Schengen Visa Question

[tjb30i]

This is the situation I am in. My Thai GF applied for a Schengen visa through the Belgium embassy. Originally told it takes about two weeks but right now it has been 4 1/2 weeks and we are being told it will take about another 2 weeks due to current wait times. I am listed down as the financial sponsor. On top of this I don't think she will get approved as she got caught lying and then they had to change the form before they submitted it to Belgium.

 

I have two options:

1) Wait to find out the decision from the Belgium embassy. Downside is if she is turned down we may have to wait 3 months to apply again at another country within the Schengen region as it looks strange if she suddenly turns up at another embassy and being turned down is a mark against her. Certainly would not want to wait 3 months.

 

2) Cancel the Visa application. Reapply at another embassy like Denmark where she has been before and it only takes 2-3 days to get a decision. She would apply without me as the financial sponsor and have enough money in her account to support her stay. Just explain it has taken so long to get a decision she has changed her travel arrangements.

 

Any suggestions on which path to take? I am worried if she is turned down for this Schengen visa despite being approved twice before through Denmark that it will make it very difficult to get her back into Europe in a reasonable period of time.

 

One more question. When you have to prove you have funds to support yourself what is stopping you from saying you are travelling for 2 weeks with funds to support this period of time and a return airfare and then you extend the stay and change the flight to 3 months when you are here (you have the 3 month Visa). Does this hurt you next time you apply?

Edited September 30, 2009 by tjb30i

[hedonist]

I can see two things that might go against her

Why are you (an American, going by you flag icon) sponsoring someone to apply for a Schengen visa, which is for travel in Europe only. would that be acceptable to Immigration, i dont know, but it might raise a concern with them

But the most important one is the lying. Why would she feel the need to lie on a visa application when she has already been grated them in the past.

Also, you appear to be saying she abused the visa system before, by changing her plans by extending her stay from one stated to be for only 2 weeks.

Is there more to this than you are saying?

I ask because i cant see why, when there were good results by applying to Denmark on 2 previous occasions, she NOW applies somewhere else

 

Hedonist

Edited September 30, 2009 by hedonist

[tjb30i]

I can see two things that might go against her

Why are you (an American, going by you flag icon) sponsoring someone to apply for a Schengen visa, which is for travel in Europe only. would that be acceptable to Immigration, i dont know, but it might raise a concern with them

But the most important one is the lying. Why would she feel the need to lie on a visa application when she has already been grated them in the past.

Also, you appear to be saying she abused the visa system before, by changing her plans by extending her stay from one stated to be for only 2 weeks.

Is there more to this than you are saying?

I ask because i cant see why, when there were good results by applying to Denmark on 2 previous occasions, she NOW applies somewhere else

 

Hedonist

Thanks for the questions as I need to help clarify better.

 

I live in Belgium and I am a Belgium resident. Originally from the U.S. so this is why I have a US flag. You only have to be a Belgium resident to apply and this is perfectly acceptable.

 

No she never abused the system before. She visited a previous boyfriend twice in Denmark and did exactly what she said she would do. I noticed on a UK visa post that they recommended that you do not say she is staying for 3 months as it looks strange to immigration and stick with the normal 3 weeks. It is just easier and simpler to apply through Denmark if she wants to visit me in Belgium due to very short lead times, easier approval and she has been there before. Not strictly according to the rules as you are supposed to apply at the embassy based on which ever country you stay the longest in. In reality they don't know where and how long you travelled within Schengen provinces once you arrived. She would return within the Visa period. Even if she changed the return flight for a longer stay I am not sure this is abusing the system. If she is granted a 3 month visa and returns within 3 months is this really abusing the system?

 

Forgot to say why she lied. Originally she just said I was a friend concerned what they would think if she said she was staying with a boyfriend for 3 months and might think she would not come back. They did not believe this when they questionned her again she admitted I was the boyfriend. Should have been honest upfront but that is already done. We could however just cancel the visa application and reapply at the Denmark embassy.

