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My parents are visiting me for a month- I live in NYC. They want me take them on a two week short European trip leaving New York while visiting me.

I am a US Citizen and they carry a US multiple entry visa. They plan on applying a Schengen visa as soon as possible from the Philippines but “they were told” that they can only leave/enter to and from Europe to Philippines if they apply in that country. Is this correct? (manila-nyc-europe-nyc-manila)

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  • Generally, one applies for visas from one's country of residence. That will often not be the country from which you enter - think of multi-country tours. – Patricia Shanahan Sep 26 '18 at 0:01
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No. There is no such requirement.

Somebody will put a notice on this answer that it is unsourced, but governments aren't generally in the business of listing requirements that they do not impose. If you're in the mood for some light reading, you can look in the Schengen Borders Code and the Schengen Visa Code, where you will find no such requirement.

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    where is the source for the claim? (I wanted your very good answer to be complete, and this comment is the obvious missing piece) – WoJ Sep 27 '18 at 9:14
  • @WoJ The source for what claim? – phoog Sep 27 '18 at 12:47
  • I was joking about your "Somebody will put a notice on this answer that it is unsourced" – WoJ Sep 27 '18 at 13:52
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I guess something got garbled in the transmission:

  • Usually they can only apply from their country of residence. They can transit through other countries, of course.
  • In their application, they must make it credible that they will leave again. This is easiest if they return to their place of residence, but also possible in other itineraries.
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Note that the way most airports are organized, the officer doesn’t even know where you came from as passengers that came by different planes all get mixed up. The passports don’t necessarily show that information either because most countries don’t stamp passports of their citizens, some (e. g. US) don’t stamp on exit and others (e. g. Australia) don’t stamp any passports at all, preferring electronic records instead; not to mention people can quite legally hold several passports, issued by the same country or by different ones.

Thus the requirement makes no sense as it would be impossible to uphold it.

As an aside, having been previously admitted to the US and leaving that country lends a bit of extra credence that the passenger will likewise honor immigration laws of other countries.

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    In many airports, the officer can see the passenger manifest data of an arriving traveler after scanning the passport. I don't know whether any Schengen states have implemented such systems, but I would assume that at least some have. Also, the assertion that the US doesn't stamp its citizens' passports is incorrect: I have dozens of US stamps in my US passport. – phoog Sep 26 '18 at 17:53
  • @phoog I was under the impression US only has “Admitted” stamps, is that incorrect? – Roman Odaisky Sep 26 '18 at 18:19
  • Well there's also a "paroled" stamp (when a person is allowed into the country but not "admitted" under the definition of immigration law; this obviously never applies to a citizen). But you're correct that there's no exit stamp. I must have misread the text as "...don’t stamp passports of their citizens (e. g. US)." – phoog Sep 26 '18 at 18:26
  • (+1) Regarding airports organisation, I have seen checks right out of the jet bridge (police officers standing there without the benefit of any infrastructure like gates or booths) and I know the UK is deploying cameras to be able to match a passenger to a specific flight (even if they ditch their passport and won't reveal their citizenship or the name they might have used). – Relaxed Sep 27 '18 at 21:15
  • @phoog "I don't know whether any Schengen states have implemented such systems, but I would assume that at least some have" Only Spain for arrivals from outside Schengen – Crazydre Sep 28 '18 at 0:32
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There is no such restriction. You are free to fly into any Schengen country and fly out of any other Schengen country. The only thing being checked is if you have to right visas for Schengen area and US while entry.

Another important point to be noted is that visa application has to be submitted to the country of first entry. That is, if you're planning to enter Schengen area in Frankfurt, then you have to apply at the German Consulate/Embassy for Schengen Visa.

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    Not so: for multi-country trips, you need to apply at the country where you will be spending the most time. – lambshaanxy Sep 26 '18 at 13:57
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    @jpatokal indeed, imagine how such a rule would mess with people with layovers. Someone with a visa issued by Austria who suddenly found out that the cheapest flights from their home country all had layovers in Paris would have to re-apply for a visa from France, even if their real destination was still Austria. – Robert Columbia Sep 26 '18 at 13:59
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    You have to apply to the country of first entry only in the case you will stay about the same time in all countries visited. – jcaron Sep 26 '18 at 17:30
  • @jcaron correction: ...in the case where you will stay about the same time in all countries and there is no other consideration that makes a country your main destination. The visa code says "the main destination of the visit(s) in terms of the length or purpose of stay." – phoog Sep 26 '18 at 17:58

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