Troubles in the Schengen Zone!

January 5, 2007 11:15 AM

Is it possible to get a Schengen Visa or Spanish tourist visa in a day? My girlfriend has lost her Austrian ID card which is her Schengen visa. We are due to fly to the Canary Islands a week today. Do we have any hope? Theres

My girlfriend is Kenyan. But she is Legitimized in Austria. The Austrian government issues her with an ID card that allows her to travel freely within the Schengen zone without needing a visa.

She lost her purse today. Her ID card was in it. She thinks it was left on the bus. We have a holiday in the Canary Islands booked for next Friday. Without that card she cant travel. I've given up hope of it being handed in and gone into "is there a fix?" mode.

She CAN get a new ID card issued. But it has to be done in Vienna. Her mum lives there, but isn't back in Vienna till Tuesday. So I'm guessing this route probably wont work, due to lack of time.

However. There is a Spanish Consulate in Manchester (We are in England BTW). Do you think it would be possible for her to turn up there on Monday or Tuesday and be issued with a Schengen Visa or Tourist visa for spain, within a day or so? I guess she will need the travel documents and everything so I would have to pull a sick day and meet her there. I think this is the best plan of attack.

Finally, anyone have experience of canceling a package holiday? Would I get any money back? Or can I kiss my £800 goodbye?

This is the first non-trivial emergency post I've made to metafilter. Im so glad I didn't waste my question this week.

Hope me out here!

posted by gergtreble to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

The Spanish Consulate doesn't make it look promising on whether they'll even see her:


VISA APPOINTMENTS

V E R Y I M P O R T A N T N O T I C E

- Applications for visas will be accepted only BY PREVIOUS APPOINTMENT. Please DO NOT BUY your travel tickets.

- To obtain an appointment you must hold legal residency status in the UK. Non-residents please apply in your country of residence.

- If you want an appointment to apply for a visa please send a letter to:

Did you buy any cancellation insurance with your package holiday? It might cover loss of documents.
posted by jacquilynne at 11:56 AM on January 5, 2007

I bought the standard insurance package they offered. It doesn't mention anything about loosing travel documents.

Im just hoping against hope now that someone finds her purse and calls me. My buisness card is in the purse.

Just called my travel agent. If I have to cancel it I will not get any refund.

I feel sick....
posted by gergtreble at 12:14 PM on January 5, 2007

I would say see if you can get a hold of her mother and have her meet her at the airport on Tuesday when she arrives. Your girlfriend can take one of the Ryanair flights over to Vienna and they can head to the embassy either that same day or on Wednesday. (this is all assuming that she can get the new ID card on the spot) This looks like it's the best option and you wouldn't lose your money.

Good luck!
posted by arishaun at 12:59 PM on January 5, 2007

Well here is the update. Her mother now doesn't arrive back in Austria until Thursday.

Im just wondering if they can fax over some temporary documents or something.

She is the holder of a Schengen visa, surely thats in the computer somewhere!
posted by gergtreble at 1:13 PM on January 5, 2007

Have you tried calling the Austrian Embassy/Consulate about document replacement? They'll do emergency passport reissues, they might have something similar for other papers.
posted by jacquilynne at 1:19 PM on January 5, 2007

That was the first thing she did.

They told her its a domestic thing not an embassy thing, as its a domestic ID card. She will be calling them first thing monday when they are back in the office.

I just hope they can sort something out quickly!
posted by gergtreble at 1:31 PM on January 5, 2007

I found this - presumably one of you guys can read the original page in German too.
posted by jacalata at 10:00 PM on January 7, 2007