Edited September 30, 2009 by tjb30i

[hedonist]

I would think that any cancelation and re-application in another of the Schengen Visa countries would flag it up as an attempt to cover up the original lie, TBH (strange creatures, these immigration people around the world)

If they knew about it in Belgium, you can rest assured they will know about it in Denmark soon enough too !!!

I would advise to let it be and hope for the best, but prepare for a refusal.

And as to your question about saying one thing on application regarding length of stay,and then changing it to a longer stay, i wouldnt say it was abusing the system, but..........strange creatures, these immigration people around the world

Perhaps you might like to seek out some professional immigration expert to advise you

 

Hedonist

Edited September 30, 2009 by hedonist

[Benny10]

The staff of the visa sections are not stupid and they know exactly about most scams, so honesty should have been best option at the first stage. I think that your GF lost a lot of crediblity by lying to them.

 

As far as I’m informed countries which signed the Schengen treaty are connected to a common database, so it’s very likely that other embassies will refuse her application too.

 

I remember when I applied for my GF’s visa at the Austrian embassy they asked me I could guarantee with my European income.

I answered that I’m working in LOS so I can’t proof any income in Europe. Instead I offered them my bank statement from SCB, my GF’s salary slip plus a cofirmation from her empolyer.

The next morning we could pick the visa up.

 

I think that honesty makes life far more easier.

[Thai Visa Express]

You technically should enter via the country which issued the visa.

 

My experience is this never lie on the visa application we have had several clients enter our office one recently with a 10 year ban on entering the UK.

 

Deception is a deliberate act to mislead the ECO to facilitate the visa issue.

 

Whats the rush sit tight and await the outcome.

 

 

13 July 2009: Visa Fraud. If you provide false information, documents or passports in support of your visa application, you will be refused a visa and all future applications will be refused for up to 10 years. You may be prosecuted and could face a fine or even go to prison. You should make sure the information given on your visa application form is correct; the documents you provide to support your application are not forged; your passport has not been altered and does not contain false stamps or visas. You should check the information you provide is correct and legitimate. You can report migration or visa fraud, including people who produce or provide false documents; people smuggling or corruption in the visa process to the nearest British mission - please see the 'contact us' section on this website. The information you provide will be kept confidential.

[Big Casino]

You technically should enter via the country which issued the visa.

 

My experience is this never lie on the visa application we have had several clients enter our office one recently with a 10 year ban on entering the UK.

 

Deception is a deliberate act to mislead the ECO to facilitate the visa issue.

 

Whats the rush sit tight and await the outcome.

 

 

13 July 2009: Visa Fraud. If you provide false information, documents or passports in support of your visa application, you will be refused a visa and all future applications will be refused for up to 10 years. You may be prosecuted and could face a fine or even go to prison. You should make sure the information given on your visa application form is correct; the documents you provide to support your application are not forged; your passport has not been altered and does not contain false stamps or visas. You should check the information you provide is correct and legitimate. You can report migration or visa fraud, including people who produce or provide false documents; people smuggling or corruption in the visa process to the nearest British mission - please see the 'contact us' section on this website. The information you provide will be kept confidential.

 

 

I just replied to a thread yesterday reference Visa,s and will state again do not lie or concoct documents. My mates girl was refused a Visa I beleive for doing just this. 2 attempts nearly 8000 baht down drain, she cant apply for 6 months and may not even get one if she tries next year. Its all about honesty and integrity.

[tjb30i]

It was interesting as the embassy officer that conducted the initial interview called her a couple of days later and said she had not submitted the application to Belgium yet and wanted to get the story straight and honest first before she submitted it. At that point my GF was honest and the officer said she would only reflect the correct version in the application to Belgium. If that was the case it might not harm her when they review it in Brussels unless of course they also communicated the inconsistent stories. I can confirm that she did hold up sending it to Brussels a few days longer than other applications to get the story correct. I guess I will see within the next couple of weeks.

 

I think the biggest thing going in her favor is that this would be her third Schengen visa she has applied for an d and it was granted both times previously and she had no non compliant issues. They seemeed to be very interested in this piece and asked several questions around it. They also took her old passport showing the Visa's had been granted before.

Edited September 30, 2009 by tjb30i