Schengen visa dilemma??

Hi,

I am a manager for people with learning disabilities and have three people - service user (British passport), staff (British passport), 2nd staff (Zimbabwean passport) - going on a holiday to France in September 2007. I got the Zimbabwean staff member a Schengen visa from the Swedish Embassy as earlier the plan was to go to Sweden on a holiday with the service user - there are no plans to go to Sweden now. This visa is multiple entry 6 months (90 days max stay) from Sept 2007 onwards. I want to know if this staff member will have any sort of difficulty in entering France first (on a Swedish Schengen visa). We have the entire holiday booked for 4 days along with the Eurostar tickets.

A couple of years ago, I had travelled to Rome on a Schengen visa issued by the German embassy (without going to Germany) and faced no hassle whatsoever. But as I am responsible for the staff and the service user, it is my head on the line if things go awry in September. Please advise.

Many thanks for your time.

It is a six month multiple entry visa. Fantastic!

If you have the money, why not plan a short visit to Sweden in December, which is likely a very pretty time. With Ryanair such tickets can be very cheap. An then if it works out at the time, or if the French border guard insists that you also go to Sweden, then you do it.

Directive/2004/38/EC wrote:It is a six month multiple entry visa. Fantastic!

If you have the money, why not plan a short visit to Sweden in December, which is likely a very pretty time. With Ryanair such tickets can be very cheap. An then if it works out at the time, or if the French border guard insists that you also go to Sweden, then you do it.

That may not be an option in this circumstance, though.

It is perfectly legal to enter France on a schengen visa issued from Sweden....I have done it and so have two of my friends...the only reason embassies insist that you should get a visa from your point of entry is to make sure that administrative costs that they incur whilst issuing the visa are offset by your tourist spending in that country. Else everyone would apply to Swedish embassy (where the process to get a visa is much shorter - as you have done!) to get Schengens to enter other countries. But there are no restrictions in using a valid schengen visa to enter wherever you want. Hope this sorts out your predicament!

Nawab many thanks for your advice! My parents also entered Germany last year on a Schengen visa issued from the Italian embassy. Your reply along with my own experiences/internet research leave me in no doubt that it is fine for the trip to go ahead. Have a good weekend!