Recent experiences getting Schengen visa

phil77 said:
Went to VFS to apply for Netherlands Shengen visa on Tuesday in Johannesburg. Later that day, I receive a WhatsApp message asking me if I wanted to get the application sent the following morning and what would I give the person.
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I’d have reported this swiftly with a big f*cking noise. You are paying a service fee to a private entity who has to perform, presumably according to an SLA, duties for the consulate.
That person should be fired.
 
Asgard85 said:
I’d have reported this swiftly with a big f*cking noise. You are paying a service fee to a private entity who has to perform, presumably according to an SLA, duties for the consulate.
That person should be fired.
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when I was there ppl came with a messed up appointment after driving 3 hours and then had to come back next day
 
Report it straight away, up the line and not via the centre. https://visa.vfsglobal.com/zaf/en/can/contact-us
They are playing silly buggers there, I was there a few month ago and they holding applications before sending and then not notifying when applications returned.
Not impressed with the JHB branch would rather use the PTA branch even with the drive.

I got a Swiss one in PTA last year and completely different experience at the PTA branch much better one.

phil77 said:
Went to VFS to apply for Netherlands Shengen visa on Tuesday in Johannesburg. Later that day, I receive a WhatsApp message asking me if I wanted to get the application sent the following morning and what would I give the person.
Click to expand...
 
DStvNothingOn said:
Report it straight away, up the line and not via the centre. https://visa.vfsglobal.com/zaf/en/can/contact-us
They are playing silly buggers there, I was there a few month ago and they holding applications before sending and then not notifying when applications returned.
Not impressed with the JHB branch would rather use the PTA branch even with the drive.

I got a Swiss one in PTA last year and completely different experience at the PTA branch much better one.
Click to expand...
i am going to report it. I have the screenshots as well
 
I applied for a Schengen visa via the Italian consulate last year August, using the executive/expedited (forget the exact name) service and received superb service. The visa was ready in 3 or 4 days.

Compiling the applications took SO LONG, though. It was a lot of paperwork!
 
My wife and I applied at VFS Italy in Cape Town on Tuesday, received a message yesterday (a day later) that my passport is back at VFS. Going to take longer to courier it back to me.

Has to be the fastest turn around time for me yet.
 
Candystore said:
I applied for a Schengen visa via the Italian consulate last year August, using the executive/expedited (forget the exact name) service and received superb service. The visa was ready in 3 or 4 days.

Compiling the applications took SO LONG, though. It was a lot of paperwork!
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france less than 24 hours normal route.

I absolutely hate putting these packs together.

two years ago we had to redo our Serbian one after the decline EVEN MORE STRESSFUL!!!!
 
Received 2 year visas (both me and my wife) from the Italian consulate in Cape Town. Downside, typo in our surname. Probably more effort to get this fixed than getting the visa :/
 
I got a 10 year visa in 4 days for the UK, but my 2 year Schengen took 4 weeks to get.
I found with the central decision centre step up the UK much faster and much more consistent than the Schengen, but they may have changed with all the UK budget cuts.

Candystore said:
Why do the UK visas take so much longer than Schengen?
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Snyper564 said:
france less than 24 hours normal route.

I absolutely hate putting these packs together.

two years ago we had to redo our Serbian one after the decline EVEN MORE STRESSFUL!!!!
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What was the decline reason?
 
Dylan_G said:
What was the decline reason?
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No reason given "officially"

We did however get a email from our airbnb host saying the police contacted them and they were unaware that they would be contacted and will not host us.

We can only imagine this is the reason, it is however important to note Serbia is a standalone passport you can use a schengen to get in but ours expired so needed this one separately - second application approved - rebooked all accommodation via hotels

email :p

1722609860473.png
 
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Snyper564 said:
france less than 24 hours normal route.

I absolutely hate putting these packs together.

two years ago we had to redo our Serbian one after the decline EVEN MORE STRESSFUL!!!!
Click to expand...

Good to hear. Have an appointment with the visa center for France in just over a week.
 
Strange said:
Received 2 year visas (both me and my wife) from the Italian consulate in Cape Town. Downside, typo in our surname. Probably more effort to get this fixed than getting the visa :/
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Turns out VFS decided to strip umlauts from surnames when they do the data entry instead of using the transliteration in the MRZ of the passport.

Now I understand the “do not swipe” sticky notes attached to my application…

Seems to be an Italian thing, my Swiss Schengen (also data captured by VFS) from January has the proper ö -> oe mapping.

I thought VFS just forwarded all the paper, didn’t know they handled all the data entry into VIDEX.

Oh well, hopefully no airport nazi cares about this. Taking a print out from the consulate e-mail with me just in case.

Looking at it, my US visa is also like this.
 
DStvNothingOn said:
I got a 10 year visa in 4 days for the UK, but my 2 year Schengen took 4 weeks to get.
I found with the central decision centre step up the UK much faster and much more consistent than the Schengen, but they may have changed with all the UK budget cuts.
Click to expand...

Took me 4 weeks to get a UK visa in 2019, good to know it is better now.

My single day approved 2 year Schengen from the Italians is just amazing though.
 
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