Schengen Visa

[Batty]

Can anyone tell me where to start the application process for a Schengen visa while applying for tourist visa to UK?  Apparently you have to visit the British embassy?

[glegolo]

For us swedes it all starts with a contact with our embassy asking them for advice. Application left to the embassy and so on. Suggest you contact your embassy instead, to get correct information..

 

glegolo

[cnxnicho]

The UK is not in Schengen, an application for a Schengen Visa has to be made to the Embassy of the Country you are visiting in the Schengen area.

[Batty]

55 minutes ago, nichopaulcnx said:

The UK is not in Schengen, an application for a Schengen Visa has to be made to the Embassy of the Country you are visiting in the Schengen area.

Hi yah thanks I know that - UK is not part of Schengen - but I thought the application was submited at the same time as the UK visa, I guiess thats what I meant.

 

We are going to France and Switzerland, so what is the point of a Schengen visa if you have to apply at each country anyway?  I thought the whole point was that the Schengen is like a pass for all Schengen countries?  Seems like a contradiction in terms - here is a visa for all countries, but you have to apply at each country anyway?

 

Maybe I am totaly misunderstanding the whole thing, wouldnt be the first time ????

[cnxnicho]

Your Schengen Visa application should be made to the first country you intend to visit within the Schengen area, but on the application if you intend to visit another country or countries this should be detailed to ensure the visa is issued with enough days to cover the whole trip.

[TopDeadSenter]

1 minute ago, nichopaulcnx said:

Your Schengen Visa application should be made to the first country you intend to visit within the Schengen area, but on the application if you intend to visit another country or countries this should be detailed to ensure the visa is issued with enough days to cover the whole trip.

I just did this Schengen process with my wife. According to the supporting documents the applicant must be flying from Thailand to the EU. In reality my wife and I will be holidaying in the UK this summer and just flying to Spain for a weekend. So. Down the route of booking fake flights Thailand-Spain, fake hotel bookings, nonsensical itineraries. Made what should be a very simple process a complete ordeal. She got the multi entry Schengen but would have rather had the opportunity to complete the forms honestly.

[cornishcarlos]

The old EU Freedom of Movement directive seems to have been put in the bin by most countries !!

You should be able to go to the French or Swiss embassy and get a visa free and with no flight/hotel bookings etc

Doesn't seem to work though !!!

[Batty]

Thanks everyone for the replies.  Im thinking balls to it now, seems like a real hassle, just for the sake of a few days in France and Swiss.  Nah, I will leave it.  Appreciate the replies though, thanks.

[theoldgit]

2 hours ago, nichopaulcnx said:

Your Schengen Visa application should be made to the first country you intend to visit within the Schengen area, but on the application if you intend to visit another country or countries this should be detailed to ensure the visa is issued with enough days to cover the whole trip.

That's not quite correct, the application should be made via the Consulate with juristiction for the main destination within the Schengen area, so if the applicant intends entering via France, spending a night there and then spending a week in Germany they should apply via the German consulate.

If the applicant it touring and spending an equal amount of time in more than one member state, only then do they need to need to apply via the Consulate with juristiction for their point of entry into the Schengen Area.

[theoldgit]

Posts, and quotes, providing misleading advice removed.

[theoldgit]

2 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

You would need to apply at French embassy, not Swiss as Switzerland is not part of Schengen but does accept those with Schengen visas. If you get Swiss visa you'll need another to go to France. If your final destination is UK, you should apply for UK visa first, once you get it apply for Schengen visa at French embassy.

Switzerland is in the Schengen Area, but not the EU.

https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/schengen_en

[puck2]

Why didn't you ask google ; i.e.

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/

 

where you get a reliable information which states belong to the Shengen States (26) . France and Switzerland belong to the Schengen States, the UK not.

<------>

Travel Documents and Entry Requirements for non-EU Nationals

You will have to present several documents at the Schengen port of entry, in order to be permitted to enter, if you are a non-EU/Schengen country national, regardless if you are a visa-exempt or not.

The documents you need to provide when entering the Schengen Area are as follows:

• Valid Passport. Issued within the previous 10 years and valid for at least 3 months after the date you intend to leave the EU.

• Schengen Visa. If you are a national of one of the third countries in need of a visa.

  <----->

 

 

[Batty]

22 hours ago, theoldgit said:

That's not quite correct, the application should be made via the Consulate with juristiction for the main destination within the Schengen area, so if the applicant intends entering via France, spending a night there and then spending a week in Germany they should apply via the German consulate.

If the applicant it touring and spending an equal amount of time in more than one member state, only then do they need to need to apply via the Consulate with juristiction for their point of entry into the Schengen Area.

