Schengen Visa-How difficult?

[Jetson 0]

Planning on travelling in Europe. Can anyone share their experience, and or knowledge in getting a Schengen visa? Difficulties or easy in acquiring the visa, suggestions, etc...

Spouse (applicant) is a green card US resident.

Thanks

[Liebi 0]

The law says, that a visa is not required for semi-annual visits of up to 3 months for nationals of those countries for which the European Community has abolished the visa requirement.

You as a US citizen won't have to aquire a visa to travel to Europe because the US belongs to those countries that the EU has abolished the visa requirement. All you need is a valid passport. I am not sure about your wife though. Citizens of Moldova cannot travel in the European Community without obtaining a visa, I don't know if her US GC exempts her from that, I don't believe it, though.

Do you know where you would like to start your travelling in Europe? Get her a visa for that country, once she legally entered one country that signed the Schengen agreement she is allowed to enter all other Schengen countries as well as long as the visa is valid.

Here are the requirements (the link is German, the web site is English) for obtaining a visa for Germany along with info about the Schengen agreement and Schengen visa, I am sure that France, Italy etc. work this in a similar way.

http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/diplo/en/Wi...mmungen.html#t2

[Ta Ta 1]

I would like to know myself if a green card holder can travel to Germany without a visa ? I can't find the info provided in the link.

[Lansbury 19]

I would like to know myself if a green card holder can travel to Germany without a visa ? I can't find the info provided in the link.

Having a green card has nothing to do with visa requirements. If or not you require a visa is determined by what countries passport you are travelling on. If travelling on a US passport look at visa requirements for US citizens, if you are using a passport issued by another country the visa requirements are what applies to citizens of that country.

So if you are using a passport from Sierra Leone does Germany require citizens from there to obtain a visa for entry into Germany.

[Liebi 0]

I would like to know myself if a green card holder can travel to Germany without a visa ? I can't find the info provided in the link.

I am pretty sure that it is not possible to travel to German as a Greencard holder from Sierra Leone.

But I don't want to say I am 100% sure.

Please contact the German consulate in Chicago: http://www.germany.info/relaunch/info/miss...go/chicago.html and go from there. They will def. be able to provide you with the correct info.

From my understanding, it is the citizenship that decides wether a person needs a visa or not. It does not matter wether you are a Greencard holder or not, the Germans will look at the passport, not the Greencard.

If you follow the link I posted above, then click on visa requirements/list of countries... you will see that, as a citizen of Sierra Leone, you (your spouse) will be required to obtain a visa (a so called visitor visa or Schengen visa, that allows a person to stay/travel in all 15 Schengen countries for 90 days, costs: 60 Euro) before travelling to Germany. You can also download the form right on that website.

[chris4336 3]

Hey,

We tried to get a Schengen visa for France and were denied. My husband is from Algeria and only had AP at that point. They didn't tell us why, but I think you need to show significant ties to this country (ie: lots of money in the bank, a house, cars etc) and we are just "starting out" so to speak. All Schengen countries require a visa with a green card. Once you are a citizen you don't need a visa. However, Switzerland only requires a green card (no visa) if you are interested in going there.

This is a good website to check requirements:

http://www.delta.com/planning_reservations...rt_information/

If you want any info on the application process I can help you as well.

Hope you have better luck than we did,

Christina

[Liebi 0]

Yeah, chris4436 is right, money is a big issue.

You need to provide sufficient information that you have enough money and, that's for Germany, with the visa application you need to show proof/confirmation letter from your health insurance stating coverage with a minimum of 37.500.- US-$ for trips outside the US, so in case something happens, you will be covered and the state will not have to pay for the treatments.

It also helps to provide a bank statement and an employer letter and, if applicable, a letter from people in Germany/the country you want to travel to, stating that you are invited or proof of hotel/airline (roundtrip-ticket) reservation.

[Ta Ta 1]

Thank you, that is all very helpful advice.