Schengen Visa Application refused by Greek Embassy

[jfarid]

I am a British Citizen and my wife is Vietnamese. We reside in the UK and my wife is on Further Leave to Remain with a Biometric Residence Permit on a 5 year settlement route (spouse visa). Because the wording on her residence permit does not specifically state "EU Family Member" as per the EU's directive, she is not entitled to visa-free travel in the Schengen area (correct me if I am wrong). Therefor, she has had to apply for multiple Schengen visas over the last 3 years we have been living in the UK for travel for work and business. We have an upcoming trip to Greece and she has visited the consulate in London to apply for her VISA with the usual documents but on this occasion she was not allowed to submit the application as the Greek embassy demanded that her marriage certificate (and translation) should be Apostilled or legalised by the Vietnamese embassy. The Vietnamese embassy in London will only apostille or legalise documents in the UK, or a Vietnamese document which has bee apostilled in Vietnam (which we do not have). The marriage certificate and official translation was used as part of a successful UK Spouse visa application and multiple Schengen Visa applications (Hungary, Iceland, France, Spain, Italy, Germany etc...) She has never been refused a visa. Are the Greek embassy within their rights to refuse the application? Is there anything we can do? We have flights and accommodation booked already in Greece and it would be a great disappointment to miss this.

[Caravel88]

She has a UK RC, not an EU one. Hence the lack of the wording.

Don't waste your time dealing with the embassy. Just apply to another one.
They can demand whatever they want.

I am a British Citizen and my wife is Vietnamese. We reside in the UK and my wife is on Further Leave to Remain with a Biometric Residence Permit on a 5 year settlement route (spouse visa). Because the wording on her residence permit does not specifically state "EU Family Member" as per the EU's directive, she is not entitled to visa-free travel in the Schengen area (correct me if I am wrong). Therefor, she has had to apply for multiple Schengen visas over the last 3 years we have been living in the UK for travel for work and business. We have an upcoming trip to Greece and she has visited the consulate in London to apply for her VISA with the usual documents but on this occasion she was not allowed to submit the application as the Greek embassy demanded that her marriage certificate (and translation) should be Apostilled or legalised by the Vietnamese embassy. The Vietnamese embassy in London will only apostille or legalise documents in the UK, or a Vietnamese document which has bee apostilled in Vietnam (which we do not have). The marriage certificate and official translation was used as part of a successful UK Spouse visa application and multiple Schengen Visa applications (Hungary, Iceland, France, Spain, Italy, Germany etc...) She has never been refused a visa. Are the Greek embassy within their rights to refuse the application? Is there anything we can do? We have flights and accommodation booked already in Greece and it would be a great disappointment to miss this.

[taffet87]

It is fairly standard practIce for schengen visa for the marriage certificate to be attested or certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country where marriage took place.

[jfarid]

After all that she went back resigned to applying for a tourist visa instead and was advised she didn't need to as an EU spouse and the application was processed and visa issued for 1 year (!)
It was even the same immigration officer!

I'm not complaining