Thanks Old Git.  I have actualy decided to give it a go.  I changed my mind yesterday but have now changed it back.

 

Just so I am clear, the plan is to do 2 nights in paris and 3 nights in switzerland, then drive back to paris for a 3rd night there.  So, its a total of 3 nights paris, 3 nights switzerland.  Do you know which consulate I should apply with?

 

Also, we wanted to drive over to paris from UK on the chanel tunnel.  is that an acceptable point of entry into France in terms of applying for the Schen visa?  Or are you only allowed to fly in to france in order to apply?

 

There is a suprising lack of clear info on the internet about this, nothing absolutley clear as far as I can see.

[theoldgit]

I know from experience that the French can be a little awkard with respect to which Member State has juristiction, they refused to process my partners application as they'd miscalculated the time we were spending in France and Italy, we were actually spending an hour longer in France. They did eventually refund her application fee and returned her supporting evidence when I challenged them, but they didn't do so with good grace.

The point of boring everyone with my little tale is to ensure the Consular Officer dealing with the application knows that your partner is spending longer in France than Switzerland, in your position I would apply via the French Consulate.

Yes, you can both travel on the Le Shuttle through the Eurotunnel, both the French and UK Immigration operate juxtaposed border controls, which means that you will subject to both UK and French border controls at the Eurotunnel terminal just outside of Folkstone, allowing you to drive off at the French terminal without any further checks, like wise on your return journey you will be subject to French and British border controls in the Coquelles terminal and again just exit onto the M20.

Whilst the trains will still be operating after Brexit, there will no doubt be changes to the way border controls operate. 

 

 

[Batty]

1 hour ago, theoldgit said:

I know from experience that the French can be a little awkard with respect to which Member State has juristiction, they refused to process my partners application as they'd miscalculated the time we were spending in France and Italy, we were actually spending an hour longer in France. They did eventually refund her application fee and returned her supporting evidence when I challenged them, but they didn't do so with good grace.

The point of boring everyone with my little tale is to ensure the Consular Officer dealing with the application knows that your partner is spending longer in France than Switzerland, in your position I would apply via the French Consulate.

Yes, you can both travel on the Le Shuttle through the Eurotunnel, both the French and UK Immigration operate juxtaposed border controls, which means that you will subject to both UK and French border controls at the Eurotunnel terminal just outside of Folkstone, allowing you to drive off at the French terminal without any further checks, like wise on your return journey you will be subject to French and British border controls in the Coquelles terminal and again just exit onto the M20.

Whilst the trains will still be operating after Brexit, there will no doubt be changes to the way border controls operate. 

 

 

Thanks Old Git.  Not boring anyone at all, realy helpful info that is I appreciate it.  

 

This is a bit of a challenge but I will go for it anyway.  The biggest risk I guess is pre booking the tunnel tickets if we dont get the visa we have lost that, but the hotels we can book with booking.com and chose no penalty refund hotels only so we wont lose there.  There is also insurance as you know which I need to look at but I doubt that is expensive so if we buy that and are not successful its no big deal.

 

Time might be a bit of an issue - we have to apply 6 weeks before departure, and that will be next Thursday.  The biggest pain might be if the embasy insist on visiting in person, we live in the far reaches of Isarn so if they need to see us a couple of times its a flight to Bangkok each time.  Ill call them in the morning to find out if we can apply on line or not.  So far, all I can find on the French embasy website regarding visas are the usual tourist and business visas.  They have a link to the Shen visa, but it goes nowehere - just a bunch of information with not even a clue where or how to apply.

 

Yah its all going to be a massive headache this, especialy as we also have to apply for UK visa at the same time, but I guess its worth it ????

[theoldgit]

A couple of questions, are you married? if so an you're an EU National your wife can apply under the Freedom of Movement Directive, which means a visa should be issued with the minimum of fuss, with limited evidence and quickly, though if you're British you'll be aware that Brits have decided they don't want this and will shortly lose the priviledge.

If applying as the spouse of an EU National all the applicant needs to do is confirm that they are travelling with an EU National, or meeting them in Schengen, they don't/should need to supply details of finances, accomodation or insurance, just details of your travel in and out out of Schengen.

I understand that most EU Consulates will only offer this for travel to, and leaving Schengen up to 31 October.

 

This seems to be the application procedure, though working through it it still indicates that insurance and accomodation is required, which it shouldn't be if you're married and you're an EU National.

https://fr.tlscontact.com/th/BKK/page.php?pid=procedure

 

Unless she's previously been issued with a Schengen Visa she will probably need to visit Bangkok to have her biometric details caputured, I'm not sure if it can be done in the North.

[BobbyL]

3 hours ago, Batty said:

Thanks Old Git.  I have actualy decided to give it a go.  I changed my mind yesterday but have now changed it back.

