Schengen Visa

[North]

Good morning
I've just booked my 1p flights to Portugal for a week next month, where do i go and sort out a schengen visa for my wife?
Cheers

[North]

Good morning
I've just booked my 1p flights to Portugal for a week next month, where do i go and sort out a schengen visa for my wife?
Cheers

[-Keith-]

Try the Portuguese Embassy

Portuguese Embassy

[North]

Guess that means London then!
Cheers

[Andy R]

I thought I read a post on here a while ago, that from 13th/16th October this year a schengen visa was no longer needed??? I really don't want to hear it was only rumour.
Seemed to recall someone had some documents that they were gonna read through and then post the details here??

[siamsteve]

If You have'nt got time try these Schengen Office They sorted Leks visa out in under a week

[Tobias]

Members should note that 'The Schengen Office' referred to in Siam Steve's post is a Private Company which simply offers a visa courier service to various embassies in the UK.

For the avoidance of doubt, The Schengen Office is NOT an official UK/EU government office/agency but a profit making privately owned business.

That being said, it may be of use to those who are unable/unwilling to attend at an Embassy in person to obtain a visa for certain countries. Bear in mind that the fees shown on their website are in addition to the visa application fee you will have to pay to the relevant Embassy.

[John]

Andy, with reference to your post earlier today ..... and indeed I suspect lots of others .... I have at last received a copy of the reply that my MEP has received from Franco Frattini, who is one of the EU Commissioners, and indeed the one who is in charge of "freedom of movement" issues.

It is quite technical, and personally it will take a bit of time for me to work out exactly what it is saying, but here is the letter :-

[colin244]

John,
I and no doubt many other members will await your interpretations and thoughts
Regards
colin 244

[Bryn&Mot]

I think the last paragraph in John's 1st post post sum's it up.

I hope I have read it correctly , and I take it that a "residence card" is an FLR,or doe's it mean ILR.?

I hope that this will be a major break through for all the people here that hold Thai passports

[colin244]

Bryn,
I am hoping it is also an FLR but knowing my luck with such things probably not!
colin 244

[John]

Bryn posted :-

I hope I have read it correctly , and I take it that a "residence card" is an FLR,or doe's it mean ILR.?

That is the crux of the matter, what exactly is a "Residence Card"? What follows is not necessarily my final conclusion but I fear that neither a FLR nor ILR are strictly within the definition of "Residence Card".

Let's just stand back for a moment and consider applications made by EEA nationals and their non-EEA national family members. It is clear that in that situation the following applies. The EEA national can have a Residence Permit put into their passport and their non-EEA family members will end up with a Residence Card put into theirs. So I think there is no doubt ... this is absolutely good news for the likes of Henson, or rather for his wife, where clearly what is held by her is specifically a Residence Card issued under EEA legislation. No doubt in my mind that such people can now travel visa-free around the rest of the EEA, and that includes not just the Schengen area, but also non-Schengen countries such as Ireland, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary etc etc..

As Franco Frattini notes, in the 4th paragraph on the first page of his letter, a visa issued under national legislation, rather than EU/EEA legislation, is not strictly a "Residence Card". It therefore remains to be seen, or needs to be investigated further, whether such visas will indeed be accepted as a "Residence Card" by various EEA countries.

Other opinions very welcome on this rather technical matter.

[Skippy]

John appart from telling me to hurry up and sit the test - where would this ruling leave Me and Mrs Skippy

as we are both currently ILR

-Skippy

[John]

Skippy I recollect that you are Australian and accordingly you and your wife are in the UK using UK legislation rather than EU/EEA legislation.

So it is the same issue as for a British Citizen (apart from one using the Surinder Singh route) and their say Thai spouse ... does a visa issued under UK legislation (as distinct from EU/EEA legislation) count as a "Residence Card"?

[Vinny]

The MEP's answer seems to relate to the topic I started earlier. However, Directive 2004/38/EC is different from REGULATION (EC) No 562/2006 that was under discussion in ILR & Schengen Visa. In the latter case:

15. ‘residence permit’ means:
(a) all residence permits issued by the Member States according to the uniform format laid down by Council Regulation (EC) No 1030/2002 of 13 June 2002 laying down a uniform format for residence permits for thirdcountry nationals (2);
(b) all other documents issued by a Member State to thirdcountry nationals authorising a stay in, or re-entry into, its territory, with the exception of temporary permits issued pending examination of a first application for a residence permit as referred to in point (a) or an application for asylum;

Moreover, perhaps the MEP can also explain the consequences of paragraph 27?

(27) This Regulation constitutes a development of provisions of the Schengen acquis in which the United Kingdom does not take part, in accordance with Council Decision 2000/365/EC of 29 May 2000 concerning the request of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen acquis (6). The United Kingdom is therefore not taking part in its adoption and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

[Andy R]

This topic has totally lost me now.... All the kafuful has my head spinning! Any one know if this answer is a yes you need a schengen visa or no?

[mellowsailor]

Moreover, perhaps the MEP can also explain the consequences of paragraph 27?

I think Vinny's hit the nail on the head. It isn't clear at all what is supposed to happen. It is possible to infer that all the countries which haven't opted out of these directives are bound by them, and must therefore admit non-EU partners of Brit citizens who hold the correct residence document (whatever that is) without a visa, but at the same time the UK, because of Para27, is not obliged to reciprocate. I can't see that happening, can you?

[iancanton]

since this has the potential for much confusion, i can see the visa-free rule being applied by some schengen countries to uk spouses, but not by other schengen countries. what a mess!

ian.

[ash]

i can see the visa-free rule being applied by some schengen countries to uk spouses, but not by other schengen countries. what a mess!

I suspect there will also be an issue with airline check in as last time we returned to switzerland the easyjet check in could not recognise Daengs swiss residence permit and was at one point trying to tell her she could not return home. I asked at the german border and they still maintain a Schengen visa is required if someone holds a swiss permit except for transiting schengen land (max 5 days)

If anyone is planning a trip in the near future I would apply for the visa anyway to be safe until this is resolved with a clear yes or no.

ash

[Skippy]

Where do I get one of those MEP letters from. Basically do I get one of them and carry it with us along with our marriage certificate when we want to visit the continent.


- Skippy

PS who said

We are part of a club which includes reciprocal arrangements. Its part of being an open, outward looking, society.

then went on to say something like I wouldn't understand

- well in this case I openly admit I don't understand - as it seems that some Europeans are more equal than others