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In the past 2 years I was granted 10 Schengen Visas from Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Switzerland and France (in December 2018)

In February 2019 I applied for a French Visa in the USA & was denied with the following reason: "not convinced of your intention to return" to the USA.

The documents & purpose of the trip was the same in December 2018 and February 2019, no difference at all. First visa was approved and I visited France & returned after 7 days, did not of course overstay my visa.

The second visa was refused!

  1. Anyone experience the same situation?
  2. What was the solution?
  3. Should I re-apply?
  4. Apply for another Schengen visa (not France)?
  5. Appeal the decision?
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    They probably felt you were visiting too frequently. What was the purpose of your visits? If you have a girlfriend there, might be cause for suspicion. – user 56513 Feb 26 '19 at 2:34
  • Have your stays totaled 90 days or more in a span of 180 days? – Matthew Barclay Feb 26 '19 at 4:16
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    @MatthewBarclay That's unlikely, there is a specific item on the refusal form for that. – Relaxed Feb 26 '19 at 7:39
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    Are you sure nothing changed in your plans or circumstances between the two applications? How long were your earlier stays? – Relaxed Feb 26 '19 at 7:51
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    What’s your nationality? What’s your status in the US? What’s your professional and family situation? What are your ties to the US? How did you demonstrate them? How long were the previous visas and trips? What is the reason for those numerous trips? – jcaron Feb 26 '19 at 8:48
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An appeal is long and costly and very unlikely to succeed so I don't see the point here (earlier questions cover this). A fresh applications therefore seems like the only course of action available to visit the Schengen area but applying immediately in the exact same circumstances will attract a new refusal. The consulate is under no pressure to revise or justify their decision.

I think the most promising approach is to apply to another Schengen country but only after waiting several months. You must at all cost avoid giving the impression that you are trying to salvage this trip and circumvent the first decision. Plan a trip to another country, prepare a strong and credible travel plan and follow through on it. Additional short trips to other parts of the Schengen area should bolster your credibility and make it possible to reapply for a French visa in one or two years from now.

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  • Are you sure the appeal cost money? The form didn't mention any fees! It only stated the reason of refusal and the address to mail the appeal. – TRAVELRING Feb 26 '19 at 22:13
  • Regarding my credible travel: I've 1 year multiple visa for Australia, New Zealand and S. Korea along with Japan. I am so confident that their feral was by error! There is no way for me to leave my family, home, job and 20 years legal permanent residency to overstay my visa and live illegally in France, make no sense but I am not sure how they treated my 2nd application giving the fact 1st was approved – TRAVELRING Feb 26 '19 at 22:20
  • @TRAVELRING No, the appeal doesn't cost money but realistically you need a (French) lawyer. In all likelihood, the appeal will eventually be rejected anyway but long after the delay, the main reason you lodge an appeal is to be able to go to court afterwards. – Relaxed Feb 26 '19 at 22:25
  • @TRAVELRING I agree with you, it doesn't make much sense but that's not a credible travel plan. “Visiting Greek islands” is what I mean by a credible travel plan. The goal is to overcome the refusal by doing typical tourist stuff a few times before applying to France again. – Relaxed Feb 26 '19 at 22:28
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    @TRAVELRING I am speaking about future travel. And what good is a plan to go to Sydney to apply for a Schengen visa? Again, not discussing your character, past travels, or links with your place of residence, which all seem very strong, I am just suggesting a strategy to overcome the refusal. Greek islands was just example, just make sure that future applications have similarly strong and credible plans. – Relaxed Feb 26 '19 at 23:20

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