Visa For Thai Wife To Visit Eu

[malcolminthemiddle]

My Thai wife and I plan to visit UK for a holiday in July of this year. She has a multiple entry tourist visa to UK so no problem with that. When we are there we plan to visit other parts of Europe such as France & Germany. I guess she needs another visa which allows here to travely freely around the EU countries as a tourist. We would like to get this visa(s) before we leave Thailand. Any advice from any one who has some expereince or knowledge on this topic will be gratefully received. Thanks in advance.

[BIG SPUDS]

A quick question off the subject . How did she get the multiple entry tourist Visa?

[Jimbo]

To be able to travel fin those countries she will need to apply for a schengen visa which can be applied for at for example the Dutch or German embassy. I got a Dutch schengen visa for my wife and it can be a real pain in the back side eventhough I am Dutch. You will need a guarantee, have to specify how you will be arriving and departing, have the exact dates, if by car you will need to have the license plate number etc etc. They will also ask where she works, proof of that, be able to show of funds, show that she has a valid health insurance which would cover medical emergencies abroad. I guess this will be standard for most Schengen embasies. I heard the French embassy is the most difficult

[bkk_mike]

Which country are you going to spend most time in - or if roughly equal amounts of time in more than one country - which country are you going to first?

That is the country whose embassy you should go to, but explain you are going to a few other countries so you're sure you get a Schengen visa, rather than a simple one-country visa.

Because you're married, and she already has a multi-entry visa for the UK (presumably been there before?), they should basically just need the same information as for the UK visa. i.e. proof of your income, etc.

Also I know it shouldn't affect things, but the fact she's already got the UK visa will probably mean less hassles...

In general, it should be easier than applying for the UK, because you're a UK national. (i.e. less of an issue with the visa office thinking you're applying for a tourist visa to save money on getting a settlement visa)...

(One thing - if your wife had indefinite leave to remain in the UK, the visa would actually be free as an EU resident. With only the tourist visa, I think she'll have to pay.)

[-J-]

To be covered while your trips, you could use international medical insurance

[malcolminthemiddle]

Thanks to everyone for replying to my post and advice on the Schengen Visa.

To answer Big Spuds question. Before we were married we applied for and got a one off tourist visa from the BE in BKK. She never broke the rules and got a 2nd visa for a 2nd trip about one year later. After we were officially married in Thailand we made an application for a 2 year multiple which was issued without any problem. My experience is if you are genuine, follow the rules and be patient then getting a visa should be no problem depending of course on individual cases.

In our case we have no intention of living in the UK (prices & weather), Thailand is our home and has been for many years.

Would any body recommend which is the "easiest" embassy for a Schengen Visa?

Thanks