Schengen Visa

[sinistermoon]

I was just wondering, I am coming to the end of my UK working holiday visa in the UK (in fact it expires first week in July) when I will be returning to South Africa. I was hoping to end my 2 years of fun by doing a trip into Europe for 2 weeks. I have previously gone into Europe on this visa so I know the drill.

For this trip I was going to start my trip in Paris and then do a circle around and leave back to the Uk from Brussels. Which means that I would get my schengen visa from the French embassy (I will be spending two or three nights in each place. I just read though on the French site that I will need to have more than 3 months on my Uk visa? Which I dont! Is this the requirement for all European countries or just France?

I thought it would be substancial to prove that I will be going back to the UK for 2 weeks and then leaving (airline ticket) to return home! Does it not matter that SA citizens can stay in the UK for 6 months without a visa if they can prove they have the financial means?

Any advice or suggestions? Thanks

[SYH]

I was just wondering, I am coming to the end of my UK working holiday visa in the UK (in fact it expires first week in July) when I will be returning to South Africa. I was hoping to end my 2 years of fun by doing a trip into Europe for 2 weeks. I have previously gone into Europe on this visa so I know the drill.

For this trip I was going to start my trip in Paris and then do a circle around and leave back to the Uk from Brussels. Which means that I would get my schengen visa from the French embassy (I will be spending two or three nights in each place. I just read though on the French site that I will need to have more than 3 months on my Uk visa? Which I dont! Is this the requirement for all European countries or just France?

I thought it would be substancial to prove that I will be going back to the UK for 2 weeks and then leaving (airline ticket) to return home! Does it not matter that SA citizens can stay in the UK for 6 months without a visa if they can prove they have the financial means?

Any advice or suggestions? Thanks

I think its 3 month validity on your passport
not visa

[sinistermoon]

Thanks, I definately read the following though?

8 PASSPORT and UK VISA

Your passport must be valid for 6 months after the return date of your holiday.
The French embassy does not issue Schengen visas in the last 3 months of any UK visas. If you only have less thn 3 months left on your UK visa, you can not apply for a Schengen visa.
If your UK visa states the name of your spouse, fiance, unmarried partner or child, please include this person’s valid passport (no copies) with your application.
There must be at least 2 empty visa pages in your passport.
South African temporary passports are invalid for a French Schengen Visa.

[Wanderer]

Thanks, I definately read the following though?

8 PASSPORT and UK VISA

Your passport must be valid for 6 months after the return date of your holiday.
The French embassy does not issue Schengen visas in the last 3 months of any UK visas. If you only have less thn 3 months left on your UK visa, you can not apply for a Schengen visa.
If your UK visa states the name of your spouse, fiance, unmarried partner or child, please include this person’s valid passport (no copies) with your application.
There must be at least 2 empty visa pages in your passport.
South African temporary passports are invalid for a French Schengen Visa.

This is correct, and applies to all Schengen states I belive.

[sinistermoon]

This is horrible, I have been saving for this for ages!

Basically my UK visa expires 5 July I wanted to go on holiday 31 March until 10 April, does that mean I cannot apply for the visa even though I have all of the criteria to apply because of 5 days? Are there any exceptional cases?

What if i can prove that I will be leaving the UK to go back to South Africa on 20 April? and that i have a job to go back to in SA?

Thanks for you help

[Wanderer]

This is horrible, I have been saving for this for ages! :cry:

Basically my UK visa expires 5 July I wanted to go on holiday 31 March until 10 April, does that mean I cannot apply for the visa even though I have all of the criteria to apply because of 5 days? Are there any exceptional cases?

What if i can prove that I will be leaving the UK to go back to South Africa on 20 April? and that i have a job to go back to in SA?

Thanks for you help

No idea mate, why not apply from SA?

Schengen visa appointments in UK can stretch months into the future too, you might not even get an appointment in the near future...

Also South Africans will most likely need visas for visits to the UK in the future, sth to consider...

[sinistermoon]

The irony is that if i applied from SA it would be an absolute logistical mess considering that I currently stay in Scotland. and i really dont trust the postal system in South Africa to have my passport in a wee envelope floating about while I am stuck abroad!

Ill give the embassy a call to find out how strict the three month rule is...

Thanks for your help