Schengan visa for Thai travelling to France to join as yacht crew

[sikishrory]

So my wife has just scored her first job as massuese on a large yacht usually based in france. 

They have basically just left her with no assistance, documentation or guidance with the process. 

By comparison in the past I have had to get a B1B2 (USA) visa to join a yacht myself and was given letters of gaurantee and a step by step guide of what to fill out such as my employer and contact person in USA. Stuff like that. It was foolproof. 

She has got nothing of the sort and I am not European and not familiar with Schengan visas at all. 

They want her to request a 5 year multi entry Schengan through French Embassy with the main destination being France. 

She barely has a baht in her Bank account and will be resigning from her cutrent job in 5 star hotel in the next few days. 

What does she need to do? 

I just have a bad feeling this could become an issue with no money. 

Perhaps she should keep her current job until the visa is processed? 

Also should she be discreet about the fact she is joining a superyacht during any interview? 

I am thinking this Schengan is more for tourists or something as opposed to the B1B2 I got. 

Any advice is appreciated. 

 

[varun]

The fact that the employer has provided no guidance / documentation for the visa application is a big red flag.

 

You can't just 'apply for a 5-year visa' and expect to get one.

Broadly speaking there's two types of Schengen visas:

 

- Type C - Short Stay  - [ Usually business / Tourism] - Depending on the discretion of the consulate the validity of the visa can range from the length of travel requested to up to 5 years [5 years is very rare though]

- Type D - National Visa - Studying / working visa issued by the member state - usually valid for 1 year - for your second extension it maybe possible to get 2 years - the one that your wife will need to get.

At the very least, she will need an invitation letter, proof of solvency (annual report) from the inviting company.

If the yacht can't even provide these basic documents, then your wife should run, far far away - it is not worth it and probably illegal.

 

[Donutz]

Though I am not familiar with France it's immigration laws, she would need a type D (long term, immigration) visa. A type C short stay visa doesn't allow for labour. And they seem to suggest she ask for such a visa, as it can be valid up to 5 years but that is only granted to those who have had such visas before and can show a genuine need and positive (schengen) vida history. 

 

A type D vida for immigration purposes would be a 1 time thing, after which residence would be obtained for 1-5 years (different for each member state). But immigration is only for family members, students, skilled workers or other types of employment which cannot be filled within the EU (Asian cooks for instance). The employer would need to arrange the residence permit and show that their position could not and will not be suited for any person already living in the EU. 

 

So unless France has some sort of exception (which I doubt) it sounds like she is getting baited, duped or conned by an employer who at the very least doesn t know what they are doing or doesn t care and may be encouraging her to break the law (by working illegally without proper papers via the proper channels)

 

I agree with Varun in it is a massive red flag. I would run away unless the employer can arrange all the paperwork and such things.

 

The Schengen Visa Code on type C visas can be found here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32009R0810

[Gulfsailor]

The yacht is probably sailing under a non-EU flag and any employment on board is considered offshore, and there likely is no need for any Eu member state work visa. The problem arises with embarking and disembarking, which is from a Schengen country port. She will need a visa to arrive by plane in France for instance, or coming into port from international waters (med). So she's needs a multiple entry seaman type C visa. Normally an employment agency handles all this stuff, who is hired by the yacht owner to deal with all personnel on board. 

http://www.onboardonline.com/industry-article-index/features/the-dilemma-yachting-and-schengen-visas/

Edited June 19, 2018 by Gulfsailor
Added link

[Donutz]

The first priority would be to get all the paperwork in order via/by the employer : contract, work permit etc. If all that is done and verified that it's all legit then the next step would be a multiple entry type C visa for the travel purpose of seafarers.

 

But it seems like the employer seems rather reluctant to arrange any paperwork or assistance. Giving me the impression that it's not a professional and bonafide employer but rather some rich spoiled (something) who simply wishes a masseuse and doesn t give a damn about proper channels or paper. Hence the red flag. An employer who is not concerned about work and visa papers for their staff is a very bad sign at best. At worst it's outright criminal or human trafficking & exploitation.

[sikishrory]

She has been communicating with the other Thai massuese on board through LINE who has already been through the process.

I am confused at the moment but will update the thread with how it goes. They are gonna do a video call tonight and fill out the online application together. 

She just needs to pass immigration and then will be taken to vessel as a poster above mentions. 

[sikishrory]

11 hours ago, Gulfsailor said:

The yacht is probably sailing under a non-EU flag and any employment on board is considered offshore, and there likely is no need for any Eu member state work visa. The problem arises with embarking and disembarking, which is from a Schengen country port. She will need a visa to arrive by plane in France for instance, or coming into port from international waters (med). So she's needs a multiple entry seaman type C visa. Normally an employment agency handles all this stuff, who is hired by the yacht owner to deal with all personnel on board. 

http://www.onboardonline.com/industry-article-index/features/the-dilemma-yachting-and-schengen-visas/

Thanks that article explains it perfectly. I think there has just been a miscommunication between the purser and my wife regarding all the supporting documents. 

[kevvy]

so many scams going on , offering Thai women great jobs over seas.Just google it and you will find interesting stories . Stories I could tell you about my wife's friends who were in same position .Respectable company in Ireland  offering jobs , Even had u tube channels showing the business. I was weary so I rang the company in Ireland , yes it was the same company but never heard of jobs being offered in Thailand '

The old saying. if its to good to be true  , ..............

