My Visa to Portugal keep getting rejected, I do not know what else to do. :/

[Chathuranga Balasooriya]

Sorry this is going to be a long rant.

I'm Chathuranga Balasooriya from Sri Lanka. For the past 2 years i have been trying to visit my girlfriend in Portugal who i met online, and to see her parents. but my visa is getting rejected by the France Embassy(there is no Portugal Embassy in Sri Lanka). Reasons mentioned on both times were the same as following,

"the information submitted regarding the justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not reliable"
"your intention to leave the territory of the member states before the expiry of the visa could not be ascertained"
For the both points i have provided more than enough information.

Very Detailed Travel itinerary for each day of my stay(Where we will go what time, bus number, train time) with the places that we were going to visit(tourist destinations) Letter from my girlfriend proving our relationship. (1 Typed 1 hand written) Skype conversations, Chat + Video Screenshots. ******** conversations. In-game conversations of the games we play.
I am the COO of a startup company. All the documents to verify my employment. letter of employment, promotion letter.(since 2016) salary slips, EPF membership certificate (Employee Provident Fund) , and payments for it. Our company CEO was the opening Speaker of TEDxColombo 2017. So included photos that shows he is a TEDxColombo speaker and photos that the team got together of our milestone. etc I own a vehicle which is worth $10,000 (Selling Price) so included the vehicle certificate + valuation certificate. I live with my parents having fixed assets worth more than $100,000+ (House + another vehicle + Lands), so included those valuations too.
All these documents were sorted with the help of a professional agency. The Visa Centre in Sri Lanka(well respected agency)

Still got rejected.

And then i thought i should go for an appeal. called the embassy and asked how to submit an appeal. i was told to make an appointment and submit the appeal. went to the after making an appointment. The lady who came to collect the documents said i shouldn't have made an appointment to submit appeal. if its an appeal i should leave the appeal letter at the guard post. lol, right? and also said to my face, i quote

"even if you appeal it will get rejected"

This happened inside the French Embassy in Sri Lanka. I was stunned, can they talk to me like that? As hopeless as i was, i left the appeal letter and documents. And then sent an email to the embassy of the whole situation i get a reply like this,

"" Sir,

I believe that you misunderstood : there is no appointment to submit an appeal (without doing a new application).

When you came, after checking your file again, we informed you that the appeal was refused because the decision of the Embassy has not changed.

It is useless to leave at the gate of the Embassy (which is not the visa section) some documents.

If you still insist to apply for a visa, you can :

or submit a new application (new process with a new appointment at VFS Global
or make an appeal to the CRRV as it is mentioned in the refusal letter given to you.
Regards,

The visa section Embassy of France in Sri Lanka & the Maldives ""

They did not check my documents.

For the last 2 years i've tried 2 times, went to Singapore between that period for 14 days.

So at this point i am hopeless and desperate. What can i do?

[helgaella99]

Sorry this is going to be a long rant.

I'm Chathuranga Balasooriya from Sri Lanka. For the past 2 years i have been trying to visit my girlfriend in Portugal who i met online, and to see her parents. but my visa is getting rejected by the France Embassy(there is no Portugal Embassy in Sri Lanka). Reasons mentioned on both times were the same as following,

"the information submitted regarding the justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not reliable"
"your intention to leave the territory of the member states before the expiry of the visa could not be ascertained"
For the both points i have provided more than enough information.

Very Detailed Travel itinerary for each day of my stay(Where we will go what time, bus number, train time) with the places that we were going to visit(tourist destinations) Letter from my girlfriend proving our relationship. (1 Typed 1 hand written) Skype conversations, Chat + Video Screenshots. ******** conversations. In-game conversations of the games we play.
I am the COO of a startup company. All the documents to verify my employment. letter of employment, promotion letter.(since 2016) salary slips, EPF membership certificate (Employee Provident Fund) , and payments for it. Our company CEO was the opening Speaker of TEDxColombo 2017. So included photos that shows he is a TEDxColombo speaker and photos that the team got together of our milestone. etc I own a vehicle which is worth $10,000 (Selling Price) so included the vehicle certificate + valuation certificate. I live with my parents having fixed assets worth more than $100,000+ (House + another vehicle + Lands), so included those valuations too.
All these documents were sorted with the help of a professional agency. The Visa Centre in Sri Lanka(well respected agency)

Still got rejected.

And then i thought i should go for an appeal. called the embassy and asked how to submit an appeal. i was told to make an appointment and submit the appeal. went to the after making an appointment. The lady who came to collect the documents said i shouldn't have made an appointment to submit appeal. if its an appeal i should leave the appeal letter at the guard post. lol, right? and also said to my face, i quote

"even if you appeal it will get rejected"

This happened inside the French Embassy in Sri Lanka. I was stunned, can they talk to me like that? As hopeless as i was, i left the appeal letter and documents. And then sent an email to the embassy of the whole situation i get a reply like this,

"" Sir,

I believe that you misunderstood : there is no appointment to submit an appeal (without doing a new application).

When you came, after checking your file again, we informed you that the appeal was refused because the decision of the Embassy has not changed.

It is useless to leave at the gate of the Embassy (which is not the visa section) some documents.

If you still insist to apply for a visa, you can :

or submit a new application (new process with a new appointment at VFS Global
or make an appeal to the CRRV as it is mentioned in the refusal letter given to you.
Regards,

The visa section Embassy of France in Sri Lanka & the Maldives ""

They did not check my documents.

For the last 2 years i've tried 2 times, went to Singapore between that period for 14 days.

So at this point i am hopeless and desperate. What can i do?

1. Consult a Professional: Since you've already worked with a professional agency, it may be beneficial to consult with them again to reassess your application. They might have additional insights or suggestions for strengthening your case.
2. Gather More Evidence: Consider gathering more evidence of your ties to Sri Lanka, such as:
   • Any additional letters from your employer emphasizing your position and responsibilities.
   • Proof of family ties, such as your parents' dependency on you or your involvement in family matters.
   • Any community ties or commitments in Sri Lanka that reinforce your intention to return.
3. Reapply with Stronger Documentation: If you decide to reapply, prepare a new application with even more thorough documentation. Sometimes, a fresh application with a clear explanation of how you’ve addressed previous concerns can yield different results.
4. Consider Other Options: If appealing does not seem viable, consider if there are other visa options available for visiting Portugal, such as a tourist visa from another country if applicable.
5. Stay Positive: I know this process is incredibly taxing emotionally, but remaining persistent and positive can help. It's important to take care of your mental health during this time.