Anyone apply for a Schengen Visa during the year

[malct]

Hi All

Has Anyone apply for a Schengen Visa during the year and if possible, Can you give a small review on how easy was it and any issues, plus which country did you visit.

We applied for a Schengen Visa in 2011 to visit Lanzarote and it was a nightmare, So we have been going to turkey for the last few years, So interested to know what its like applying for a Schengen Visa in 2018.

 

[lemonjelly]

France, married, very easy, TLS website, get documentation in order, turn up an hour before your appointment to be safe.

[macahoom]

 

It's really quite easy and has been for several years, including 2011. Why did you find it a nightmare? 

 

Compared to Canada or USA, the application for a Schengen is child's play.

 

[wgdanson]

Did one for my GF to go to Italy earlier in the year. Had to go to VFS. They said that because we were not married I could not sponsor her. I told them to put the application through anyway. They did, and we had the visa in 5 days. We did have flights and accommodation booked and health insurance.

Edited December 10, 2018 by wgdanson

[malct]

On 12/10/2018 at 12:08 AM, macahoom said:

 

It's really quite easy and has been for several years, including 2011. Why did you find it a nightmare? 

 

Compared to Canada or USA, the application for a Schengen is child's play.

 

Regards Nightmare, Long story short

Booked holiday and Insurance as instruction

applied for an appointment and told that my wife would be refused

Many phone calls and emails, Still no luck and looking at cancelling the holiday

Contacted 7by7 who informed me that it was my rights for my wife to be allowed to come with me to Spain.

Sent email with official EU statement on rights

Told to book appointment

Turned up, They told my wife that they needed a Photo copy of my passport and sent me to a shop that charged £10.

On my return to the consulate in Edinburgh, I was told to leave.

Total nightmare

 

It puts me off from applying again and its so difficult now finding information, So ended up going to Turkey  

[macahoom]

5 hours ago, malct said:

Regards Nightmare, Long story short

Booked holiday and Insurance as instruction

applied for an appointment and told that my wife would be refused

Many phone calls and emails, Still no luck and looking at cancelling the holiday

Contacted 7by7 who informed me that it was my rights for my wife to be allowed to come with me to Spain.

Sent email with official EU statement on rights

Told to book appointment

Turned up, They told my wife that they needed a Photo copy of my passport and sent me to a shop that charged £10.

On my return to the consulate in Edinburgh, I was told to leave.

Total nightmare

 

It puts me off from applying again and its so difficult now finding information, So ended up going to Turkey  

Based on your post above, I’m guessing your wife is applying from outside Thailand.

 

If that is indeed the case, you should make that clear. If you do not, most posters will assume the application is being lodged in Thailand which will result in you not getting helpful replies. 

 

You should also state the nationality of your wife.

[Donutz]

There are indeed reports from some Schengen embassies operating in the UK who refused or were very reluctant in accepting a Schengen visa application from Thai (or other non Europeans) nationals on visitor visas. Wrongfully insisting on a UK residence permit etc. That would be the case for ordinary applicants but the spouse and other direct family members of an EU national can apply from anywhere in the world with just their IDs (of the EU national and the foreign national), proof if family relation (marriage papers or such) and making evident that the couple wishes to travel to an EU/EEA member state other than the country thst the European national is a citizen of.

 

Generally from Thailand a Schengen application isn't too difficult if you apply well in advance and take your time to collect and complete the paperwork. Using VFS, TLS or other external service providers is entirely optional though many embassies  really push you in their direction. But all embassies are required under EU law to give clear instructions about  applying at the embassy.

 

If applying from say the UK it should mostly be the same. Though here too some embassies really try to make you use their appointed optional service provider or ask more documents than required.

[malct]

Hi Macahoom

I stated that my wife was thai and that she was living in the uk

Thet said that Because she was not working and that they said that she needed bank statements  to prove that she had money, she could not get a visa.

I fully explained everything about getting married and that she was living with me in the UK, But they were not interested.

It was only when 7by7 told me to quote my rights that they allowed us to apply.

at the time, it was a issue getting a Schengen Visa with a few people and i was interested to know what it is like now, so i can plan ahead for a holiday in may 2019

[macahoom]

51 minutes ago, malct said:

Hi Macahoom

I stated that my wife was thai and that she was living in the uk

Thet said that Because she was not working and that they said that she needed bank statements  to prove that she had money, she could not get a visa.

I fully explained everything about getting married and that she was living with me in the UK, But they were not interested.

It was only when 7by7 told me to quote my rights that they allowed us to apply.

at the time, it was a issue getting a Schengen Visa with a few people and i was interested to know what it is like now, so i can plan ahead for a holiday in may 2019

 

You may have told the consulate that your wife is Thai and that she was living in the UK but in your original post in this thread you did not mention that your wife is Thai - in fact you did not even mention that she is your wife. You also did not mention that she is applying for the Schengen from the UK.

 

I'm just trying to help you. Without stating your situation clearly, you cannot expect to be given good advice by Thaivisa posters.

Edited December 21, 2018 by macahoom

[7by7]

@malct, whilst I'm sorry that I don't remember your individual case, I do recall that the Spanish in particular were reluctant to apply the directive correctly to non EEA national family members of EEA nationals and have had their wrists slapped by SOLVIT before because of this.

 

As Donutz says, your wife should have been issued a free Schengen visa by any EEA member state merely by providing evidence that you are an EEA nationals (your passport) and she is your qualifying family member (as she is your wife, your marriage certificate plus certified translation into an EEA language, e.g. English, if married in Thailand). That is all that is required under the Freedom of Movement directive for qualifying family members of an EEA national.

 

In fact, if she is travelling with you she doesn't even need to obtain a visa in advance; Do your family members need a visa?

Quote

Arriving at the border without an entry visa

It is always best for your non-EU family members to be well informed in advance and have all the necessary documents before starting their journey.

However, if they arrive at the border without an entry visa, the border authorities should give them the opportunity to prove by other means that they are your family members. If they manage to prove it, they should be issued with an entry visa on the spot.

 

At the moment!

 

Post Brexit the UK will probably no longer be covered by the FoM directive and so will be treated the same as all non EEA states currently are. Which means that whilst you, as a British citizen, may* still be able to visit without a visa, your wife, as she is Thai, will need a visa and will have to complete the whole form, provide all the required evidence of hotel bookings, insurance etc. and, of course, pay the fee.

 

Addendum.

* I say 'may' because after Brexit whether or not British citizens will need a visa to visit the Schengen area has yet to be decided; Questions and Answers – the rights of EU and UK citizens, as outlined in the Withdrawal Agreement

Quote

5. Entry and exit rules  
After Brexit, will I be able to travel to the UK? 

Until the end of the transition period, EU citizens and UK nationals will continue to be able to travel freely, with just a valid passport or identity card...…….

……..Entry rules to the UK for other EU citizens (those who have not resided in the UK at the end of the transition period) and to the EU for UK nationals fall outside the scope of the Withdrawal Agreement.

Not that the Withdrawal Agreement has actually been agreed yet; at least by the UK!

Edited December 29, 2018 by 7by7
Addendum

[malct]

Thank you for that information and yes, i should have made in clear in my first post that my wife was Thai and living in the UK. 

At this moment in time with Brexit, I guess its a waiting game to see how its going to effect us.

 

I have saved the link in case we need it.