Please HELP!! Visa refusal from Belgium embassy

[Precious]

I had applied for the Schegen Visa through Belgium Embassy twice which was given to me but my plans changed and I visited France and could'nt go to Belgium.

However, I wanted to go to Belgium for sure this time and I applied through the Belgium embassy again who refused me the visa on grounds that I did not go to Belgium twice and have misused the visa in the past.

Please help me , what should I do now, I did a silly mistake:

Firstly my plans changed and Secondly I did not even know this was a criteria ( a must to enter the country from where you have the visa endorsed).

Please please help me what should I do now, am a law abiding citizen and never did anything wrong. Now this will be such a mark for life that I have been refused a visa and moreover I don't mind paying a fee or a penalty for this but I think it is way too harsh to refuse the visa on the grounds that that I was misusing the visa though the truth is that I changed my plans and I did not even know that it is a criteria to step into the country that you have taken the visa from?

Anyone??

Thanx.

[mym]

I did not even know this was a criteria ( a must to enter the country from where you have the visa endorsed).

You should have checked, it's made obvious enough.

Please please help me what should I do now, am a law abiding citizen and never did anything wrong.

Yes you did. Hence the refusal.

You should be ok applying to the French (or any other Schengen) Embassy. Just make sure you go to France first on the way to Belgium - and hope that there is no note on your Schengen files that they take exception to.

[SYH]

I had applied for the Schegen Visa through Belgium Embassy twice which was given to me but my plans changed and I visited France and could'nt go to Belgium.

However, I wanted to go to Belgium for sure this time and I applied through the Belgium embassy again who refused me the visa on grounds that I did not go to Belgium twice and have misused the visa in the past.

Please help me , what should I do now, I did a silly mistake:

Firstly my plans changed and Secondly I did not even know this was a criteria ( a must to enter the country from where you have the visa endorsed).

Please please help me what should I do now, am a law abiding citizen and never did anything wrong. Now this will be such a mark for life that I have been refused a visa and moreover I don't mind paying a fee or a penalty for this but I think it is way too harsh to refuse the visa on the grounds that that I was misusing the visa though the truth is that I changed my plans and I did not even know that it is a criteria to step into the country that you have taken the visa from?

Anyone??

Thanx.

Ah the belgiums getting cranky for their lax policies a bit disgruntled by not being taken seriously, tsk tsk, just like mym said apply to france your plans never alter from visiting france

[Precious]

The thing is that I was ignorant, I really did not know about this criteria otherwise I would have gone out of my way to go to Belgium. Moreover, when I applied the second time they granted me the visa without warning me of the fact that I had not visited the country the first time and I have to make sure that I step into that atleast once the next time so moreover I did not even think this will happen to me if I did not go there again.

Anyway, now what should I do, probably even France will not give me the visa cause Belgium has already refused me, you know how you have to fill in the application form where it asks you have you ever been refused a visa...

How do I make sure that there is no note on my Schengen files that they take exception to.

Is there really no way to clear my name with the Belgium embassy itself?I also feel helpless since whenever I call Belgium embassy there is no one physically that I can talk to , its always there answering machine and I have left several msgs with no answers.

[SYH]

The thing is that I was ignorant, I really did not know about this criteria otherwise I would have gone out of my way to go to Belgium. Moreover, when I applied the second time they granted me the visa without warning me of the fact that I had not visited the country the first time and I have to make sure that I step into that atleast once the next time so moreover I did not even think this will happen to me if I did not go there again.

Anyway, now what should I do, probably even France will not give me the visa cause Belgium has already refused me, you know how you have to fill in the application form where it asks you have you ever been refused a visa...

How do I make sure that there is no note on my Schengen files that they take exception to.

Is there really no way to clear my name with the Belgium embassy itself?I also feel helpless since whenever I call Belgium embassy there is no one physically that I can talk to , its always there answering machine and I have left several msgs with no answers.

This is not a biggie
The french will laugh that the belgians rejected you
just apply and get over it

[Precious]

The thing is that I was ignorant, I really did not know about this criteria otherwise I would have gone out of my way to go to Belgium. Moreover, when I applied the second time they granted me the visa without warning me of the fact that I had not visited the country the first time and I have to make sure that I step into that atleast once the next time so moreover I did not even think this will happen to me if I did not go there again.

Anyway, now what should I do, probably even France will not give me the visa cause Belgium has already refused me, you know how you have to fill in the application form where it asks you have you ever been refused a visa...

How do I make sure that there is no note on my Schengen files that they take exception to.

Is there really no way to clear my name with the Belgium embassy itself?I also feel helpless since whenever I call Belgium embassy there is no one physically that I can talk to , its always there answering machine and I have left several msgs with no answers.

This is not a biggie
The french will laugh that the belgians rejected you
just apply and get over it

Thanx this is really comforting , may be am taking this way too seriously. I am going to try and appeal the case, donno how will I go about doing this, but eventually apply to France for the Schengen visa.

I will definately keep you guys posted here with my situation.

[Shan12]

There is little point in appealing the case. The fact is you misused the visa. Ignorance is no excuse especially when the information is all there for you to read.

Apply for a French Schengen.

[Precious]

There is little point in appealing the case. The fact is you misused the visa. Ignorance is no excuse especially when the information is all there for you to read.

Apply for a French Schengen.

Can you please tell me where is this information available to read? I have not read it in any application forms that I filled out for the visa purpose.

Tah.

[Christophe]

Can you please tell me where is this information available to read? I have not read it in any application forms that I filled out for the visa purpose.

Tah.

On the Schengen visa pages of the Belgian embassy in London (http://www.vfs-be-uk.com/schengen.aspx) it says:

Schengen Information

A Schengen visa has to be obtained from the Embassy of the country where the MAIN PURPOSE OF TRAVEL lies. Therefore, please check your travel plans before making your application at the Embassy of Belgium in London.

In case of travel to multiple Schengen countries, please make your application to the Embassy where you will be staying for the maximum number of days, or from the Point of First Entry into the Schengen Countries, if the duration of stay is the same in more than one Schengen Country.

If you plan to apply for your Schengen visa at the Embassy of Belgium, your main destination and the maximum period of stay in the Schengen States must be in Belgium only. Please provide proof to support this information.

Also, on the FAQs page (http://www.vfs-be-uk.com/faqs.aspx#3b):

Q. Can I apply at the Belgium Visa Application Centre if I want to go to Spain or Paris? I can arrange for bookings accordingly?

Ans. If you plan to apply for your Schengen visa at the Embassy of Belgium, your main destination and the maximum period of stay in the Schengen States must be in Belgium only. Please provide proof to support this information.


Q. Is the visa valid for Belgium only?

Ans. The Embassy of Belgium issues visas for Belgium and for the other Schengen states. The Schengen visa issued by the Embassy gives access to 15 Schengen countries in total. However, the Schengen Visa applications will only be accepted by Belgium Visa Application Centre if Belgium is the country of maximum stay. Should the duration of the stay be the same in several Schengen States, Belgium must be the first point of entry if making an application at the Belgium Visa Application Centre.

Most if not all the embassies of Schengen area countries carry similar information, although it has to be said that it is sometimes rather "buried".

[stmellon]

Precious, in order to get the Belgian visa you would have had to present proof - i.e. travel documents and hotel bookings or similar - that you would be travelling in to Belgium and/or staying in Belgium for the longest period of time amongst travel to other Schengen states.

Be honest here - you applied to Belgium cos you couldn't get an appointment with the French embassy, didn't you?