Schengen Visa - no prearanged accomodation

[OzMan]

I would like to take my Thai gf on a three week trip around parts of Europe, mainly Austria, although flying into Munich. I have a UK passport, so no problem for me. My Thai gf, however, needs to show prearranged accommodation for the duration. This is a problem as I planned to drive and look for a new hotel each night depending on where we drove to. Has anybody else experienced this and successfully obtained a tourist visa?

[Card]

No problem. I have done this several times with my Thai partner. Just make a plan of your trip as far as you can, places, dates etc in detail. It doesn't matter if you don't follow it when you arrive but helps you focus anyway. Then book the hotel's online but make sure they allow for free cancellation. Print off the bookings for your gf to show to immigration. Then after you arrive you can follow the trip you planned or part of it and cancel those bookings that you do not want to use. if you do cancel any then keep to within their deadlines for cancellation. The planning and booking need to be carefully thought through and dates and hotels listed when your gf applies for the Schengen. I never had a problem and actually usually stuck to the hotel bookings I made with few cancellations. Good luck.

 

Btw, I plan a trip to Munich next year - how are you flying there? I fancy Qatar.

 

If you are going to Austria, I highly recommend Salzburg and the Obersalzburg region nearby. Berchtesgarden and Hitler's Kehlsteinhaus in Bavaria are a must, as well as Neuschwanstein Castle! They are all just a quick trip across the German border.

Edited October 9, 2021 by Card

[theoldgit]

@OzManYou're probably aware that your girlfriend should apply for her visa via the Consulate with jurisdiction for her main destination within the Schengen Area, if she intends to spend an equal amount of time in more than one member state she should apply for a visa via the Consulate with jurisdiction for her point of entry into the Schengen Area.

 

My wife fell foul of this rule when the French worked out that our itinerary meant we were spending a few more hours in Italy than France, despite the fact we were still spending a considerable amount of time in France, and actually entering there twice, and didn't issue her a visa.

[arithai12]

18 hours ago, OzMan said:

I would like to take my Thai gf on a three week trip around parts of Europe, mainly Austria, although flying into Munich. I have a UK passport, so no problem for me. My Thai gf, however, needs to show prearranged accommodation for the duration.

Ehm, are you sure? afaik, there are restrictions at the moment in EU for people coming from Thailand, mainly only EU citizens are allowed, or relatives of a resident or people with special papers like workers or students. Even so, at the moment 10 days of self-isolation are required.

Consult

https://reopen.europa.eu/en/

https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/travel-during-coronavirus-pandemic/common-approach-travel-measures-eu_en

 

I am not sure how you (UK, non-EU) would qualify to enter Germany from Thailand, but I have serious doubts that your gf could.

 

ps: pretty cruel of you to take her to Germany and Austria in the winter ????

Edited October 9, 2021 by arithai12

[George Aylesham]

2 hours ago, Card said:

No problem. I have done this several times with my Thai partner. Just make a plan of your trip as far as you can, places, dates etc in detail. It doesn't matter if you don't follow it when you arrive but helps you focus anyway. Then book the hotel's online but make sure they allow for free cancellation. Print off the bookings for your gf to show to immigration. Then after you arrive you can follow the trip you planned or part of it and cancel those bookings that you do not want to use. if you do cancel any then keep to within their deadlines for cancellation. The planning and booking need to be carefully thought through and dates and hotels listed when your gf applies for the Schengen. I never had a problem and actually usually stuck to the hotel bookings I made with few cancellations. Good luck.

 

Btw, I plan a trip to Munich next year - how are you flying there? I fancy Qatar.

 

If you are going to Austria, I highly recommend Salzburg and the Obersalzburg region nearby. Berchtesgarden and Hitler's Kehlsteinhaus in Bavaria are a must, as well as Neuschwanstein Castle! They are all just a quick trip across the German border.

I've used Chiang Mai - Munich twice. Even better than Emirates

[khunPer]

21 hours ago, OzMan said:

Has anybody else experienced this and successfully obtained a tourist visa?

Yes, you need to pre-book - and in some cases also prepay - your reservation, and make a full agenda for the whole period to obtain a tourist visa, i.e. "you" is your girlfriend, she is the one applying for a visa.

