Settlement visa and travelling within the EU

shivers · Post by **shivers** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 1:00 pm

I have sponsored my wife's settlement visa which is being processed in the BHC Islamabad (urrgh!). Long wait...anyway...

I'm assuming that after the 13 week processing time, she'll be granted a settlement visa to join me in the UK.

Is she allowed to travel within the EU with a settlement visa? I have close friends in Germany, France and Spain whom I would like to visit with my wife.

Any advice appreciated.

Chess · Post by **Chess** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 1:10 pm

You will have to apply for Schengen Visa

shivers · Post by **shivers** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 1:15 pm

I'll give it a go thanks for the information!

shivers · Post by **shivers** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:49 am

Just wanted to say I had an answer back from the French Embassy about the application for my wife's visa to visit France. It's pasted below. I had to make an appointment on the telephone via their 0906 number. At £1 a minute, the call took 11 minutes to complete!

Dear Sir/ Madam,
Please consult our web site www.consulfrance-londres.org:
- to book an appointment;
- to download an application form;
- to determine whether or not you need a Schengen visa to travel to France – go to ‘Do I need a visa?’ and click on your nationality;
- to determine whether you need to apply for your visa in person and attend your appointment - go to ‘Do I need a visa?’ and click on your nationality;
- to determine the processing delay of your visa application - go to ‘Do I need a visa?’ and click on your nationality;
- to determine whether you could apply for your visa via the postal department, please consult the list of accepted counties on ‘postal application’;
- to determine the list of supporting documents requested – click on ‘types of visa’ and then select the relevant one;
- to obtain general information on the Schengen visa and other visas available from the French Consulate General;
- to obtain information on application procedure, including opening hours and address.
Be advised that many questions are answered on the FAQs page.
Replies will only be given if the answer to your query is not already available in our web site.

Regards,
Visa Section

pumkin · Post by **pumkin** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:03 am

shivers wrote:Just wanted to say I had an answer back from the French Embassy about the application for my wife's visa to visit France. It's pasted below. I had to make an appointment on the telephone via their 0906 number. At £1 a minute, the call took 11 minutes to complete!

Dear Sir/ Madam,
Please consult our web site www.consulfrance-londres.org:
- to book an appointment;
- to download an application form;
- to determine whether or not you need a Schengen visa to travel to France – go to ‘Do I need a visa?’ and click on your nationality;
- to determine whether you need to apply for your visa in person and attend your appointment - go to ‘Do I need a visa?’ and click on your nationality;
- to determine the processing delay of your visa application - go to ‘Do I need a visa?’ and click on your nationality;
- to determine whether you could apply for your visa via the postal department, please consult the list of accepted counties on ‘postal application’;
- to determine the list of supporting documents requested – click on ‘types of visa’ and then select the relevant one;
- to obtain general information on the Schengen visa and other visas available from the French Consulate General;
- to obtain information on application procedure, including opening hours and address.
Be advised that many questions are answered on the FAQs page.
Replies will only be given if the answer to your query is not already available in our web site.

Regards,
Visa Section

Why did you have to make an appointment via the telephone?? I made one over the net, hubby went down and got a circulation visa for a year?

shivers · Post by **shivers** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:06 am

I tried to make an appointment by the net but the website was conveniently not working so I had to call up and make an appointment. As my wife is from Pakistan, I have to go with her to the embassy to get her visa approved.

Brit Chick · Post by **Brit Chick** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 5:37 pm

Thanks for posting that info Shivers.....it'll save us some money

Are you applying for the schengen visa already even though your wifes settlement visa hasn't been processed yet, or just doing the research?

shivers · Post by **shivers** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:54 am

Thankfully my wife's settlement visa has been processed and she is in the UK with me now.

The French entry visa/shengen visa application is the next stage, the appointment has been confirmed for early December - one month after I booked it over the telephone.

shivers · Post by **shivers** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 12:23 am

Ok we logged the application at the French Consulate in London. As Im a UK citizen we needed to produce:
- mine and my wifes Pakistan passport
- A verified marriage certificate (nikah nama). We got the Pakistan High Commission in London to stamp it as proof of authencity. They only did this because it has a stamp already from the foreign office in Lahore
- Photocopies of the passport inc. my wife's visa page and a photocopy of the marriage certificate
- Passport photos. There is actually a machine inside the waiting room, don't know if it works. 3Gbp charge.

They didn't want to see any bank statements but you must have travel insurance for yourself and partner and provide a photocopy of the policy.

