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I'm a citizen of country A who would like to apply for a Schengen visa at a consulate in country B. When is this possible?

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    You could be a legal resident of another country than your citizenship, and apply from there.
    – DavChana
    Jun 29, 2016 at 0:19

3 Answers 3

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Generally you must apply for a Schengen visa from the embassy or consulate serving the place of your residence. This is not necessarily the country of your nationality; if you are in a third country on a long stay visa such as a student or work visa, then you are a resident of that third country.

The regulations do contain an exception, though.

Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 states:

  1. An application shall be examined and decided on by the consulate of the competent Member State in whose jurisdiction the applicant legally resides.
  2. A consulate of the competent Member State shall examine and decide on an application lodged by a third-country national legally present but not residing in its jurisdiction, if the applicant has provided justification for lodging the application at that consulate.

Therefore, if you can convince the consulate that you have a very good reason for applying elsewhere than your residence, then they may accept and process the application.

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  • (+1) Mentioning the number of the article would seem necessary to properly quote the Visa code.
    – Relaxed
    Sep 12, 2016 at 22:08
  • If the citation is wrong or incomplete, please feel free to fix it. Sep 30, 2018 at 20:05
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I've applied and was always granted many Schengen visas far away from home country. They usually just want you to show that you'll likely leave their country and that you have the means to support yourself while there (last bank statement showing some money and employer payment stub, employment letter). One question that usually you have to answer is where you'll stay. I found the simplest way to answer that is to have a copy of hotel reservation and plane tickets (even if you cancel them next day 'cause your plans are not all set yet).

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    @pnuts it would also be helpful to know which Schengen consulates accepted the applications. Their practice is not uniform.
    – phoog
    Jun 23, 2018 at 14:47
  • I have successfully helped visitors apply for Schegen visas while visiting the UK. This was at the French embassy but very long ago. However, it was not easy. Subsequently, I say: get your Schengen visa before you leave home.
    – badjohn
    Sep 30, 2018 at 11:44
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We have come across this requirement.

My partner was on an interim work visa for one years which was about to expire as well as her passport.

She returned home and around the same time we were invited to a wedding. She applied locally in her country, and had about a month wait for an appointment.

During the wait she applied and interim visa for the country she was previously staying in, so could then legally return.

When she applied for the Schengen visa they wouldn't accept and said she should return to the country she was staying in even though it was the other side of the world, without compromise.

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    Ambassadors and consul-generals have wide discretionary powers in granting visas. You should have escalated the matter.
    – user58558
    Sep 30, 2018 at 12:45
  • @greatone while that is true, it is often not obvious how one would do that, especially with the third-party processors acting as gatekeepers.
    – phoog
    Sep 30, 2018 at 15:33
  • @phoog Google is a good start.
    – user58558
    Sep 30, 2018 at 17:40
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    @greatone it hasn't been one for me.
    – phoog
    Oct 1, 2018 at 2:15

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