Schengen Visa question
Jul 31st, 2008, 06:03 AM
#1
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Schengen Visa question
A friend of mine, not a US citizen but a Permanent Resident had her passport amended to reflect her married name. She and her husband are off to Amsterdam on August 9th. She applied and got her Schengen Visa but for some reason the Schengen visa she got from the Dutch consulate reflected her maiden name!
She showed me the copies of all the paperwork she submitted to get the visa and each and everyone of them referred to her in her married name. (Bank statements, insurance cards, airline tickets, etc.) The only part where there was a reference to her maiden name was at the application form where it ask for "Surname at birth".
I'm not familiar with the whole Schengen visa procedure or requirements or the process that people go thru at the airport immigration. Is she going to have a problem getting in? Should she bring her marriage certificate? Will she have enough time to get the Dutch consulate amend her visa? Thanks for all replies.
She showed me the copies of all the paperwork she submitted to get the visa and each and everyone of them referred to her in her married name. (Bank statements, insurance cards, airline tickets, etc.) The only part where there was a reference to her maiden name was at the application form where it ask for "Surname at birth".
I'm not familiar with the whole Schengen visa procedure or requirements or the process that people go thru at the airport immigration. Is she going to have a problem getting in? Should she bring her marriage certificate? Will she have enough time to get the Dutch consulate amend her visa? Thanks for all replies.
Jul 31st, 2008, 06:18 AM
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who knows? The only way to answer these questions with any degree of authority is the Dutch government.
You say she is not a US citizen, so I don't know if has the right to enter Holland as simply a tourist for 90 days.
She will need to present her passport with her plane ticket. Does they have the same name?
Obviously she has to try to get the consulate to fix it before she boards the plane.
And no matter what, I think she should have her marriage certificate with her in the Netherlands.
You say she is not a US citizen, so I don't know if has the right to enter Holland as simply a tourist for 90 days.
She will need to present her passport with her plane ticket. Does they have the same name?
Obviously she has to try to get the consulate to fix it before she boards the plane.
And no matter what, I think she should have her marriage certificate with her in the Netherlands.
Jul 31st, 2008, 06:27 AM
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She needs, obviously, to discuss this with the consulate.
But she might need to be firmer with them then they think she needs to be.
If she's, say, Indonesian, the immigration people in Holland will have a brain and access to a ton of data and they'd almost certainly let her in even if it was completely the wrong name.
The real problem is the check in people at the US airline desk, THey aren't so bright, they've got less access to subtle rules, and they're told not to let, say, Indonesians onto a flight to Holland without a visa. She may well have more trouble with them than with Dutch officials.
So, whatever the consulate says, get them to write a note on Consulate letterhead saying she's clean. It never hurts to risk underestimating the intelligence of airline checkin staff
But she might need to be firmer with them then they think she needs to be.
If she's, say, Indonesian, the immigration people in Holland will have a brain and access to a ton of data and they'd almost certainly let her in even if it was completely the wrong name.
The real problem is the check in people at the US airline desk, THey aren't so bright, they've got less access to subtle rules, and they're told not to let, say, Indonesians onto a flight to Holland without a visa. She may well have more trouble with them than with Dutch officials.
So, whatever the consulate says, get them to write a note on Consulate letterhead saying she's clean. It never hurts to risk underestimating the intelligence of airline checkin staff
Jul 31st, 2008, 06:29 AM
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Yes, the Schengen Visa is what gives her the right to enter Amsterdam as a tourist. But unlike us Americans that don't need a visa and has 90-day limit, she is limited to what the Schengen Visa states. In her case the Visa is valid Aug 8-29, 2008.
Yes passport has her amended married name stamped on it so it does match the tickets.
Yes passport has her amended married name stamped on it so it does match the tickets.
Jul 31st, 2008, 06:31 AM
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Thanks FlannerUk for your suggestion about the letter. She is planning to call the Dutch Consulate about this and a letter is a good recourse with barely a week left before their departure.
Jul 31st, 2008, 08:00 AM
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Just an update. My friend did call the Dutch Consulate and was told that that is really how they issue the Schengen Visa - the woman's maiden name. As the man at the Consulate said "you may get married again and have a different last name again, but your maiden name will always be what you'll have"
Kinda different perspective, if you ask me. But my friend was assured she'll have no probems at the immigration.
Kinda different perspective, if you ask me. But my friend was assured she'll have no probems at the immigration.
Jul 31st, 2008, 08:56 AM
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zeppole says:
<i>You say she is not a US citizen, so I don't know if has the right to enter Holland as simply a tourist for 90 days.</i>
Excuse me, but what do you mean by this statement? Do you mean that just because she is not a US citizen, she has NO RIGHT to enter the Netherlands as a tourist??Pffft...
<i>You say she is not a US citizen, so I don't know if has the right to enter Holland as simply a tourist for 90 days.</i>
Excuse me, but what do you mean by this statement? Do you mean that just because she is not a US citizen, she has NO RIGHT to enter the Netherlands as a tourist??Pffft...
Jul 31st, 2008, 09:03 AM
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>Do you mean that just because she is not a US citizen, she has NO RIGHT to enter the Netherlands as a tourist??Pffft...
Actually it is exactly this with ANY country including yours.
Americans are granted automatic visa in Europe and vice versa because our respective governments agrred it to be so. If there is no such sweeping agreements you have no right to enter a country other than yours unless specifically allowed to do so. This permission is called visa and has to be requested in advance.
This is no dfferent in Netherlands than in USA, Canada etc.
Actually it is exactly this with ANY country including yours.
Americans are granted automatic visa in Europe and vice versa because our respective governments agrred it to be so. If there is no such sweeping agreements you have no right to enter a country other than yours unless specifically allowed to do so. This permission is called visa and has to be requested in advance.
This is no dfferent in Netherlands than in USA, Canada etc.
Jul 31st, 2008, 09:05 AM
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Excuse me, but are you incapable of understanding English?
I'd have thought that "I don't know if has the right to enter Holland as simply a tourist for 90 days" means:
Zeppole diesn't know
Whether chcl's chum
Has the right
To enter Holland as simply a ourist for 90 days
And she didn't at the time. Neither did you.
I'd have thought that "I don't know if has the right to enter Holland as simply a tourist for 90 days" means:
Zeppole diesn't know
Whether chcl's chum
Has the right
To enter Holland as simply a ourist for 90 days
And she didn't at the time. Neither did you.
Jul 31st, 2008, 11:59 AM
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Dutch women do not give up their name on marriage. Most of my documents have my maiden name on them, including my driving licence, whilst my passport (British) has my married name. The only time it was a slight problem was hiring a car - the name on my licence and the name on my CC ( which has my married name) didn't match. Luckily the photo is a good likeness, and with my passport as well, they accepted it.
It is almost impossible to get the Dutch to accept that a woman might even want to change her name on marriage.
I'm glad your friend was able to sort it out!
It is almost impossible to get the Dutch to accept that a woman might even want to change her name on marriage.
I'm glad your friend was able to sort it out!
