Chinese student on student visa in UK – travel in Europe?
My girlfriend is studying in the UK on a student visa. I am going travelling through Europe in the summer (France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Belguim). Does anyone know if she has to apply for visas for these countries or does her student visa for the UK cover that?
Her UK student visa does not authorize her to travel to the countries you have named. She will need to apply for ONE Schengen tourist visa which covers the visit of all those countries for up to 90 days in a 6 months period. The visa must be applied for at the Embassy/ Consulate of the country in which you plan to stay the longest time. If that should be equally distributed she will need to apply at the representatives of the country you plan to visit first. Whether she may apply from the United Kingdom depends on the length of validation of her UK student visa. If that should be less than 6 month she would not be able to apply for a visa from the United Kingdom but would have had to do it in advance from China. If she stays in the UK for longer than 6 months she may apply for the Schengen visa in the United Kingdom.
Source(s):
http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/Short-stay-schengen-visa.html
http://www.maec.es/subwebs/Consulados/Londres/en/MenuPpal/Servicios/Visados/Paginas/conditionsapplication_services.aspx
http://www.conslondra.esteri.it/Consolato_Londra/Menu/I_Servizi/Per_chi_si_reca_in_italia/
http://ch.vfsglobal.co.uk/faq.aspx
http://www.london.diplo.de/Vertretung/london/en/06/Visabestimmungen/Documents__for__Schengen__seite.html
http://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/embassy/london/practical-advice/schengen-visa-residence-permits.html
http://www.diplomatie.be/london/default.asp?id=36&ACT=5&content=10&mnu=36