At 14:14 27/06/2005, Alexey Melnikov wrote:
Hopefully the following information about getting Schengen visa in UK
would be useful to others:
Some information here about "Schengen visa". Schengen is a small city in
Luxembourg where was signed a convention creating the "Schengen space".
This is NOT a EU convention: all the European countries are not members of
it, and non-European countries can join the Schengen Space (as Iceland and
Norway do. Mr. Alvestrand will learn this way his own country is not so
poor a country as he think). Switzerland just did.
This works the following way (inquire for confirmation and details to your
nearest Consulate of a Schengen State). The Shengen site is:
http://www.eurovisa.info/
- the participant States exchange administrative information on the Visa
they deliver (the convention is mainly a common database)
- they waive the need of a national Visa for people coming from a Schengen
country. The
- they will a Visa for a person who has been refused by another country
(hence the necessary delay)
- the Visa must be asked to the State of the _main_ destination of travel.
The application form is under:
http://www.eurovisa.info/Forms/pdf/SchengenVisaApplicaion_En.pdf . In
applying for a French Visa you will get it probably more simply (they can
look and certify your documents, check problems with you, etc.). This is
what they will enter in the database.
For the IETF meeting, you cannot use a letter of France Telecom and apply
to an other country consulate. However if you have a mixed travel (for
example visiting familly in Belgium, with an address and possibly a letter,
and poping in Paris for the IETF, you can apply for a Belgium Visa).
This is a full confirmation that European countries and France (who
initiated the Schengen convention with Benelux countries) are not motivated
in their Visa policy as described by Mr. Alvestrand (such a proposition is
even, with the support of a quite universal consensus, a serious legal
offense against our integration policy and social peace). For example, Mr.
Alvestrand, as a Norwegian citizen, can freely come in Paris as if he was
going to Bergen or Stavenger. However some are very concerned by the nice
Nowegian students invasion we a have every summer.
Don't worry you are welcome ! I suppose everyone will work hard to address
the possible problems you could meet. There is no magic :-), only equal
efficiency for all, who ever you are. The only "magic" is, if you have a
problem, not to try to hide it: explain it and show your good faith. If it
is something that could be done for others, I am prety sure it will be done
for you.
jfc
I've recently applies for Schengen visa to attend IETF in Paris. The
invitation letter from France Telecom worked like magic.
The only issue with getting visa is how much in advance this has to be
done. French Consulate in London uses web booking system (alternatively
people can phone, paying £1 a minute), which can only book visa
appointments 4-5 weeks in advance. The waiting time in summer can be even
worse, but check yourselves.
Getting a letter of invitation was very straightforward once I've paid the
IETF attendance fee. I've got my letter by fax and I also got it in mail
shortly after.
Regards,
Alexey Melnikov
__________________________________________
Isode Mbox Message Store developer
Isode Limited, http://www.isode.com
IETF standard related pages:
http://www.melnikov.ca/mel/devel/Links.html
Personal Home Page: http://www.melnikov.ca
__________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Ietf@xxxxxxxx
https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf
_______________________________________________
Ietf@xxxxxxxx
https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf