VISA for Belgium - short stay

BernadetteN

Voyager2002 wrote: »

On visas: you can enter Belgium with a visa issued by France, Holland, Germany or other countries. The costs of these visas vary (particularly because of the Belgian out-sourcing charge), as does the processing time, so it makes sense to shop around. Now, you might well fly to Brussels and then have short train to a holiday destination in a neighbouring country: France, Germany, Luxembourg or Holland. So you could apply for a visa for any of these countries: you would just need to book somewhere to stay in whichever country charges least for the visa and/or offers the most rapid service.

A quick check of 5 Schengen UK embassy websites confirm what I suspected, that there is a SET FEE of €60 for a visit visa for third country nationals in the UK visiting Schengen (some exceptions, too many to mention here). Then there is any relevant outsourcing fee on top so that is the only variation, other than exchange rate.


As for re-entry to the UK: my wife has a Chinese passport and a valid (student) visa for the UK, and has entered the UK many times without any problems at all. So no need to bring other papers: UK immigration officers can recognise a genuine visa, and in case of any doubt can look it up on a database.

You can follow this advice if you want, but I certainly would not. A visa does NOT tell the Immigration Officer where you are working or studying for example. The presence of a genuine visa in a passport is not 100% proof that it belongs in that passport, that it is still valid either. The last sentence I could comment on the validity of but I won't except to say you can ignore 12 years of experience if you wish, so for ease of re-entry through controls, I would say bring evidence of reason for residence in the UK.

AMO

Voyager2002 wrote: »

You will have to read the insurance policy for the insurance that you bought with the flight. As a guess, if you paid less than five pounds it was probably just insurance against the airline going bankrupt, but if it was any more than that it was probably holiday insurance. But you will have to find out what you bought. If it was holiday insurance, you will need to print out the policy and use it as part of your visa application.

On visas: you can enter Belgium with a visa issued by France, Holland, Germany or other countries. The costs of these visas vary (particularly because of the Belgian out-sourcing charge), as does the processing time, so it makes sense to shop around. Now, you might well fly to Brussels and then have short train to a holiday destination in a neighbouring country: France, Germany, Luxembourg or Holland. So you could apply for a visa for any of these countries: you would just need to book somewhere to stay in whichever country charges least for the visa and/or offers the most rapid service.

As for re-entry to the UK: my wife has a Chinese passport and a valid (student) visa for the UK, and has entered the UK many times without any problems at all. So no need to bring other papers: UK immigration officers can recognise a genuine visa, and in case of any doubt can look it up on a database.

Thanx for that. I can't tell as I'm not brilliant with jargon as to how much medical insurance is covered by the travel insurance:
http://www.brusselsairlines.com/manualuploads/insurance/travel_en.pdf
However, it appears to cover transport in the event you are ill. Does it cover the medical treatment as well?

I think we'll go and apply for the Belgium visa - it does appear that there is very little difference in the cost between countries now. I guess this visa exists to reduce the need for people applying for visas for every European country.

Thanx

AMO

sertav

What's the initial point of entry, UK or the continent?

If it's the UK, what's the 1st country (s)he's travelling afterwards?

Voyager2002

AMO wrote: »

Thanx for that. I can't tell as I'm not brilliant with jargon as to how much medical insurance is covered by the travel insurance:
http://www.brusselsairlines.com/manualuploads/insurance/travel_en.pdf
However, it appears to cover transport in the event you are ill. Does it cover the medical treatment as well?

I think we'll go and apply for the Belgium visa - it does appear that there is very little difference in the cost between countries now. I guess this visa exists to reduce the need for people applying for visas for every European country.

Thanx

AMO

Well, I have looked at that pdf and as jargon goes, it is pretty bad. I suggest you print it off and ask the embassy whether it would satisfy their requirement for medical insurance.

Is your friend covered by the NHS while living here? If so, she should get an EHIC card: I think that if she does not then she would invalidate the medical cover provided by that insurance policy.

