When to visit both the Schengen area and the UK, which visa should be obtained first?
I am from India. My wife has traveled to UK for a year for work. I am planning to go to UK in May 2016 and will be staying for three months. We want to visit multiple Schengen countries i.e. France, Spain, Germany, etc. I have read the Schengen visa document and everywhere it is mentioned we need to show a flight reservation and the country from where we will enter Schengen territory.
I am confused in this part as in I can't show them any reservation as I will be travelling from London.
So what document shall I show to the embassy for this?
Do I have to show them any travel document from London?
And do I also need to show them my London return ticket as well?
Also please correct me here:
- I need to take a UK visa first from India.
- Apply for a Schengen visa immediately from India. I will apply at the French Embassy as that will be first country I will visit.
Best Answer
If your question is about which visa to apply for first, it makes no difference, however I would suggest you apply for the UK visa first as it seems to take less time (3 days) on average to process than the Schengen visa which requires you to go submit biometric data and can take up to 15 days.
As for the travel reservations, it's enough to show them proof of how you're getting there, in your case from the UK a train or flight reservation is enough. They also want to make sure you're leaving the Schengen area, so again a flight out of France should be sufficient.
If you're going back to the UK after Schengen, just make sure your UK visa covers that and you have another flight out of the UK. This is really all they want to know, that you're not planning to stay.
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Quick Answer about "When to visit both the Schengen area and the UK, which visa should be obtained first?"
Should my first trip be to the country which issued my Schengen Visa?
There is no general requirement that you must enter the Schengen Area through the country that issued your visa. Your main destination may be different than your first destination. To prevent complications, stick to your itinerary as best you can.Does Schengen Visa cover UK before Brexit?
No. After Brexit - the EU consists of 27 member states - while the Schengen Area contains 26 countries - not all of whom are in the EU. Ireland is not in the Schengen Area - while Norway Switzerland Iceland and Liechtenstein are all in the Schengen Area - but not in the EU. Britain is not in either group as of 2021.Should my first trip be to the country issued by Schengen Visa can I enter a different Schengen country?
Your first country of entry is the country in which you enter the Schengen Area for the first time from the outside. It does not need to be the country that issued you with a Schengen Visa, as you must apply with the nation where you are planning to spend the majority of your stay in the Schengen Area.Can I enter and or exit the Schengen Area visa a country other than the one for which I have a visa?
According to the Schengen rules, the Schengen visa is generally valid for all the countries in the Schengen area. Please note, however, that you always have to apply at the consulate of the country which is your primary destination (see FAQ no 5).THE SCHENGEN ZONE TRAVEL EXPLAINED - DIGITAL NOMAD TV
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