Visa For Spain

[scoobyjay]

Hello

im in the process of applying for a visa to spain for my thai girlfriend the only sticking point with obtaining the visa is that they will require proof of airline tickets she will be in england when we fly as i will be visiting my folks who live in spain what i dont want to do is purchase two flights to spain flying from england and then have her visa rejected ive e mailed the spanish embasey for more info but the replys ive got dont give me a defined answer as to what is need

any help regarding this matter will be most helpfull thanks jay

[scoobyjay]

Can anybody help with my dilemma any body else been through the same process any help would be most

gratefull thanks

[JohnnyGray]

Your post is a little confusing. I'd like to help but have some questions.

1. Does your girlfriend already have a Visa to enter the United Kingdom?

2. When did you apply for your girlfriend's Spanish Visa (Schengen Visa)?

The granting of a Schengen Visa has NOTHING to do with flight bookings so don't waste money on tickets until your girlfriend has a Visa.

[scoobyjay]

Your post is a little confusing. I'd like to help but have some questions.

1. Does your girlfriend already have a Visa to enter the United Kingdom?

2. When did you apply for your girlfriend's Spanish Visa (Schengen Visa)?

The granting of a Schengen Visa has NOTHING to do with flight bookings so don't waste money on tickets until your girlfriend has a Visa.

sorry for the missing information she will be in england with a uk visa when we travel to spain i havent applied yet for her visa im just stuck with the flight dilema ive e mailed the spanish embasey in bangkok and there telling i need to show the flight from bangkok to england and confirmed flights to spain but i dont want to book flights to spain as she might not get a visa granted thanks for the reply

[7by7]

The granting of a Schengen Visa has NOTHING to do with flight bookings so don't waste money on tickets until your girlfriend has a Visa.

Please check your facts before posting; I'm afraid you are wrong; again.

Spanish visa application centre

Important documents required: 5 A round trip ticket to and from Spain or Schengen States.

Many Schengen requirements don't apply to the spouse of an EU citizen if they are traveling with or to join their EU citizen spouse; but that is not the case here; she is the OP's girlfriend, not spouse.

Scoobyjay, can you not purchase tickets UK-Spain on a refundable basis?

[RAZZELL]

Scoobyjay, can you not purchase tickets UK-Spain on a refundable basis?

I think there are travel agent agents in Bkk who do a "flight reservation" and print you a "ticket" for a few hundred baht. You can "book" a hotel on booking.com with free cancellation.

We've printed out the sister-in-laws flight ticket to the UK and said we were driving to Germany (haven't shown a train/ferry booking).

The wife is doing this tomorrow at the German embassy for her sister. Hopefully it'll be ok.

RAZZ

Edited May 21, 2012 by RAZZELL

[JohnnyGray]

The granting of a Schengen Visa has NOTHING to do with flight bookings so don't waste money on tickets until your girlfriend has a Visa.

Please check your facts before posting; I'm afraid you are wrong; again.

Spanish visa application centre

Important documents required: 5 A round trip ticket to and from Spain or Schengen States.

Many Schengen requirements don't apply to the spouse of an EU citizen if they are traveling with or to join their EU citizen spouse; but that is not the case here; she is the OP's girlfriend, not spouse.

Scoobyjay, can you not purchase tickets UK-Spain on a refundable basis?

Please don't buy flight tickets before the visa is granted, despite 7by7's suggestion, it's not necessary in order to obtain a Schengen visa.

Your planned travel itinerary is sufficient to support your application.

[beano2274]

I had my local travel agent print out flight bookings, although the flights were not actually booked or paid for, this was for the Swiss Embassy.

[dracos]

The granting of a Schengen Visa has NOTHING to do with flight bookings so don't waste money on tickets until your girlfriend has a Visa.

Please check your facts before posting; I'm afraid you are wrong; again.

Spanish visa application centre

Important documents required: 5 A round trip ticket to and from Spain or Schengen States.

Many Schengen requirements don't apply to the spouse of an EU citizen if they are traveling with or to join their EU citizen spouse; but that is not the case here; she is the OP's girlfriend, not spouse.

Scoobyjay, can you not purchase tickets UK-Spain on a refundable basis?

Please don't buy flight tickets before the visa is granted, despite 7by7's suggestion, it's not necessary in order to obtain a Schengen visa.

Your planned travel itinerary is sufficient to support your application.

JohnnyGray, are you posting that from personal experience & if so how long ago did you obtain a Schengen visa for Thai GF with no return travel booked?

From my experience when I was living in Australia with my Thai GF (I am British citizen) we planned a trip to the UK with a short break in Europe as well. UK visa approved, no problem without having any flights booked (as per UKBA guidelines).

Then booked return travel from UK to Europe & hotel accomodation whilst there and applied for Schengen visa (with insurance, return in and out of Schengen area, supporting letter from me, sufficient funds,evidence of jobs to return to in Australia, itinerary, everything as per the Schengen guidelines).

Submitted to visa officer - after 5 minutes of looking at the info he refused to accept the application saying we had not supplied proof of the return flight from Australia to the UK. Absolutely nothing to do with the Schengen area IMO as we had return travel confirmed to and from Schengen area to a country which she already had a valid tourist visa to enter.

Went home, got the flight details from UK to Australia and went back next day to same officer. Happy he now had this extra information he accepted the application and visa was granted within a few days.

