I will copy and paste the conversation between me and the Norwegian Embassy in San Francisco/CA. I just think the Embassies should be aware about the Travel Document...they look at it like it's an alien from Mars!!!
ME: Good morning Norwegian Embassy SF-CA
I live in Santa Barbara-California however I was born in Brazil and I have political Asylum. I just got my Refugee Travel Document and I was wondering If I need the "Schengen Visa" since I am not allowed to use the Brazilian passport anymore.
Can I go to Norway using the Travel Document or I need the "Schengen Visa"?
NORWEGIAN EMBASSY: You do need a visa. Please bring both your travel document and old passport to the interview. Guidelines are found here:
http://www.norway.org/Embassy/Visa-a...San-Francisco/
Regards,
SO, I GATHERED ALL MY PAPERS, BANK STATMENTS, PICTURES, COPIES OF THIS AND THAT BLAH,BLAH, BLAH...AND I DROVE FROM LOS ANGELES AAAAAALLLLLLLL THE WAY TO SAN FRANCISCO JUST TO GET MY VISA. I HAD MY INTERVIEW AND HE SAID THAT I WOULD GET MY RTD IN 5 BUSINESS DAYS...EVERYTHING WAS FINE.
...days later...
NORWEGIAN EMBASSY: Dear xxxxxxx,
I just left you a voicemail. As I was printing your visa I realized you’re a Brazilian national, who then would not normally need a visa to enter Norway. Do you still have your Brazilian passport, or is the U.S. Travel Document your current form of id? You may fall in between the various regulations, so I just want to make sure before I send your passport back (so you don’t have any issues on the border)
Regards,
ME: I would prefer to have the Schengen Visa even if you are not sure that it is required. Often, the airline personnel at the airport ticket counters or the cruise ship personnel at the ports are not familiar with the visa requirements. They tend to err on the side of caution. If I don't have a visa, I might be delayed boarding or denied a boarding pass altogether. I will be on a very tight timeline during my trip with a short connection in Germany and then only five days in Norway. Upon arrival in Venice, I will have only a couple of hours to get on the ship. So, any delay could ruin all of our plans.
As an asylee in the United States, I am forbidden from using my Brazilian passport for travel. I must use only the Refugee Travel Document issued by the United States or I risk losing my asylee status and could be deported to Brazil.
As I have paid the fees and provided all the required documentation, please issue the Schengen Visa.
Thank you so much
NORWEGIAN EMBASSY: Dear xxxxxxx,
UDI has confirmed that as a Brazilian national with a US-issued travel document, you do not need a visa to enter Norway. I have also checked that Italy and Germany accept U.S. travel documents in the same fashion .
As such, I have cancelled the visa in your travel document, since we cannot issue visas to citizens of countries that do not require such permission to travel. I will include a letter with your passport that explains why we have not processed your visa, in case you are worried about airline personnel/ border authorities.
I have of course refunded the visa fee (which will go back on your card). I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this process has caused you.
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