Yes, it does matter a lot. Embassies do a lot of careful research, hence most of their decisions and interview questions are based solely on concrete outcomes of years of research and compilations of results. Reasons the embassies may wonder and inquire why you’re not traveling with your spouse or your spouse and kids traveling without you:
1. Reuniting with spouse: The embassy may wonder whether your partner is already in the country you intend to visit which you did not state in your application. Granting you the “tourist” visa would mean you’re not coming back and you just want to reunite with your spouse overseas.
2. Reuniting with family: If one partner is traveling alone with other family members (children), apart from the other partner giving a written consent letter and sometimes through your country’s Department of Justice and Foreign Ministry, some embassies might want to interview the other partner who is not traveling in person to ascertain whether the claim is genuine. They may want to see your National Identity Card to verify your claim.
3. One partner seeking greener pastures: It is very common in some parts of the world for one partner to travel alone in order to work and send money home. So if you’re traveling alone and there is no indication or no mention of the status or whereabouts of your spouse, the consulate officer might raise a red flag.
Writer
Andy Pratt
