I know that a few people on here are conversant with travelling
around.
I want to take the car for a ~10 day break in France, in part to
attend a wedding and in part to visit my wife's friend who is married
to a Frenchman.
Problem is my wife does not have a British passport although she has permanent residency.
The visa application seems to impose a lot of restrictions, entry and
exit need to be booked, hotels bookings shown etc etc. All seems
rather over-the-top and ringing up or emailing just results in "go to
the website".
I certainly don't want to pay for LeShuttel / Ferry and hotels not
knowing whether a visa will be granted, and I don't really want to be
tied down at this stage to a strict itinery.
Anyone had any practical suggestions?
AnthonyL <nospam@please.invalid> wrote:
I know that a few people on here are conversant with travelling
around.
I want to take the car for a ~10 day break in France, in part to
attend a wedding and in part to visit my wife's friend who is married
to a Frenchman.
Problem is my wife does not have a British passport although she has
permanent residency.
She presumably has a passport for another country? Then she's applying as
a national of that country.
The visa application seems to impose a lot of restrictions, entry and
exit need to be booked, hotels bookings shown etc etc. All seems
rather over-the-top and ringing up or emailing just results in "go to
the website".
It sounds like a standard Schengen visa process, ie she can't use the EES >'visa waiver' that British passport holders get so has to apply as the >country of her citizenship. That sounds like par for the course for
applying for a visa for a Western country when not holding citizenship of >another Western country. Visas to enter Western countries involve a lot of >questions, and the poorer your country is the harder they are to get.
It's not 'over the top' as there is a decent chance a visa might be refused
- you have to play by their rules and provide evidence. It's no joke - be >aware that a visa refusal may also make it harder to get a visa in future, >and if you lie on the forms you may get banned from having any visa in >future.
I certainly don't want to pay for LeShuttel / Ferry and hotels not
knowing whether a visa will be granted, and I don't really want to be
tied down at this stage to a strict itinery.
Anyone had any practical suggestions?
Make refundable hotel/etc and where possible travel reservations. Present >them on the visa application then, once the visa is granted, cancel or
change them. The authorities know that tourist plans may change, but one of >the points of this is proof that you can afford your trip, so having a
booked itinerary is proof of both your plans and that you can afford it. I >don't know for ferries/tunnel, but eg Eurostar will sell you a
fully-flexible fully-refundable train ticket. Booking.com often lets you >reserve hotels with easy/free cancellation.
You also need evidence to show that you're going to leave afterwards, and
you have ties to home that mean you're not going to abscond once you're in >the Schengen zone. This may be where bank statements, evidence of residence >etc etc may be needed.
I think there are rules about the first country you enter (you're going to >France so have to apply for a visa from France, not eg Cyprus) but once you >have entered the Schengen zone you're free to move between countries.
On 30 Apr 2026 00:36:38 +0100 (BST), Theo
<theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
AnthonyL <nospam@please.invalid> wrote:
I know that a few people on here are conversant with travelling
around.
I want to take the car for a ~10 day break in France, in part to
attend a wedding and in part to visit my wife's friend who is married
to a Frenchman.
Problem is my wife does not have a British passport although she has
permanent residency.
She presumably has a passport for another country? Then she's applying as >>a national of that country.
The visa application seems to impose a lot of restrictions, entry and
exit need to be booked, hotels bookings shown etc etc. All seems
rather over-the-top and ringing up or emailing just results in "go to
the website".
It sounds like a standard Schengen visa process, ie she can't use the EES >>'visa waiver' that British passport holders get so has to apply as the >>country of her citizenship. That sounds like par for the course for >>applying for a visa for a Western country when not holding citizenship of >>another Western country. Visas to enter Western countries involve a lot of >>questions, and the poorer your country is the harder they are to get.
It's not 'over the top' as there is a decent chance a visa might be refused >>- you have to play by their rules and provide evidence. It's no joke - be >>aware that a visa refusal may also make it harder to get a visa in future, >>and if you lie on the forms you may get banned from having any visa in >>future.
I certainly don't want to pay for LeShuttel / Ferry and hotels not
knowing whether a visa will be granted, and I don't really want to be
tied down at this stage to a strict itinery.
Anyone had any practical suggestions?
Make refundable hotel/etc and where possible travel reservations. Present >>them on the visa application then, once the visa is granted, cancel or >>change them. The authorities know that tourist plans may change, but one of >>the points of this is proof that you can afford your trip, so having a >>booked itinerary is proof of both your plans and that you can afford it. I >>don't know for ferries/tunnel, but eg Eurostar will sell you a >>fully-flexible fully-refundable train ticket. Booking.com often lets you >>reserve hotels with easy/free cancellation.
You also need evidence to show that you're going to leave afterwards, and >>you have ties to home that mean you're not going to abscond once you're in >>the Schengen zone. This may be where bank statements, evidence of residence >>etc etc may be needed.
I think there are rules about the first country you enter (you're going to >>France so have to apply for a visa from France, not eg Cyprus) but once you >>have entered the Schengen zone you're free to move between countries.
Wot Theo sed.
What matters is her nationality (or nationalities, if she is a dual
citizen of somewhere else) in relation to visiting the EU as a
tourist. Without knowing the nationalities involved it is difficult to
advise but presumably you or she have already checked out
https://etias.com ?
She's lived in the UK 29yrs, joint house owner, married to me
(British). I was curious as to how strict etc they are with that
evidence. Plan is to drive. Seems easier to go to Turkey, work our
way to Europe and then get a migrant boat home :(
We are planning to stay with friends in two cities, or rather in
whatever accomodation is suitable near them. Are friends' addresses sufficient does anyone know? Don't really want to be booking hotels.
The on-line process seems to take no account of being a British
resident married to a British subject and being a home owner.
Travel is planned for July, AIUI etias will not by then be
implemented. Even so the Etias requirements are not clear to me. She
is from a country "Outside Schengen area, ETIAS not required " and she
has permanent UK residency status.
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