Schengen visa

vicky1234567 · Post by **vicky1234567** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:23 pm

Can anyone tell me how to get a schengen visa for my husband who is currently in the UK on a spouse visa for 2 years. He is Albanian. We would really like to go to Spain for a week.

I understand you need to make an appointment at the Spaninsh embassy but what documents do we need to provide them,. We plan to stay in a hotel or apartment.

Many thanks

sakura · Post by **sakura** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:40 pm

Required documents are here: http://www.maec.es/Consulados/Londres/e ... rvices.htm

You don't need to pay for the visa: http://www.maec.es/Consulados/Londres/e ... rvices.htm

vicky1234567 · Post by **vicky1234567** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:18 pm

Thanks for the link, a real help.

Do these rules/requirements apply to all schengen countries?

sakura · Post by **sakura** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 5:09 pm

Generally yes, but you should always check the country's embassy website for their requirements.

vicky1234567 · Post by **vicky1234567** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 1:25 pm

Would my husband have to match the documentations requested for a dependent of an EU national and also Tourist visa application.

What I am really trying to clarify is do we need to book the holiday before we make the schengen application so we can show proof of dates/location of holiday? I am concerned if the application gets refused we will loose the money paid for holiday.

paulp · Post by **paulp** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 1:43 pm

I think it's just the docs for the dependent of an EU national section. Makes life easier not to have to get proof of accomodation and flights.

thirdwave · Post by **thirdwave** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 1:47 pm

vicky1234567 wrote:Would my husband have to match the documentations requested for a dependent of an EU national and also Tourist visa application.

What I am really trying to clarify is do we need to book the holiday before we make the schengen application so we can show proof of dates/location of holiday? I am concerned if the application gets refused we will loose the money paid for holiday.

Well, the form does not require spouses of EU nationals to provide the details of accomodation/travel etc but embassies often ask for these details anyway. If you are unable to book your hotel/flights before departure, you could just submit the form anyway but arm yourself with the 2004/EC whatever directive and be ready for some heated argument with the chaps at the embassy..

Also,many embassies now require the both partners to attend the interview so it could be pain if you do not live in London..

vicky1234567 · Post by **vicky1234567** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:00 pm

I am not getting very far with the embassy phone line. And at Â£1 a minute all I am getting is an automated voice!!
It would be so much easier with just the EU dependent requirements, are u sure?

Does any have experience with Spanish embassy and schengen visas for spouses of UK citizens?

paulp · Post by **paulp** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:05 pm

vicky1234567 wrote:I am not getting very far with the embassy phone line. And at Â£1 a minute all I am getting is an automated voice!!
It would be so much easier with just the EU dependent requirements, are u sure?

Does any have experience with Spanish embassy and schengen visas for spouses of UK citizens?

My wife recently did hers at the French embassy and she didn't need to bring accomodation letters nor flights nor did I need to be present.

Try the French embassy as they've got afternoon sessions for EU dependents (tourists are in the morning) and you can book online without paying Â£1/min on a premium number.

vicky1234567 · Post by **vicky1234567** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:13 pm

Can we get a schengen from a different embassy than the country we are visiting?

appreciate everyones help

Siggi · Post by **Siggi** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:26 pm

Vicky,

Schengen visa is a bit of a pain, but that's life!

The rules state that you have to apply to the country in which you will spend the majority of the time or the first port on entry.

All the embassies in London work on the same basis, phone and book a appointment at Â£1per min.

Lastly if you are a EU National you will need to go together with your husband, when you make the application, which will be free.

I would make your holiday bookings and don't worry too much you will get your visa.

Have fun and good luck.

paulp · Post by **paulp** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:28 pm

Siggi wrote:All the embassies in London work on the same basis, phone and book a appointment at Â£1per min.

Siggy, with respect, not all the embassies work on the same basis. One of them actually don't rip you off at Â£1/min to listen to someone speaking very slowly for 5 minutes about going on to the website etc.

thirdwave · Post by **thirdwave** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 6:27 pm

paulp wrote:
Siggi wrote:All the embassies in London work on the same basis, phone and book a appointment at Â£1per min.
Siggy, with respect, not all the embassies work on the same basis. One of them actually don't rip you off at Â£1/min to listen to someone speaking very slowly for 5 minutes about going on to the website etc.

True..for instance, one can book appts with the French embassy online and make postal applications to the Belgian embassy. However, most force you to book appts through the automated phone line(which I am sure is illegal and needs to be challenged in court..I mean if they claim visas would be issued free of charge to spouses of EU nationals, they should be made exempt from hidden extras like rip off phonelines as well!)

Siggi · Post by **Siggi** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:42 pm

Paul & Thirdwave
You two are nit picking by enlarge all the embassie work on the basis of make a appointment at Â£1 per min, end of.
I for one have never been able to get a Schengen visa any other way.

Considering that Vicky needs a Spainsh Schengen, she has no other opion open to her but to pay her Â£1/min

paulp · Post by **paulp** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:41 pm

Siggi wrote:Paul & Thirdwave
You two are nit picking by enlarge all the embassie work on the basis of make a appointment at Â£1 per min, end of.
I for one have never been able to get a Schengen visa any other way.

Considering that Vicky needs a Spainsh Schengen, she has no other opion open to her but to pay her Â£1/min

Siggi, it's not nit-picking. You can't say all embassies do it when two posts above you, I have just shown the French one doesn't.

If Vicky lives in the south-east of England it's so easy to get a 1 year visa, go on a day-trip to Calais and then travel wherever she wants. That's what my wife is doing.

