Visa For France?

[Marko2]

Dear All,

I guess this has been asked before, but I couldn't find the relevant thread..

My wife is in the UK on a settlement visa, and we would like to visit some friends in France. Now I'm sure she will need a visa, but my question is how do we apply for that? Do you apply to the French embassy in the UK or must you write to the embassy in BKK? and what documents// evidence do they normally require?

Has anybody done this before?

Many Thanks

Marko

Edited January 30, 2006 by Marko2

[singa-traz]

Better check with them.

http://www.consulfrance-londres.org/articl...?id_article=318

[the scouser]

Hi Marko,

Your wife can apply to the French embassy in London. As she is married to a British citizen, i.e. a national of an EU country, the visa should be free. However, sometimes the French play by their own rules.

Cheers,

Scouse.

[Rinrada]

Done it a couple of times over the last few years with no problems but noticed that the procedures have changed a little.

As we live in the smoke,in the past it was just a case of q-ing up outside the consul down in South Ken (just me)with all the docs and assuming you got in i usually got the visa within about an hour.

Unfortunately you could arrive there at 9-00am and find the said Q streaching all the way back to Heathrow airport so would suggest thats why they changed their procedure (good idea)

Anyway basically if you live in the capital (M25) you gotta make an appointment (see above web site )Telephone @ £1 a minute or email -recco..

Outside and in the boonies you can apply by post but it may take time...up 2 you.

As Scouse mentioned if your wife is on a settlement visa and you are a UK/EU citizen then the "chop"is free.......just make sure you take all the documents especially passports (both)and marriage license..etc.

I found the French consul and staff members all very polite and professional......

and the Visa is good for 1 year.... bien

[vinny]

If you live outside Greater London, then you may send all your documents by post. Else, before going to the French Consulate at South Kensington, your wife must make the appointment via their website or by phone. Assuming that you are an EU citizen, she would need to bring:

1. Both your EU passport and her passport

2. Orginal Marriage certificate and, if applicable, certified English translation

3. Completed visa application form

[Marko2]

If you live outside Greater London, then you may send all your documents by post. Else, before going to the French Consulate at South Kensington, your wife must make the appointment via their website or by phone. Assuming that you are an EU citizen, she would need to bring:

1. Both your EU passport and her passport

2. Orginal Marriage certificate and, if applicable, certified English translation

3. Completed visa application form

Thanks all for the info.

We live on the south coast so I think we will send it by post.

The only problem is the certified English translation of the marriage certificate, unfortunatly we don't have one! Do you know how to get a certified translation in the UK? (no doubt vastly more expensive that in Thailand!)

Cheers

[Jersey_UK]

and the Visa is good for 1 year.... bien

This is way in the future for me!.........but as the thread has surfaced...........

1 year visa is good for me (being near to France I do a good few trips a year) - My question is.......with a French Visa does the Thai Wife need to go through French immigration and get "stamped" in and out?!! Or does this mean that she is just permitted to turn up in the same way as I do not have to go through immigration?

I only ask because I have a boat and the places that are closest do not have a permanent immigration office! I have never checked in myself with immigration (but I know they are around...........and the Customs!) in 40 years of arriving my small boat (since I was a kid!). (different for the ferries of course).

This is probably a bit of an ask for this forum............and I could probably get the immigration down to the boat when needed, but one less bit of paperwork is always nice!

[the scouser]

Marko,

You're probably talking £200+ for a certified translation of a Thai marriage certificate. I'd send one of your Thai marriage certificates to Thailand and have it done there.

Scouse.

[Rinrada]

and the Visa is good for 1 year.... bien

This is way in the future for me!.........but as the thread has surfaced...........

1 year visa is good for me (being near to France I do a good few trips a year) - My question is.......with a French Visa does the Thai Wife need to go through French immigration and get "stamped" in and out?!! Or does this mean that she is just permitted to turn up in the same way as I do not have to go through immigration?

I only ask because I have a boat and the places that are closest do not have a permanent immigration office! I have never checked in myself with immigration (but I know they are around...........and the Customs!) in 40 years of arriving my small boat (since I was a kid!). (different for the ferries of course).

This is probably a bit of an ask for this forum............and I could probably get the immigration down to the boat when needed, but one less bit of paperwork is always nice!

We travelled back and forward a couple of times on both the boat from Dover to Calais (day trips)and City breaks to Paris on Euro star from Waterloo and she was never stamped into France bu always"chopped"on the way out... when departing. Figure it out..but NO hassle..

[Jersey_UK]

We travelled back and forward a couple of times on both the boat from Dover to Calais (day trips)and City breaks to Paris on Euro star from Waterloo and she was never stamped into France bu always"chopped"on the way out... when departing. Figure it out..but NO hassle..

Thanks a lot.

This sounds very promising, especially the fact that they were never concerned about her not being "chooped" into France, when they checked her passport on the way out.

Obviously I will check this with the French Embassy when it becomes an issue, cos I doubt the Missus would be amused with a trip to a French Monkey House.

[Marko2]

Marko,

You're probably talking £200+ for a certified translation of a Thai marriage certificate. I'd send one of your Thai marriage certificates to Thailand and have it done there.

Scouse.

Thanks Scouse,

Typically England, Why do people always charge what they can get away with (they know that you have to get it done, so they charge as much as possible) as appose to the actual cost of things.

People talk about Farangs being ripped of in Thailand but that doesn't compare to what happens every day in the UK! (rant over!)