 

Just so I am clear, the plan is to do 2 nights in paris and 3 nights in switzerland, then drive back to paris for a 3rd night there.  So, its a total of 3 nights paris, 3 nights switzerland.  Do you know which consulate I should apply with?

 

Also, we wanted to drive over to paris from UK on the chanel tunnel.  is that an acceptable point of entry into France in terms of applying for the Schen visa?  Or are you only allowed to fly in to france in order to apply?

 

There is a suprising lack of clear info on the internet about this, nothing absolutley clear as far as I can see.

We did something similar a few years ago. Applied to the French embassy and we drove over through Calais before driving through France and in to Italy. No issues at all. 

[Donutz]

22 hours ago, theoldgit said:

This seems to be the application procedure, though working through it it still indicates that insurance and accomodation is required, which it shouldn't be if you're married and you're an EU National.

https://fr.tlscontact.com/th/BKK/page.php?pid=procedure

Indeed, as one can also find in the FAQ and official links there, in case of an EU national traveling with a non-EU spouse there should be no need for hotelbookings, travelreservation etc. But France (and Spain) seem to apply rules of their own...  So if at all possible a travelreservation of some sort (that won't cost you in case of a visa refusal) and a hotel booking might be the best way. Even though a written and signed statement from the EU national that the couple will travel together on date so and so to there and there should really be enough for a free , expedited visa under EU freedom of movement.

[Donutz]

On 6/29/2019 at 5:48 AM, tomazbodner said:

The Schengen visa should be made in country where you plan to spend most time in Schengen area, but in some cases you can also do it at the country of entrance to Schengen. If you plan to visit Germany, you should get it from German embassy as some other embassies can't issue visa when travel plan includes Germany. Same for Denmark. I am not sure if this is official policy but I know of several people who got rejected in French, Italian and Austrian embassy when asked about travel plans and they included those 2 countries.

The Schengen rules state one must apply at the country that is the main destination (generally meaning where you spent the most time), and only if there is no clear main destination one should apply at the country of first entry into the Schengen area. Both France and Germany are in the Schengen area. So of your main destination is France,  you apply there. Germany eould refuse to accept your vusa application and direct you to the French. In all likelihood those people you mentioned spent more time in Germany than France (Even by an hour or so in the case of some French officers going by TOG's experience). 

 

Things could get more complicated if you would have say a 2 day business travel in one stats and wish 2 sight seeing days in an other. But the handbook for embassy staff also explains how those should be handled.  

 

https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/visa-policy_en

 

But these more complicated scenarios are irrelevant to the topic started so I'll leave it at this. 

[Celer et Audax]

A couple of questions, are you married? if so an you're an EU National your wife can apply under the Freedom of Movement Directive, which means a visa should be issued with the minimum of fuss, with limited evidence and quickly, though if you're British you'll be aware that Brits have decided they don't want this and will shortly lose the priviledge.
If applying as the spouse of an EU National all the applicant needs to do is confirm that they are travelling with an EU National, or meeting them in Schengen, they don't/should need to supply details of finances, accomodation or insurance, just details of your travel in and out out of Schengen.
I understand that most EU Consulates will only offer this for travel to, and leaving Schengen up to 31 October.
 
This seems to be the application procedure, though working through it it still indicates that insurance and accomodation is required, which it shouldn't be if you're married and you're an EU National.
https://fr.tlscontact.com/th/BKK/page.php?pid=procedure
 
Unless she's previously been issued with a Schengen Visa she will probably need to visit Bangkok to have her biometric details caputured, I'm not sure if it can be done in the North.

The EU freedom of movement directive only applies if the person is legally settled in one EU country eg the UK and then wishes to travel to another EU country with their partner
This was how a friends gf was able to go on holiday with him to France and other EU countries before she got here UK citizenship


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[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, Celer et Audax said:

The EU freedom of movement directive only applies if the person is legally settled in one EU country eg the UK and then wishes to travel to another EU country with their partner
This was how a friends gf was able to go on holiday with him to France and other EU countries before she got here UK citizenship

Sorry, but that's not correct.

An applicant living in Thailand, qualifies under the directive if they are married to an EU National, or for some counties living in a relationship akin to marriage, and are travelling to country in the EU, other than the home country of the EU national, or are planning to meet them there.
So whilst your friends gf was able to obtain a visa to visit France and other countries whilst she was living in the UK, though I'm surprised she was granted one by the French before they were married, which would have meant she would have been issued with the visa free of charge and with the minimum of supporting evidence, she could have also have done if she'd been resident in her home country.
My wife and I are resident in Thailand and she's been issued with a number of visas under the directive over the years, both as my wife and previously as my girl friend.