Schengen Visa To Visit Switzerland, Italy And France

[erobando]

Hello,

My wife and I would like to travel to Switzerland, Italy and France this Fall.

We are recently married.

I am and American citizen living and working in Thailand on a Non-Imigrant Visa with a Thai Work Permit.

My wife is Thai, has a job in Thailand, and does not yet have a US Green Card.

My questions are:

1) Provided that we have all necessary documents (travel itinerary, Travel insurance, bank info showing we can pay for the trip, etc.), is obtaining a Schengen Visa a realistic goal for a Thai woman married to a US Citizen?

2) Does anyone have recommendations on which country for my wife to obtain her Schengen Visa? We will likely stay in each country for about 1 week and our schedule is flexible in terms of which country we will visit first.

3) How much time should we plan in advance? That is, wait is the usual waiting time for a Schengen Visa Interview at the Bangkok Embassies of these 3 countries? (For example, we know that there is usually a 2 month wait for Visa Interview at the US Embassy.)

Thank you.

[Mahout Angrit]

1) Yes

2) She should apply at the embassy of the country where she will spend the most time but if you intend to stay an equal time in France and Italy then you should apply at the country where you will enter the Schengen group of countries. Switzerland is not part of the Schengen agreement but Thais can enter Switzerland with a Schengen visa.

3) Try calling the Italian embassy or the French embassy to get the waiting times. You will need an appointment to present the application.

[samran]

make sure you get a multi entry visa for the trip. Entering Switzerland you are exiting the schengen visa area, and presumably you'll need to get back in.

Actually, I don't think Switzerland will let you enter unless you have a multi entry schengen in the Thai passport.

[Mahout Angrit]

make sure you get a multi entry visa for the trip. Entering Switzerland you are exiting the schengen visa area, and presumably you'll need to get back in.

Actually, I don't think Switzerland will let you enter unless you have a multi entry schengen in the Thai passport.

A valid point but for clarity it states here

3) A single-entry Schengen visa which has already been used is accepted for an entry into Switzerland without a Swiss visa provided the Schengen visa is valid and the foreigners' departure from Switzerland towards a non-Schengen country is assured

It is clear that you can't simply enter Switzerland on a Schengen visa from a non Schengen country you must enter from a Schengen country.

Edited June 15, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[samran]

yeah, you are totally correct.

I was caught out at one point where my Aussie PP was out of action, and I had to go to Europe on an urgent business trip on my Thai PP.

I had a couple of hours to kill in Zurich from EU land back to BKK, and didn't want to spend it at the airport, so I went up to the immigration officer and asked if i could leave the transit area. He was happy to stamp me as I had the multi entry version of a shengen visa.

[puipuitom]

Hello,

My wife and I would like to travel to Switzerland, Italy and France this Fall.

We are recently married.

I am and American citizen living and working in Thailand on a Non-Imigrant Visa with a Thai Work Permit.

My wife is Thai, has a job in Thailand, and does not yet have a US Green Card.

My questions are:

1) Provided that we have all necessary documents (travel itinerary, Travel insurance, bank info showing we can pay for the trip, etc.), is obtaining a Schengen Visa a realistic goal for a Thai woman married to a US Citizen?

2) Does anyone have recommendations on which country for my wife to obtain her Schengen Visa? We will likely stay in each country for about 1 week and our schedule is flexible in terms of which country we will visit first.

3) How much time should we plan in advance? That is, wait is the usual waiting time for a Schengen Visa Interview at the Bangkok Embassies of these 3 countries? (For example, we know that there is usually a 2 month wait for Visa Interview at the US Embassy.)

Thank you.

MY experience as Dutch, with a Thai unmarried lady as sourcing manager in Bangkok: a Schengen visa is rarther smple:

- take in view they want to prevent people coming in, who cannot support themselves, especially in case of illness

SO HAVER A MEDICAL CARE INSURANCE valid for Schengen territory.

- have a return ticket and means of existence when you are in Europe

AND it helps a LOT when you have a regular income / job in TH ( means: not going t try to get a job in Europe, especially NOT for the (under 35 Y old! ) lady ! !

Remind: Too many already tried to swindle the immigration . So, you are a normal visitor.

My Thai lady can show she has a own condo, own car, job in TH, money to pay her costs and an international medical insurance. "Piece of cake" to get a visa.

Ready in days ! Nothing about the US NONSENCE interviews

( imagine: two Thai ladies, one with EU Permanent visa to stay, wanted to go to a US business contact. As it was not 100% sure they would leave the US - "think of Thaksin: also not sure he could return ! "- both were refused to the US as they both ( YES BOTH THE SAME MAN ) would visit their fiancee, and there was a chance they would stay with him.

