For The Benefit Of ...

[Arthur Little]

... British-based Filipino residents intending to travel to Continental Europe:-

Those of you who've been forum members for a while, may remember Myrna and I travelled to Paris by Eurostar for a belated honeymoon in March 2010 ... having been granted a Multiple-Entry Schengen Visa - valid for 6 months - the previous November.

Back then, it seems we'd applied in the "nick of time" ... since we were not asked to provide evidence of any *travel arrangements and/or pre-booked accommodation - and the visa was issued purely on the strength of Myrna being married to me.

However, this is no longer the case - as I found out when I emailed the Italian Consulate in Edinburgh a fortnight ago ... with a view to spending 7 days in Rome. *These details MUST now be provided, apparently.

So, last Wednesday, we went to a local travel agency and did the necessary. Today, we travelled through to Edinburgh to deposit our documents ... only to be told that they should normally be sent by post.

Luckily - once I'd explained we had acted according to the instructions given in their response to my email - they relented, and we came away with the assurance that my wife's passport would be returned to her [with visa intact] within 15 days (we fly from Prestwick, June 14 ... returning 21st!) in the pre-paid Royal Mail envelope we'd provided.

[Arthur Little]

Oh ... I should've mentioned ... the visa IS free of charge - thankfully!