Can I arrive in Spain before the dates of my student visa?
I would like to arrive in Spain about 6 days before the start of my visa in order to figure out my apartment and living situation. Can I legally do this? If not, can I arrive in Spain as a tourist, leave the country for a few days, and then arrive on my student visa afterwards? I have two US passports (yes, this is legal. I just travel a lot), but I don't know if there is a certain amount of time that must pass before I can return to the country.
Embassies & Consulates - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Your passport should be stamped with the visa. Call the people you bought your visa from and see what they have to say, this will not be the first time they have been asked this question. It is always best to talk the visa people direct rather than taking advice from a third party.
2 :
In the Schengen-Handbook which provides details about the implementation of the new EU visa code you can read: A visa applicant who has been issued a Spanish national long stay visa but not yet travelled to Spain may be issued a uniform (or LTV) visa to cover any short stay in any other Member State preceding his stay in Spain. http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/fsj/freetravel/visa/docs/c_2010_1620_en.pdf ..[see page 65] Based on this provisions I don't see any problems that you enter before your student visa starts for Spain. U.S. passport holders can enter the Schengen territory without visa for up to 90 days as tourist.
3 :
You already have a visa and you have been instructed as to the dates you may enter. You can go when your visa says so. end of story. Gerd's comment, note "any OTHER Member State..." not Spain.
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