Second: I feel very pity with the US men, as they cannot get the lady of their dreams into the Land of Freedom ( similar as Noth Korea ) )

However: multi-entry: difficult.

But I have never heard the Swiss will not let you go to your departure destination, nor any Schengen immigration to stop you coming in from Switzerland, heading for .... Rome to go back to TH

[boeingmyway]

Hello,

I am a US and my wife was Philippine. We applied through Italy for the Schengen Visa, no problems.

The only hassel was the requirement to list all hotel accomodations. Since I don't like making reservations, I just made some some on the internet to get a copy, then canceled the res. It worked well.

Mike

[gwynt]

make sure you get a multi entry visa for the trip. Entering Switzerland you are exiting the schengen visa area, and presumably you'll need to get back in.

Actually, I don't think Switzerland will let you enter unless you have a multi entry schengen in the Thai passport.

A valid point but for clarity it states here

3) A single-entry Schengen visa which has already been used is accepted for an entry into Switzerland without a Swiss visa provided the Schengen visa is valid and the foreigners' departure from Switzerland towards a non-Schengen country is assured

It is clear that you can't simply enter Switzerland on a Schengen visa from a non Schengen country you must enter from a Schengen country.

[gwynt]

make sure you get a multi entry visa for the trip. Entering Switzerland you are exiting the schengen visa area, and presumably you'll need to get back in.

Actually, I don't think Switzerland will let you enter unless you have a multi entry schengen in the Thai passport.

A valid point but for clarity it states here

3) A single-entry Schengen visa which has already been used is accepted for an entry into Switzerland without a Swiss visa provided the Schengen visa is valid and the foreigners' departure from Switzerland towards a non-Schengen country is assured

It is clear that you can't simply enter Switzerland on a Schengen visa from a non Schengen country you must enter from a Schengen country.

Can you eplain to me what is a "Schengen Visa" and how to apply. I am a Brit living in Thailand working in Saudi when the project ends I intend to take a month out to show my TGF around Europe France, Spain Portugal and vist friends living in Germany, my TGF and I have have recently visited the UK so she has had a multi entry UK visa

[Koratcat1]

Can you eplain to me what is a "Schengen Visa" and how to apply. I am a Brit living in Thailand working in Saudi when the project ends I intend to take a month out to show my TGF around Europe France, Spain Portugal and vist friends living in Germany, my TGF and I have have recently visited the UK so she has had a multi entry UK visa

As your GF has passed obtained a UK visa she should have no problem getting a Shengen visa.

Unlike UK visa she must obtain health insurance. Otherwise just the usual evidence of intent to return and letter from you, assuming you are paying. She needs to say where you intend to stay but she can be vague with you as guarantor as they ain't daft and know you are not going to book accommodation until you get the visa. Incidentally if she was married to you she would get an EU family permit which is issued FREE. Yeah crazy. I take my wife on holiday to UK costs 4500baht, or thereabouts. Take her to France or wherever FREE.

"Schengen" is a town in Luxembourg where the original agreement was signed.

The Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

With this visa she can travel freely around what is a common travel area. There are only occasional border checks (I have crossed by train Germany/Austria/Italy on several occasions and always had on-board ID/passport checks).

As she intends to visit several Schengen countries she applies for the visa at the Embassy of the country which is your main destination or if there is no main destination at the Embassy of the country which is your first point of entry.

The visa is valid for 90 days from date of entry (single entry) or date of first entry(multi-entry).

If you remain with the Shengen area you do not need a multi entry.

[Koratcat1]

Can you eplain to me what is a "Schengen Visa" and how to apply. I am a Brit living in Thailand working in Saudi when the project ends I intend to take a month out to show my TGF around Europe France, Spain Portugal and vist friends living in Germany, my TGF and I have have recently visited the UK so she has had a multi entry UK visa

As your GF has passed obtained a UK visa she should have no problem getting a Shengen visa.

Unlike UK visa she must obtain health insurance. Otherwise just the usual evidence of intent to return and letter from you, assuming you are paying. She needs to say where you intend to stay but she can be vague with you as guarantor as they ain't daft and know you are not going to book accommodation until you get the visa. Incidentally if she was married to you she would get an EU family permit which is issued FREE. Yeah crazy. I take my wife on holiday to UK costs 4500baht, or thereabouts. Take her to France or wherever FREE.

"Schengen" is a town in Luxembourg where the original agreement was signed.

The Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

With this visa she can travel freely around what is a common travel area. There are only occasional border checks (I have crossed by train Germany/Austria/Italy on several occasions and always had on-board ID/passport checks).

