I got my schengen visa. Doubts about the duration of it.
Nov 9th, 2014, 04:10 PM
#1
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I got my schengen visa. Doubts about the duration of it.
Hi. I live in Ecuador and my passport with my Schengen visa just arrived at my house. Tuesday I'm traveling to Paris to be with my sister and my brother-in-law who live there. I got a C visa with multiples entrances. My visa reads: FROM: 11-11-14 UNTIL: 20-12-14 DURATION OF STAY: 40
The idea was for me to travel to France from 11 Nov to 20 Dec and then come with my sister to Ecuador for holidays. Now my sister tells me she can't come with me at 20-12-14. So she proposed that I stay 20 more days, from 20 Dec to 10 Jan to spend the holidays with them. I obviously accepted.
Before I received my visa I though all C visas were given for a stay period of 90 days. Now I don't know what to do as my visa limits me from 11 Nov to 20 Dec. I want to stay 20 more days but I don't want to risk being labeled an illegal. Even all C visas are supposed to have a duration of 90 days. I want to be sure I'm not breaking any law.
So I read the following at some official websites:
"To : Date on which you must leave the Schengen area. Consequently, these two dates indicate the period during which your visa is valid (and not the length of the authorized stay)".
What is the authorized stay? I read everywhere all Schengen "type C" visas have a maximum authorized stay of 90 days, if that is true I'd have no problem staying 60 more days and spending the holidays with my sister (Nov 11 to Jan 10) But my visa says DURATION OF STAY: 40
How can I remedy this situation? I can ask for an extension? Where can I do it in Paris?
I know that to apply for an extension one must have very good motive or what the french call "force majeure" but i'm not asking for an extension beyond the authorized stay, which is 90 days. I'm merely asking to extend the "duration" part on my visa from 40 to 60.
Than you all in advance for your answers.
Pablo
The idea was for me to travel to France from 11 Nov to 20 Dec and then come with my sister to Ecuador for holidays. Now my sister tells me she can't come with me at 20-12-14. So she proposed that I stay 20 more days, from 20 Dec to 10 Jan to spend the holidays with them. I obviously accepted.
Before I received my visa I though all C visas were given for a stay period of 90 days. Now I don't know what to do as my visa limits me from 11 Nov to 20 Dec. I want to stay 20 more days but I don't want to risk being labeled an illegal. Even all C visas are supposed to have a duration of 90 days. I want to be sure I'm not breaking any law.
So I read the following at some official websites:
"To : Date on which you must leave the Schengen area. Consequently, these two dates indicate the period during which your visa is valid (and not the length of the authorized stay)".
What is the authorized stay? I read everywhere all Schengen "type C" visas have a maximum authorized stay of 90 days, if that is true I'd have no problem staying 60 more days and spending the holidays with my sister (Nov 11 to Jan 10) But my visa says DURATION OF STAY: 40
How can I remedy this situation? I can ask for an extension? Where can I do it in Paris?
I know that to apply for an extension one must have very good motive or what the french call "force majeure" but i'm not asking for an extension beyond the authorized stay, which is 90 days. I'm merely asking to extend the "duration" part on my visa from 40 to 60.
Than you all in advance for your answers.
Pablo
Nov 9th, 2014, 04:20 PM
#2
I'm not an expert -- hopefully alec or one of the others will see your question
Having said that, your visa seems pretty clear - you have permission to be in Schengen for 40 days and no more.
A '90 day maximum authorized stay' may be the maximum for a C type visa. But that doesn't necessarily mean ALL visas are for 90 days. I would think your visa says 40 days and means 40 days.
But perhaps someone else has better information.
good luck.
Having said that, your visa seems pretty clear - you have permission to be in Schengen for 40 days and no more.
A '90 day maximum authorized stay' may be the maximum for a C type visa. But that doesn't necessarily mean ALL visas are for 90 days. I would think your visa says 40 days and means 40 days.
But perhaps someone else has better information.
good luck.
Nov 9th, 2014, 04:35 PM
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90-day Schengen C visa isn't given to everyone. Depending on your request, applicant's status (someone with greater financial resources will get longer validity than a student, say) and your nationality. So as you requested 40 days and they saw no reason to extend it, you've been given 40-day visa. There is nothing really you can do, except to request its extension, probably meaning making a fresh application. You can't extend your stay once you are in France. It has to be done before you leave home. You normally need to give confirmed accommodation booking for every day of your stay in Schengen.
Nov 9th, 2014, 04:41 PM
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Well they gave you exactly what you asked for. I would immediately go to the place you got the visa tomorrow - your only day - and find out about extending it. Not sure if this is possible once in Paris - but may well not be.
Nov 9th, 2014, 10:41 PM
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Also not sure if your local embassy will be able or willing to issue a new visa for the desired period of validity on the spot.. OTOH, I can probably not hurt to ask...
Otherwise you can try to get an extension of your visa when in Paris, according to Article 33 of the Visa Code:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/...120320:EN:-pDF
You won't be able to claim force majeure reasons - unless another volcano erupts on Dec 22.
Whether or not the local authorites will find not being able to spend Christmas with your sister a good enough "humanitarian reason"... who knows.. the law probably has some more serious issues in mind like having a child in hospital which you don't want to leave behind or similar.. but again, it won't hurt to ask once you are in Paris.
If you opt for that avenue, I think it would be wise to go there with your sister - to have her confirm that she will be supporting you also during the extended period. And your health/travel insurance should also be valid for the extended period.
But eventually, you will be at the mercy of the agent reviewing your "case".
So you should not change your reservations for the return flight until
Otherwise you can try to get an extension of your visa when in Paris, according to Article 33 of the Visa Code:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/...120320:EN:-pDF
You won't be able to claim force majeure reasons - unless another volcano erupts on Dec 22.
Whether or not the local authorites will find not being able to spend Christmas with your sister a good enough "humanitarian reason"... who knows.. the law probably has some more serious issues in mind like having a child in hospital which you don't want to leave behind or similar.. but again, it won't hurt to ask once you are in Paris.
If you opt for that avenue, I think it would be wise to go there with your sister - to have her confirm that she will be supporting you also during the extended period. And your health/travel insurance should also be valid for the extended period.
But eventually, you will be at the mercy of the agent reviewing your "case".
So you should not change your reservations for the return flight until
