Visa for France (Schengen) for Indonesian

[Jaime C]

We are going to Europe in September, with most of the time in France. I understand you need to apply for the visa with the country you will spend the majority of the time in.

We need a visa for my wife. I was thinking to apply in Los Angeles, but we only have 3 weeks after coming back from Costa Rica, before returning to Indonesia in July. We currently are splitting time between the US and Indonesia, and my wife also has a US green card.

We will be in Indonesia for almost 2 months before leaving to Paris, with a short stop in Bangkok on the way.

Has anyone applied in Jakarta or Bandung?

 

[pinky321]

Exactly, you only need to apply visa the country you will spend the majority of the time in
I helped my partner last time for Italy visa in VFS Jakarta, Kuningan City Mall 1st floor, Jakarta.
http://www.vfsglobal.com/italy/indonesia/contact_us.html
Basically, the requirements are the same for Schengen visa and issued quick once all the documents submitted
TLSContact France Visa
https://fr.tlscontact.com/id/jkt/page.php?pid=address_and_opening_hours

 

[Ruserious]

I am going through the Schengen visa process at the moment and notice a vastly different result depending on which country i apply in. As the applicant is wife of an EU citizen the process is almost free but applying through the French or Swiss route seems to take forever with currently a 4 week wait for an appointment and 2 weeks to process. I think ill try through the Italian side and just stay slightly longer in Italy. Overall i think you are supposed to apply through the country you will stay longest in but i don't know how they track it.

 

[Teabag]

Overall i think you are supposed to apply through the country you will stay longest in but i don't know how they track it.

There is no track, as within the countries there are no more borders, except for Switzerland. So if you travel with the car from lets say Nice or Monaco to Italy on the freeway, you hardly will recognize that you are in another Country (except by road conditions...)

 

[Smallworld]

I am going through the Schengen visa process at the moment and notice a vastly different result depending on which country i apply in. As the applicant is wife of an EU citizen the process is almost free but applying through the French or Swiss route seems to take forever with currently a 4 week wait for an appointment and 2 weeks to process. I think ill try through the Italian side and just stay slightly longer in Italy. Overall i think you are supposed to apply through the country you will stay longest in but i don't know how they track it.

Each EU country has got their own requirements and procedures to obtain schengen visa. Processing times also varies. In my wife's case they sent her passport to the capital city (in Europe), process it, then send it back to Indonesia.

From my experience maybe you should try to approach an embassy of some small country (which belongs to EU) and ask them about visa processing time. Belgium maybe?

 

[jstar]

Belgium is combined in the BENELUX and is being handled by VFS. France is also via an agent now, but officially you could bypass them.

The country where you stay the longest you should apply for, if that is not clear you need to take the country where you enter the EU.

About requirements etc., some tips: (Formerly) having a US / British / Australian visa is a huge advantage, that takes away a lot of concerns. Showing that the WNI is financially in good shape and is likely to go back because of having Indonesian property, an official job, and filled bank accounts will help tremendously. As well as a European spouse who (demonstrably) does not live in the EU and kids still in RI.

Don't forget the necessary insurance. (E.g. Allianz)

 

[Jaime C]

Just an update.

We had to apply online for a reservation, about two weeks in advance. Costs were approximately 1.3jt for the visa and service fee.

My wife got an email back in about 9 days that the visa was ready, we got a multiple entry visa, which appears to be valid for 2 years, so that will be great if we decide to visit Schengen countries again.

A pretty painless process. Just the normal plane tickets, hotel reservations, bank account, marriage documents, copies of our US passports, plus we brought a couple extra things like property documents and vehicle ownership just in case they needed it.

 

[atlantis]

Have a nice trip in France.
Be aware that unions have predicted a pretty tough month of September with quite a few social troubles. Anyway for whoever know France, workers being on strike with the rest of the population having to deal with the consequences is nothing surprising.

 

[Jaime C]

Well, we have a pretty leisurely trip, so hopefully everything goes well.

 

[atlantis]

Well, we have a pretty leisurely trip, so hopefully everything goes well.

I understand that.

Though I hope it won't come to that, you may be wise to have plan B for transportation within the country if you need to travel.

The railway and airport workers are famous to be able to paralyze the country and pretty much any union sections will think of blockading access to gasoline depots and refineries.

This is an example of what I mean: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/world/europe/france-unions-labor-law.html

At least and its the most important, you are aware it may happen and therefore can prepare yourself.

 

[Jaime C]

I'll leave from Paris for Rome at the end of September. I was considering taking the high speed train through Turin. All the connecting flights were a bit pricey unless you take a very early flight.

I only have a couple of days in Rome before flying back to CGK. Flying in on Thai, out on Saudia.

I guess we could take a cruise back to Asia.

 

[Jaime C]

Eiffel Tower workers go on strike the night we have reservations to eat...

 

[Anglian]

Eiffel Tower workers go on strike the night we have reservations to eat...

Can be a problem in France, either on strike or holiday, but I've always enjoyed myself there

 

[atlantis]

Eiffel Tower workers go on strike the night we have reservations to eat...

I feel really sorry for you Jaime. What a shame...

 

[Jaime C]

I feel really sorry for you Jaime. What a shame...

Well, we have rescheduled for Saturday night, so hopefully it will happen.

Nice weather so far, although Indonesians think 9c in the morning is like living at the north pole. :!

 

[Jaime C]

Dinner came off with no hitches.

Spotted one of the hop on, hop off tour buses with a huge Wonderful Indonesia ad on the back on the way there.

 

[Bad_azz]

Well, we have rescheduled for Saturday night, so hopefully it will happen.

Nice weather so far, although Indonesians think 9c in the morning is like living at the north pole. :!

Shudder!