UK and Schengen at same time. Possible?

[phetphet]

The Plan:

 

Thai GF and I (UK citizen) fly to UK for 5 days July 2019.

Next France for 4 weeks.

Return UK for two days.

Return to Thailand.

 

She is employed. Owns land, owns car, but not big savings in bank. Lived together for two years. We have lots of photos together over three years, including with her young daughter wholives with us, but currently with grandparents. We have no documents to prove we live together.

 

As I understand it, she will need both UK and Schengen visa. Would she need some sort of multiple entry visa for UK?

 

I will be sponsor for GF whilst in UK (hotel stay). We will be staying with friends in France. My french friend (homeowner) has offered to be sponsor for GF during our stay, as he has invited us to stay with him.

Would it be better if I sponsored her for whole trip? Bearing in mind I have no ties to France?

 

Anyone else done this before? If so, any advice on best way to go about it?

 

TIA

 

Edited January 13, 2019 by phetphet

[wgdanson]

When you apply for UK Visitor Visa, make sure you tick the Multiple Entry box. I was exactly in your situation last year. UK Visa no problem as been 4 times, Italy Schengen people at VFS were a bit iffy, saying that I could not sponsor if not married. I said to put the application in anyway. Four days later....Schengen Visa.

Don't forget Health Insurance policy for Schengen.

Edited January 13, 2019 by wgdanson

[theoldgit]

Most Schengen countries require that you apply for the UK Visa first and provide travel details in and out of the Schengen area, as well as proof of sufficient funds and insurance cover.
There are specific requirements when you’re staying at the home of a French National, as opposed to staying at a hotel, check the requirements via the TLSconract website.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[phetphet]

Thanks guys. Noted. Another few questions...

 

If we wanted to pop over to Spain for a week whilst in France, I presume she  would she also need to declare this as part of our travel plans to ensure correct permissions of travel in Schengen.

As this part is not definite, would they still require documents as proof of travel to Spain? 

 

Is the following true?

That none of these applications can be made more than 90 days before travel date.

 

TIA

Edited January 13, 2019 by phetphet

[theoldgit]

If you have specific plans to travel to Spain then you should declare when you apply, if you decide to visit Spain when you're visiting France you can do so within the validity of your visa, there are no regular border controls between the two countries.

 

Schengen countries may only issue a visa which is only valid for the declared length of stay.

 

You are correct, you cannot apply for either a UK or Schengen more than 90 days before your intended date of travel, the UK visa is now normally dated from your planned travel date. 

[darren1971]

anybody know what the process is if a Thai wife is in the UK on a spouse visa and wants to visit Spain, can she apply from the UK?

[theoldgit]

6 hours ago, darren1971 said:

anybody know what the process is if a Thai wife is in the UK on a spouse visa and wants to visit Spain, can she apply from the UK?

At the present time yes, though the Spanish are known for making things difficult.

 

After Brexit, in whichever form, who knows.

[BobbyL]

On 1/15/2019 at 1:52 AM, darren1971 said:

anybody know what the process is if a Thai wife is in the UK on a spouse visa and wants to visit Spain, can she apply from the UK?

Yes. My wife did the same in the UK on three occasions. Most of the countries have outsourced their embassy stuff in London to places such as VFS. 

[khunPer]

On 1/13/2019 at 5:40 AM, phetphet said:

Anyone else done this before? If so, any advice on best way to go about it?

Tried it with Schengen multiple entry and UK visa, but I was Schengen resident. UK visa as tourist for my Thai girlfriend was no problem at all, and she got permission for six month stay.

 

Schengen visa has been difficult for years. Two years later I had signed out from my Schengen country and moved to Thailand, but we visitred Schengen again as tourists, which were much more complicated then when I was resident in Schengen. They asked for a complete agenda for the stay, and documentation for pre booked and paid accommodation, or an invitation if private; the last will probably take longer time to issue a visa, as they might need to interview the host, at least in my Nordic home country. Tickets and travel insurance shall be shown when collecting the visa, might be you also only need to show the paid for accommodation when visa has been granted. A Schengen visa is normally valid for three month, and let you travel inside all Schengen countries. You should apply in an embassy for that country you wish the stay the longest time, and you shall apply from Thailand, you cannot be granted a Schengen visa for a Thai national from Britain. Check expected issue time with the embassy, it can be several weeks.