Siggi · Post by **Siggi** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:12 am

Paul,
I don't want to harp on about this.
But please remember the Schengen Visa rules.

For example your wife my well, do a one day visit to Calais on her French issused Schengen, but if she say visits a couple of other Schengen States and the following year applys for a Schengen visa with the French again on the same basis, they will refuse the application because she would not have spent more than 70% of her time in France.

So this is bad advise to offer to Vicky.

Lastly so what is this Tel number you have to get straight through to the French for a appointment without paying-please enlighten me?

Dawie · Post by **Dawie** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:34 am

Siggi wrote:Paul,
I don't want to harp on about this.
But please remember the Schengen Visa rules.

For example your wife my well, do a one day visit to Calais on her French issused Schengen, but if she say visits a couple of other Schengen States and the following year applys for a Schengen visa with the French again on the same basis, they will refuse the application because she would not have spent more than 70% of her time in France.

So this is bad advise to offer to Vicky.

Lastly so what is this Tel number you have to get straight through to the French for a appointment without paying-please enlighten me?

Siggi, you can book an appointment with the French embassy through their website, there is no need to call them.

Also, your figure of 70% is plucked right out of the air. The French will only get upset if you obtain a French visa and never use it go to France.

Paul is perfectly correct to advise Vicky to obtain a French visa by doing a day trip to France. Once her husband uses the French visa to do the day trip he is perfectly within his rights, as per the terms of the Schengen visa, to use it to go to any Schegen country he pleases without using it to go to France again.

The only caveat here is that he MUST use it go to France at least once.

Also, can a moderator please move this thread to the Europe section?

mirnat · Post by **mirnat** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:09 pm

Vicky

Just to tell u about my experience - my husband is Albanian and he has applied twice now for a Schengen Visa to to go Belgium (as his brother lives there). He did not need to make an appointment and simply turned up at 8am outside their visa processing centre near Victoria. We did have to provide proof of return tickets, hotel booking, travel insurance etc and of course we were worried that we would lose the money having booked the tickets etc if the Visa was not granted. Although the Visa itself was free since heâ€™s married to me, a British national, he did have to pay a Â£20 processing fee which I think is just as much a rip off as the Â£1 a minute phone lines! That said, he got the Visa in a matter of days and I was able to go pick his Visa endorsed passport up for him! Good luck with it all and hope u get your holiday to Spain!

paulp · Post by **paulp** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:16 pm

Siggi wrote:Paul,
I don't want to harp on about this.
But please remember the Schengen Visa rules.

For example your wife my well, do a one day visit to Calais on her French issused Schengen, but if she say visits a couple of other Schengen States and the following year applys for a Schengen visa with the French again on the same basis, they will refuse the application because she would not have spent more than 70% of her time in France.

So this is bad advise to offer to Vicky.

Lastly so what is this Tel number you have to get straight through to the French for a appointment without paying-please enlighten me?

Siggi, neither do I want to go on about this, but it's called a multiple-entry visa for a reason. As Dawie has said, the french are only concerned about the first visit and she will only be staying in france. The rest of her next trips to Europe are not their concern.

If only enlightenment in life was that easy, just a couple of clicks

:

hxxps://www.consulfrance-londres.org/services/services3.php

please replace the hxxps to https

vicky1234567 · Post by **vicky1234567** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:18 pm

Thanks for everyones input, seems like I have opened a can of worms...

We have booked the holdiay and we are going to be making an appointment at the embassy, asap.

Is there a time limit on when u can get the visa before travelling?

paulp · Post by **paulp** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:52 pm

Don't know, the french consulate didn't ask for travel documents

.

abbs33 · Post by **abbs33** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:06 pm

I too am married to an Albanian and he got his schengen last week. We booked his appointment online. Just follow the relevant links. It is pot luck whether there are dates available on the site as they only release them on certain days. We had advice to try late at night, so that is what we did. He turned up with the documents stated on the site, no travel arrangments or hotel bookings and came home with the visa, he said it was easy. Hope this helps!

vicky1234567 · Post by **vicky1234567** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:01 am

My hubby got his schengen visa for 1 month to go to Spain. Would we be able to go to France for the day with this visa?

I must say the Spanish Embassy was a nightmare and the staff were very rude. They kept him waiting for 2 hours in the corridor to collect the visa!! He felt that they could not find his passport!!

bani · Post by **bani** » Tue May 20, 2008 1:32 pm

vicky1234567 wrote:My hubby got his schengen visa for 1 month to go to Spain. Would we be able to go to France for the day with this visa?

I must say the Spanish Embassy was a nightmare and the staff were very rude. They kept him waiting for 2 hours in the corridor to collect the visa!! He felt that they could not find his passport!!

Yes, you can use the same visa to go to France. I'm surprised they only gave you 1 month. I hope your husband gets a visa for a longer duration next time. Have a good holiday!

paulp · Post by **paulp** » Tue May 20, 2008 1:43 pm

bani wrote:
vicky1234567 wrote:My hubby got his schengen visa for 1 month to go to Spain. Would we be able to go to France for the day with this visa?

I must say the Spanish Embassy was a nightmare and the staff were very rude. They kept him waiting for 2 hours in the corridor to collect the visa!! He felt that they could not find his passport!!
Yes, you can use the same visa to go to France. I'm surprised they only gave you 1 month. I hope your husband gets a visa for a longer duration next time. Have a good holiday!

Did they ask for travel/medical insurance and how long did you get one for?

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