Single entry Schengen visa

sbaner1 · Post by **sbaner1** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 5:42 pm

Hi,

I recently applied for a Schengen visa at the Spanish embassy and was given a single entry Schengen visa. Can I visit any other Schengen country (such as Portugal, on the same trip) once I am in Spain?

Also, my flight itinerary is Washington DC - Amsterdam (2hrs transit) - Barcelona. Would it be a problem? I had provided this itinerary to the embassy and yet was given a single entry Schengen visa.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Christophe · Post by **Christophe** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:30 am

The single entry part of the visa simply means that you can't enter the Schengen area, leave it and then enter it again using that visa. So a flight from Washington to Barcelona via Amsterdam will be fine. You will pass through immigration control in Amsterdam and then proceed to what is effectively an internal flight to Barcelona. You can also travel from Spain to another Schengen country.

What you couldn't do would be, for example, to travel from Barcelona to London (the UK not being in the Schengen area) and then back to the Schengen area.

Also, of course, all your travel within the Schengen area must be within the time validity of the visa: you need to leave the Schengen area before the visa expires.

sbaner1 · Post by **sbaner1** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:24 pm

Thanks a lot, Christophe. Your reply clarifies all my doubts.

johnsienk · Post by **johnsienk** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:48 pm

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 5:24 pm

johnsienk wrote:>>you need to leave the Schengen area before the visa expires.

well, I have a question about that. my wife got only single entry visa, valid for 7 days. what happens if on our way back, we miss the ferry or the car breaks down or something else happens and the visa expires. Will she have any problems getting to th Schengen zone? (say, if the car breaks in Poland) or leaving the Schengen zone (say, if the car breaks in the Schengen zone). I know it's unlikely, but not totally out of the question. Does anybody know? Thanks

John

I once stupidly got a visa for Russia valid until the day of my flight home. Plane was delayed and the time crept ever closer to midnight. Luckily I made it. Leant my lesson there, just get the visa for the 30 day max....

Doesn't help the poster tho sorry!

sbaner1 · Post by **sbaner1** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:06 pm

Hi Johnsienk,

As far as my knowledge goes, you can get an extension of 15 days (grace period) to your schengen visa in extreme cases. So, in the worst case, you have to pay an additional fee and get an extension.

johnsienk · Post by **johnsienk** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:42 pm

sbaner1 · Post by **sbaner1** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 9:54 pm

If you need to extend the Schengen visa because of serious occupational/personal reasons, or humanitarian grounds, you have to apply in the Schengen country in which you are currently located even if you are planning to visit another Schengen country after extending the visa. Unfortunately, I did not find any details on whether or not this can be done at the border.

johnsienk · Post by **johnsienk** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:33 pm

sbaner1 · Post by **sbaner1** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:51 pm

On second thought, I think this 15 day grace applies when you postpone your travel. So, if you visit the Schengen states later than what you had planned, you would get the 15 day grace period. At least that is what I think your quoted text means.

johnsienk · Post by **johnsienk** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:01 pm

smalldog · Post by **smalldog** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:11 am

johnsienk wrote:>>you need to leave the Schengen area before the visa expires.

well, I have a question about that. my wife got only single entry visa, valid for 7 days. what happens if on our way back, we miss the ferry or the car breaks down or something else happens and the visa expires. Will she have any problems getting to th Schengen zone? (say, if the car breaks in Poland) or leaving the Schengen zone (say, if the car breaks in the Schengen zone). I know it's unlikely, but not totally out of the question. Does anybody know? Thanks

John

If you are an EEA citizen, you and your wife have an initial right of residence of 90 days in each EEA state you visit. So if you are travelling together it is only necessary that your wife enters within the validity of the visa; your wife is not illegal if she "overstays" the visa. Of course you might have to explain this when leaving Schengen (a copy of your marriage certificate might help). Stamps in your wife's passport showing an apparent overstay might cause problems wife future visa applications, so ideally you would leave before the visa "expires".

johnsienk · Post by **johnsienk** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 4:57 pm

sbaner1 · Post by **sbaner1** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:13 pm

Just for the record-

I recently returned to the US from my vacation in Spain and Portugal. I had absolutely no problem in traveling via Amsterdam on my way to Barcelona or via Frankfurt on my way back.

Also, I did not face a problem in traveling from Spain to Portugal and back to Spain with my single entry Schengen visa.

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Single entry Schengen visa

Single entry Schengen visa