Schengen Visa

Today is the day for me to file my application for a new Schengen visa. The name Schengen originated from a small town in Luxembourg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen,_Luxembourg) where the first of the two agreements (so-called Schengen Agreements) was signed by representatives from 15 European countries namely: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden which was entitled (quite long)The 1985 Agreement between the Governments of the States of the Benelux Economic Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the French Republic on the gradual abolition of checks at their common borders, also known as Schengen I, which provided for simple visual surveillance of private vehicles crossing the common border at reduced speed, without requiring such vehicles to stop. Persons who did not have to meet specific requirements at internal borders, as, for example, visa requirements, could use this fast lane procedure by affixing to the windscreen a green disc measuring at least eight centimetres in diameter.
For a third country national (a foreigner residing from example in Switzerland wishing to vist or travel to any of the countries which signed into the Schengen Agreements), to travel to any country belonging to the so-called Schengen area (the countries which signed the Schengen Agreements) requires a visa for that purpose. In Geneva, the task of issuing the Schengen visa has been given to the Consulat Generale of France. Since 1999, I have been issued around 4 Schengen visas, aside from the Schengen Residence permit which I got when I was studying for my master at the University of Munich. Over the years, I got to learn some lessons on applying for the Schengen visa the least of which is the more documents you submit, the better is the chance of you being issued the visa. Today, before going to the French Consulate here in Geneva which is fortunately for me is just 5 minutes away from our resident, I thought that I got all the documents enumerated by the one who answered the phone when I called for an appointment last October 18 ready. So when I got to the information desk of the French Consulate, I thought that the staff manning this first gate would not asked for any other documents, only to realize that this is not the case: He wanted to see the original passport of my partner which unfortunately is travelling to Copenhagen and will not be back until Friday. I was altogether ready to just say OK then I think I just need to go back, when the staff suddenly realized that indeed how can I have the passport of my partner when he should have it with him. I was then issued a number (035) and was let in the receiving area and have to wait to be called to pay for the visa, after which I was asked to go to another window to submit the application together with the receipt of payment. Again in the second window, the staff asked for the passport of my partner (again I have to repeat the explanation and added that what I got together with the application form is a photocopy of his passport. While going over the photocopy of my partner's passport he told me to come back around the 15th day after today, and to bring with my partner's passport. I have to tell him that I cannot possibly do this since by that time my partner would be in India and will not be back to Geneva until the first week of December. I think he soon realized that since I have been submitting almost the same documents evertime I filed for a new Schengen visa, then they can always checked on my files.