Schengen visa processed here in Chiang Mai

[LivinLOS]

Each year my wife accompanies me to UK and Europe.. UK is fine, we have a 5 year visa, but each year we need a schengen visa, for longer than 3 months also as it covers many trips. 

 

Last few years we have used Portugal (bangkok trip) and germany here in Chiang Mai as a source of those. 

 

I was told the French consul issued visas here but it seems that requires a bangkok trip. 

 

Do any other countries process schengen tourist visas here in chiang mai ?

 

[pgrahmm]

We used Star visa for our trip to France & it did require a BKK trip.....

My understanding is that most countries now contract with companies that interview & screen the applicants, and that is in BKK....

[LivinLOS]

Yeah.. Also the first schengen visa you have to do a biometric scan, but I am told once done its no longer an issue, and I dont recall there being any issue with the german one last year. 

 

Just looking to 1) avoid a bangkok trip and 2) get over the 90 days most schengen countries offer. 

[eyecatcher]

Well you need separate visa for the uk which lasts 6 months.

Then just get one from the German consulate. So easy there, just make sure you write up an approx itinery  that includes Germany.

We did a Uk/Euro trip last year and we visited Gemany for just the last three days after going into several other countries first.

And dont forget the Schengen visa for a Thai married to a Brit is free, the consulate just charge their standard admin fee.

If you did biometrics before i dont think needed again but even if...10mins in the consulate.

 

By concensus I think you will find the German consul is by far the least onerous. Like the Germans, very efficient.

[LivinLOS]

Yeah she has a 5 year uk tourist visa (should have got 10, non issue to get long term ones). its just the euro bit and being > 90 days.. 

 

Back to the German one it is.. I hope to include germany in the trip again anyway.. 

[beau thai]

When we did that we were assured by the German Consul here in CM that we must spend more nights in Germany than in any other one schengen country, and that 'they' would be aware and there would be 'consequences' if we later change our itinerary to less nights in germany! 

Others suggested that was BS, but we spent otherwise unplanned time in Berlin and Munich and had a great time.

Whatever, for us it was less tiresome than going to BKK AGAIN for a schengen visa.

Be interested in experience of others who may have successfully 'disobeyed' the 'more nights in Germany' requirement, so we can play tunes on that next trip!!

[LivinLOS]

Having obtained Schengen visas many times with the intention of doing tours, theres a kind of vague understanding that it should be the 'primary' or end point destination of a tour.. 

Once inside Europe the free movement means theres not a fixed control system. 

 

However I will be making Germany a large part of the trips so dont feel that this is in violation either. 

[eyecatcher]

5 hours ago, beau thai said:

When we did that we were assured by the German Consul here in CM that we must spend more nights in Germany than in any other one schengen country, and that 'they' would be aware and there would be 'consequences' if we later change our itinerary to less nights in germany! 

Others suggested that was BS, but we spent otherwise unplanned time in Berlin and Munich and had a great time.

Whatever, for us it was less tiresome than going to BKK AGAIN for a schengen visa.

Be interested in experience of others who may have successfully 'disobeyed' the 'more nights in Germany' requirement, so we can play tunes on that next trip!!

Thats wrong Beau, schengen visas are issued knowing that peoples itineries change for whatever reason and cannot insist you spend that seedy night in Hamburg that was your original intention.

Moreover, the schengen visa is stsmped and checked in your first country and is actually never looked at again.

All flights are simply reserved, all hotels that you arbitrarily booked and printed off are invariably cancelled.

They just want to support their own tourism.

If you never even entered Germany, actually they would never know because you canceeled all the hotels and decided to go camping.

 

You are worrying about nothing....although I appreciate when you are sitting there being interviewed you need to put on a convincing show

[wgdanson]

2 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

Having obtained Schengen visas many times with the intention of doing tours, theres a kind of vague understanding that it should be the 'primary' or end point destination of a tour.. 

Once inside Europe the free movement means theres not a fixed control system. 

 

However I will be making Germany a large part of the trips so dont feel that this is in violation either. 

I was led to believe that it is the FIRST Schengen country you go to who should issue the Visa

[LivinLOS]

Just now, wgdanson said:

I was led to believe that it is the FIRST Schengen country you go to who should issue the Visa

Not what I was told.. I usually transit france, and am often out of the country 2h after arrival.. 

[wgdanson]

The Old Git seems to be the Schengen expert.

[beau thai]

22 hours ago, wgdanson said:

I was led to believe that it is the FIRST Schengen country you go to who should issue the Visa

Not so, we went first to France, then Spain then Italy before Germany. No problem