Notes:
- the queue was long. Get there early to be the first in the queue.
- there is no charge for schengen visa for spouses of Eu citizens
- bring something to eat/drink/read. The process took 4 hours.
- check on french consular website for waiting times. We need to wait 4 weeks for collection of schengen visa because my wife is from pakistan. They didn't need to keep her passport, just the photocopies.
- Passports are returned same day for most countries.

Any other questions feel free to post and i'll try to answer.

Brit Chick · Post by **Brit Chick** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:33 pm

pumkin wrote:
shivers wrote:Just wanted to say I had an answer back from the French Embassy about the application for my wife's visa to visit France. It's pasted below. I had to make an appointment on the telephone via their 0906 number. At ï¿½1 a minute, the call took 11 minutes to complete!

Dear Sir/ Madam,
Please consult our web site www.consulfrance-londres.org:
- to book an appointment;
- to download an application form;
- to determine whether or not you need a Schengen visa to travel to France ï¿½ go to ï¿½Do I need a visa?ï¿½ and click on your nationality;
- to determine whether you need to apply for your visa in person and attend your appointment - go to ï¿½Do I need a visa?ï¿½ and click on your nationality;
- to determine the processing delay of your visa application - go to ï¿½Do I need a visa?ï¿½ and click on your nationality;
- to determine whether you could apply for your visa via the postal department, please consult the list of accepted counties on ï¿½postal applicationï¿½;
- to determine the list of supporting documents requested ï¿½ click on ï¿½types of visaï¿½ and then select the relevant one;
- to obtain general information on the Schengen visa and other visas available from the French Consulate General;
- to obtain information on application procedure, including opening hours and address.
Be advised that many questions are answered on the FAQs page.
Replies will only be given if the answer to your query is not already available in our web site.

Regards,
Visa Section

Why did you have to make an appointment via the telephone?? I made one over the net, hubby went down and got a circulation visa for a year?

How did you manage to book an appointment over the net Pumpkin? I've tried and tried and tried and can't select any interview dates when I go into the appointment bookings page.

Russia · Post by **Russia** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:07 pm

though the rules say otherwise, if you want a schengen visa just go to any embassy in the schengen network and apply, even if you land at calais first you can always say your country of main destination was germany etc... thereby circumvent the rule about country of first entry (a stupid rule i may add).
as an aside, you can visit any non-schengen country and stay upto 5 days or so anywhere in Europe - even non-schengen countries cannot deny this - again an interpretation of the rules, claim you are in transit and there is nothing the border control can do, plus its helpful for future applications when the embassies see many cross border stamps in your passport - makes them feel more comfortable..ahhhh!
and as one more additional aside to the original posting - if you/your spouse has at least one schengen visa, next time ask the embassy for a one year validity visa with multi-entry - eventhough the maximum stay is just 3 months, you have the advantage of making 2x3month stays/visits into europe - just a tip hope it helps.

BTW my wife and i have done all of these things - and can guarantee absolutely factual.

mads · Post by **mads** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 4:27 pm

So for sounding silly but I have a schengen visa issued by france, can I go to Brugge for instance and then travel to France where we will be staying overnight?
thanks
mads

Russia · Post by **Russia** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:50 pm

You wont actually cross a border point so no-one will ask!

for reference in the last six months my wife and i have been and stayed in the following countries that are non-schengen and for which my wife has no visa despite being a russian citizen - hungary,slovenia,ukraine,poland,slovakia,czech - we travel throughout EU on business very frequently and have never had problems, we almost always travel by car - so cannot comment on air-travel, this maybe different since you have to deal with some authority or other - road is better.
do not worry yourselves about travel throughout EU (well with the exception of my home country the UK!) if you have a schengen preferably ME 12Months you will not experience any difficulties if you are travelling with your EU spouse. Believe me the authorities (especially in new member states) don't want the hassle and bad PR of making trouble for 'old' EU state citizens.

Brit Chick · Post by **Brit Chick** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:25 am

Hmmm interesting......so my husband can apply for his schengen visa at another embassy even though we will be travelling fromdover into calais?

Which embassy do you think will process the application quickly and hassle free?

alisameer · Post by **alisameer** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:54 am

hi shivers.
u said that u attested nikha nama from foreign office lahore,which nikha nama u attested (english one or urdu nikhanam)
and which nikha nama u attested from pakistani embassy in london.and which nikha nama u produced in french embassy.as I got spouse from pakistan 3 days before and going uk after some days.I also want to apply french visa in london.
thanks a lot

mads · Post by **mads** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:16 am

Hiya Brit Chick
First of all where do you live? Am I correct in assuming you are british? If you check out the french embassy website, if you live outside the encachment are you can post off your application. All they require is the application form, both your passports, two photo's and your marriage certificate.
I applied via post (spouse of eu national) and got my visa back within 3 days (including postage).
Regards
mads

Russia · Post by **Russia** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 3:21 pm

Brit Chick wrote:Hmmm interesting......so my husband can apply for his schengen visa at another embassy even though we will be travelling fromdover into calais?

