Applying for tourist visa in London (or maybe Paris)

[onebir]

Last time I got shafted. I wanted to stay about 6-7m. But the longest tourist is 3m extendable by 1m twice. I booked a ticket for 4 1/2m, under the impression that the official would ok this - it's less than 5 months after all. Instead she said 'you're ticket is too long, i can only give you a 1m visa', but eventually 'relented' and gave me 2m.

Is there a way around this? Do I really need to buy tickets first? Or can I just ask for a 3m visa & get the ticket later?

[anonymoose]

I first applied for a tourist visa in 2000 in London, and took all the documents which the embassy website says are needed (hotel booking confirmation and tickets). When I handed these over together with the visa application form, the guy handed them straight back without even looking at them.

So in the 5 times I have applied for visas since then (4 tourist visas and 1 work visa), I haven't bothered to take tickets, and have never been questioned by anyone at the visa office about them. All times I was travelling for less than 30 days and was given a 30-day visa, except the last time I applied for a 90-day visa and received it without any questioning or hassle.

[Kalef]

Hi anonymoose, do you think your 90 day visa was luck of the draw or is there anything in black & white that says we can apply for upto 90days.

I have applied for 2 30 day L visas this year already (as I was told this was the longest I could have) but for my third one I would like a 90day if poss & wouldn't mind taking something with me incase they try to enforce another 30 day on me.