HELP, Schengen Visa questions?
 

hi Flying on Lufthansa to Paris with few hours in Frankfurt airport each way. We obtained the Schengen visa (multiple) and we would like to take the train from airport to Frankfurt city center. However a friend is telling us that since we obtained our visa initially to go to France and from the French embassy we would not be allowed to frankfurt.(as a form of security due to recent world events)
This seems really ridiculous to me but it got me worried.
is this in anyway true?
Also if we did our tax refund in Paris before checking in our luggage, would we be able to get our tax refund on any purchases we make in Frankfurt. (since you are supposed to do your refund in the last destination before leaving the EU)

The requirements for visas vary wildly depending on your nationality, place of birth, and passport that you carry and where you intend to travel. I could not begin to answer your questions as I know nothing of the answers to these questions. You can however pose your questions to the different consular authorities involved and get absolutely accurate information. This would probably involve the French and German consulates and the state department in your home country.

There are different kinds of visas. Your visa may only be valid for transit through Germany and if so you can not leave the secure area of the airport at Frankfurt. Check with your consulate as this is much too important an issue to rely on travel group advice.

Larry J

Your Schengen Visa is good for the two countries you mentioned. Go here to read anything and everything about the Schengen Visa.

http://www.eurovisa.info/

The rule is that you have to apply to the French embassy. The rule does not, in theory, force you to enter Schengen first in France.

BUT German immigration officials have been known to be officious.Sometimes wrongly. So it's just possible a Frankfurt officer might be difficult. So you can either push it, or if you think his officiousness is making you miss the next flight, live with it. Either way, the worst - and unlikeliest - that can happen is that you hang round the airport for a few hours. Little point checking beforehand, unless there is an important meeting inm Frankfurt.

On the way back, if you're buying stuff at the airport, it's tax free anyway if you're travelling on outside the EU. If you plan on doing serious shopping downtown, search this branch for messages about VAT refunds. Whatever the rules are supposed to be on refunds for third-country purchases, it's clear many Customs officials don't understand them, and you might be better doing the paperwork back home.

We had a 12 hour layover in Frankfurt last August on our way from the US to our final destination. We didn't have any problems leaving the airport and spending the day in Frankfurt. Customs just checked the passport ans stamped it. (Germany was not our final destination, either.) We're Americans, but I don't think that makes a difference. Anyway, we had a lovely day walking around Frankfurt.

Check your visa. The first line says for which countries your visa is valid. Normally, it says "Etats Schengen" when it is issued by the French, which means Schengen countries. Otherwise, the country codes will be in that box F for France, D for Germany etc.
No problem to visit Frankfurt for a few hours or days on your way to France. German immigration may ask for onward travel arrangements to France, just show them your boarding pass for the flight to Paris and you will be OK.

hi
thank you all very much for your help.