ASKTHEEXPERT
• If you are travelling between two Schengen
countries where one is not in the EU (e.g. Sweden
to Norway), there are customs checks but no
passport checks.
Know before you go:
Apply at the correct window!
Going to Portugal, France and Italy—in that order? Your
point of application is the place where you arrive first.
So, head for the Portuguese consulate.But this is not a
blanket rule. Sometimes, they see how long you will be
staying in a country, rather than where you landed first.
When in doubt, check with your travel agent.
Be honest
VIsa officers are trained to sift frauds and fakes. Don’t
assume you will get away with a lie, however small.
Know the duration of your stay. A Schengen Visa is
usually granted as a single entry or multi-entry visa
and is valid for three, six or 12 months. However each
consulate grants Schengen Visas using different scoring
criteria. It’s important to be very clear and honest about
your travel intentions.
Do your paperwork well.
Each consulate requires a different set of documents. While
UK requires biometrics to be done, Italy, France and Portugal
are fine with just knowing your flight and hotel information.
EXPERT ADVICE
What’s the most common reason
visas get rejected?
Lack of knowledge about documentation. When
you apply for a visa at an embassy, it is the
papers that represent the applicant, rather than
the traveller himself. So, if these papers are not in
order—which is often the case when dealing with
inexperienced travel agents—the chances of your
visa getting rejected are high.
Does one rejection affect your
chances for the next time?
Yes, to an extent it is a big factor. Once you have
a rejection stamp on your passport, questions can
definitely arise as to why your visa was rejected
earlier. The key is give proper reasons and justify
yourself by proving that it was a mistake and you
are a bona fide passenger.
Have you come across an example
where Schengen was rejected for
somewhat unexpected reasons?
Yes. There have been cases where the Schengen
Look up the list and make sure you tick every box when
you submit your file.
We know people with perfect credentials whose
Schengens were rejected simply because of “insufficient
documents submitted.” If your paperwork is in order,
though, those officers will cheerfully grant you your wish!
Get Travel Insurance.
Travel insurance is a must on application.
Plan early
You may only get an appointment to apply for the visa in
3 weeks’ time, so this should be taken into consideration.
Check your passport
Is it valid for the next 6 to 12 months? Does it have a
blank page or two to accommodate the visa stamp?
These small, often overlooked details can have you
staring at a “Rejected” stamp.
Check for Updates
Visa rules change. Even as you read this, the country you
are headed for might have an important update. Visit
the website and comb through it for new alerts. It makes
sense to know before you go!
Visa was rejected because the visa service provider
was not aware of the rules and misguided the
passenger. For example; telling the passenger that
it is okay to apply without a confirmed ticket. This
a very basic requirement for Schengen and visas
have been rejected for not having a ticket.
What is one visa secret you would
like our readers to know?
Be transparent while applying for the visa. Go
to the right people who can expertly guide you
through every step of the visa application process.
Vishwajeet Singh,
Director of IVA World
Visa Guide is a senior IT
professional with over 12
years of experience in the
Travel Industry.
September-October 2015 Travel Secrets 53