Schengen visa as a family member of EU national

[Traveller4ever]

Dear All,

My wife and I both reside outside the EU/Schengen area. I am an EU/Schengen national, and my wife has been issued with a Schengen visa as the family member of an EU national. The cheapest ticket to the Schengen country where we propose to holiday (and which issued the visa) is, however, via the country of my EU/Schengen citizenship (a transit en route to our holiday destination). Where will she go through immigration? At the first point of landing in the Schengen zone (i.e. the country of my citizenship, even though it's just a transit and our luggage will have been labelled through to our final destination), or in the Schengen country of destination?

I am just trying to avoid problems here. The Schengen visa was issued as a family member of an EEA national but, as I understand the rules and regulations, I cannot have exercised a Treaty Right in my country of nationality (i.e. the country where we will be in transit en route to our holiday destination). Therefore, if she has to be stamped into Schengen in my country of citizenship, will this create problems given that she has a family member visa?

Many thanks for your help,

Travelling4ever

[Traveller4ever]

My original post of 14 October refers. Any ideas, anyone?

If she has to go through immigration at the first point of landing (my home country), we might as well invite my parents to come up to the airport for a few hours before we fly on again..

Also, she was issued with a multiple C Schengen visa. Is this correct? We're only used to UK EEA Family Permits, which are D visas?

Any thoughts are gratefully received.

Traveller4ever

[sheraz7]

You need to describe more clearly as what type of visa/residence permit your wife is holding. Either is it a Schengen short term visa or a residence permit of EEA national family member issued by an EU member state?

[John]

Traveller4ever, I do not see a problem. Your wife has no doubt applied for a Schengen visa from the country which will be the main destination, but that does not mean that she first needs to enter "Schengen-land" in that country.

For example, if the main destination was Italy, but the way of getting there was a via a long drive across France, and thus France is the first country entered in "Schengen-land", it would make no difference if you happened to be a citizen of France.

[Traveller4ever]

Sheraz, John, many thanks for your replies.

For John: I confirm that the visa was issued by the Embassy of our main destination.

For Sheraz: she holds a multiple entry short term Schengen visa, which was issued free of charge since I am an EEA national.

Kind regards,

Traveller4ever

[sheraz7]

For Sheraz: she holds a multiple entry short term Schengen visa, which was issued free of charge since I am an EEA national.

Kind regards,

Traveller4ever

Apart of being EU national family member the Schengen visa will allow her to travel to any member state. Best of luck.

[Traveller4ever]

I thought that I'd let you have an update. The immigration officer in my home country asked a few questions (e.g. why are you entering Schengen here, and are you both catching your onward flight in a few hours etc.) but that was pretty much it. Managed to quickly catch up with my family who'd come to the airport!

Thanks again for your replies,

Traveller4ever