Visa file under construction, now already question and answer about the visa procedures
At the beginning of April, I called for feedback for an update of the Schengen visa file. There have been several reactions to this on the blog and via e-mail. Thanks for that! I am now setting up the file and I do not yet have all the information that I want to include in the update. Further comments, questions, etc. are always welcome! Comment below or email the editors via the contact form here on the site.
However, I can already share some information that emerged from correspondence with the embassy. Below are some questions to the embassy to which it has answered in consultation with The Hague:
Question: As a rule, an applicant must be able to submit an appointment to the embassy or VFS within 2 weeks. The processing time for a complete application is a maximum of 15 calendar days, but it is not always possible to meet these deadlines. What's your response?
Embassy: One of the spearheads of the Foreign Affairs Embassy is excellent consular services. A good balance between cutbacks in services and regulations is important here. There is tension between applications at the embassy and at VFS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has opted to outsource front office tasks to the external service provider VFS where possible. Partly from efficiency and cost savings. The embassy has limited consular front office staffing and cannot simply scale up.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs aims to have applicants submit as much as possible to VFS, where they should always be able to make an appointment quickly, while the Visa Code is clear and states that it must also be possible to make an appointment at the embassy within 15 days. This is also difficult for the embassy. In accordance with the rules, the embassy must comply with this, but in practice a bottleneck arises in the high season. In times of budget cuts (staff reductions) and an increase in visa applications worldwide, plus the introduction of a decrease in biometrics, waiting times at the embassies sometimes became longer than desired. Through cooperation with VFS, visa applicants were offered the opportunity for a quick appointment by submitting an application to VFS, albeit for a fee. Experience has shown that applicants like to turn to VFS because extra service is offered.
In addition, a visa applicant also has his own responsibility, by submitting an application in good time (this is possible from 3 months prior to the planned trip), taking into account the high season. The embassy strives to accommodate everyone as much as possible. In practice, this succeeds, despite a full agenda, partly thanks to the flexibility of the employees in the consular department.
Question: With the setting up of the regional support office (RSO) in Kuala Lumpur, the turnaround time quickly takes at least 5 working days. Wouldn't it be more efficient and a model of European cooperation to set up a joint front and back office together with the other Schengen members? to set up in Bangkok?
Embassy: The prospect is further centralization. The RSO in Kuala Lumpur will close in 2019 and from that moment on applications will be processed centrally in The Hague. There is a term of 15 days for the treatment, so the 5 working days that are mentioned currently fall well within this term. In case of urgency due to medical/family circumstances, the application can be processed urgently and scanned and a sticker can be issued at the embassy a day later.
The picture you paint of further cooperation sounds ideal. However, it is already difficult in the Schengen context to join forces and set up joint Schengen front offices, let alone a joint back office. In addition, each Member State gives priority to its own (business) interests. This is not something that only The Hague is about. All Member States have a say in this.
Question: The text on the new Ministry of Foreign Affairs website states that applicants must submit an application at the earliest 3 months in advance and at the latest 15 working days in advance. It also says that the application can take 15 calendar days or sometimes 30-60 days. In contrast to the now defunct embassy website, there is now no mention that the embassy must give the applicant the opportunity to come by to submit the application within 2 weeks of a request for an appointment. The advice to submit an application at least 4+ weeks in advance (2 weeks for obtaining an appointment plus 2 weeks for treatment time) has also been removed. I would advise putting such text back.
Embassy: The texts of the website are uniform. The website states the following about making an appointment:
“The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you intend to travel. You should apply no later than 15 working days in advance. In most cases, you will be informed within 15 calendar days whether your application has been successful. Sometimes it can take up to 30 days if more time is needed, and up to 60 days in exceptional cases, for example if extra documents are required.”
This text is leading. You can make an appointment no later than 3 months prior to the planned trip. The applicant also has a personal responsibility here by scheduling an appointment in good time during the high season.
Question: The appointment calendar for an appointment at the embassy and/or VFS is sometimes full for two weeks. What can the applicant do to be helped within the legal time limits?
Embassy: If you indicate by e-mail or telephone that you are in trouble because you cannot make an appointment within 2 weeks, the embassy will mediate and the appointment will be scheduled at an earlier time either at VFS or at the embassy and customers will be helped. If customers threaten to get into trouble because the deadline is not met (for whatever reason), they know where to find us, the appointment will be brought forward.
Question: What can an applicant do if they cannot visit the embassy on time (within 2 weeks) due to a full calendar of appointments, but do not want anything to do with VFS?
Embassy: If one insists on submitting the application to the embassy, it is advised to make an appointment in good time, ie three months in advance, so that one can submit the application to the embassy. If urgent (medical/humanitarian) reasons are the basis for a last minute request, an appointment will be made as soon as possible. Tightness in the embassy agenda for visas only occurs in the high season, so if applicants take this into account, no problems will arise.
