Schengen visa rules family member of an eea national

[sarah82]

I wonder if anyone may be able to offer me some advice.

My husband has a schengen visa issued by Italy and we are currently in Morocco.

I'll be traveling with him on my Irish passport.

We have however changed our travel plans and are now planning to enter The Netherlands where I will exercise treaty rights.

I have been told by friends that it is imperative that we enter Italy first, as that is the state that issued the visa.

Is that correct that we would not be permitted to travel directly from Morocco to The Netherlands on an Italian issued schengen (category C multi) visa?

[andrej]

I wonder if anyone may be able to offer me some advice.

My husband has a schengen visa issued by Italy and we are currently in Morocco.

I'll be traveling with him on my Irish passport.

We have however changed our travel plans and are now planning to enter The Netherlands where I will exercise treaty rights.

I have been told by friends that it is imperative that we enter Italy first, as that is the state that issued the visa.

Is that correct that we would not be permitted to travel directly from Morocco to The Netherlands on an Italian issued schengen (category C multi) visa?

Don't worry about that as I was in the same boat as you. I had a Polish Schengen multi-entry visa but entered through Germany. They said nothing but just stamped my passport and I was on my way. I also left through Germany to come to the UK again.

I heard a lot of people asking for Italian Schengen as it is easier to get than lets say French and then just entering Euro through another country.

Someone I know went to Holland on an Italian Schengen multi-entry visa-no problem. Never heard of any problems but maybe just contact someone in authority who can advise you better. It helps if you are with your spouse. They'll never dare separate you as you are an EU citizen, as long as you can prove your relationship.