Thursday, March 29, 2012

eurostar from Brussels to London

Anybody know there is a passport check during the journey from Brussels to London by eurostar? I have the visa for UK enter and get the exception for the Belgium immigration office. But when pass France, I would like to know I shoul apply for transit visa for France.



Thanks you in advance for your advice.




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Hi,





There is indeed a passport check before you board the train in Belgium.





I hope this helps.




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Thanks so much for your useful information. Do you have any idea whether the visa for France is necessary if my destination is London, not to drop in France.



:)




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Sorry for being curious but which countries passport are you carrying and which sort of visa do you have?




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The only passport check is in Brussels. They don%26#39;t check again in France unless you leave the train there and re-board a different train. Your visa for the UK entry should be fine if your ticket has the destination listed as the UK.




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Many thanks for ur advice, Lofa. I do appreciate that!!!




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Sorry, but while Iofa%26#39;s information is correct as far as it goes, it fails to mention the situation on the way back and I think you DO have a problem. On departure from Brussels you go through first Belgian exit passport controls then UK entry passport controls (with security checks in between the two now). On the way back at Waterloo International, you go through first UK exit controls then FRENCH entry controls, i.e. French passport officials carry out controls in that direction for the entire Schengen area, which includes Belgium.



To enter Belgium in the first place, you should have had either a specific Belgian visa or, if coming here as a tourist, a Schengen visa, which would be valid for France as well. If you had a Schengen visa which has expired, you can only enter other Schengen countries if you have a Belgian residence card (carte de séjour). Unless %26quot;exception for the Belgium (sic) immigration office%26quot; means that your Schengen visa has been extended, my guess is that you are awaiting regularisation of your residence situation and in that case, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO TRAVEL (I have a non-EU friend in exactly this situation) unless you obtain a specific authorisation from the commune.



In any case, I would strongly advise you to check your situation with the French Embassy in Belgium; even if the Belgian officials allow you to leave Belgium without commenting on your expired entry visa (if this is your situation) this does not mean that they, or the French officials who will be checking your passport in London, will allow you back into Schengen, if you have neither a valid entry visa nor a Belgian residence card. In any case, you really CANNOT rely on information given by TA members when it comes to serious issues like visas! Only the proper authorities can give you accurate and up-to-date information on this subject.




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gaminari, I will contact the French authorities asap since it sounds very serious refereing to your suggestion . Thanks many...




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