Moral of the story - guidelines ask for proof of return travel (in my case extended to country from which you are applying as well). You may apply without these but don't be surprised if they refuse the application or ask for confirmations before granting a visa. As others have advised "paper bookings" can be made for minimal cost.

[beano2274]

I helped my wife and MIL with their Schengen Visas, requirements were hotel booking and proof of flights.

This was March of this year, at the Swiss Embassy, although that has no bearing as all requirements at the Embassies are the same.

Edited May 22, 2012 by beano2274

[RAZZELL]

Sister-in-law went today and had an interview at the German Embassy...my wife wasn't allowed in with her.

Showed flight details to the UK, hotel booking etc and asked her a few questions...the wife isn't overly confident...will find out in a couple of days.

RAZZ

[beano2274]

Sister-in-law went today and had an interview at the German Embassy...my wife wasn't allowed in with her.

Showed flight details to the UK, hotel booking etc and asked her a few questions...the wife isn't overly confident...will find out in a couple of days.

RAZZ

If you had a planned itinerary it might be okay

[RAZZELL]

Well, no itinerary.

She just said she was flying to the UK to visit her sister (my wife) and we were going to drive to Germany for a holiday.

One bad thing is she forgot to take her old work documents which they asked for...only plus point is she has about 250,000+ baht in the bank.

RAZZ

[7by7]

Please don't buy flight tickets before the visa is granted, despite 7by7's suggestion, it's not necessary in order to obtain a Schengen visa.

Then why do all the Schengen embassies/visa application centres say that tickets, or at least a reservation, are required?

Did you read the Spanish requirements I linked to?

Note that, as said before, we are talking about a friend, not a family member.

[JohnnyGray]

Please don't buy flight tickets before the visa is granted, despite 7by7's suggestion, it's not necessary in order to obtain a Schengen visa.

Then why do all the Schengen embassies/visa application centres say that tickets, or at least a reservation, are required?

Did you read the Spanish requirements I linked to?

Note that, as said before, we are talking about a friend, not a family member.

The Schengen visa application form does not require the applicant to have pre-booked flights or hotels. In fact it specifically notes in fields 29 and 30:

"29. Intended date of arrival in the Schengen area" "30. Intended date of departure from the Schengen area".

INTENDED not ACTUAL.

Search for "Schengen Visa_Application_form.pdf" if you don't believe me.

A planned travel itinerary, with possible flights and hotels might be useful in support of the application, but actual bookings are not necessary and would be illogical before a visa has been granted.

[JohnnyGray]

It's important to check with the consulate first with regards to the documents you need in order to obtain a Schengen Visa.

I accept that while Spain requires that a flight has been booked and paid for and accommodation reserved, Italy, France and Portugal only require flight and accommodation information. Check with the consulate in question before submitting your visa application or your 60Eur fee may be wasted.

[7by7]

I know what the Schengen visa application form says.

I agree that paying for a flight before the visa is granted is illogical; which is why the UKBA advise UK visa applicants not to do so until their visa has been granted. But under documents required, separate from the form, all the Schengen states visa sites say that a ticket or reservation is required; as is an itinerary and details of accommodation.

You now appear to accept this. It is, of course, impossible to provide flight details if one hasn't reserved a flight! Accommodation reservations are, of course, not needed if one is staying with friends, but evidence of this, such as a letter of invitation, is required.

Yes, one should always check the information provided by the appropriate embassy/consulate before submitting an application; but that includes checking under documents required, not just the actual application form. Doing so for a Schengen visa will also show you which questions and documents can be omitted if the applicant is a family member of an EU national traveling with or to join their EU national family member.

My last word on this subject; it is up to members here whether they believe posters on a forum such as this or the official information published by each Schengen state.

[RAZZELL]

6. Reservation of flight and hotel if the purpose of stay is tourism (No Ticket!)

http://www.bangkok.d...isa__seite.html

http://www.bangkok.diplo.de/contentblob/2412322/Daten/510134/Visa_Tourist_englisch.pdf

RAZZ

Edited May 22, 2012 by RAZZELL

[7by7]

...........the Schengen embassies/visa application centres say that tickets, or at least a reservation, are required.....

...........all the Schengen states visa sites say that a ticket or reservation is required........

Some, like the Spanish, want tickets; others, like the Germans, will accept just a reservation.

Which I accept is odd, as the requirements should be the same for all Schengen states. But we all know how well inter member cooperation works in Europe; just look at the Euro!

[scoobyjay]

The granting of a Schengen Visa has NOTHING to do with flight bookings so don't waste money on tickets until your girlfriend has a Visa.

Please check your facts before posting; I'm afraid you are wrong; again.

Spanish visa application centre

Important documents required: 5 A round trip ticket to and from Spain or Schengen States.

Many Schengen requirements don't apply to the spouse of an EU citizen if they are traveling with or to join their EU citizen spouse; but that is not the case here; she is the OP's girlfriend, not spouse.

Scoobyjay, can you not purchase tickets UK-Spain on a refundable basis?

thanks for all the reply to my question guys i guess i will have to include flight details to spain in my visa application i will see if i can get the tickets on a refundable basis and include these in my application

this seems to be the only problem i see with the application i would like to say a big thank you to 7b7 for all the help that was given to me in my first application in obtaining my first visit visa to the uk for my girlfriend just over a year ago so a big thumbs up for all the help thanks jay