Schengen visa application sent for further assessment

[aniruddhsingh26]

Hey Aniruddh,

That is correct, even I am planning to go for tomorrowland. I have a question, you said it says that your visa started processing on July 7th, when i read my status on the site it says processing however does not mention any date. Are you sure it says that its started processing on july 7th or is it that you have applied for visa from july 7th, because the heading which says Date of registration for which visa applied - July 1st .

Mine says Date of registration of the visa application by the Foreign Office: 7 July 2014. I had applied for a visa from the 15th of July .

[ArcotCK]

Are you sure your visa application number is correct

Mine says Date of registration of the visa application by the Foreign Office: 7 July 2014. I had applied for a visa from the 15th of July .

I think you must verify once more..... About happiness of updates I will tell they will send something like pending letter, which would have information on required documents this would be very interesting list. Don't expect you can complete it within specified time frame
All the best everybody

[msindia]

any update for visa

Mine says Date of registration of the visa application by the Foreign Office: 7 July 2014. I had applied for a visa from the 15th of July .

Hi, did you receive any update regarding your visa. kindly write once you received reply from them.

[aniruddhsingh26]

Hi, did you receive any update regarding your visa. kindly write once you received reply from them.

Hey sorry I couldn't reply. So I did get a reply from the embassy around the 15th of July. But I called the belgian office on the 12th I think and they said that my visa was reject and the reason was given to me on 15th in Dutch ! The reasons were vague they said they dint think I would come back and I dint have enough money and that hotel reservations were refundable etc etc. Which dint make sense because I had pre booked my whole trip and my savings account has enough money to sponsor 10 trips. Anyways so when I found out that the visa was rejected prepared all my paper work and applied through swiss consulate on 14th, I have work in Switzerland so I applied for a business visa with a letter of invitation. And I gave them an explanation that I have cancelled going to belgium because they were taking too much time to process my visa and that's why I am applying from swiss consulate mumbai. Swiss consulate called me for an interview and gave me a visa in 3 days. They dint ask me about my belgian visa or the seal on my passport. They dint care about all that. I spoke to at least 10 people who were rejected by belgian embassy for vague reasons and most have been to belgium before. This time belgian embassy has been acting really weird with Indian passports. And rejected. Lot of visas. My suggestion do not apply from belgian embassy ever they are really unprofessional and take a long time. And Iv you are planning to go as a tourist to see Belgium then trust me there is nothing to see there I wAs there for 2 days and it was the most boring country Iv been to and people there behave like the belgium embassy. They just don't want tourists in their country I guess. If some ones visa is still pending I suggest withdraw it and apply from somewhere else with good paper work and a solid explanation In hand just in case they ask. Good luck every one. This was the worst experience Iv every had and I understand the trauma everyone must be going through.

[Donutz]

Just some information:

Regarding processing times, the EU Schengen Visa Code says:

Article 23

Decision on the application

1. Applications shall be decided on within 15 calendar days of the date of the lodging of an application which is admissible in accordance with Article 19.

2. That period may be extended up to a maximum of 30 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed or in cases of representation where the authorities of the represented Member State are consulted.

3. Exceptionally, when additional documentation is needed in specific cases, the period may be extended up to a maximum of 60 calendar days.

Source: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-conte...LEX:32009R0810

So by default it should only take 15 days to process (during peek season they need to scale up), but if in exceptional cases the embassy sends it to the ministry then it may take up to 60 days maximum.

When you apply you can do so directly at the embassy or use the optional (!!) service providers such as VFS or TLS. if embassies "outsourced" their system you should still be able to apply directly at the embassy and get an appointment within 2 weeks of the request being made (source: article 17 and 19)

Regarding the booking of flights/transport and hotels/accommodation, the EU Schengen visa handbook (which explains the Visa Code regulations) says the following, note that is does not specify anything abuot having the hotel already paid for or that the booking should not be easily cancelled (some embassies advice you not to make any commitments such as bookings that can not easily turned back incase of a refusal!):

Accomodation reservation:

3. for
(a) documents relating to accommodation:
— confirmation of the booking of an organised trip or any other appropriate document indicating the envisaged travel plans,
— in the case of transit: visa or other entry permit for the third country of destination; tickets for onward journey;

journeys undertaken for the purposes of tourism or for private reasons:
— an invitation from the host if staying with one,
— a document from the establishment providing
accommodation or any other appropriate document indi* cating the accommodation envisaged;
(b) documents relating to the itinerary:

Travel reservation:

In general a paid return ticket is not required but can be requested in exceptional circumstances

Source: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs...10_1620_en.pdf

You may find more info on the EU website:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32009R0810

You could also share your experience with the EU (Home Affairs) incase you believe the embassy is doing a poor job or violates the visa rules.

The Belgians don't exactly seem to be very enthusiastic about handling the applications shared here...

[rachelm1]

3 months later, visa no longer needed, no news from embassy. What to do?

Hi all,
We're in the same situation...also with the Belgian embassy.
We were planning a trip to UK and Belgium, but had to cancel the Belgian part of the trip because the visa wasn't issued within the 30 days promised by the embassy.
We're now back from the trip and have had no communication from the embassy, but just discovered from online visa-tracker that the visa was issued after 65 days.
The trip is finished so the visa is now useless, but what shall we do now??
Are we entitled to a refund/ compensation since the visa wasn't issued within 60 days?
How do we complain?
As the visa was actually issued, will an unused visa look bad on future applications?

Any info gratefully received.

Thanks

[[email protected]]

I have applied for Schengen Tourist VISA from Belgian , my travel date is on 19 th

I have applied for Schengen Tourist VISA from Belgian , my travel date is on 19 th Feb , they say file has been forwarded to Belgium . I have traveled twice to Belgium with valid UK & US VISA for 5 /10 years .

Can some one help out , what to do ??