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I am an Indian citizen, currently working in the Netherlands. I want to bring my spouse from India to the Netherlands. Let's say I make a dependent visa application on date X. The whole process/approval may take about X + 4/5 weeks. But I would like her to spend that time (X + 4/5 weeks) with me in the Netherlands and go to India only to collect the dependent visa.

I know that two visas from same country cannot be overlapping. So I cannot have a tourist visa for the Netherlands while the dependent visa for the Netherlands is in process.

So I am contemplating other options:

  1. Apply for a tourist visa for Germany first, then apply for the dependent visa for the Netherlands.

or, the other way round:

  1. Apply for the dependent visa for the Netherlands first, then apply for a tourist visa for Germany.

I want to know if either of these options is possible as we are avoiding the overlapping visa rule by choosing to apply each for different country.

PS: I will make sure to show Germany is the main destination of travel - for the purpose of getting a German tourist visa for her.

Please help.

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    One would think that your living and working in the Netherlands would make proving that your wife will go home even more difficult for a tourist visa. – user13044 Oct 4 '17 at 2:00
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You can't do this legally because Germany is not competent to issue a Schengen short-stay (type C) visa for a visit whose primary destination is actually the Netherlands. (You wrote "But I would like to her to spend that time ... with me in the Netherlands.")

Therefore, Germany won't entertain the application unless you lie about the purpose and destination of the visit.

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  • Sure, I knew that. I would show them booking and travel itinerary of Germany. Shall make sure to show that the main destination of travel is Germany. Basically make up a story just for the purpose of getting German tourist visa. (updated OP to clarify) – Sunny Oct 3 '17 at 21:04
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    @Sunny So you're asking about whether you'll be caught committing visa fraud? Such questions are generally frowned on here, but the chances are good that you will be caught. The German short-stay visa application, at least, will be visible to the Dutch through the VIS. I don't know how readily the Germans might learn of the Dutch permit application. – phoog Oct 3 '17 at 21:21
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    @Sunny Doesn't the potential cost of being caught (being apart for your wife for the duration of your employment in the Netherlands) outweigh the cost of spending a couple of months apart? Anyway, as the true purpose of your question is about moving your wife to the Netherlands, it might be more appropriate on Expatriates. – phoog Oct 3 '17 at 21:26
  • I didn't think of this as visa fraud when I posted the question. My only intention was to be with my wife at the earliest. Now yes it looks like a visa fraud. But in those 4/5 weeks we do intend to travel couple of weeks for our honeymoon. Might not be Germany though. – Sunny Oct 3 '17 at 21:35
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    @Sunny with the other option, the Dutch could still learn of the recent visa and trip when your wife tries to enter with her Dutch visa, at which point they might check the VIS. I suspect the chances of problems are low, but really the consequences of failure are devastating. If you actually have a plan to travel in Germany or other Schengen countries, then of course an application for such a visa that discloses the pending Dutch permit application would not be fraudulent. Also ask the Dutch IND whether they would cancel an existing short-stay visa issued by Germany; maybe they wouldn't. – phoog Oct 3 '17 at 21:51

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