Non-EU parent of British Citizen- VFS/Schengen experience

[Choc-Ice]

Hi everyone!

Sharing my experience of applying for a Schengen visa for Spain. I did spend months looking through the EU forum for similar cases, didn't find anything and hope this helps future posters.

I am a NON-EU Resident on LTR in the UK. I booked a holiday to visit Spain with my partner (Unmarried) and Son (2yr old) for a week in July. I filled the form online (family member of EU) and booked a date to visit VFS-Paddington to submit my application (5 weeks before intended departure date). I made the trip down from South Wales to London and waited 4 hours for my appointment only to be told by the lady behind the counter that I cannot apply as a family member of EU...She said I have to apply for a normal tourist visa and I will need to provide my bank statement and employment letter ETC.. I tried to convince her otherwise but she simply refused to accept the application! Saying that the embassy will not treat it as it is incomplete! This was after I had taken a day of work and travel to and from London on the same day... (Over a 100 quid lost )

Went back to rebook and there was no appointment available so I booked the VIP lounge which had loads of spaces available for the following week(at cost of 60 quid) Attended the lounge with all the document from my first attempt along with employment letter and bank statements. I gave the guy my application form and told him I was applying as a tourist, he was going through that and noticed I had 2 British passports in the folder to which he inquired and I told him that one was my son passport. He turned around and said so your applying for 'EU family member' I said yes and he collected a copy of my son passport, birth certificate and our booking details and that was it (Visa was free but I had to pay for VIP lounge, post and service charge)..NO travel insurance, no bank statement, no employment letter I could not believe the first lady had just wasted my time and money for absolutely no reason at all..

I received my passport back after 2weeks with a one month Schengen visa affix to it.. Anyone planning to apply through VFS should be prepared for anything and most important allow ENOUGH TIME... Rant over and I am off to Spain

[Donutz]

Glad to hear you got your visa, too bad about VFS... That's why it's better to apply DIRECTLY with an Schengen embassy or consulate, which you are entitled too. Companies such as VFS and TLS are entirely optional.

In this case you could have gone directly to the Spanish consulate in London in which case your application would have been free from any services charges or incompetent handling agency staff.

Source: article 17 in the Schengen Code on Visa (directive 810/2009).

[Choc-Ice]

Glad to hear you got your visa, too bad about VFS... That's why it's better to apply DIRECTLY with an Schengen embassy or consulate, which you are entitled too. Companies such as VFS and TLS are entirely optional.

In this case you could have gone directly to the Spanish consulate in London in which case your application would have been free from any services charges or incompetent handling agency staff.

Source: article 17 in the Schengen Code on Visa (directive 810/2009).

That was my first ever Schengen Visa Application! I have learnt my lesson.. Thanks Donutz!