schengen visa

[MaprangHolmes]

I am going to Spain on 21st may - 28 may I applied for a schengen visa for my wife, which was granted, it is valid from the 21st may - 19 June if I wanted to go to say France on the 10th June can she use the visa she already has? as it is valid until the 19th but was applied France.

[Donutz]

I don't quite understand your question, since you say ask if your partner can go to France and applied for the visa at the French embassy. I assume you mean if you (your partner) can go to Spain and France on her Schengen visa?

Yes, the Schengen visa is valid within the entire Schengen area. You can enter, reside and leave via any Schengen member country. Ofcourse you will need to apply for a visa at the embassy who's country is your main destination (or if there is no obvious main destination, the cuontry that yuo will enter first). Assuming the visa your partner has is issued by the French, she should spent the most time in France. But travel intentions can ofcourse change.. aslong as she can convince the border guards (incase they ask) that her travel intentions/goals are genuine, will leave intime and meets all other requirements (medical travel Insurance, the financial minimum requirements etc.) there shouldn't be any problem. You are adviced to keep a copy of all the paperwork you submitted to the embassy and carry this with you just incase the borderguards wish to double check -entry to Schengen is not a right, even if you do have a visa!-.

Do also keep in mind that there is a difference between the validity date (" valid from X untill Y" of the visa and the amount of days you can stay. For instance a visa valid for 15 days may be issued valid from April 1 untill April 20. Meaning you can stay 15 days between the 1st and 20th of april.

Edit: Just out of curiousity, did you apply at the French emabssy, The spannish embassy or (optionally) via VFS, TLS etc.? How was your experience regarding the application?

Edited March 28, 2014 by Donutz

[MaprangHolmes]

I don't quite understand your question, since you say ask if your partner can go to France and applied for the visa at the French embassy. I assume you mean if you (your partner) can go to Spain and France on her Schengen visa?

Yes, the Schengen visa is valid within the entire Schengen area. You can enter, reside and leave via any Schengen member country. Ofcourse you will need to apply for a visa at the embassy who's country is your main destination (or if there is no obvious main destination, the cuontry that yuo will enter first). Assuming the visa your partner has is issued by the French, she should spent the most time in France. But travel intentions can ofcourse change.. aslong as she can convince the border guards (incase they ask) that her travel intentions/goals are genuine, will leave intime and meets all other requirements (medical travel Insurance, the financial minimum requirements etc.) there shouldn't be any problem. You are adviced to keep a copy of all the paperwork you submitted to the embassy and carry this with you just incase the borderguards wish to double check -entry to Schengen is not a right, even if you do have a visa!-.

Do also keep in mind that there is a difference between the validity date (" valid from X untill Y" of the visa and the amount of days you can stay. For instance a visa valid for 15 days may be issued valid from April 1 untill April 20. Meaning you can stay 15 days between the 1st and 20th of april.

Thank you for the reply, It does say valid for 15 days so could I go to Spain for 8 days then come back to the UK and use the same visa to go to France for 5 Days?

[Donutz]

I don't quite understand your question, since you say ask if your partner can go to France and applied for the visa at the French embassy. I assume you mean if you (your partner) can go to Spain and France on her Schengen visa?

Yes, the Schengen visa is valid within the entire Schengen area. You can enter, reside and leave via any Schengen member country. Ofcourse you will need to apply for a visa at the embassy who's country is your main destination (or if there is no obvious main destination, the cuontry that yuo will enter first). Assuming the visa your partner has is issued by the French, she should spent the most time in France. But travel intentions can ofcourse change.. aslong as she can convince the border guards (incase they ask) that her travel intentions/goals are genuine, will leave intime and meets all other requirements (medical travel Insurance, the financial minimum requirements etc.) there shouldn't be any problem. You are adviced to keep a copy of all the paperwork you submitted to the embassy and carry this with you just incase the borderguards wish to double check -entry to Schengen is not a right, even if you do have a visa!-.

Do also keep in mind that there is a difference between the validity date (" valid from X untill Y" of the visa and the amount of days you can stay. For instance a visa valid for 15 days may be issued valid from April 1 untill April 20. Meaning you can stay 15 days between the 1st and 20th of april.

Thank you for the reply, It does say valid for 15 days so could I go to Spain for 8 days then come back to the UK and use the same visa to go to France for 5 Days?

If it's a Multi entry visa, then you can leave the Schengen area (to the UK or elsewhere including Thailand) and return. A standard visa is only for single entry. So if you plan on leaving and entering the Schengen area. I assume the visasticker only says " single" entry, in which case the visa becomes invalid upon leaving the Schengen area.

It's always best to apply with either a specific number of entries (1-2-3...) or request multiple entries. This may be denied but then yuo should get a standard single entry instead so no harm done. Some embassies seem to grant multple entries less or more easily depending on the type of C visa (tourism, family, business, ...). An accompanying letter explaining the reasons/goals of your request and travel plans may aid in the embassy favouring your request. For instance writing " We wish to hop over to the UK for the weekend, therefor I request atleast two entries".

[MaprangHolmes]

Thanks again for the reply got it worked out now as you say it is a single entry visa shame but never mind

[Donutz]

Bugger, something to keep in mind for a future application. Hope you will still be able to enjoy some time in Spain, UK and France (go to Spain and France first, then to the UK -if your girl has a visa for the UK too but I don't know much regarding UK visa's-

If an applicant plans on traveling to the Schengen area often, they can issue a Multi entry visa with a validity of up to 5 years (with a maximum stay of 90 days per 180 days).

NB: How did you apply, via the (Spanish) embassy directly or elsewhere?

Untill very recently (this week..) they Spanish brushed of applicants and told them to go to VFS, which is in violation of the visa rules (Schengen Visa Code, article 17). I sent a complaint to the Spanish embassy and Spanish MFA. They then finally admitted their mistake (sort of) and told me I could also apply directly. You might get some euro's back if you complain to the embassy and MFA if they sent you off to VFS against your wish. Hell the Spanish embassy in BKK absolutely fails to provide any useful info on thevisa application process... some general info and that's it. They ought to update and extend the contents of their website! But I guess not many people complain to the Spanish or Schengen (EU Commission) authorities regarding incomplete information/instructions. See:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/703486-spanish-schengen-visa-new-rule/page-3#entry7607701