Desmond OG

I am a U.S. permanent resident with over seven figures in U.S. dollars in savings and investable assets, a stable career, income, and property. I have never been denied a visa by any country, nor have I ever violated the immigration laws of any country. Yet over the past four years, the Schengen visas issued to me have become progressively shorter and more restrictive. In 2023, France granted me a 90-day multiple-entry visa. Naturally, I expected that my excellent travel history would qualify me for a longer visa upon reapplication. Instead, my second French visa was reduced to just 30 days, albeit with multiple entries. I considered this not only a disregard for my impeccable record but also an insult to a law-abiding traveler. I therefore decided to abandon France and apply to Spain instead—a country I had mistakenly believed would be more welcoming to Chinese visitors. To my astonishment, Spain proved even worse. Despite my history of holding two French Schengen visas, Spain granted me only a one-month, single-entry visa, with its validity calculated almost precisely to match my travel itinerary, leaving virtually no flexibility. I assumed that applying to Spain a second time, with an even stronger travel record, would at least earn me a six-month multiple-entry visa. Once again, Spain disappointed me: 33 days. Single entry. This is how certain European countries treat a financially secure, law-abiding traveler with U.S. permanent residency and an impeccable international travel record. The irony is extraordinary. On the one hand, these countries impose increasingly burdensome restrictions on legitimate tourists. On the other, they have opened doors for years to illegal immigrants and third country refugees. They are remarkably stingy toward visitors who respect their laws, appreciate their cultures, and contribute to their tourism economies. Yet when confronted with genuine threats to public order, they just sit and do nothing. I initially wanted to condemn these immigration officers in the harshest possible words for their arrogance, shortsightedness, and upside-down mentality. However, after reading recent news reports about violent incidents in France and Spain, my anger has gradually turned into a sense of relief. Of course, I do not wish violence upon innocent people. But these reports have reminded me of something important: Why should I go to such lengths to obtain permission to visit countries where public safety itself has become a source of concern? I once believed that these visa officers were rejecting me. Now I realize that perhaps they have unintentionally helped me avoid unnecessary risks. They seem to believe that they alone possess the power to decide who deserves to enter Europe. What they forget is that travelers also have the freedom to decide which countries deserve their time and money. My wealth can be spent anywhere in the world. My vacations can take place in countless destinations. I have absolutely no need to beg any country for the privilege of spending my own money within its borders. If a country cannot show basic respect to law-abiding visitors or provide a travel environment in which they feel safe, then the most appropriate response is simply to take my time and money elsewhere. Looking back, perhaps it was precisely the stinginess of these visa officers that spared me from potentially encountering violence or other unnecessary risks in their countries. I used to be furious that my visas kept getting shorter. Today, I am grateful that I no longer feel any need to visit these countries. Perhaps everything happens according to God’s plan. Thank God!