Cape Verde - Slovakia - Schengen VISA

[Sanny]

Hi, I am from Slovakia and my boyfriend is from Cape Verde - we are trying to get short stay Schengen visa for him. He would be staying in Slovakia all the time but needs to pass several airports in different countries/all schengen participants/. He was studying 5 years in Portugal and still has "special" students visa/as agreement between Portugal and Cape Verde as Portuguese colony in the past/ till the end of May 2008. Slovakia should be part of Schengen area since January 2008. I got informations that he must/and can just/ apply at Slovak embassy in Nigeria - Abuja - pay caution 2000 USD and fly to Nigeria to get all the documents. It seems to be very difficult...well, I do not expect it's easy but this seems too complicate. Is there any chance to apply for Schengen visa at Slovak Embassy in Lisbon? Or some other way how to get this visa? Hope somebody has answer...thx

sanny.

[John]

At the moment Slovakia is not part of the Schengen area so a very relevant question is ..... when is travel intended to that country? I have read, and reread, your post, but it is not clear.

You ask about applying for the visa in Lisbon. Where is your boyfriend now? Is he currently a legal resident of Portugal?

...... needs to pass several airports in different countries/all schengen participants

Which Schengen country would he enter first?

[Sanny]

Thank you...

Well - he is in Cape Verde /CV/now - the first Schengen country he would enter is Portugal because thats the best way how to reach Europe from CV.

Slovakia will be part of Schengen area since January - thats's why we think it would be the best time when he can come. /after New Year/.

Competences of the Embassy Abuja - Nigeria:
(1) Diplomatic and consular competences for the following countries : The Federative Republic of Nigeria, The Republic of Ghana, The Republic of Sierra Leone, The Republic of Guinea, The Republic of Guinea-Bissau, The Republic of Equatorial Guinea, The Republic of Senegal, The Republic of Gambia, The Republic of Cameroon, The Republic of Gabon, The Republic of Cape Verde, The Republic of Burkina Faso, The Republic of Mali, The Republic of Liberia, The Republic of Togo

I know - in the case he is applying for Slovak visa - probably he needs to do that in Abuja - but even he gets Slovak visa he needs transit visa. Isn't it easier to apply for Schengen visa in Portugal, do you think it's possible?

It just doesnt make any sense to go to Nigeria if he can enter Portugal - get visa in Lisbon and travel to Slovakia. I don't know if it could work like that.

He doesn't have permanent residence in Portugal but is allowed to study and work there with that visa/ I mentioned before/ till next May.

Hope you understand better.

Thank you....

Sanny

[John]

Does Portugal have an embassy in Cape Verde? If so, why doesn't he apply for his Schengen visa there?

The point is that within the Schengen area there are no immigration-style checks. For example, we flew from Barcelona, Spain to Copenhagen, Denmark, and whilst there was a normal airline check-in at Barcelona airport, there was no immigration style check, either on departure from Barcelona, or on arrival in Copenhagen.

Exactly the same flying from Copenhagen to Oslo, Norway ... etc etc.

So once inside the Schengen area total ability to move around.

[Sanny]

For instance - we invited other Capeverdean friend to spend last Christmas with us. He went by bus to Spain - from Spain flew to Milan, Bergamo - then Milan to Bratislava - nobody was asking about his visa but when he was leaving Slovakia - somebody at check-in checked his passport and didn't let him to leave the country. The other day that man wasn't there and some other guy even didn't have any idea where is Cabo Verde - so he just didn't make any problems. It was just a Good Luck.

Imagine - if he comes to Lisbon - he can travel wherever he wants - he could fly to Vienna and "pass the borders" by car to Slovakia - because Schengen area is opened for Slovakia since January but at the aiports there are still checking till April 2008. I think I understand what u mean but I am afraid if somebody stops him /actually it can happen/ - he would not have any visa - just that from Portugal and that's not enough. He was traveling with that visa in Europe this summer and was arrested in France and Spain.

"Once inside the Schengen area total ability to move around." - My experience is that there are always ppl at check-in/at the airports/ who control if u do have visa...or not - even u are already in Schengen area because it seems there is a risk if they let go somebody to other country without visa - airline company might pay a lot of money.

I will check if there is Portuguese embassy in CV. I guess it's not - probably it's just kind of agreement and all students from CV get visa after arrival to Portugal.

Sorry it's just too difficult to explain in English. Thanks for ur patience.