Schengen Visa
 

Hello,

I'm not too sure if this might be relevant and answered by the experts. I have just got Schegen visa (tourism) from Switzerland embassy. The visa says:

Valid for : Etats Schegen
From 27/9/10 until 20/10/10
Type of visa: C, Number of entries: 01
Remarks: Tourisme

I am flying to Zurich as my first entry but I will have a transit in Frankfurt first. My returned tickets require me to arrive in/depart from Zurich during the duration of stay in Schengen countries (enter to Switzerland once, travelling around in Swtizerland then leave for France, then come back to Switzerland and travel to Lugano (Lugano was not informed to the embassy), then travel to Italy, and back to Switzerland to leave the country for my own country-- all my travels around Schengen countries will be by trains).Switzerland will be my longest stays as when I applied for visa, I sent the supporting documents that I would stay in Zurich for few days then stay at 1 hotel for 5 days (so the total of staying in Switzerland is 7 days).

My point is I have no time to plan where to go yet due to my work and took for quite sometimes to receive my visa if I waited for my work to be finished and off on vacation right away. That is why I had to apply for visa first and that caused me to choose where to go with the hotel stays, so I applied by sending those supporting documents. I would like to know the replies of the following questions if you could answer:

1) what does "Type of visa: C, Number of entries: 01" mean? I understand that C means single entry, but with my several entries in Switzerland as mentioned above would allow me to enter Switzerland according to this type of visa I have got?

2)After receiving visa, and my trips planned, could I change my hotel stays in Zurich and Bern where I have already submitted my visa and those infos in Switzerland? (I plan to go to Lugao for a day before entering to Italy as well).

3)In case if I do not stay either in Zurich/ Bern's hotels where were submitted my documents to Swiss embassy, do you think any Schengen countries would deport me if I would not follow the first trips planned which was submitted where to travel/stay on this current trips which will effect on my next travels with any embassies in the future?

I really appreciate your assistance

From what I understand you hold a single entry Schengen visa. This is good for a single entry into the Schengen area ("Etats Schegen"). So you are covered for Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France and all others. Schengen is a common travel area and for visa purposes crossing eg the Swiss - French border is not relevant. It would become relevant if you took eg the decision to fly to the UK for a weekend. No worries about the change of hotels etc.

Yes, you are good as long as you do not leave the Schengen area.

Thank you both, then I can change the hotels where to stay then, but I have to make sure I will stay in Switzerland as the longest day for my entire trips:)

no. noone will want to see where you stay and for how long. just do not leave the Schengen area and try to re-enter and do not overstay. if you follow both rules, you're safe. thanks for supporting the european economy ;)

Even this is not relevant. Nobody will ever check. You are requested to apply for your visa with the country you expect to have the longst stay in. However, plans can and will change. Simply do not overstay and do not leave the Schengen area before you travel back home. Enjoy!

which is exactly, what I wrote in my precedent post. ;)

and btw: welcome to flyertalk, beautyremind :)

LOL. Yes, support EU economy ;) Thanks for your reply and thanks for welcoming :)

Thank you, Flying Lawyer:) I have not ever thought of overstaying in Schengen countries or any countries. I do not want my travel records got blacklists or deported. My concern is just about the hotel stays in Switzerland where I will stay the longest that would be changed from my original hotel stays submitted to the embassy, and that is why I applied my visa with Swiss embassy.

I know I will not leave Schengen countries as I have only single entry during those times, so I want to ensure that I can change the hotel stays from the originals as I will probably sleep overnight and stay in the train if I have to cross from countries to countries, so I would safe my budget by sleeping on the trains rather than staying in the hotels. Sadly, the deposits of the hotels would be lost if I do not stay there where I have already booked.

I think it's just Schengen rules that any embassies you apply for Schengen visas, need to show proof of accommodation/hotel stays where you want to stay the longest in that embassy where you will apply for visas in that embassy, I guess.

Well, technically, he supports the EU economy only if he stays OUT of Switzerland :D

LOL

I hv a similiar issue..
 

Hi Folks,

I am on a D type WP and have it for both Czech and Austria..
We planned for my mom to come over to visit me and have a 1 month Europe trip next month.. Now when we made the plans, we had made wherein she would be staying the longest in Germany in that 1 month period with entry in Munich and hence she applied to the German embassy and got the tourist visa from them..
As things stand now, our plans were needed to be changed and now her 1st port of entry will not be Germany but Czech Republic and consequently most of our travel plans have changed .. Now her port of exit is Munich instead and YES, she will leave within the period of her visa..
I read from the below that there are no problems if she arrives in Czech from non schengen.. She will have a confirmed ticket showing her return ticket within the visa period ..
My fear is that she has never travelled abroad earlier and whether seeing her fresh passport the immigration officier can create some problems about her not applying in Czech but in Germany etc etc..
I hope my fears are just fears ...:(

There is an official EU website which explains all of this. Off hand I do not know the link.

I believe the EU is pretty lenient about overstays, but it is still a bad idea. I think there is a ten day window.

About your mom changing her point of entry. I doubt there will be any questions, but to relieve her of any anxiety, contact the nearest Czech embassy and get a letter in Czech explaining why she is entering the Czech Republic first instead of Germany. THIS IS NOT REQUIRED but the letter can help if there are questions in a language she does not readily understand.

The letter would be very simple. Travel plans changed. She is meeting her son. She is leaving the Schengen area on this date. If there is no Czech embassy near her, any EU embassy is obligated to help.

I am in Prague and I can get this letter written by one of my colleagues and scanned to her..I hope that will be ok along with my Czech residency permit..

She may have in in her pocket but should not show it to anybody unless she is actively asked. There are no German, Czech or whatever Schengen visa but only "a" Schengen visa. Applying at one or the other embassy is a mere distribution of competencies. Once the visa is issued nobody is going to ask. And the port of entry is not even relevant for this, it is the jurisdiction where you intent you have your longest stay.