Edited June 20, 2018 by kevvy

[varun]

This whole deal doesn't sound exactly kosher to me.

 

I'm not sure what sort of relationship you have with your wife,

but I would not let my wife go work as a "masseuse" on some yacht with questionable paperwork.

 

It is also equally idiotic that your wife is listening to the advice of another "masseuse".

What guarantee is there that this other lady is not an illegal and maybe lying about her immigration status?

 

Your wife needs to consult with the consulate of the EU member state where she will have the first point-of-entry / where she will be spending the most time - not another "masseuse" who may have an incentive to entice & recruit other sheep like herself.

[sikishrory]

For future reference I will update the outcome of this.

So the lack of documentation provided from the boat seemed to be a miscommunication or something and they sent through a lot of documents a few days later. These included boat registration, port attestation, invitation letters, crew list, my wifes flights, vessel itinerary, health insurance documents.

The most important thing was a contract which we were not able to get electronically signed by all parties in time for the interview.

During the initial online application we selected the seaman visa (less than 90 days) which is a type C visa apparently.

I wasn't there but my wife explained the interview as follows.

At the TLS contact interview the Thai lady checking the documents seemed to belittle my wife and despite having all the documents in front of her seemed clueless to how a Thai lady would be able to work on a yacht. She kept asking another staff member nearby about it all. The other lady was a lot more knowledgeable.

The main issue here was the employment contract presented was missing 1 signature. They put a red flag in the system regarding this document.

The hope was to get a 5 year multi entry schengan but a 1 year sufficient.

2 days after the interview the passport was ready for collection. No way to find out the result before picking it up.

She was granted just a 6 month multiple entry schengan.

She has since left for her first rotation and is loving it and posting pictures online of Monaco and France so it was all a success although she will need to do the process all again soon.

I suspect next time with the fully signed contract and a successful previous entry she will be able to get a 1 year schengan.

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by sikishrory

[varun]

Great that it kind of worked out in the end.

Did you check what kind of visa she got?

When you say 6-months, i guess you mean 6-months validity.

 

I suspect it is a short-stay multi-entry (type C) visa which means she can only stay a maximum of 90-days within any 6 month period.

 

Did you explain this to her?

[cornishcarlos]

Hope she does ok... It's not an easy environment to work, especially for Thais and Filipino but helps if there is another Thai on board to chat with.

What rotation has she got ? Very rare to be on rotation as a masseuse, unless they mean 5 months on 1 month off, which isn't really rotation !!

I hope you can cope with her being away on a yacht for a few months at a time...

Good luck to her..

 

[sikishrory]

14 hours ago, varun said:

Great that it kind of worked out in the end.

Did you check what kind of visa she got?

When you say 6-months, i guess you mean 6-months validity.

 

I suspect it is a short-stay multi-entry (type C) visa which means she can only stay a maximum of 90-days within any 6 month period.

 

Did you explain this to her?

Yea your right it is short stay mulitple entry seaman C visa. If you want a greater than 90 day entry visa then you require some kind of additional residence document. 

She understands her visa and the pursers take care of all that stuff on board anyway. 

[sikishrory]

14 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

Hope she does ok... It's not an easy environment to work, especially for Thais and Filipino but helps if there is another Thai on board to chat with.

What rotation has she got ? Very rare to be on rotation as a masseuse, unless they mean 5 months on 1 month off, which isn't really rotation !!

I hope you can cope with her being away on a yacht for a few months at a time...

Good luck to her..

 

Thank you for your good wishes. Her rotation is 3 months on 3 off paid year round. Very rare I know. 

Shes very lucky and enjoying it a lot so far. 

I was thinking it might be tough as well but she seems to like it so far

[observer90210]

Be careful what they mean by "masseuse" ?....everybody knows what hanky panly goes on abord some super yachts cruising around the Côte d'Azur or St Tropez area and beyond....not trying to be mean, but just make sure first who are the clients, how old they are, from where do they come from, if they are in a couple or with couples etc....

[cornishcarlos]

3 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Be careful what they mean by "masseuse" ?....everybody knows what hanky panly goes on abord some super yachts cruising around the Côte d'Azur or St Tropez area and beyond....not trying to be mean, but just make sure first who are the clients, how old they are, from where do they come from, if they are in a couple or with couples etc....

 

Hahaha... You don't get the luxury of vetting the guests before deciding to do a charter or not..

 

[varun]

7 hours ago, sikishrory said:

Yea your right it is short stay mulitple entry seaman C visa. If you want a greater than 90 day entry visa then you require some kind of additional residence document. 

She understands her visa and the pursers take care of all that stuff on board anyway. 

 

She needs to be careful that she doesn't exceed the 90-day limit within a 6-month period.

There are online calculators to check this: 

 

http://www.schengen-calculator.com/

Edited July 12, 2018 by varun

[sikishrory]

6 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Be careful what they mean by "masseuse" ?....everybody knows what hanky panly goes on abord some super yachts cruising around the Côte d'Azur or St Tropez area and beyond....not trying to be mean, but just make sure first who are the clients, how old they are, from where do they come from, if they are in a couple or with couples etc....

The owners are very nice