Netherlands

Hello

Last week I applied for a visa to the Netherlands to visit a friend for 10 days. Yesterday, my friend received a questionnaire by actual mail to be filled about me, a total of 16 pages. Information regarding my family, what I do for a living, etc, however these are all data I had already presented at the embassy so I don't get it!!! Why???

Is this procedure a regular thing?
Does this mean my visa is being processed or are they being too suspicious and I should worry?

Also, I heard that some countries, like the Netherlands and the Benelux, do not allow certain nationals to enter their territory if the schengen visa was made at other embassies. Is that true? So if I got a visa from the French embassy, I can't enter the Netherlands?

Thank you for your time
I'm really worried here. How long will this thing take?

It is the first time I hear about such questionnaire. In which country did you apply?

Regarding your 2nd question, a Schengen visa issued by France is valid for the Benelux countries (therefore including the Netherlands), except when it is indicated on the visa sticker that it is not, which should be rare.

I applied in Lebanon, I'm Lebanese. But I already got a schengen visa from Spain a few years ago and there is a UK visa on my current passport. Doesn't it help? They didn't take my passport at the embassy though, just stamped it. But I know they processed my application since my Dutch friend got the questionnaire. Est-ce bon signe??

I must add that a few months ago, a friend applied at the Danish embassy and they sent her host in Denmark the same questionnaire. She got her visa a couple of weeks after that.

anyone???

The questionnaire was probably sent to your friend in the Netherlands to double check the information you provided to the consulate.

It means you visa application is being processed. A previous Schengen visa and a UK visa help, as it shows that you have returned to Lebanon after travelling in the Schenge area and in the UK.

Let's hope so.
As of today, it would have been two weeks and 1 day since my application. Is it still too early to worry?
Also, when I applied I had no idea my friend's invitation should be legalized at City Hall, so I gave them a regular written invitation but the interviewer told me to have my friend fax her the legalized invite. She did a few days later.
When/if they call me to pick up the visa, do I have to have the original invitation in hand, or a good copy should do? And at the aiport on my way to the Netherlands, will they settle for the copy of the invitation if it's stamped by the embassy in Beirut?

Thank you for your time. BTW you may answer me in French if it suits you better.

well guess what!!!
I called the embassy to check whether it is normal that my visa didn't arrive after two weeks, the lady said sure it might even take a month and a half but that it was in teh hand of the ministry of justice in the Netherlands now. She suggested I tell my host there to call the Ministry and inquire about my file to speed things up. She did.
And guess what, they couldn't find me in the system! And they asked my host that I contact the embassy so that they send my file again.

Do these things really happen? Is my embassy lying? Is this legally acceptable? What if my embassy refuses to send my file again?

I know more about applying for a French visa than for a Dutch visa, but I am surprised that it takes so long to process a simple Schengen visa application for a private visit!

I doubt very much thet the embassy would be lying. The embassy cannot refuse to send your file again.

Have you paid already the visa fee? Do you have a receipt?

hello
Yes of course I paid the 60 euros on the same day I applied, and they gave me a receipt with my file number. I called the embassy again and they assured me they sent the file to the ministry of justice there on the same day I applied, that is March 27. And they said the visa processing could take 6-8 weeks, or at least 2-3 weeks after my host returns the questionnaire (she did on April 4) !!!

Another thing, when I applied the lady stamped on my passport: "visa demandé le 27 mars" but she didn't keep it "because we don't wanna keep it that long, you might need it". Is that a bad sign or it has nothing to do with it?

By the way, let's say they didn't grant me a visa, and I already have the stamp on my passport, will that affect my next schengen visa applications? And how long do I have to wait before applying for a new one (to another country)?? And if I do get it, say from Greece, will I be able to enter the Netherlands with it or will they deport me?

Thanks.

It is an common Schengen practice to stamp yous passport when you apply for a visa. Nothing to worry about.

Now, if the Netherlands do not grant you a visa, you may apply to any other Schengen consulate for a Schengen visa once you can prove that the Schengen country to which consulate you apply is your "main" destination.

Once you have a schengen visa, you may travel anywhere in the Schengen area, unless the opposite is explicitely mentionned on the visa sticker.

MD a écrit:

Now, if the Netherlands do not grant you a visa, you may apply to any other Schengen consulate for a Schengen visa once you can prove that the Schengen country to which consulate you apply is your "main" destination.
Once you have a schengen visa, you may travel anywhere in the Schengen area, unless the opposite is explicitely mentionned on the visa sticker.

so if I get one from Greece but do not go to Greece because it doesn't say on the visa that I should first head to Greece, and go direcly to the Netherlands instead, I will not be questioned or deported?

Theoretically, you can enter the Netherlands with any Schengen visa . But, with you visa issued by Greece which you haven't used before, you may expect the Dutch immigration officers to be curious and ask you for detailed information about what you plan to do in the Netherlands. You'd better have a formal invitation with you and a good explanation to give them!

Thankfully, I got my visa, after four weeks!
I had asked for a double entry but got a single one for 10 days (my trip is for 8 days).
What does "BNL1/BNL5/Report to police in 3 days" mean? Why are we being treated like criminals here?
And having a single entry, can I for example take the train to nearby countries?

Thank you!

1. It means:

- BNL 1 : visa délivré après autorisation des autorités centrales.
- BNL 5 + x jours: le titulaire du visa doit se présenter à la police dans les x jours.

Therefore, you have to report to police within 3 days after your arrival in the Netherlands.

2. It is a single entry visa to the Schengen area. You can travel within the Schengen area without a new visa: Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, etc. However, you cannot go to London or to Switzerland, which are situated outside the Schengen area and come back without a new visa.

Merci beaucoup pour votre aide!
Les autres, bonne chance, je sais combien c'est dur!

Bon, une derniere question assez subjective. J'ai le choix entre une journee a Bruxelles et une autre a Koln (Cologne). Which one do you recommend?

please help

I an a nigerian student in egypt,last year I applied for a visa in egypt to go for one month french course but thatwas refused and they told me to apply in Nigeria. I was back home for a month holiday and I applied again but after accepting my application they reffered me back to cairo and my passport has now been with the french embassy in cairo for eight weeks and I'm starting to get worried. I have a UK and UAE visas on my passport.

Is it normal for a visa processing to take up to two months? I have paid 2000euro for the course and accomodation

pls share your thoughts

thanks

Where did you apply? Abuja or Lagos?

It is not normal to wait for two months. I would recommand to ask your passport back.