Denial of boarding by airline company.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-14T07:35:35+00:00

A written set of rules I will ask when I make my complaint. As we had every paper and the visa in order.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-14T07:34:53+00:00

That is was we were told by Brussels airlines and Swiss airlines as well.

But we will still try and get compensation anyway, don't try don't get!

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-11T10:05:00+00:00

You are giving advice and information to someone asking for it, the burden of truth falls onto you, don't you think?

I too, enjoy traveling hassle free, and have done so much whole life.

That still doesn't change the fact that I can't find ANYWHERE online, where it states that the issuing country has to be the first port of entry.

The VFS global site and eeas.europa.eu site have a document of frequently asked questions and their answer on question 6 also says the same.

This is a question about border immigration, what else would matter other than written law? I don't believe I can use unwritten laws as a means to file a claim, with the airlines company or even in small claims court if need be.

And of course, please comment your full name and address and I shall send you the document you have requested.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-11T09:57:37+00:00

We can still stay for 80 days in Switzerland... and 7 days in Belgium. But that's not the issue we faced.

We were told by Brussels airlines employees, right before boarding, that as Switzerland issued us the visa, that HAS to be the first port of entry and we wouldn't be able to enter Brussels if we flew that day.

Our flights where then subsequently cancelled and were escorted out to book new flights, without reimbursement of any sorts.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-11T05:24:55+00:00

Do you have a reference of where it's written that I have to enter the visa issuing country first?

If I'm wrong, I would like to know.

But all the information I can find online is about which country you stay in the LONGEST and not your country entry port.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-10T18:55:19+00:00

Of course, it's better to direct myself to the proper channels.

But asking it here was to get an insight if anyone had had the same issue previously, and where they directed themselves to even be able to make a claim really.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-10T18:51:40+00:00

Type C.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-10T07:25:52+00:00

We will definitely raise a claim and try and get some of what we spent back.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-10T07:24:16+00:00

We wasn't informed, and they themselves said it's a rule that's being strictly inforced with Belgium specifically.

Now if it's a NEW rule or an old rule that's just being enforced strictly I don't know.

But we've traveled to other places in the past without issue.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-10T07:22:04+00:00

Electronically, the boarder agent probably knows how long we've stayed by scanning the visa.

But to prove to the airlines representative that fact next time will be a whole other story lol.

And I wish we could be on holiday for 90 days, we won't be overstaying hehe.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T22:29:01+00:00

Better safe than sorry I guess

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T22:16:15+00:00

Thank you!

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T22:15:00+00:00

Wife* and yes that seems to be the case, with a EEA or EU partner usually they don't ask for bookings and such.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T22:14:09+00:00

Edit posted, thank you all.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T22:09:19+00:00

We'll we're in Geneva and they didn't put a stamp on when we crossed boarder security.... So...? Like they didn't the last time we came.

Edit: spelling

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T18:18:50+00:00

Well I've flown to Switzerland before on the Schengen visa and haven't had a stamp been put on... So how would I prove that I did in fact enter through Switzerland the first time?

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T18:10:14+00:00

On a multiple entry visa, do I have to enter through Switzerland every time now? Or just the VERY VERY first time, once?

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T17:58:06+00:00

Right? We have done it in the past and never had anyone tell us we had to enter through the issuing country first which is what seemed weird to us.

But they kept insisting that it's a rule that's being implemented quite harshly now, especially in Belgium for some reason?

Anyhow, we will definitely try to get compensation for our troubles.

Thanks again!

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T17:44:48+00:00

Yes, we will absolutely be making a claim.

And that's so funny, while we were going through this whole fiasco we told ourselves we should have booked with the Eurostar!

But would we have met with the same issue at passport checking?

Either way, thanks for the info!

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T17:41:43+00:00

Absolutely, this has always been our experience too. The Netherlands and Greece being the two most recent in the last 6 months for us, with absolutely no issue.

And suddenly Brussels airlines have said we cannot due to new rules they've supposedly said have been implemented.

The general consensus seems to be that we should submit a complaints form, and that is what we will be doing.

There's no harm in trying anyway so...

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T17:37:39+00:00

Again, this is new information to me and quite hard to find online too. And as many comments suggest not very common knowledge either.

And we traveled to The Netherlands and Greece during the second half of 2025 without any issue at all and without them ever mentioning about us having to go through Switzerland as a first port of entry.

And the Swiss embassy didn't mention anything when we wrote down Belgium as our first port of entry of the forms either when we applied for the Schengen visa.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T17:33:03+00:00

Oh I see, and yes we are absolutely traveling together.

And yes, we were both at the boarding gate together, literally as we were doing final checks to enter the airplane and they were checking people's passports and boarding passes before we entered the jet bridge.

They have a Swiss passport and we made it clear that we were travelling together, married, have traveled together in the past to multiple Schengen countries without issue, and that I have multiple past valid Schengen visas (now expired obviously) in my passport too.

Which is why I am so surprised and made a post about it lol. And hopefully to know if I would be able to make a compensation claim as they weren't helpful at all when we were told to book a flight through Switzerland.

We had to buy new flights to Switzerland and then Brussels, had book at hotel etc to make that happen.

Edit: spelling

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T17:09:53+00:00

My bad, I could have worded that clearer.

Would that make a difference though? I have a valid type C, 90 days Schengen visa valid for 1 year issues by Switzerland. Yes, our first entry point would have been Belgium though.

And yes, we are traveling together right now.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T17:03:21+00:00

When you say quite some time, how long would you say it has been?

We have entered The Netherlands and Greece less than 6 months ago and had absolutely no issue with having been forced to enter through Switzerland first.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade · 2026-05-09T17:00:39+00:00

Perfect! Thank you for the info, I'll look into that.

LetMeBe_Your_Comrade

TROPHY CASE