Applying for a Shengen visa in London

[Pasha]

My husband and I would like to visit Paris. We have booked an appointment at the French Embassy in London. My husband holds British and Irish citizenship and I am a non-eu spouse in the UK on a 5 year residence permit. My questions are;

Should my husband be using his British or Irish Passport for my shengen visa application?

Do we need to purchase travel insurance prior to having the visa approved?

What supporting documents are advisable to be submitted in addition to passports, marriage cert, birth certs?

We would like to visit Portugal after France. This will not be in the same trip but a couple of weeks apart. What documents (if different from those required for single entry visa) will we need to provide?

Or would it be advisable to apply for a single entry visa then another for Portugal once we have returned to the UK?

Many thanks

[Administrator]

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You don't need a Schengen visa, so long as you are traveling with your husband.

-> Europe immigration forum -> Directive 2004/38/EC thread

One of MANY threads dedicated to this topic.

Your husband can travel anywhere in the EU he wishes. Under EU treaty, you are allowed to accompany him and nobody can refuse you (so long as there aren't other circumstances, such as a criminal record on your part).

Your passports. A copy of your marriage certificate. You probably have a spouse visa in your passport ..?

Some people carry printed copies of Directive 2004/38/EC in the local languages with them to give local law enforcement some educational reading materials.


HOWEVER. If you wish to travel alone, that is a different matter.

the Admin

[thirdwave]

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You don't need a Schengen visa, so long as you are traveling with your husband.

-> Europe immigration forum -> Directive 2004/38/EC thread

One of MANY threads dedicated to this topic.

Your husband can travel anywhere in the EU he wishes. Under EU treaty, you are allowed to accompany him and nobody can refuse you (so long as there aren't other circumstances, such as a criminal record on your part).

Your passports. A copy of your marriage certificate. You probably have a spouse visa in your passport ..?

Some people carry printed copies of Directive 2004/38/EC in the local languages with them to give local law enforcement some educational reading materials.


HOWEVER. If you wish to travel alone, that is a different matter.

the Admin

Admin, I think it would be extremely difficult to convince the staff at check in that the OP does not require a visa on the basis of Dir2004/38/EC. The directive only states that spouses of EU nationals have the right of free movement across the EU as long as they are in the company of their EU partners but it goes on to state that 'if the spouse is a visa national, arrangements should be made to issue him/her a visa expeditiously and free of charge'. It does make it clear that non EU family members might be subject to a short stay visa requirement under Reg EC 539/2001.

I remember a thread here from last year where some Swedish bloke had his Bolivian wife thrown in prison in Spain after she tried to enter the country under Dir 2004/38/EC..

I think the OP should play it safe and apply for a visa before travelling. Applying for a Schengen visa through the French Embassy is fairly straightforward as appointments can be booked online. Although the Schengen form states that spouses of EU nationals are not required to produce the details of travel/hotel bookings and travel insurance, the embassies do demand them more often than not. However, you might be able to convince them otherwise but be prepared for a heated argument with the consular staff..

[thirdwave]

My husband and I would like to visit Paris. We have booked an appointment at the French Embassy in London. My husband holds British and Irish citizenship and I am a non-eu spouse in the UK on a 5 year residence permit. My questions are;

Should my husband be using his British or Irish Passport for my shengen visa application?

You could use either.It makes no difference

Do we need to purchase travel insurance prior to having the visa approved?

You need not but they could ask you for it so get a cheap one. Besides, being insured whilst on holiday is a good thing.

What supporting documents are advisable to be submitted in addition to passports, marriage cert, birth certs?

Passports, Marriage Certificate, 2 photographs is all you should need. However, they could ask you for your travel itinerary/tickets etc but you could point out that you need not produce them according to the form.

We would like to visit Portugal after France. This will not be in the same trip but a couple of weeks apart. What documents (if different from those required for single entry visa) will we need to provide?

You can use the same visa, provided the French issue you a multiple entry Schengen which covers your second trip to Portugal (which they should).

Or would it be advisable to apply for a single entry visa then another for Portugal once we have returned to the UK?

No! Just tick the multiple entry visa box on the visa form and they should issue you one (unless they are in a particularly bad mood)

[cutepearl]

Ok now i have a question... i am married to a swedish citizen and have applied for my residence card... i am waiting for that and we wish to go to paris for our honeymoon as soon as we get our passports back... do i need to apply for a shengen visa or is it the same rule for everyone to have a copy of the marriage certificate and a passport and residence card stamped in the passport...

help would be much appreciated... thanks

[vinny]

See also Travel rights for non-EU nationals closely defined.

[Tobbe]

Just wanted to point out that the link is to a page last updated 5 years ago (march 2003) i.e. before directive 2004/38/EC.
More up to date is the "Practical Handbook for Border Guards" http://www.statewatch.org/news/2006/dec ... ook-06.pdf "only" 2 years old .

I’m just assuming that you are a Schengen visa national, if you are then it says that no visa is necessary if you have a residence card (specifically states that it is not only the ones from Schengen but from the whole of EEA) and that even if you don’t have that but can prove that you are a family member then you should not be turned back (section 3).

As being the bloke who got his wife complimentary accommodation in Spain I recommend to go and get a Schengen visa from the Swedish embassy before going to France... as it "almost" guarantees that you will be able to enjoy your honeymoon.

[Administrator]

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@Tobbe
@vinny
@thirdwave

I bow to your experience & knowledge. While my point is technically correct, I concede that in practice it will all run much smoother with the Schengen.

Thank you very much for the links to resources on the topic!

the Admin