 

Your British visa should be multiple entry to return from Schengen.

[robertson468]

On 1/13/2019 at 8:07 PM, theoldgit said:

If you have specific plans to travel to Spain then you should declare when you apply, if you decide to visit Spain when you're visiting France you can do so within the validity of your visa, there are no regular border controls between the two countries.

 

Schengen countries may only issue a visa which is only valid for the declared length of stay.

 

You are correct, you cannot apply for either a UK or Schengen more than 90 days before your intended date of travel, the UK visa is now normally dated from your planned travel date. 

Do not under any circumstances attempt to get a multi-entry visa from Spain. We were travelling to Gibraltar and Spain and  I filled in the application form for my Wife and provided all the necessary information and ticked the multi-entry box.  When it came back it was SINGLE ENTRY.  We needed to go in and out Spain a couple of times so I contact the Spannish Embassy in Thailand and they said "re-apply", which we did, at our expense!  It came back again as SINGLE ENTRY.  I then phoned them to ask them why they had failed to issue multi-entry and they said, "it's okay, you can walk in and out and Spannish Immigration will let you through.  They actually did a couple of times until one very efficient Immigration Policeman on the Spannish side challenged my Wife and asked to see her Passport.  He said, "oh, I see you have been in and out of Spain already and that means your Schengen Visa has expired" and then told her she could not come through to Spain again.  Thank you Spannish Embassy in Bangkok!

[Donutz]

 

19 minutes ago, khunPer said:

You should apply in an embassy for that country you wish the stay the longest time, and you shall apply from Thailand, you cannot be granted a Schengen visa for a Thai national from Britain.

It depends, incase the Thai national is married (or in a relation akin to marriage) to a Briton, they can apply from the UK (or anywhere else on this planet) for a Schengen visa. EU directive 2004/38 on freedom of movement for EU national and their non EU family entitles any EU national and their non EU family members who travel to any other EU country to apply from any place, without visa fees, with minimum documentation (no insurance requirement,  no accommodation booking required,  no financial requirement etc) under an accelerated procedure.

 

But some embassies make life difficult when you try this, plus it would cost you precious holiday time so it would be preferable to apply for the UK and Schengen visa from Thailand. But if you would like to, eligible couples on holiday in the Schengen or UK area etc could spontaneously apply for a visa for the other side of the channel. 

 

2 hours ago, BobbyL said:

Most of the countries have outsourced their embassy stuff in London to places such as VFS. 

Most do but it remains an optional choice,  you still have the right of dealing directly with the embassy instead (saving yourself a service fee). But here too some Schengen embassies are very reluctant.

[Donutz]

7 minutes ago, robertson468 said:

We needed to go in and out Spain a couple of times so I contact the Spannish Embassy in Thailand and they said "re-apply", which we did, at our expense!

It's always best to apply for the type of visa you need, including things such as duration and number of entries. Of course back this up with a bit of evidence or reasons,  write a short note if you have to. If they issue you less then you requested you can file a complaint and object just like you could with a visa refusal. 

 

The staff you spoke to obviously was full of *****. 1 entry is 1 single entry after which the visa becomes invalid,  it's used up. You could inform the MFA in Madrid about such incompetence aswell as the EU Commission in Brussels JUST-CITIZENSHIP {at} ec.europa.eu

 

And there is the EU ombudsman service Solvit. You can contact them via the 'I need more help' option at the bottom of this page:

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

 

[StevieAus]

I am sparse on the details but have a UK friend with a Thai wife whose visits the UK and France + other EU countries each year.

I know that he obtains the UK Visa first then the Schengen which takes longer in Bangkok

Now he tells me that this year both are for x years

If you email direct through this site can get more info