 

"Prepaid" might depend on from which country you apply for the Schengen visa, normally you shall apply either from the country of enter, or from the country where you will make the longest stay in Schengen. I'm Danish, and we entered Schengen in Copenhagen Airport, so I applied for my girlfriend from the Danish embassy in Bangkok, because we - i.e my girlfriend - have applied for Schengen visa there before; we however didn't leave the airport but continued straight to Vienna, but came back to Denmark later and departed to Thailand from there.

 

For those days where I was moving around when visiting Schengen - which among other countries included Austria - I booked, and prepaid, an affordable holiday flat for a week, even that we only used it for a few nights; Denmark claimed prepaid accommodation...????

 

Edit:

PS: If you are also going to visit a country outside Schengen, for example UK, you can apply for a multiple entry Schengen visa, so you can leave the Schengen-area, and return. All visas need to be applied for in the applicant's home country, i.e. an embassy in Thailand.

Edited October 9, 2021 by khunPer

[OzMan]

"Btw, I plan a trip to Munich next year - how are you flying there? I fancy Qatar. " One of the Middle East airlines I would prefer. If I booked with with Expedia or Webjet, they both say Etihad allow 35kg checked in baggage. When I visit the Etihad web page, they say they only allow 20kg checked in baggage - most airlines allow 23kg or 25kg. If I were to book with Expedia because I needed to take more luggage, and at the airport they said I was 15kg over weight, I would be screwed. I will take my bike with me as checked in luggage.

 

We plan to cycle the Danube River, about 600km, and look for a campground every night. Starting next May.

[OzMan]

8 hours ago, OzMan said:

We plan to cycle the Danube River, about 600km, and look for a campground every night. Starting next May.

Last July I cycled from Lisbon, Portugal, to Dieppe, north of Paris. Over 2,000km in five weeks. Easier than I thought it would be. I was on my own during this trip.

[ncc1701d]

On 10/9/2021 at 11:42 AM, arithai12 said:

Ehm, are you sure? afaik, there are restrictions at the moment in EU for people coming from Thailand, mainly only EU citizens are allowed, or relatives of a resident or people with special papers like workers or students. Even so, at the moment 10 days of self-isolation are required.

Consult

https://reopen.europa.eu/en/

https://ec.europa.eu/info/live-work-travel-eu/coronavirus-response/travel-during-coronavirus-pandemic/common-approach-travel-measures-eu_en

 

I am not sure how you (UK, non-EU) would qualify to enter Germany from Thailand, but I have serious doubts that your gf could.

 

ps: pretty cruel of you to take her to Germany and Austria in the winter ????

This was my understanding too. I was looking at Finland as it has direct flights from bkk for her and where I live for me and has no quarantine required on arrival and “only” 2 weeks when I get back home. I can enter, but gf needs Schengen. Looking at the vfs global website, it’s not looking like they will issue her the visa.

[OzMan]

3 hours ago, ncc1701d said:

This was my understanding too. I was looking at Finland as it has direct flights from bkk for her and where I live for me and has no quarantine required on arrival and “only” 2 weeks when I get back home. I can enter, but gf needs Schengen. Looking at the vfs global website, it’s not looking like they will issue her the visa.

I am hoping the quarantine situation will change after Christmas when she applies for visa. We do not plan to travel till the end of May, and could delay the trip if necessary.

[OzMan]

2 minutes ago, OzMan said:

Looking at the vfs global website, it’s not looking like they will issue her the visa.

I just looked at VFS and, so long as she is vaccinated, getting a visa looks OK:

 

"New entry regulations into Austria when traveling from Thailand effective 15th September 2021

Please read and understand the following update regarding the entry regulations into Austria when traveling from Thailand: https://www.bmeia.gv.at/oeb-bangkok/reisen-nach-oesterreich/coronavirus-covid-19-und-reisen/

 

Unvaccinated persons or those without proof of recovering from COVID disease are now - with a few exceptions - subject to quarantine. If you have been fully vaccinated please provide proof of vaccination when applying for your visa."

[Card]

On 10/9/2021 at 10:52 AM, George Aylesham said:

I've used Chiang Mai - Munich twice. Even better than Emirates

Which airline?