Denied Visa by French Immigration at St Pancras

[miskymetro123]

Has anyone had a similar experience in the last few weeks? Basically I have a blue refugee travel document issued in the UK. Got there and was told I could not travel because I didn't have visa. Apparently the law was changed at the end of last month and noone bothered to tell people that had already booked their trips that the law has changed. I am so disapponted because I really wanted to see my family! Is there anything that I can do? Please help!

[Lucapooka]

Assuming you are not an EU national or a person with a nationality that is not required to apply for a Schengen visa in advance of arrival at the Schengen border, has it previously been the case that would not normally need to apply for a visa?

[miskymetro123]

Firstly, thank you for replying Loocapuka! I have refugee status in the UK and a blue travel document issued by UKBA. The immigration official at st pancras told me that up until 27 july, I could travel freely to france. But she said things changed overnight when the new french government took over. From one day to the next, the law changed and holders of these travel documents now required a visa. The problem is that all my travel plans and arrangements, bookings and payments were made before this date. And I had contacted TLSContact in London before I bought my tickets and was assured I would not require a visa.

[$uperman]

Just take a look at the information page in your refugee travel document; it lists the countries which are signatory to the European Agreement on the Abolition of Visas for Refugees.

You need a valid visa to visit France having UK refugee blue passport but you can travel without visa for up to 90 days to: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden.