this law. So, sorry if I am still ramping up to all EU things along these lines. Just trying to be helpful to someone else as stressed as myself.

Locked
cron