Belgium Schengen visa to go to Spain

[vivid_guy_007]

Hi

We are in this dilemma around Schengen visa & EU travel and immigration board has always been the best source to resolve such dilemmas. This forum is always immensely helpful.

My friend has got Schengen visa from Belgium embassy last month but didn't travel to Belgium yet. Now we are planning to go to Barcelona next week. We are based in London now. I am not sure if travelling to a Schengen different country (not Belgium) using Belgian Schengen visa will cause any problems. Can anybody please advise?

Is it mandatory to travel first to the country who issued Schengen Visa or one can travel to any other country?

Many Thanks
Abhi

[Youssef2015]

Hi.

I can tell you from experience that your friend will have no problems going to Spain or any other Schengen country before Belgium. I had a Norway Schengen visa before but went to Germany first and had no problems at all.

[Cayos]

I can also confirm that travelling with a Schengen visa issued by one country to another will not be a problem: this can be compared with the international driving licence - it is issued by one country but can be used in another. Your friend may be asked at the border why he got the visa at the Belgian consulate but travelling with it to Spain but if he provides a reasonable explanation, there shouldn't be any issues.

[member]

Will he/she travel to Belgium before the Schengen visa expires?

[cs95tdg]

Is it mandatory to travel first to the country who issued Schengen Visa or one can travel to any other country?

The general requirement is that you apply for the schengen visa from the country that you will be spending the longest amount of time (main destination) or in the event that there is no main destination then the country that you will be visiting first.