Which embassy do you think will process the application quickly and hassle free?

The rules state either apply at first port of entry or at main destination - you can absolutely choose were to make the application. Really, the EU countries are much less hung up about family's to wish to live and travel together - it is very refreshing that most EU countries exercise commonsense and respect the values and moral rights and duties of their citizens so highly. All except the UK of course!
In our experience the Dutch are the most easy of nations to deal with - they are tolerant and respectful of our needs - try them or the German Embassy, who are likewise far more accomodating than say French/Spanish or Italian, but again this is our view from abroad - we really don't have experience of dealing with EU embassies in the UK. Good luck with your choice.

Brit Chick · Post by **Brit Chick** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:53 am

mads wrote:Hiya Brit Chick
First of all where do you live? Am I correct in assuming you are british? If you check out the french embassy website, if you live outside the encachment are you can post off your application. All they require is the application form, both your passports, two photo's and your marriage certificate.
I applied via post (spouse of eu national) and got my visa back within 3 days (including postage).
Regards
mads

I live in sunny bournemouth, and my husband who will be applying for the schengen visa is a pakistani national.....and I assumed that we would have to visit in person to apply for the visa?

mads · Post by **mads** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:35 am

Hiya Brit chick
Have just checked the french embassy's website and the nationality of the partner also makes a difference in process time. For your hubby:

http://www.consulfrance-londres.org/art ... rticle=359

These are the areas allowed to apply via post

http://www.consulfrance-londres.org/art ... rticle=326

I hope you get it quickly.
Mads

Post by **Directive/2004/38/EC** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:06 am

Brit Chick wrote:I assumed that we would have to visit in person to apply for the visa?

Some of the EU countries allow you to apply by post. Austria is an example (and is a great place to go on vacation as well!). Germany allows applications by post if you have had a visa from them within the last year. France allows it depending on where you live in the UK.

shivers wrote:[The French Embassy] didn't want to see any bank statements but you must have travel insurance for yourself and partner and provide a photocopy of the policy.

They should not be demanding proof of travel insurance. They are required issue the visa even if you and your wife have no travel insurance.

Brit Chick · Post by **Brit Chick** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 5:13 pm

Thanks for the replies guys.

So just to clarify, I can make the application to the french embassy by post as I live in bournemouth and all I need to submit will be: my passport and my husbands passport (he's the applicant), translated and original marriage certicates, a cheque for 60 euros and the completed application form.

I can't provide any travel details eg airline tickets as yet as we're booking the trip once the visa is issued. Do I need to send bank statements and/or proof of address too?

shivers · Post by **shivers** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:34 am

Britchick, you're right not to book any travel at the moment because the French embassy take about 3-4 weeks to process visa so they advise applicants not to book travel until visa is received. I wasn't asked for bank statements. However... with regards to your marriage certificate, I had this attested in the Pakistan embassy in London before submitting it to the French embassy.

You see... the English copy of the Nikah Nama was stamped by the foreign office in Lahore when I applied for my wife's visa to enter the UK. So the High Commission of Pakistan were able to attest the English copy as authentic when I asked them to do this before going to the French embassy.

But... at the French embassy, the official who looked at the documents didn't seem that bothered if the marriage certificate was attested by the High Commission of Pakistan or not. He just took one glance at it and gave it back to us. I think so long as you have the English copy of your marriage certificate from Pakistan, this would be enough to prove evidence of the marriage. See how it goes with the postal application. I think you have enough documents. Besides you have the luxury of applying by post, far more efficient than going in person!

Brit Chick · Post by **Brit Chick** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:45 am

Thanks Shivers. Is there any reason why you had to attend in person rather than apply by post or is it simply down to geographical location.

Looks like i have all the documents that I need then in order to apply for the visa. Am I right in thinking that the visa will be valid for six months and allow multiple entries?

shivers · Post by **shivers** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:01 am

It was down to geographical location that I had to attend in person, I think the rule of thumb is if you live near the French embassy or consulate, you attend in person. As I live about 10 minutes drive from the embassy, I couldn't really post the application.

I can't comment on how long the visa will be valid for or if it will allow multiple entries though.

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Settlement visa and travelling within the EU

Settlement visa and travelling within the EU

Schengen application logged

hi shivers