Question: If an applicant submits an application to the VFS counter and the VFS employee says that an attachment is not necessary or that something is missing. How should the applicant then act and how should VFS? Is there any kind of protection to minimize the risk of VFS requesting or refusing documents in error? These employees will have no substantive knowledge of the Visa Code or EU regulations. In short, VFS is just a paper pusher, they don't make decisions. What is the guarantee that VFS cannot play a negative factor on a request and the customer goes home with a bad feeling?
Embassy: VFS works with checklists of mandatory documents developed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Embassy. These are leading and are used by the VFS employee. The employees of VFS are trained by the embassy in such a way that they have the required knowledge for a good service to the visa clients. In case of unusual or unknown situations, VFS will contact the embassy - the lines of communication are short - to obtain advice and receive instructions.
The customer is responsible for providing a complete application file. If pieces are missing, the customer will be informed of this. If unnecessary pieces are supplied, the customer will also be informed of this and they will be returned. The activities of VFS are monitored by the embassy and by the RSO in Kuala Lumpur. Regular consultations also take place about procedures, complaints, etc. We have not yet received any complaints about situations as described by you above.
First of all, and in advance, I would like to express my admiration for your willingness to throw yourself into this unruly matter.
The official language is certainly not relaxing reading.
In one of the embassy's answers I read that “VFS works with checklists (and?) mandatory documents developed by BZ/Embassy”.
That is interesting and then the idea bubbles up to me to simply put those checklists/documents on the website of the embassy. After all, they contain no more than the requirements that we must meet or an interpretation/elaboration thereof, and why should we not be allowed to take note of them?
It may be useful to inquire whether the embassy also thinks this is a good idea, and if not, the Open Government Act (WOB) may offer a possibility.
I'm only in my thirties so don't deserve a "u". 😉
I actually assume that the checklist that the VFS staff members have is more or less the same as the checklist on the website with possibly some extra comments (for example when and what questions to ask during the intake of the documents):
Useful documents
There are also a number of documents that you do not have to provide but that will help in assessing your application. See the appropriate checklist:
Checklist – visiting for business (PDF, 255 KB)
Checklist – visiting as a tourist (PDF, 286 KB)
Checklist – visiting family/friends (PDF, 253 KB)
Source: https://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/travel-and-residence/visas-for-the-netherlands/applying-for-a-short-stay-schengen-visa/thailand
Now it is not meant as a sneer at BZ, but for a truly excellent service and experience, the visa file (Schengen, not to be confused with Ronny's Thailand file) should be superfluous because the BZ website already speaks volumes. And outsourcing the entire VFS and longer lines (back office in KL and soon The Hague) I continue to regret, even though I understand that with less money in the pot, the service can no longer be 10 with a golden pencil.
And it remains a pity that there is still no talk of real European cooperation. Will it ever come to the point that countries don't practice 'me me, our interest first and then our neighbors' and the EU embassies really cooperate with zero self-interest? A dream, of course, because every country naturally wants to see money flows from business and tourism go mainly to themselves.
Dear Frans and Rob, that checklist is on the website of VFS global and the Dutch Embassy
with fr gr
If they are identical to the leading checklists that are actually used, that's great and the embassy can probably confirm that.
I have a few more questions that might be helpful for the file.
I have read that a possible rejection of the visa often refers to “danger of settlement”.
To prevent this, one must demonstrate that there is a connection with Thailand, for example by proving that one owns property.
Question: Do these ownership certificates (chanote) always have to be translated? Is checking by the Thai employee at the desk of, for example, the Belgian embassy sufficient or not?
This also applies to any employment contracts or other documents, do they always have to be translated?
When a traveler applies for a visa for Belgium, for example, he must demonstrate that he has sufficient means of support, for private accommodation this is 45 euros per day.
My partner has enough cash in the bank to come to Belgium, for example, for 1 month.
Question : Is it advisable and perhaps better in this case to provide an official financial guarantee in addition to the letter of invitation or will people no longer take this into account at all ?
Thank you very much for compiling this file, good luck!
The Belgian embassy only asks for a translation (recognised translation by a sworn translator and legalization) for official documents (read: deeds). An employment contract is not covered by this, so that zpu can supply you in Thai. A land deed is included. In case of a repeat request, there is no need to repeat all translations again unless clearly required. But to get a fresh land deed for every visit now would be too crazy for words.
See: http://thailand.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/travel-to-belgium/visa/short-stay
Someone can either act as a guarantor for himself with X euros per day (standard amount is different for each Schengen member state) OR with a guarantor. A combination is not possible. So if your guest himself guarantees with gwld that is clearly owned by that person, you do not have to and cannot guarantee. If you do want to guarantee, the Thai does not need his own money.
@Rob V.
I sent you an email but got no response.
Visa within 4 days (Thursday appointment Monday Visa)
No question, no response.
Just let us know that the work, time, etc. what you put into it…
Well done Rob, but I already knew that.
And in that case… maybe questioners should address you like that out of respect; not because age demands it
I sent you checklist used by me yesterday..
Hope you can handle this