Schengen

riatolken · Mar 24, 2013

Hi there, We are going to do the Camino de Santiago from Jean Pied de Port and would like to know, traveling from South Africa, how do we give proof of where we will be staying, as we are not booking anything in advance. What will be the requirements for obtaining a Schengen visa? :

thanks a lot, Ria

methodist.pilgrim.98 · Mar 24, 2013

Ria, if you type in Schengen in the search engine you will find much wisdom.

Welcome.

DarrenCombrink · Mar 24, 2013

riatolken said:
Hi there, We are going to do the Camino de Santiago from Jean Pied de Port and would like to know, traveling from South Africa, how do we give proof of where we will be staying, as we are not booking anything in advance. What will be the requirements for obtaining a Schengen visa? : thanks a lot, Ria

Hi There

Please visit http://www.csjofsa.za.org

The Confraternity of South Africa has all the required information.
Once registered you will collect a letter and your Camino Passport from the secretary.
The letter is used when applying for the Schengen, you will not need pre booked accommodation.

Send me a PM for more information as I can assist with the Schengen visa process and website.

Regards,
Darren

sillydoll · Mar 24, 2013

5 years ago people applying for a Schengen Visa through the Spanish Embassies had a very hard time because they had no invitation to visit Spain, no accommodation and, in some instances, were going to be in Spain for many weeks.

I had a meeting with the Pretoria Consulate and asked if there was a way they could make it easier for pilgrims. They decided that the best way was for people planning on walking the Camino with no accommodation booked ahead to join the CSJ, include a copy of the 'credencial' and a Visa letter with their applications.

Clause 8 of the Schengen Application requirements deals with Camino pilgrims.

It states that applicants planning on walking the Camino de Santiago should apply to the CSJ of SA for a 'credencial' and send a copy of the front page as well as a Visa Letter from them confirming that they are a member and that they are walking the Camino.

Its a pity that you have to join an organisation but this was the only way they would accept applications from people walking the Camino.

Kiwi-family · Mar 25, 2013

Sillydoll, do you know if there is something similar for people wanting to do other long distance walks in Europe? My big goal is to walk the Iron Curtain Trail, but Schengen issues seem to make it an impossibility to do in one hit.

sillydoll · Mar 25, 2013

The Schengen states adhere to the same rules and regulations and all are strict about enforcing the maximum 90 days visit in any 6 month period. It was possible for a friend to walk the Via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome in 2007 because at the stage Switzerland hadn't yet joined and he had 10 days or so walking in Switzerland. Now it is almost impossible to walk the entire distance unless you skip sections so as not to exceed the 90 day restriction.

You'll have to find out if any of the 20 countries are not part of the Schengen agreement.

20 nations are part of the Iron Curtain Trail project, among them 14 members of the EU.

The path starts at the Barents Sea along the Norwegian-Russian and Finnish-Russian border, passes a short stretch of the coasts of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Kaliningrad, Poland and the former GDR. From Lübeck to the three-nation border (Saxony-Bavaria-Czech Republic) the path follows the former German-German border. Then it follows the highlands of the Bohemian Forest, passes Moravia and the Slovak capital of Bratislava and crosses the Danube near Vienna.

It then follows the southern border of Hungary via Slovenia and Croatia. Between Rumania and Serbia it follows in the main the Danube, and, via Bulgaria, Macedonia and Greece to end at the northernmost point of Turkey on the Black Sea coast.

The Schengen alliance includes:
Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland (not a European Union Member State)
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein (not a European Union Member State)
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway (not a European Union Member State)
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovenia
- Slovakia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Swiss (not a European Union Member State)

docpam · Mar 25, 2013

riatolken said:
Hi there, We are going to do the Camino de Santiago from Jean Pied de Port and would like to know, traveling from South Africa, how do we give proof of where we will be staying, as we are not booking anything in advance. What will be the requirements for obtaining a Schengen visa? : thanks a lot, Ria

Hi Ria
I am looking forward to you contacting the Confraternity of St James of South Africa. http://www.csjofsa.za.org/ All our details are on the web page.
Pam

Monya · Dec 11, 2013

I am currently in the process of joining the Confraternity of St James, and this is something I am more than happy to do for the assistance they can give in applying for the Visa. I am dealing with a lady named Pam, and she has been very friendly and helpful. My concern is just around the Occupation part of the visa application. I resigned at the end of September, and have no intention of going back into that line of work. In fact, that is what I want to obtain more clarity on while on the Camino: what is my life purpose, and what do I need to do to achieve it. Is the Spanish Consulate understanding on that point? I am traveling alone to a country I have no friends or family in, and leaving my kids and husband at home. I have the funds/medical aid, etc, I truly hope that the job that I hated to much by the end hasn't got another opportunity to take a jab at me.