Change in travel dates while waiting for Schengen Visa result
I applied for a Germany Schengen visa and I'm waiting for the result. Assuming that I get the visa: In my application I stated the dates of travel from December 15 to December 31, 2021 I also bought the health insurance plan for said dates. Let's say there's a change in plans, and I want to go from December 10th, 2021 rather than December 15th.
Question: is it legal to do so, or will there be there any record on my Schengen visa, stating that I have to travel on the date that I used in my visa application (December 15th - December 31st)?
Best Answer
I asked the German Consulate in Toronto and here is their answer (relevant excerpt from the full screenshot here):
With regards to your question, a tourist visa will be issued as per submitted documents at your visa appointment. In other words, if you submit documents for a trip to Germany from December 23rd to 31st, the visa will be issued for exactly that time period. It is not possible to enter the country at an earlier date in this case.
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Can I change my travel date after getting Schengen Visa?
You cannot change your itinerary so completely that the information you gave in the visa application is no longer true. If you planned a trip lasting 10 days, and you now have 15 days "duration of stay", you can extend your trip by up to 5 days (including a visit to another country if you want).How long does it take to hear back for Schengen Visa?
You will have to wait at least 15 days for your Schengen Visa to be processed, though the processing time will depend on your case. In specific cases, embassies can take 30 days to process a visa, and the Schengen Visa processing time could even be as long as 60 days in extraordinary circumstances.How are Schengen days counted?
You may only visit the Schengen Area for a total of 90 days within 180 days. The 180 days are counted backwards from your latest entry or exit date. This means it's counted from the first day you entered (if you have not left yet) or the final day you visited the Schengen Area (the date of exit).Can you fast track a Schengen Visa?
To know can Schengen visa be expedited, you can read further: Standard processing time: This is the basic plan taking a considerable time for the processing. The amount for this is also nominal. Rush processing time: In this plan, the visa will get processed faster.REASONS WHY SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATIONS GET REJECTED (Highly requested)
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Answer 2
Changing your mind or slightly altering your plans is not illegal per se and the visa sticker won't mention your original plan. On the other hand, your visa will have a period of validity and that's the only thing that matters. If, as is likely, you are issued a visa valid from December 15th then you are out of luck and cannot present yourself to the border five days earlier (if entering by plane, you would be denied boading). If for some reason your visa starts earlier or if you change your plans to travel later then it's perfectly fine.
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