Arthur Little
18th May 2011, 00:08
... British-based Filipino residents intending to travel to Continental Europe:-
Those of you who've been forum members for a while, may remember Myrna and I travelled to Paris by Eurostar for a belated honeymoon in March 2010 ... having been granted a Multiple-Entry Schengen Visa - valid for 6 months - the previous November.
Back then, it seems we'd applied in the "nick of time" :rolleyes: ... since we were not asked to provide evidence of any *travel arrangements and/or pre-booked accommodation - and the visa was issued purely on the strength of Myrna being married to me.
However, this is no longer the case :NoNo: - as I found out when I emailed the Italian Consulate in Edinburgh a fortnight ago ... with a view to spending 7 days in Rome. *These details MUST now be provided, apparently.
So, last Wednesday, we went to a local travel agency and did the necessary. Today, we travelled through to Edinburgh to deposit our documents ... only to be told that they should normally be sent by post. :doh
Luckily - once I'd explained we had acted according to the instructions given in their response to my email - they relented, and we came away with the assurance that my wife's passport would be returned to her [with visa intact] within 15 days (we fly from Prestwick, June 14 ... returning 21st!) in the pre-paid Royal Mail envelope we'd provided.
Those of you who've been forum members for a while, may remember Myrna and I travelled to Paris by Eurostar for a belated honeymoon in March 2010 ... having been granted a Multiple-Entry Schengen Visa - valid for 6 months - the previous November.
Back then, it seems we'd applied in the "nick of time" :rolleyes: ... since we were not asked to provide evidence of any *travel arrangements and/or pre-booked accommodation - and the visa was issued purely on the strength of Myrna being married to me.
However, this is no longer the case :NoNo: - as I found out when I emailed the Italian Consulate in Edinburgh a fortnight ago ... with a view to spending 7 days in Rome. *These details MUST now be provided, apparently.
So, last Wednesday, we went to a local travel agency and did the necessary. Today, we travelled through to Edinburgh to deposit our documents ... only to be told that they should normally be sent by post. :doh
Luckily - once I'd explained we had acted according to the instructions given in their response to my email - they relented, and we came away with the assurance that my wife's passport would be returned to her [with visa intact] within 15 days (we fly from Prestwick, June 14 ... returning 21st!) in the pre-paid Royal Mail envelope we'd provided.