The basic visa fee is going to be the same for all the countries she might consider, but the outsourcing fee will vary, particularly since not all countries charge it. However, in order to save that 22 pounds by applying to a different country, it would be necessary to go to the trouble of making a (cancellable) booking for accommodation there. She has to decide whether that cost saving is worth the trouble. Of course, different embassies vary in how quickly they process the application, and this could be a more critical factor than the money. (I have a French friend who wants to visit here with his Chinese wife, but the British embassy in Paris has a ten-week waiting list. So basically they can't come in September, when they need to be here.)

AMO

sertav wrote: »

What's the initial point of entry, UK or the continent?

If it's the UK, what's the 1st country (s)he's travelling afterwards?

It's the U.K. thanx. She's coming back. But she's got a work permit here so that's not an issue.

Thanx

AMO

AMO

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Well, I have looked at that pdf and as jargon goes, it is pretty bad. I suggest you print it off and ask the embassy whether it would satisfy their requirement for medical insurance.

Is your friend covered by the NHS while living here? If so, she should get an EHIC card: I think that if she does not then she would invalidate the medical cover provided by that insurance policy.

The basic visa fee is going to be the same for all the countries she might consider, but the outsourcing fee will vary, particularly since not all countries charge it. However, in order to save that 22 pounds by applying to a different country, it would be necessary to go to the trouble of making a (cancellable) booking for accommodation there. She has to decide whether that cost saving is worth the trouble. Of course, different embassies vary in how quickly they process the application, and this could be a more critical factor than the money. (I have a French friend who wants to visit here with his Chinese wife, but the British embassy in Paris has a ten-week waiting list. So basically they can't come in September, when they need to be here.)

Thanx for that. She can register with the local doctor but I don't think she's got an EHIC card. I assume that U.K. residents can apply for it before going abroad and I think she can as well. We'll apply for this.

Thanx

AMO

AMO

AMO wrote: »

Thanx for that. She can register with the local doctor but I don't think she's got an EHIC card. I assume that U.K. residents can apply for it before going abroad and I think she can as well. We'll apply for this.

Thanx

AMO

Just found out she has to be a citizen of the E.U. to register!

AMO

BernadetteN

AMO wrote: »

Just found out she has to be a citizen of the E.U. to register!

AMO

Are you talking about registration with a GP or for the EHIC card?

It appears any non EU national given leave to enter for MORE THAN SIX MONTHS has full rights to NHS treatment, which would include access to a GP. The only work permits I can think of that last less than 6 months are ones issued to 2nd rate American rock bands in the UK for a few days of gigs or someone on a very short traineeship so more than likely your friend has a work permit for more than 6 months validity.

As regards the EHIC card, it appears anyone non EU in the UK with valid leave to enter for more than 6 months can hold one - this is classed as ORDINARILY NORMALLY LAWFULLY RESIDENT for 6 months or more.

Here's where that information is published :

http://www.britishcouncil.org/eumobility-living-in-uk-healthcare-access.htm

Voyager2002

BernadetteN wrote: »

Are you talking about registration with a GP or for the EHIC card?

It appears any non EU national given leave to enter for MORE THAN SIX MONTHS has full rights to NHS treatment, which would include access to a GP. The only work permits I can think of that last less than 6 months are ones issued to 2nd rate American rock bands in the UK for a few days of gigs or someone on a very short traineeship so more than likely your friend has a work permit for more than 6 months validity.

As regards the EHIC card, it appears anyone non EU in the UK with valid leave to enter for more than 6 months can hold one - this is classed as ORDINARILY NORMALLY LAWFULLY RESIDENT for 6 months or more.

Here's where that information is published :

http://www.britishcouncil.org/eumobility-living-in-uk-healthcare-access.htm

Yes indeed.

I think the problem is that many GP's receptionists don't know the rules, and tend to turn foreigners away. When my wife first tried to register with our family doctor she was refused at first, but a couple of quick calls to our local NHS trust soon sorted things out. I would imagine that if you print off the helpful link provided and show that to the doctor's receptionist, that will be all that is needed.

And seriously, since your friend is living here she really ought to be registed with a doctor.