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Rover8098 -
Maybe this is helpful, maybe not ....
http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/nav/en/c ... ex_en.html
An excerpt from a lengthy page:
THE RIGHT TO TRAVEL
FOR YOU ...
As a citizen of a Member State of the European Union, you have the right to enter any other EU country without having to comply with special formalities. All you need is a valid passport or identity card.
Your right to travel may be restricted only on grounds of public policy, public security or public health. Accordingly, your right to travel does not depend on your circumstances; whether you are travelling for professional or private reasons, whether you are working in an employed or self-employed capacity or whether you are simply a tourist, you have the right to travel anywhere in the European Union.
Provided your stay in another EU Member State does not exceed three months you do not have to ask for a residence permit. The only constraint that may lawfully be imposed on you in certain countries is a requirement to notify the authorities of your presence. In most cases this is done automatically when you check in at the hotel or when your landlord fills in a declaration in respect of the tenancy.
If you stay for more than three months you must apply for a residence permit1. To find out more about your rights as regards residence and, where applicable, your rights as a person working in an employed or self-employed capacity, as a jobseeker or as a student in another EU country, consult the guides entitled 'Living in another country of the European Union', 'Working in another country in the European Union' and 'Studying, training and doing research in another country of the European Union'.
... AND MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY
Members of your family, whatever their nationality, may go with you. Your family is defined as your spouse, children under 21 (or dependent on you), as well as your parents and your spouse's parents, if they are also dependent on you (2).
For citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) countries studying in another EEA country, family members are defined as your spouse and children under 21 or dependent on you.
(2) Proof of kinship is usually provided by copies of birth certificates, or records of family relationships (e.g. marriage) on identity documents, or in the case of children, inclusion in the parent's passport or family record book.
... who travel with you
Members of your family who are travelling with you should, as a general rule, also have a valid passport or identity card. The legislation of the Member States often provides, in the case of minors, who are not personally entitled to such a document, for the issuance of a special identity card or for an entry to be made in the passport of one of the parents (for details of the special provisions applicable in this respect to minors, please contact the national authorities, whose particulars are given under the heading 'Useful addresses').
Please note that, if members of your family are not EU nationals, the Member State(s) to or through which you intend to travel may, depending on the nationality of the individuals concerned, require an entry visa (see fact sheet on 'Entry procedures in another EU country: Members of the worker family who are not nationals of a Member State'). This visa should be granted free of charge and without undue formalities by the relevant consular authorities.
I suppose that you haven't let us in on the reason for your travel and the length of your stay (not that you must, but they are factors for the general issue).
You posted from the French consulate site. Is this a France thing? Is there indication this is an EU-/EEA-/Schengen-wide policy or law now?
If this is a France thing, get your visa at a more amicable consulate/embassy. If I recall correctly (I may be wrong), if you apply for a Schengen visa, you must apply for it at the embassy/consulate of the country that is your intended destination (unless the spouse is a Schengen country resident .. then you must use theirs; in your case, doesn't apply since the UK is non-Schengen).
However, nothing prevents you from traveling about. Just declare your destination (Spain, maybe) and travel to France.
It's interesting that what you have described is "clearly" an "undue" hindrance/formality (
). You might have a wedge here to complain and get around the requirement. Very especially if you have previous Schengen visas to your record, you should have an established reputation and record.
Maybe.
From what I get out of this, if you are only traveling to one country for under 90 days as the spouse, you don't need a Schengen visa ... only an entry or multiple-entry visa for that country.
The Schengen comes into play (generally) when you want to then travel between more than one Schengen country &/or you are conducting business/working.
Depending on your nationality, you may have a visa-free right to travel for 90-days within any EU State (Aussies, Canucks & Yanks, for examples).
Luck on that!
The Admin
). Your spouse was also not required to attend the embassy at the time of lodging the application and if required, you could get one of the many visa processing agencies to lodge the visa on your behalf..........right??
