Shengen Italy for Thai?

[Orton Rd]

Anyone any experience getting a shengen visa for Italy, straightforward or a pain? Looked at the web site and it seem a bit confusing. I assume they cannot go straight to the Embassy these days but have to like most others use the visa service? How far in advance can you apply?

[theoldgit]

My wife applied via their Visa Application Centre, the process was fairly quick and the visa issued quite quickly though she applied as the spouse of an EU National which is quicker and requires less documentation, we did have to compain regarding incorrect information given by the staff, and did receive an apology.

http://www.vfsglobal.com/italy/thailand/index.html

 

They prefer applicants to use the Application Centre but you can make an appoinment to lodge the application directly at the Embassy. http://www.ambbangkok.esteri.it/ambasciata_bangkok/en/informazioni_e_servizi/visti/

Visa appointment can be also scheduled directly with the Visa Office of the Embassy by following these procedures.

[rasg]

35 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Anyone any experience getting a shengen visa for Italy, straightforward or a pain? Looked at the web site and it seem a bit confusing. I assume they cannot go straight to the Embassy these days but have to like most others use the visa service? How far in advance can you apply?

It depends on your situation. If you are married and your wife has a BRP you can go direct to the embassy but most embassies bury the info in the small print on their websites and make it difficult to book an appointment. They want you to use VFS or their particular provider.

I took my wife to the Danish embassy back in January and they gave her a visa for a holiday in Iceland while we waited and it was free.

[whatsupdoc]

5 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

My wife applied via their Visa Application Centre, the process was fairly quick and the visa issued quite quickly though she applied as the spouse of an EU National which is quicker and requires less documentation, we did have to compain regarding incorrect information given by the staff, and did receive an apology.

http://www.vfsglobal.com/italy/thailand/index.html

 

They prefer applicants to use the Application Centre but you can make an appoinment to lodge the application directly at the Embassy. http://www.ambbangkok.esteri.it/ambasciata_bangkok/en/informazioni_e_servizi/visti/

Visa appointment can be also scheduled directly with the Visa Office of the Embassy by following these procedures.

The 'procedures' did not work about year ago (unreachable telephone number, no reply to emails). I suppose that is still the case.

When we went to the Visa Application Centre is was very busy and the officers were polite but gave us a hard time about being the spouse of an EU national. If possible, make sure the EU citizen is also present during the application and if you have evidence the marriage is also registered in the EU bring it.

[Donutz]

One can apply as early as up to 3 months before the intended travel date and as late as 2 weeks before the intended travel date. See the Schengen sticky topic.

 

You can apply at the embassy directly by appointment as per instructions or optionally use the external service provider (who will charge a fee for their service).

 

The embassy must allow you to come by within 2 weeks of the request. If you don't get a reply to your email in a week regarding making an appointment a reminder with EU Home Affairs and the EU delegation in Thailand may work wonders:

 

- JUST-CITIZENSHIP {at} ec.europa.eu

- delegation-thailand {at} eeas.europa.eu

 

1 hour ago, rasg said:

If you are married and your wife has a BRP you can go direct to the embassy but most embassies bury the info in the small print

BRO status is irrelevant, any status including a holiday visitor visa or illegal status are fine. Being the spouse or other eligable family member as per directive 2004/38 on freedom of movement is enough. That's community law and takes presidence over de EU Schengen visa code. It's true however that some embassies wrongly insist on showing BRO or proof of registration the marriage in the EU.

 

If you can, do bring such papers along but if they ask for it, I'd forward such signs of incompetence or rule ignoring to the EU. With enough complaints someone higher up the chain ought to wake up and set things straight. Making future applications for yourself and others easier, if embassies finally work by the book/legislation.

 

Edit: just to be clear, all applicants can apply at the embassy by appointment. Not just EU family members. But for eligable EU family members a visa to Europe (except to the country that the EU national is s citizen of) is free of charge, minimum paperwork etc 

 

http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/non-eu-family/index_en.htm

Edited November 15, 2017 by Donutz

[Donutz]

1 hour ago, whatsupdoc said:

When we went to the Visa Application Centre is was very busy and the officers were polite but gave us a hard time

VFS, TLS, BLS etc are external for profit service providers hired by the embassy. The staff at these optional service centres are not government employes, ain't officers and don't have anything to say about applications. Their job is to go through the checklist together with the applicant and (regardless of ticking all boxes or not) forward the application to the embassy for processing.  

 

Basicaly they are a glorified paperpushing dropbox. The embassy is responsible that the ESP provides proper service in line with all the rules including ofcoursw proper instructions (on EU family member applications etc)

[whatsupdoc]

4 minutes ago, Donutz said:

VFS, TLS, BLS etc are external for profit service providers hired by the embassy. The staff at these optional service centres are not government employes, ain't officers and don't have anything to say about applications. Their job is to go through the checklist together with the applicant and (regardless of ticking all boxes or not) forward the application to the embassy for processing.  

 

Basicaly they are a glorified paperpushing dropbox. The embassy is responsible that the ESP provides proper service in line with all the rules including ofcoursw proper instructions (on EU family member applications etc)

The VFS staff were unwilling to provide a free visa to my wife (spouse of EU citizen), but when I came to the counter as well and my wife could show evidence the marriage was also registered in the EU, they accepted the application as requested (no visa fee).