EU Visa Scam

[runie80]

Hi everyone

I was just browsing through the websites when i came through this link.
Just thought i should post here for information purposes.


EU Directive 2004/38/EC grants EU nationals Freedom of Movement within the EU.... The same EU Directive grants the same freedoms to our spouses and family members. There's a very detailed guide about the Freedom of Movement Directive at this link: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/ ... _ec_en.pdf The Dutch Embassy requires non-EU nationals to apply for a short-stay Schengen visa. This is fine and they're entitled to do this. However they MUST issue Schengen visas to spouses and family members of EU nationals "free of charge, as soon as possible and on the basis of an accelerated procedure". The Dutch Embassy (and many embassies of other EU Member States) have a nice little premium-rate telephone line scam going: You need to apply in person for a Schengen short-stay visa. To book an visa appointment you must phone a £1 a minute premium-rate automated appointments booking line. When you phone the premium-rate number they talk very slowly and drag the call out for over ten minutes. We ended up paying £16 for our "free" visa. The embassies are perfectly entitled to have these premium rate booking lines for non-EU nationals who are not family members of EU nationals but they are NOT allowed to charge family mambers of EU nationals up to £1.50 a minute for a visa which the law requires to be issued free of charge. (The Irish Embassy's premium-rate visa information line costs £1.50 a minute.) Download a copy of the Guide from http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/ ... _ec_en.pdf and learn about your rights. If you've been charged the cost of a premium-rate phone call for your free visa, please add a Comment on this video in the box on the left under the LBC 97.3 logo and click 'Post Comment'. Easy. Listen in to Carol's show this Sunday 21st October for an update on this story. Her show is on LBC from 11am-2pm. The Travel Clinic is from 1pm. Where to listen: Sky Digital channel: 0177 Virgin TV: 973 FM: 97.3 (London only) DAB Digital Radio in the following regions: Greater London: LBC North-East England: LBC

Link to video

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/lbcs- ... 3394612700

on more research i found her page
http://www.lbc.co.uk/Article.asp?id=457631&spid=13355

her email
carol@lbc.co.uk

get emailing . I will send her an email. Highlighting the "green friendly Irish treatment I got "

[Dawie]

I don't see why you can't take the Dutch embassy (or any other embassy that pulls this premium rate number scam) to your local small claims or county court to recover the money that they charged you especially when the visa is supposed to be "free".

This also applies to normal Schengen visa applications where the stated price is 60 euros, but they conveniently forget to mention the premium-rate charge as well. False advertising?

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/

[Richard66]

Talk about Schengen countries consulates? British consulates are doing just the same: they use the services of a commercial partner (as if visas were big business) World Bridge. The consulate will not answer the telephone or e-mails and this wonder partner only gives generic information. If you want anything more specific, you need to call them: Price US$ 14 payable by credit card.

[OL7MAX]

Working link to the directive.

[Directive/2004/38/EC]

Talk about Schengen countries consulates? British consulates are doing just the same: they use the services of a commercial partner (as if visas were big business) World Bridge. The consulate will not answer the telephone or e-mails and this wonder partner only gives generic information. If you want anything more specific, you need to call them: Price US$ 14 payable by credit card.

I would never call these numbers. Total scam. Instead just send in a minimal application and wait for it to be processed. If they need anything else they will send you notification and details.

[Richard66]

In matter of fact I didn't call them: I sent a letter of protest to the Embassy, saying, that, as a British Citizen, I REFUSED to call such a number and I questioned the legality of such a charge. This is one of the reasons (among many, many others) that made me refer the whole business to the European Commission. Answer? None whatsoever. I'll tell you more: the apply for a passport (if you need information) you also need to call a premium price number.

So much for consular assistance.