Recent experiences getting Schengen visa

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ros_b

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I need to get a Schengen visa for a holiday to Spain. I'm applying in Joburg. Wondering how long it takes applying to Spain, or maybe I should try via a different country with faster processing times. I'm under a bit of time pressure because I have to use my passport for other travel between now and my departure fo Spain.
 
ros_b said:
I need to get a Schengen visa for a holiday to Spain. I'm applying in Joburg. Wondering how long it takes applying to Spain, or maybe I should try via a different country with faster processing times. I'm under a bit of time pressure because I have to use my passport for other travel between now and my departure fo Spain.
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All I can tell you is you cannot use another country unless you are entering via that side, so if you going to Spain you will need to go via Spain for the VISA.

France precovid was less than 24 hours I need to get my Portugal one later this year. Hope you get feedback this is my 2c so far.

Also FYI if you go via BA you need an intransit VISA yes even if you do not exit the airport...
 
ros_b said:
I need to get a Schengen visa for a holiday to Spain. I'm applying in Joburg. Wondering how long it takes applying to Spain, or maybe I should try via a different country with faster processing times. I'm under a bit of time pressure because I have to use my passport for other travel between now and my departure fo Spain.
Click to expand...
Don't you have to submit adjusted itinerary if you apply for other country other than the country you are spending most time in? I am sure our we got our Spain visa within 2 or 2.5 weeks (or maybe less than that) but this was about 4 years ago.
 
Snyper564 said:
All I can tell you is you cannot use another country unless you are entering via that side, so if you going to Spain you will need to go via Spain for the VISA.

France precovid was less than 24 hours I need to get my Portugal one later this year. Hope you get feedback this is my 2c so far.

Also FYI if you go via BA you need an intransit VISA yes even if you do not exit the airport...
Click to expand...
oh wow - 24 hours to get visa? Just wow.
 
I’m told(without evidence) that Spain has the best processing times and easiest to get it done. As Snyper564 has said, you need to apply where you will be entering OR primarily staying, so trying a different country isn’t going to work.

Edit for correctness.
 
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ros_b said:
I'm under a bit of time pressure because I have to use my passport for other travel between now and my departure fo Spain.
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A few months ago I filed applications at the Cape Town branch, and got the passports returned (with visa inside) within a week.

HOWEVER, you cannot apply to the Spanish Embassy/Consulate directly, and this also means that you CANNOT apply in Johannesburg.

(You can only apply in Pretoria, Durban or Cape Town.)

 
I know you're supposed to apply where you're spending most time, or where you're entering (these could be two different countries) but they can't prove that you're not going to spend the most time in the country where you got your visa. Surely I can just say that my plans changed after getting my visa?

Yeah - one reason I wanted to avoid applying to Spain is the trek to Pretoria!
 
i dont know about spain, but i applied for a Greek Visa(part of the schengen countries), got it after a week. then plans changed and i was no longer going to Greece, but part of my plan was going to France. So i just swinged it, showed them my Greek Visa and they let me enter France no questions asked. My boss did the same and they let him in also, he flew after me.

i suppose depends on the country you visiting
 
1) Book return flight tickets to Spain
2) Create itinerary showing you leaving Spain to country x
2) Book accommodation in country x
3) Apply for Visa at country x's embassy
4) Cancel accomodation in country x
5) disfruta tu viaje!
 
ros_b said:
I know you're supposed to apply where you're spending most time, or where you're entering (these could be two different countries) but they can't prove that you're not going to spend the most time in the country where you got your visa. Surely I can just say that my plans changed after getting my visa?

Yeah - one reason I wanted to avoid applying to Spain is the trek to Pretoria!
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For the most part you can sort of do this but you need a legit itinerary and although you can get refunds via airbnb etc a flight refund/cancellation is gonna bleed you
 
azbob said:
1) Book return flight tickets to Spain
2) Create itinerary showing you leaving Spain to country x
2) Book accommodation in country x
3) Apply for Visa at country x's embassy
4) Cancel accomodation in country x
5) disfruta tu viaje!
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they will need to see travel to this country so you better have the necessary plane/train/car booking...
 
Some efficiencies .... Mexican visa was two hours while I waited. North Korean visa was 90 minutes whilst I waited. Schenghen via France in Cape Town was 3 days.
 
What duration Schengen visas are they issuing on average?
 
Se@n said:
What duration Schengen visas are they issuing on average?
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As I said it varies from country to country you really don't have a choice gotta go to longest duration stay one.

As indicated France for me was less than 24hours
 
Snyper564 said:
As I said it varies from country to country you really don't have a choice gotta go to longest duration stay one.

As indicated France for me was less than 24hours
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Think they meant for how long are the visas valid.

Se@n said:
What duration Schengen visas are they issuing on average?
Click to expand...

Answer is pretty much the same though, and also depends on how often you go. Some will give the duration of your stay, others you can say look you're going back soon and they'll give for a year.
French though in my experience give the longest although I have used them the most. They gave a 5 year one last time. Gave a colleague a one year one as well.
 
Sepeng said:
Think they meant for how long are the visas valid.



Answer is pretty much the same though, and also depends on how often you go. Some will give the duration of your stay, others you can say look you're going back soon and they'll give for a year.
French though in my experience give the longest although I have used them the most. They gave a 5 year one last time. Gave a colleague a one year one as well.
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Ah I got one year multi entry first application wife got 6 month multi entry first time, its luck of the draw
 
UK took 3 days, Greece took 10 days. But my god we had to submit basically every piece of paper known to man to prove why we were going there.

There are fast track visa's and you pay more. Best is to call and ask them what their current processing time is.
 
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