Is Schengen visa required to visit Europe with spouse?

Hi there
I'm marrying my South African partner in July. He currently has an off shore workers visa. As a wedding gift, I would ideally like to surprise his with a holiday/honeymoon to ibiza. Would he need a schengen visa for this....therefore I wouldn't be able to surprise him or is there a way around this using our marriage certificate, obviously it will take time for a spousal visa to be processed so I don't think we can use this route unless I delay it for a few months.
Any id vice would be much appreciated
Thanks Yvy

It is a silly question, but what do you mean by "off shore workers visa"?

Is it off shore as in off shore oil wells, in UK waters, or is it off shore as in off shore banking, such as the Channel Islands/Isle of Man?

Are you British or an EEA citizen?

On the assumption that you are, travelling to another EEA country with your spouse is possible without a visa, provided you have proof of your marriage (such as the certificate). However, be aware that you may spend hours at immigration and airport staff may not be au fait with the requirements of a spouse travelling with an EEA spouse. So there may be issues boarding the plane.

You may want to glance through the EEA forum for some of the stories of people who tried that. They were successful, but given the heartburn it seems to have caused, it was an unpleasant surprise.

You may also find this blog and following the posts of user Directive 2004/38/EC on this forum useful.

Finally, best wishes for your partner's and your future.

What is your nationality?

For ease of travel and not risking refusal of boarding plane/boat, a South African citizen needs to have a Schengen visa.

South African passports have increasingly become more scrutinised due to the ease with which they are duplicated or fraudulently produced. I, as a fellow South African, would strongly suggest applying for a visa before travel.

Alternatively, look at countries that South African passport holders do not require a visa. Turkey I think is one of them.

Thankyou so much for the replies.

He has on offshore workers visa for oil platforms in UK waters, and yes I am British.

It sounds Turkey could be an option then, I will have a look into it otherwise I guess I will have to let go of the surprise element or wait until the spousal visa comes through. He did get a Schengen visa last summer, but there were lots of hurdles that needed jumping through to get it, he had to have a letter from a friend in Holland and tickets/insurance booked etc, not something I could arrange without letting him know.

We will by then have the marriage certificate, so I'll look at the other forum and thanks for the link

Yvy

Link that lists where he could go visa free or visa on arrival.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requi ... n_citizens

Cape Verde which is not too far and is lovely, could be another option. He would also not need a visa for Tunisia, which also has some gorgeous resorts.