schengen visa

[stevewool]

heres one for you lot to think about, talking to someone about going to france and getting the visa, what they did was get a booking for a hotel, but make sure you can cancell the room without any charge, and then get a tkt for the train, again though make sure with this you can get a full refund when you have brought the tkt, then of you go to the embassey or where ever you go to now and they dont ask for any other things, ie insurance, they received a year visa an then they cancelled the hotel and train tkt, but have used it for 3 trips and going again in june to nice, makes you think dont it

[RickyR]

We booked a cancellable hotel on booking.com, printed out a set of flight details (didnt book them, just a printout from the website), a supporting letter and we did get the insurance (cost us a fiver online). Didn't cost a penny and was dead easy, although we did it at the Spanish embassy here in Muscat.

Flights are booked for Marvie and the kids to join me in Alicante in a few weeks.

[RickyR]

We cancelled the hotel booking btw, and have booked an apartment now.

Anyone here familiar with Alicante/Benidorm area?

[stevewool]

malaga area only

[Dedworth]

heres one for you lot to think about, talking to someone about going to france and getting the visa, what they did was get a booking for a hotel, but make sure you can cancel the room without any charge, and then get a tkt for the train, again though make sure with this you can get a full refund when you have brought the tkt, then off you go to the embassy or wherever you go to now and they dont ask for any other things, ie insurance, they received a year visa an then they cancelled the hotel and train tkt, but have used it for 3 trips and going again in june to nice, makes you think dont it

An old trick

[stevewool]

my daughter has a home in france, how would i go on if that was my place to stay so just the travel cost i would need, do i have to get my daughter to write a letter or would they just cheack the address

[stevewool]

well its something i have not heard off,

[RickyR]

To make things easier steve, i'd seriously recommend going down the booking a false hotel route. Make it simple, and it'll be process in a day or so.

Otherwise yes, you'd need an invitation letter from her.

[stevewool]

cheers

[Bluebirdjones]

Anyone here familiar with Alicante/Benidorm area?


I am, altho' I'd avoid Benidorm like the plague.

[Bluebirdjones]

Schengen Visa.

I think you're going way overboard on this (booking/cancelling hotels, flights etc).

I've applied for 3 Schengen visas for my wife .... France, Spain, Netherlands.
All successfully.

We've NEVER EVER produced a travel itinery, NEVER shown bookings or confirmations of any sort, NEVER had, or been asked to show an insurance booking.

It is totally sufficient that your wife is married to a UK citizen, and that you are travelling as a couple.

[Terpe]

Where is it stated you need to prove evidence of accommodation and travel etc?
Family members of EU citizens are simply exercising their right to free movement.

[Bluebirdjones]

Where is it stated you need to prove evidence of accommodation and travel etc?
Family members of EU citizens are simply exercising their right to free movement.

Spot on !

[Terpe]

Spot on !

Sorry BBJ my post crossed with yours

[Terpe]

Where is it stated you need to prove evidence of accommodation and travel etc?
Family members of EU citizens are simply exercising their right to free movement.

Let's also not forget that the Schengen Visa is free for your spouses

[Dedworth]

Posts 11 & 12 are correct a couple of years ago before they got UK passports some single friends of my wife had all this nonsense about travel itinerarys and hotel bills etc applying for a visa to France

[stevewool]

well i am sure it has been stated on here that you need all the things above before you apply for the travel visa, ordid i dream it

[Terpe]

well i am sure it has been stated on here that you need all the things above before you apply for the travel visa, ordid i dream it

Steve,

Check out the application form.

The latest harmonised form is here


Look for the questions marked "*" and read the note at the bottom of page 1

There are many of us here that have done just that.

Oh, and please don't forget that you are not at all obliged to pay any fee at all.
You are entitled by EU law to receive the visa free of charge and without waiting those long times.

From the Schenghen Visa Handbook:-

As family members should not pay any fee when submitting the application, they cannot be obliged to obtain an appointment via a premium call line or via an external provider whose services are charged to the applicant. Family members must be allowed to lodge their application directly at the consulate without any costs. However, if family members decide not to make use of their right to lodge their application directly at the consulate but to use the extra services, they should pay for these services.

If an appointment system is nevertheless in place, separate call lines (at ordinary local tariff) to the consulate should be put at the disposal of family members respecting comparable standards to those of "premium lines", i.e. the availability of such lines should be of standards comparable to those in place for other categories of applicants and an appointment must be allocated without delay.

You and your spouse will need to travel together.
Foreign nationals residing in the UK will have been granted leave to remain for more than 6 months
The applicant's UK visa must exceed the return date of the proposed trip by more than 3 months

[RickyR]

Thats interesting about the no evidence, I've got a document here that the Embassy e-mailed me specificially relating to family members of EU Citizens and what needs to be provided. Maybe this is something specific to the Spanish Embassy here in Oman.

[Terpe]

Thats interesting about the no evidence, I've got a document here that the Embassy e-mailed me specificially relating to family members of EU Citizens and what needs to be provided. Maybe this is something specific to the Spanish Embassy here in Oman.

It seems odd to me Ricky as Schengen Visa rules, requirements and application forms are harmonised.
Check the application form I posted and also (if your interested) check the Schengen Visa Handbook. The Embassies/Consulates are meant to be strictly regulated.

[Bluebirdjones]

Ricky ... perhaps something to do with you not being actually resident in the EU ?

[RickyR]

One thing I will add though is that the Schengen visa process is far from harmonised. The different countries have very different interpretation of the rules. Having dealt with Schengen Visas on many occasions for crew going into the different countries we've had a lot of problems, to the extent that Italy would not accept a Dutch Schengen visa for crew joining a vessel, yet the Spanish and French would. Border policies and visa issuance policies do vary quite widely in the schengen zone.

[RickyR]

That is quite possible, Marvie doesn't hold EU residency. That could be part of the issue. But we did get the visas for free! :-)