Why was I asked to provide proof of travel AFTER returning from Schengen area?
I have received my Schengen visa (short-stay) issued by the Austrian Embassy in Australia (main purpose Germany)
I have been told that 'upon return, you are expected to show proof to the Austrian Embassy that you have travelled as stated in your application and in your itinerary. Please therefore provide for example the invoices issued from your hotels, your train/bus transport receipts, stamps in your passport etc.'
Is this a regular request? Was I singled out and should I be concerned? Also, does this mean that I cannot make any change to my travel plans? (e.g. - depart a country on the 3rd instead of the 4th or stay in a different hotel?). What would happen if they are not happy with the proof?
Best Answer
Is this a regular request? Was I singled out and should I be concerned?
I don't think you should be concerned. I'm not sure if it's regular or not, but it has been reported on various travelling forums in Vietnam that the French embassy and consulate in Vietnam often randomly choose people who must report to them after the trip to make sure that they follow the plan. That usually applies to people who go backpacking and apply for a free-trip visa without an invitation letter.
However I've also seen travel agencies claiming that the embassy/consulate requires them to show passports of all the people joining the tour after the trip, therefore you have to leave your passports at their place for a few more days
Also, does this mean that I cannot make any change to my travel plans? (e.g. - depart a country on the 3rd instead of the 4th or stay in a different hotel?).
It doesn't mean that you can't make any changes, but you'll have less flexibility.
For example a person I know bought a temporary flight ticket to apply for a visa. Then she realized that there were other much cheaper flight choices and intended to modify the plan after obtaining the visa. Unfortunately she must report to the consulate 2 days after the trip, thus can't change the plan anymore and had to continue with the expensive tickets
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Can I leaving Schengen Area and returning?
Once you leave, you cannot return to Spain (or Schengen) without a visa until a further 90 days have gone by. For example, if you have spent 90 days in total in Spain and leave on June 29th, you cannot go back without a visa until at least September 28th.Do they check passport between Schengen countries?
Any person, irrespective of nationality, can travel between Schengen countries without going through border checks. However, national authorities can carry out police checks at borders between these countries and in border areas.Can I enter and or exit the Schengen Area via a country other than the one for which I have a visa?
As a general rule, you may cross any Schengen border with visa issued by any Schengen country. However, you should try and stick to your itinerary as filed when applying for your Schengen Visa.How long do you have to leave the Schengen Zone before returning?
Most visitors (including Americans) are allowed to spend 90 days in the Schengen Area in every 180-day period. The easiest way to think of it is that you can visit for 3 months and then you have to leave for 3 months before you can return.THE SCHENGEN ZONE TRAVEL EXPLAINED - DIGITAL NOMAD TV
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