cspk2106

Is it possible?

Friends, I am planning on 22day trip to UK -> Paris -> Italy. I am aware that I have to et both UK visit visa and Schengen visit visa. However, I have few doubts regarding this.

1. Please enlighten me if this trip is possible at all, at the first place.. i.e., going from India to UK and then to Paris (schengen countries).

2. If yes, would it be possible to enter Paris from UK through train/tube(eurostar/..) with a valid schengen visa or do I have to go by flight only?

3. Am planning my return from one of the schengen countries, Paris/Italy. Is it possible or do I have to go back to London(from where I enter schengen region)?

Please excuse me if my qn appears to be dumb...I just want to be sure...

annhig

your visa will not specify how you have to travel just where you can go.

My understanding is that for your Schengen visa, you have to apply to the Schengen country that you will arrive i first, i.e. France. you can leave from where you like; they don't care so long as you leave within 90 days of entering the Schengen zone, which gives you plenty of time.

here's the application form for applying to France for a Schengen visa - you'll see that they ask for details of your entry and exit countries, and hotels etc., but they don't ask about your mode of transport:

http://www.vfs-france.co.in/PDF/Visa...sed_040214.pdf

nytraveler

The UK is not Schengen - they don't care about a Schengen visa - only a UK visa.

But my understanding is that to apply for the visas you must have all of your hotel reservations for the trip (not sure if they have to be prepaid or not).

You can certainly go from UK to France by train as long as you have the proper visa (they check passports and visas in the station in London before letting you board the train) and can leave from Italy to fly home.

KodakMoment

1.Yes it's possible to travel to France from the UK on a Schengen Visa.


2.The Schengen visa is valid for all border crossings, whether by land or air.

3.You don't have to fly out of London. You first point of entry to the Schengen zone is France in your case, but there's no rule that states you should leave the Schengen zone through your first point of entry.
Also, unless you have a multiple entry visa for the UK, you would not be able to re-enter London.

The Schengen rule is clear.
You should apply for a visa at the embassy of your main destination.
If you're spending the same amount of time in France and Italy, then you should choose your first point of entry.


How many days will you be spending in Paris and Italy?

flanneruk

"2. If yes, would it be possible to enter Paris from UK through train/tube(eurostar/..) with a valid schengen visa or do I have to go by flight only? "

An Indian may enter France from the UK with a Schengen visa. But in almost all cases, to enter the UK that Indian will need a separate UK visa.

Unless an Indian also has UK nationality (in which case he or she doesn't need a Schengen or UK visa), the ONLY circumstances in which it's possible to enter France from Britain without a UK visa is if the journey requires a change of plane in London. Under very tightly defined circumstances, many Indians with an onward plane connection to a destination outside the UK within 24 hours MAY be permitted entry without a UK visa. They may even be allowed outside their arrival airport if a change of airport is also necessary. This concession does not apply to journeys by rail, so it may not be used to transfer to a Eurostar from a plane or vice versa.

Follow the questionnaire at https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa

RajatMakar

You need not go back to London for your return trip. You can fly back from Italy - this saves you travel time and sometimes multi-destination tickets work out cheaper.

Refer VFS website to prepare for your schengen visa documentation. Refer the visa checklist.
You will need confirmed hotel reservation for every day of stay in the schengen countries. It need not be prepaid.

If you have more doubts, please feel free to ask. I recently got schengen tourist visa done at bangalore.

cspk2106

Thank you all for such warm replies. This resoundingly clears all my doubts around the visa part of my trip. Will make the bookings.

I have certain doubts and concerns around the planning, but that'll be for a different post.

Thank You.. you are awesome.

Alec

Remember your hotel bookings must be made directly with hotels, not through booking sites like Booking.com and Expedia.com. This isn't as bad as it sounds, as many non-resort, city hotels offer generous cancellation terms, sometimes up to the date of arrival.

RajatMakar

"Remember your hotel bookings must be made directly with hotels, not through booking sites like Booking.com and Expedia.com. "

@Alec - I think it's OK even if booking is made using sites like "Booking.com". I recently got France Schengen visa and my accommodations at 3 locations were using Airbnb & prepaid and for 4th location was using booking.com and to be paid at the time of stay.