Spain and Schengen Visa

[Rob Van Dam]

Dear All,

This is my first post to the forum, so apologies in advance if this question has already been answered a thousand times before.

I am a British citizen. My wife is a Russian national with Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK as my spouse. We would like to go on holiday to Spain from the 30th August to the 4th September. We booked some flights last night thinking that seven weeks would be more than enough time to get the visa. For the record, we have been to Belgium, France and Austria on a Schengen Visa within the last couple of years, and always found the process easy and straightforward.

My blood pressure has now reached boiling point because apparently the Spanish Embassy cannot give my wife an appointment for her visa application until the 16th September, two weeks after we would like to return. There is no one to talk to as the entire system is automated (at £1 a minute, no less), and when I called the main Embassy they were terribly rude. I cannot now cancel or change my flights, and obviously my wife would be very disappointed if we have to cancel our trip.

I have now been told by a visa agency that they can get a French Schengen visa for my wife within the required timescale. They tell me the French Schengen visa will allow us to travel to travel to Spain and back again, with no need to visit France, and no questions asked at the airport. They also say that, so long as we provide my passport and our original marriage certificate, we will not need to provide proof of where we are staying and evidence of funds available, etc..

My main questions are therefore: is this accurate? Will we not be in trouble if we travel to Spain only on a Schengen visa issued by the French Embassy? Has anyone else done this before? And just what is the problem with the Spanish consulate in London, anyway?

I'd really appreciate any thoughts you all might have on how I can rescue this trip in the few short (seven) weeks we have left.

RVD

[Wanderer]

Should have read here first, Spanish Consulate is voted the rudest every year!

You could use a French visa, but the end result is a mysterious denial next time you apply for a French one if u did not spend any Euro in France. Farcical eh!

Actually the EU directives say as ur missus is ur spouse, she doesn't need a visa, problem is the folks between here and there, airline staff, IO's, checkin staff all don't know this, and rather than risk a refusal at the other end and fine that take the easy way out. Up to u whether you risk it.

I'd try a Baltic State one, they seem to belt em out to Russians and not care where you go on it, my mate's Russian Wife got one from Estonian embassy via post, 12 month multi. (After being refused by the French for same reason above - never forgiven us for Mers El Kebir in 1940...)

Udachi vam i dobro pazhalovat' na forum! (Bad Russian there...)

[86ti]

I'd try a Baltic State one, they seem to belt em out to Russians and not care where you go on it, my mate's Russian Wife got one from Estonian embassy via post, 12 month multi.

Now that's interesting! The Estonian embassy told me that they would need to see my wife in person.

And checking the web page again family members of EEA nationals do need one anymore
http://www.estonia.gov.uk/news_events/news/aid-585

[Wanderer]

I'd try a Baltic State one, they seem to belt em out to Russians and not care where you go on it, my mate's Russian Wife got one from Estonian embassy via post, 12 month multi.

Now that's interesting! The Estonian embassy told me that they would need to see my wife in person.

Hmm, she definitely didn't, but she had a French issued Schengen visa before, went to Estonia on it, via Holland and not France which is why the French didn't give her another.

She has property there though dunno if that helped.

[Rob Van Dam]

Thanks for the input.

On the basis that we might like to visit France in the future, we decided to go with another agency who can get the visa in time for us on the Thursday before we leave (on a Sunday).

I wonder why the Spanish Embassy is so inefficient. Surely it can't have taken them by surprise that many people would like to visit Spain in the summer?

The funny thing is, we're both working professionals with good salaries, our own home, and are both widely travelled. The Spainish won't let my wife in just 'cause she's Russian, but they'll let in any clap-riddled chav from a provincial English town to drink, fight and cause mayhem all over the country. Doesn't make any sense to me.

RVD

[willsk22]

similar(ish) probs...
my Mrs has had visas from all over- Italy, Austria, Czech, French etc... we`re going to Spain in Aug - no chance of appointment, so she is getting another Czech schengen visa collecting next thurs... they`re helpful and EU nationals (me) can pop form in in person 11am- 12midday any day no appointment needed on her behalf (as long as she signed it) just proof of marriage cert (translated in our case), passport (hers and mine- keep hers, check mine) ILR and photocopies of above.....

my mother in law has an appointment an French embassy in Moscow next week, as she`s visiting us next month and we want to maybe go to Spain with us last week in Aug (Spanish Embassy even worse there)...
SO as a few people have said on here, get visa, go wherever, just try and visit that country at some point to validate (spend euro`s)- and remember to get it stamped!!! Will we be ok or will she get refused entry to spain on french Schengen??????????