Ok, so we want to go to Italy for a few days to visit some friends. Me and our son Joshua are British Citizens, but Natasha is Ukrainian. So she needs a Schengen visa to go to Italy. After having looked at the http://it.vfsglobal.co.uk for information, we have discovered that she could get a EEA/EU Family (Short Stay Up To 90 Days) type visa, which is free. So for her to get that visa, she needed to prove her relationship to the British co-traveller. So naturally, I thought that would be me. In order for her to prove her relationship to me, we had to translate and legalise our Marriage Certificate, which is Ukrainian. If it was a British Marriage Certificate, would have been much easier. Translating and legalising the Marriage Certificate and her Birth Certificate costed us almost £300. All the time and trouble that it took was crazy. But finally we had all the paperwork we need for the visa and for her to prove her relationship with me. Whilst packing the paperwork for the visa before our trip to London to the visa office, I thought to take a copy of Joshua's passport and Birth Certificate just in case.When we got there, I said to the visa officer, well this is my wife and we are travelling together and this is our son who will need to be fed by his mum on the trip. So the visa officer asks for Joshua's passport and Birth Certificate. Then she asks for the plane tickets and that is it. She needed nothing else, because Joshua is British and her name is on the Birth Certificate hence the relationship between her and Joshua's as his mother is proven.
We walked away from the application centre both relieved and upset. Relieved that it was all OK and that the paperwork that we had on us was acceptable. But upset since we went to so much trouble for nothing. We did not have to translate all the documents since we could easily prove her relationship to Joshua through the birth certificate.
So if you have a child together who is British, then you can get a Schengen visa by providing the child's birth certificate to prove your relationship to a British national. Of course don't forget all the other things like copies of everything and photos and so on.
We walked away from the application centre both relieved and upset. Relieved that it was all OK and that the paperwork that we had on us was acceptable. But upset since we went to so much trouble for nothing. We did not have to translate all the documents since we could easily prove her relationship to Joshua through the birth certificate.
So if you have a child together who is British, then you can get a Schengen visa by providing the child's birth certificate to prove your relationship to a British national. Of course don't forget all the other things like copies of everything and photos and so on.
Hi Andrei. I sent you a Google chat invitation a few weeks ago, because I've a few questions I would really like to discuss with you. In the meantime, can you please let me know how to find an approved translator for legal documents (e.g. my Apostilled passport and Apostilled certificate of no impediment)? Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteHi Michael. Sorry, about the chat invitation, I just don't have the time at the moment. What language to what language do you want to translate?
ReplyDeleteHi Andrei. No problem if you're busy, I know how it is :) Anyway the reason I wanted to chat is because our situations are so similar. I am British, and I'm getting married to a girl from Kharkiv, at Kharkiv ZAGS on 26.12.15. Once we're married the plan is she will come and live here with me. Since I wrote you, we've successfully booked the wedding. Once we're married I'll start the visa application process. Just wanted to say thanks so much for a helpful blog here :)
DeleteOk, so I guess the language would be Ukrainian then? The Ukrainian Consulate in London will suggest to you a translator lady that can do it for you. She did mine and the Consulate then were fine with the translation. You just have to post the paperwork to her and she will post them back.
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best.
Thanks! Language is Ukrainian yes. Actually what we did for the translation, was I scanned over my passport (apostilled & notarised here in UK) to my fiancee. She then took them to a local translation agency in Kharkiv who did it for us in just 48 hours. Took it to Zags the next day and all was good! Also, there is no requirement for me to present a certificate of no impediment at Zags (although I have paid for one to be produced). I only hope the rest of the process can go as smoothly for me as it did for you & Natasha!
DeleteThat is great. Fantastic. It would be good for you to record all the steps that you have done with as much accuracy as you can and then publish it here on this forum for other people who are going through the same thing. What do you think?
DeleteYes! I'll start to record it all. I think I can write reasonably well, so I'll draft up some words about our own experiences too. I'll let you see them and you can publish them here if you like? The whole thing is very exciting, and our blog has given us plenty of information, and more importantly, confidence. The organisation and hard work you both put in is something we're trying to emulate!
DeleteThat would be fantastic. Feel free to change people's names of course if you like. Looking forward to it.
DeleteHi Andrei! Well we're married! :) I have a quick question, please - my wife if taking the IELTS test (for the visa) later in January. The speaking test can be apparently upt o 7 days before, or 7 days after the written test. Now the problem is my wife is travelling from Kharkiv to Kiev (5 hrs on train) to do the test. She can't wait all week for a speaking test. Can you remember was Natasha's speaking test on the same day as the written test or not? I will have to write to them to ask for special consideration, I think. PS - Happy new year!
ReplyDeleteHi Michael! Congratulations and also a Happy New Year to you also. Natasha was also informed that the two tests may not be in the same day, but she ended up having them in the same day. They do try to make it the same day. Also, She did PET (B1) which was enough. I think at the time even A1 was enough. So she does not have to go for a very difficult level test. But, yes, writing to them and asking to to try and make it the same day would not hurt - I guess. Well, all the best. Keep us updated.
ReplyDelete