Schengen Visa, Duration Of Stay. What Does That Mean?

[everydaysthesame]

So my wife eventually got her Schengen visa 36 days after applying for it and one day before we left Thailand! Avoid the italian embassy like the plague if you can help it.

Anyway the visa came back and we are not sure exactly what we are allowed to do with it.

It is valid for 3 weeks 2/1/13 - 23/1/13 and it is a multiple visa. However the thing we dont understand is it says on the visa "duration 6 days".

Does this mean she can go for a maximum 6 days to the Schengen area in total?

Or

does it mean 6 days per entry?

Or does it mean once she enters the Schengen area she gets 6 days from that time to use the visa? So if she went to to Schengen area on 4th Jan she would have to make all her entries before 10th Jan?

It is really unclear and I cant find any info on it anywhere.

Can anyone help?

[ALFREDO]

What did you apply for?

What kind of Hotel reservations, airline tickets, bookings, time frame, did you provide?

I made 10 Schengen Visa for my GF's. But with my home country.

Never saw that one, heard of that.

Edited December 14, 2012 by ALFREDO

[everydaysthesame]

Hi.

We already had a 6 month Uk visa. We asked for 3 days in italy and one day in france a few days later.

We are just not sure if we have to take the 6 days all at once or not.

Thanks

[ALFREDO]

Now it is more understandable, you sure could get a longer Visa, lets say 30 days duration ect. if you tried.

Airline and Hotel reservation can be easy adjusted.

I see it like that,

you say, you have a -Multiple entry- and a duration of 6 days.

So you can stay, my understanding, all together, 6 days in Schengen countries between, 2.1.2013 and 23.1.2013 that is the validity of your Visa,

the number of entries is up up to you.

Edited December 14, 2012 by ALFREDO

[VisasPlus]

I think you must have shown that the total time in Italy/Schengen would be 6 days. Having asked for that, that is what they gave. To me that is an indication that they were not happy to give a longer period, for whatever reason, possibly they were worried that if they gave a longer period than you asked for, it might be misused. It is a multiple entry visa, but with a maximum stay of only 6 days, that is pretty meaningless. You could enter for say 2 days, leave and re-enter for 4 days. That would be the end of that visa, though.

The thing to do is stay only the 6 days you asked for. Next time getting the visa will be easier will be easier.

[everydaysthesame]

I think thats correct. 6 days maximum total days between the 2 dates.

Thats all we asked for and all we needed so its ok

[saakura]

I beg to differ from the above opinions. In a multiple entry visa (for example a 6 months or 1yr multiple entry business visa for schengen countries), duration of stay refers to maximum permitted stay in schengen territory for each visit. If you are visiting for the 4th or 5th time on a multiple entry visa, the immigration officer does not start looking at old records to calculate and determine how many days are still remaining.

[VisasPlus]

I beg to differ from the above opinions. In a multiple entry visa (for example a 6 months or 1yr multiple entry business visa for schengen countries), duration of stay refers to maximum permitted stay in schengen territory for each visit. If you are visiting for the 4th or 5th time on a multiple entry visa, the immigration officer does not start looking at old records to calculate and determine how many days are still remaining.

I'm sorry, but I also beg to differ. This is guidance from the German Embassy ( in Manila) :

"In general you receive your first Schengen-visa with a validity covering only the duration of your planned stay in the Schengen-Area (e.g. from November 1 to 12). The maximum duration of stay in the Schengen-Area is always the number of days that are stated in the visa ! The duration is counted from the date of the first entry into the Schengen-Area."

It would be unrealistic if, for instance you were granted a one year multiple entry visa with a 90 day stay, to be able to stay for 90 days, then leave for one day, then return for 90 days, then leave, etc. That would mean that you could stay all year apart from the three days that you left the country. Immigration officers in the Schengen area are indeed instructed to count the days of each visit, but often don't bother.

[homelyboy]

Next time getting the visa will be easier will be easier.

Not necessarily. It depends on the policy of every particular country, and sometimes particular embassy/consulate.

[homelyboy]

I beg to differ from the above opinions. In a multiple entry visa (for example a 6 months or 1yr multiple entry business visa for schengen countries), duration of stay refers to maximum permitted stay in schengen territory for each visit.

That is not correct. The number in this field is, as others have already said, the maximum permitted total length of stay in days (and don't forget that the day of entry and day of exit count both as full days!).

The only exception to this is when the number has the largest possible value, 90. Then it means a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period, starting with the day of first entry (if the visa is valid for more than 180 days, of course).

[VisasPlus]

Next time getting the visa will be easier will be easier.

Not necessarily. It depends on the policy of every particular country, and sometimes particular embassy/consulate.

Indeed it does. Perhaps I should have said "should be easier".

[beano2274]

Why did you not have her apply as the wife of an EU National.

Required documents include getting the Marriage Certificate certified by the MFA then getting it translated into English, no Insurance is required, turn around is usually 2 days.

[VisasPlus]

Why did you not have her apply as the wife of an EU National.

Required documents include getting the Marriage Certificate certified by the MFA then getting it translated into English, no Insurance is required, turn around is usually 2 days.

Presumably because she already has the visa, and he was questioning the terms of it, not complaining about it.

[everydaysthesame]

Thanks for all the replys. We didnt opt for the wife of an EU option as it would have ment messing around to get our marriage cert validated by embassy and we live far from BKK. In hindsight we would of as the italian embassy were an absolute nightmare and we nearly didnt get our passport back in time,

It seems that the rules are not clear but the best understanding would be we can stay 6 days total.

[homelyboy]

It seems that the rules are not clear but the best understanding would be we can stay 6 days total.

What makes you think the rules are not clear? They are. See EU visa code, annex VII (page 38 of the PDF document).