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I was supposed to go with Thomas Cook travel operator to Europe with France as the main destination, with trips to Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Germany. Due to a discrepancy, it has been canceled and they are willing to give me a 100% refund.

I still have my visa for 30 days with multiple entry with maximum duration of 20 days. Can I use that to travel on my own personally to Paris and Rome only, and go back to India from Rome?

France is still my main destination. My plan is to now enter from Paris and stay for 4 days there and go to Rome and stay there for 3 days.

I can definitely carry the Thomas Cook documents regarding the cancellation, although in the rare instance if they may ask me, can I say I had a health issue and had to reschedule the dates? Will the visa application which had my original travel dates be available to them?

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    Will France still be the main destination of your trip? (The country where you spend the most days).
    – Joe Malt
    Aug 12, 2019 at 11:00
  • 2
    Related question travel.stackexchange.com/questions/44258/… If France is still your main destination I don’t think this would be a problem. If I were you, I’d carry correspondence from Thomas Cook with me to show to border guards if asked.
    – Traveller
    Aug 12, 2019 at 11:15
  • Yes, France is still my main destination. My plan is to now enter from Paris and stay for 4 days there and go to Rome and stay there for 3 days. Will the visa application which had my original travel dates be available to them?
    – Raj S
    Aug 12, 2019 at 21:48
  • I can definitely carry the Thomas Cook documents regarding the cancellation, although in the rare instance if they may ask me, can I say I had a health issue and had to reschedule the dates?
    – Raj S
    Aug 12, 2019 at 21:52
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    Was it a health issue, or a "discrepancy"? Planning to lie to immigration or customs officials is extremely unwise.
    – WGroleau
    Aug 13, 2019 at 1:17

1 Answer 1

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I still have my visa for 30 days with multiple entry with maximum duration of 20 days.

I will presume from all you said this visa was issued by France.

Can I use that to travel on my own personally to Paris and Rome only, and go back to India from Rome?

Yes, not a problem, visas are issued for duration, not a fixed travel itin, the itin is necessary as one proof among many to prove you are a genuine visitor and not an illegal immigrant.

France is still my main destination. My plan is to now enter from Paris and stay for 4 days there and go to Rome and stay there for 3 days.

So far, still good. Your main destination is only relevant to see you are not trying to game the system by trying to stay, say, in Spain by using a visa issued by the French authorities. And you are not.

I can definitely carry the Thomas Cook documents regarding the cancellation

That's not needed, itin changes happen all the time.

although in the rare instance if they may ask me, can I say I had a health issue and had to reschedule the dates?

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Lying to immigration is the WORST IDEA possible. They are trained to find out, you are not trained to lie. You will get caught and you will get into trouble.

Will the visa application which had my original travel dates be available to them?

Of course, and it's almost irrelevant. Originally you filed from 17th to 27th and now you got a visa from 15th August to 15th September and now you want use the flexibility given to you and travel from 26th to 3rd. Your visa is valid, your intent to enter as a tourist matches your visa: go ahead. If asked why did you change, just tell the truth, even if it's as banal as "this fits my schedule better". The very reason they issued a slightly broader visa so if you change your stay by a week or two you don't need to go back and waste their time to get a new visa issued.

Do not spin. Do not produce a lengthy explanation of what happened with Thomas Cook and why but if it can be told in short and simple then do, like "Thomas Cook wanted to reschedule but that collided with my daughter's wedding so we agreed on a refund and I found this great deal so I still can have my French-Italian vacation". Frankly: noone cares and it's not relevant. Only state why you changed your itinerary if asked and then state it plain, short and simple. This is key to immigration: never lie to immigration. Never offer information unasked. Stay calm. End.

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  • Thanks for the reply, I'm getting sort of mixed messages from everyone about not mentioning about Thomas Cook at all. I think I'll stick to the truth and tell it in short which is better.
    – Raj S
    Aug 20, 2019 at 11:10
  • The reason for mixed messages is because we do not know what exactly going on and because we have seen people going into five minute long diatribes about things like this... truth is good.
    – user4188
    Aug 20, 2019 at 17:18

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