Advice needed - Travel to other countries on a Spouse Visa

[abbs33]

My husband was recently granted a spouse visa from Albania. I am british and we want to go on holidays to america, ireland and other parts of europe.

Is there any restrictions on him travelling with me and will he require any special visa's for entry into other countries?

Thanks
abbs33

[Wanderer]

My husband was recently granted a spouse visa from Albania. I am british and we want to go on holidays to america, ireland and other parts of europe.

Is there any restrictions on him travelling with me and will he require any special visa's for entry into other countries?

Thanks
abbs33

He will require visas if he as an Albanian citizen requires a visa. Which is probably pretty much everywhere...

That's the only restriction on him.

Travel for Europe would be under a Schengen visa, and one visa would cover all EU states with certain provisos. Should also be free.

These restrictions will only be lifted when he gets British Citizenship.

HTH!

[abbs33]

how does he get a schengen visa and how do we apply for him to travel with me to amercia?

[Wanderer]

how does he get a schengen visa and how do we apply for him to travel with me to amercia?

Schengen visa from the embassy of the country you intend to visit, theoretically can be any EU consulate but they can be funny if you don't travel and spend Euros in their country.

You might be lucky and get a long multi-entry but chances are for a first visa it will be a short term single entry. Read the European forum here, loads on Schengen there.

As for USA I think he will have to apply at the US Embassy in the UK as normal for visa nationals. I'd imagine it will be very difficult, my gf is Russian and I know it's nearly impossible for Russians to get tourist visas for the USA despite it being really easy for the UK. My mate has a Russian wife and she applied as his spouse and she was refused despite being married to a well-off UK national and travelling with him. Not wanting to offend any national sentiments but I think Albania is probably even lower on the International List of Dodgy Countries than Russia is....

Conversely my gf has been to USA on a tourist visa from around the time of the fall of the Soviet Union, the Yanks must have been in good mood back then thinking of total World Domination.

Believe me, UK visa is one of the easiest visas to get!

[clairey]

My friend's husband is Albanian, and he got a tourist visa to the US without any problems. I think it helps that Albania is so pro-USA! Good luck!

[abbs33]

Thanks Clairey.....thought as much. More favourable than Russia I am sure x

[Wanderer]

I just had a search for the US 'B' (Tourist and Business) Visa denial rates, interesting reading, and explains the criteria for becoming a visa-waiver country.

Denials are: Russia is 15% refusal, Albania 54% refusal, go Rossiya!!

I have to say that as I move in Russian circles, that 15% seems very low, I'd have said more like 60/70%.

Poor old Micronesia had 100% refusal - what did they do? Australia had 18% refusal, that surprised me.

[clairey]

But Wanderer, are we talking refusals by country or refusals by citizenship? Because I'm guessing the OP's husband will be applying from the UK.

[Wanderer]

But Wanderer, are we talking refusals by country or refusals by citizenship? :wink: Because I'm guessing the OP's husband will be applying from the UK.

I dunno! I'll have to read it again now!!

Read it, it's by Nationality for fiscal year 2006