Schengen Visa for Spain ... QUESTIONS

[freyter]

I am sure the visa has now been applied for and is firmly stuck in your passport, but I thought I would add this for anyone coming across this thread in the future.

When my wife and I applied for a Schengen visa through VFS in London, for Spain, the application was delay because they didn't have enough proof of purchase for the flights. We had 'confirmation of booking' print-outs for our flights, but that wasn't enough, apparently. We did ask what else they could possibly want, bearing in mind that most flight bookings are electronic now, and all they could say was 'what you have provided isn't enough'.

We then went back to the flight operator, and found out that, although they don't do it as a matter of course, they can also provided itemised electronic receipts. This is what we sent on to VFS, and we got the visa and passport back quickly afterwards.

It's important to bear in mind that, it's not the Spanish Embassy, but VFS making these decisions about what documentation to accept. I think we may have got a rep on a bad day, and it cost us time and a bit of extra money.

[Trefor]

I am sure the visa has now been applied for and is firmly stuck in your passport, but I thought I would add this for anyone coming across this thread in the future.

When my wife and I applied for a Schengen visa through VFS in London, for Spain, the application was delay because they didn't have enough proof of purchase for the flights. We had 'confirmation of booking' print-outs for our flights, but that wasn't enough, apparently. We did ask what else they could possibly want, bearing in mind that most flight bookings are electronic now, and all they could say was 'what you have provided isn't enough'.

We then went back to the flight operator, and found out that, although they don't do it as a matter of course, they can also provided itemised electronic receipts. This is what we sent on to VFS, and we got the visa and passport back quickly afterwards.

It's important to bear in mind that, it's not the Spanish Embassy, but VFS making these decisions about what documentation to accept. I think we may have got a rep on a bad day, and it cost us time and a bit of extra money.

For anyone applying in future, when you call the VFS for an appointment ask for one directly with the embassy. We've done that for both French and Netherlands Schengens. They do have appointments to give out, don't let them fob you off. There is no cost direct either. Edited to add: We did the NL through their consulate in Birmingham, we didn't even have to go to London

[Donutz]

For anyone applying in future, when you call the VFS for an appointment ask for one directly with the embassy. We've done that for both French and Netherlands Schengens. They do have appointments to give out, don't let them fob you off. There is no cost direct either. Edited to add: We did the NL through their consulate in Birmingham, we didn't even have to go to London

I agree, not only will it save you the "service fee" it will also save you of incompetent VFS staff. In the case of Freyter:

- The VFS staffer was wrong, because EU/EEA spouse applicants cannot be forced to hand over ANY evidence of proof of transport, this is optional (but handy) as a non EU national only needs to show that they are 1) married to the EU national (family relation) 2) ID's of those involved 3) that they will travel together (but there is no specific requirement how to do so, according to the EU and any immigration lawyer a written statement from the EU national is sufficient). For 3 some Embassies prefer or even insist on proof of transport and/or accommodation even if the application form indicates that these questions are marked with an * and can be skipped. Practical approach is to play along with this silly request if you can but complain later and if you had additional costs, ask those to be refunded. The Embassy may laugh at you, so better forward their response to the EU (Solvit, EU Commission etc.).

- For regular travelers an electronic printout of a reservation should be enough. Some embassies don't even bother with this anymore and in the new Schengen rules that the EU member states are currently discussing about (see proposal from 1-4-2014), most member states and the EU want to get rid of this piece of evidence alltogether as it doesn't fit in with the modern day approach of online bookings.

- The Embassy remains responsible for giving VFS proper instructions. These sometimes are insufficient or VFS staff itself simply does a poor job.

- VFS are paper pushers, they do NOT set the requirements and they do not decide over applications, they could give advice but never demand that documents are to be removed or more need to be added.
= a complaint to VFS, Embassy and the EU (Solvit, EU Commission) would have been in order including asking the costs back for the silly confirmation that this incompetent staffer demanded.
= also: scr*w the external party, head for the Embassy/Consulat instead.