Multi-Entry Visa vs Multiple Single Entry Visas

[vika09]

Hi there,

I was hoping to get any views on how to best approach this / best chances of approval.

My wife and I are planning on the following:

• Iceland - 8 days in September

• France - 2-3 days in December (Christmas or New Year)

• Netherlands - 2-3 days in April to see Tulips, likely road trip but can do flights.

I will naturally be booking euro tunnel/flights and hotels/AirBnB for all of these.

We are both fully employed in the UK (I've got a indefinite leave to remain and my wife has a family visa that she will need to renew in December this year). We are both employed in full time permanent jobs.

Would we be able to apply (to Iceland) for a 1 year multi-entry visa and would the chances be decent? Or should I be doing this as individual single entry visas each time?

I'd like to avoid the single entry visa route because of the difficulty in getting appointments (and not really being *that* close to any of the UK VFS centers).

Any tips / guidance is much appreciated!

[meself2]

Would we be able to apply (to Iceland) for a 1 year multi-entry visa and would the chances be decent? Or should I be doing this as individual single entry visas each time?

Schengen visas are not the same as UK visas. Let me explain.

For UK, there's a defined period for which you pay for and if the visa is granted, you get it almost all the time. I haven't seen on these forums yet that a UK visit visa has been shortened and it wasn't rectified.

For Schengen visa, there's a uniformed fee for 80 (or 90 now) euro, regardless of your visa duration. There's absolutely no guarantee what you get.

So you can apply, tick "multi" in the box and hope for the best. But a) Iceland is not known to be lenient with its visas and b) usually, for a year long visa, you're expected to have 3 visas of shorter duration in the last few years.
https://www.government.is/topics/foreig ... o-iceland/

1-year multiple entry Schengen visa
Applicants who have obtained and lawfully used three visas within the previous two years can apply for a one-year multiple entry visa.

It's, basically, luck of the draw (and Iceland isn't a good dealer).

[CR001]

Also bear in mind that the fact her UK visa expires in December this year, will also be an issue. For schengen visas, they expect to see at least 3 to 6 months UK visa validity.

[vika09]

Also bear in mind that the fact her UK visa expires in December this year, will also be an issue. For schengen visas, they expect to see at least 3 to 6 months UK visa validity.

Ah, thank you! She actually has a BRP that expires on 31 Dec 2024 (I think like all BRP holders), but her underlying visa should be expiring 15 Jan 2025. We will extend the partner/family visa in November.

Is there anything I can do to not make her BRP expiring an issue?