Settlement Visa Application Pending

[Lottie79]

My girlfriend has her UK Settlement Visa interview next week so, as the nerves are jangling, I'm trying to take my mind off things by planning a long weekend away with her in Spain at the end of October - obviously assuming she gets her UK settlement visa.

I'm finding more questions than answers though, and would be grateful for help on the following :

1) If she is granted a UK Settlement Visa, what type of visa should she apply for for Spain (visit, Schengen, EEA? I'm no expert), and should she do that while in Bangkok or when she gets to London.

2) Providing that the Spanish Visa is approved is she likely to be detained at Immigration Control when she lands in Spain? And if so for how long?

3) If we have a trip to Spain, is she likely to have any difficulty returning to the UK (assuming that she will have 23 months left on her UK Visa by that point)?

Any assistance would be much appreciated.

[7by7]

1) She will need a Schengen visa. Probably simpler if she applies once she is in the UK.

2) Unlikely.

3) No. Settlement visa ho;ders are allowed holidays outside the UK.

[Lottie79]

1) She will need a Schengen visa. Probably simpler if she applies once she is in the UK.

2) Unlikely.

3) No. Settlement visa ho;ders are allowed holidays outside the UK.

Well, firstly the good (and most important) news is that her Settlement Visa application was approved on the day of her interview, and I am now looking forward to seeing her again when she returns to the UK next week.

She is due to land on 15th October and I would have liked to take her to Spain between 5th and 7th November, for approximately 4 days.

Having looked at the requirements of the Spanish Consulate, I am of the opinion that we are highly unlikely to be able to do this, mainly due to the following points.

Visas are not issued on the day and may take up to 4 weeks depending on the passport.

We would be applying for the visa less than 3 weeks before the intended date of travel.

Recent letter of employment, addressed to the Spanish Consulate General (please do not bring the contract of employment). If self employed, a letter from one of the following: solicitor, accountant, bank manager or Local Chamber of Commerce. If you work for a family: letter of employment, employer's passport and recent bank statement (covering the last THREE MONTHS).

My girlfriend has not been in the UK during the last 3 months, therefore currently doesn't have a job (she will find one when she returns).

Evidence that the applicant has sufficient funds to cover the cost of the intended stay, in the form of a recent full bank statement covering the last THREE MONTHS, sent to and showing the applicant's home address.

We can provide evidence of funds to cover the intended stay but she hasn't had any bank statements come to her UK address within the last 3 months.

If the applicant has just entered the UK it is unlikely that a visa will be issued even though an appointment has been given.

If we are going to have any hope of making it in time, she will have to apply for this Visa as soon as she enters UK.

Accommodation (or official letter of invitation issued by the Police in Spain, if staying with friends or family).

So even though she is unlikely to be approved we would still have to book the accommodation before her Visa appointment?

In addition to the above, I am also unemployed at this point in time.

It looks to me like we have almost no hope at all of going to Spain together at that time so would appreciate any advice incase I have misunderstood any or all of the process.

The reason it would have to be that week is because I'd like to take her to see a rock concert and that is the last week of the tour. Next tour by the band in question is not expected to be before 2012.

[mariner29]

The German embassy do a postal service takes 4/5 days no interview reqd. They don't seem concerned who issued it as long as you have a schengen visa in my experience. I know technically the rules say otherwise however i personally have had no problems, and we have travelled freely through the EU.

Evidence was marriage cert/ passports/application form that was it no evidence of travel, my friend sent his on the Monday it was back on the Friday.

Edited October 5, 2008 by mariner29

[Lottie79]

The German embassy do a postal service takes 4/5 days no interview reqd. They don't seem concerned who issued it as long as you have a schengen visa in my experience. I know technically the rules say otherwise however i personally have had no problems, and we have travelled freely through the EU.

Evidence was marriage cert/ passports/application form that was it no evidence of travel, my friend sent his on the Monday it was back on the Friday.

Thanks for the advice, although I just want to check I'm understanding this correctly. Are you suggesting that, even though we intend to go to Spain we have to create an imaginary holiday in Germany in order to obtain the Schengen Visa from the German Embassy?

Presumably this would involve booking an imaginary hotel aswell, and could result in problems further down the line if anyone suspects that my girlfriend has lied on a Visa application?

Having looked on the German Embassy website there are still a couple of things that sound potentially problematic if we go down the route of postal application......

Documents required for spouses of EU nationals:

• spouse's passport + copy
  
• applicant's passport + copy
  
• marriage certificate + copy

We have lived together for over 3 years but are not married, therefore no marriage certificate exists. My girlfriend has just entered the UK on a settlement visa. What substitute document/s, if any, are the German Embassy likely to accept?

• address in Germany

As i referred to above, I presume we would have to book an imaginary holiday in Germany in order to provide the address of a hotel?

Application by post:

If you are a spouse of an EU or German national, or if you have had a Schengen visa from the German Embassy London issued within the past 12 months, you may apply by post. In addition to the required documents please add a self-addressed "Special Delivery" envelope and the visa fee in postal orders. (There is no visa fee for spouses of EU or German nationals.) Please be aware that application by post can take eight working days.

Again, I would need to check that they would accept my girlfriend as my spouse.

By Monday we would only have 8 working days before our intended day of travel so time is not on our side.

Is this really the best way of her obtaining a Schengen Visa quickly or is there an alternative? Any advice on any of these questions would be much appreciated.