URGENT! Help with visa to France and Italy!?

Question

I am a 16 year old student and I am going to France and Italy for 2 weeks in March 2008 on a school trip. I am of colombian nationality but i have been a canadian resident for 3 years now although i have not applied for nationality. Do I need to apply for visa and how, or could I just use my Colombian passport?

Thank you so much for your help!

Answer 1

You will need a schengen visa. A schengen visa can be used to enter most countries in western Europe, so you would only need one visa to enter France and Italy. Good luck.

DaFunk: that's for American citizens, you're so ignorant and everything you said is incorrect. you can enter about twenty countries in Europe with a single Schengen visa when you travel among the bordorless European countries that include France and Italy.

EDIT: Maria, minors that don't need visa would be traveling with their parents who have visas. But if you're not traveling with your parents then you need a visa.

An easier way to do it and enter so many countries without any visas is to apply for a Canadian passport! I think you can apply after residing in Canada for more than two years. Good luck.

Answer 2

A visa is something reserved for a stay for work or study that requires temporary residence in ONE foreign country, usually for a period of 6 months or more. There is no visa that allows for more than 1 country, but you don't even need to think about that now. 2 weeks is a vacation, and has nothing to do with your nationality or visas, your passport and luggage are all you need.

Answer 3

To begin with you MUST use your Columbian Passport since that is the country in which you hold citizenship. Your residency in Canada is irrelevant.

As a citizen of Columbia you will require a visa to enter France or Italy. France and Italy are part of a system that uses just one visa to enter all countries which are members of the pact.

Given the time it takes to process a visa you should apply IMMEDIATELY to either the French or Italian consulate (apply to the one which is the first you will enter). It can take between 4 and 6 weeks for your visa to be approved.

EDIT: A child traveling with her parents can be included in her parent's visa but someone has to have a visa. Since you say you are going on a "school trip" I assume this is not your situation.

PS I concur with Zeertc that DaFunk clearly doesn't know what he is talking about.