As she intends to visit several Schengen countries she applies for the visa at the Embassy of the country which is your main destination or if there is no main destination at the Embassy of the country which is your first point of entry.

The visa is valid for 90 days from date of entry (single entry) or date of first entry(multi-entry).

If you remain with the Shengen area you do not need a multi entry.

Doh!!! Correction. Multi-entry is valid for a total of 90 days within the six month period starting from date of first entry.

[giruz]

The visa is valid for 90 days from date of entry (single entry) or date of first entry(multi-entry).

If you remain with the Shengen area you do not need a multi entry.

The visa can be issued for any time between 1 and 90 days. The maximum stay permitted is 90 days over a 6 months period. It will be weird if they give you a 90days visa the first time you ask it...especially if you ask at the Italian Embassy in Bangkok (the rule of thumbs is: 'no visa over 30 days')

If you guys are traveling together you can ask for a family permit as EEA family member...this would be issued free-of-charge and within few days. If she is traveling alone and you want to meet in EU she has to ask for a tourist visa that will cost you 60EUR.

Medical insurance is mandatory and for a 3 months cover (2mln bath med exp + 1.5mln bath for med evac...will cost you about 3k bath)

cheers

g.

[nobber9999]

Hello,

My wife and I would like to travel to Switzerland, Italy and France this Fall.

We are recently married.

I am and American citizen living and working in Thailand on a Non-Imigrant Visa with a Thai Work Permit.

My wife is Thai, has a job in Thailand, and does not yet have a US Green Card.

My questions are:

1) Provided that we have all necessary documents (travel itinerary, Travel insurance, bank info showing we can pay for the trip, etc.), is obtaining a Schengen Visa a realistic goal for a Thai woman married to a US Citizen?

2) Does anyone have recommendations on which country for my wife to obtain her Schengen Visa? We will likely stay in each country for about 1 week and our schedule is flexible in terms of which country we will visit first.

3) How much time should we plan in advance? That is, wait is the usual waiting time for a Schengen Visa Interview at the Bangkok Embassies of these 3 countries? (For example, we know that there is usually a 2 month wait for Visa Interview at the US Embassy.)

Thank you.

[erobando]

make sure you get a multi entry visa for the trip. Entering Switzerland you are exiting the schengen visa area, and presumably you'll need to get back in.

Actually, I don't think Switzerland will let you enter unless you have a multi entry schengen in the Thai passport.

A valid point but for clarity it states here

3) A single-entry Schengen visa which has already been used is accepted for an entry into Switzerland without a Swiss visa provided the Schengen visa is valid and the foreigners' departure from Switzerland towards a non-Schengen country is assured

It is clear that you can't simply enter Switzerland on a Schengen visa from a non Schengen country you must enter from a Schengen country.

Hello,

I thank everyone for responding to my Query.

I now have a follow-up...

From what I understand the above, Switzerland would need to the last country we visit since my Thai wife could not enter a second Schengen country from Switzerland unless she obtained a more difficult multiple entry Visa?

For example, we could get the Schengen Visa from Italy for a trip to Italy then France then Switzerland.

But going from Italy to Switzerland to France would be problematic because we would be leaving the Schengen countries once we crossed into Switzerland and, therefore, would have used up her Visa.

Is this correct?

Thanks again!

[Mahout Angrit]

From what I understand the above, Switzerland would need to the last country we visit since my Thai wife could not enter a second Schengen country from Switzerland unless she obtained a more difficult multiple entry Visa?

Dont give up on getting a multi entry, if you present you itinerary with hotel bookings etc, multi entry visas are obtainable.

Perhaps someone can say if they have entered Switzerland and left on a single entry Schengen Visa but go for the multi entry and explain what you want to do when you submit your application.

[giruz]

Hello,

I thank everyone for responding to my Query.

I now have a follow-up...

From what I understand the above, Switzerland would need to the last country we visit since my Thai wife could not enter a second Schengen country from Switzerland unless she obtained a more difficult multiple entry Visa?

For example, we could get the Schengen Visa from Italy for a trip to Italy then France then Switzerland.

But going from Italy to Switzerland to France would be problematic because we would be leaving the Schengen countries once we crossed into Switzerland and, therefore, would have used up her Visa.

Is this correct?

Thanks again!

Hi,

As long you can provide a reasonable explanation there are no barriers that stop you from obtaining a multi entry visa.

Do you homeworks,

prepare an itinerary for each country

book some hotels/hostels whatever you want

do a travel insurance for over 30k eur

then again..if you are EU citizen, she is married to you and you are traveling together...well..in that case you don't need to proof anything. Just show your certificate and she will get a visa issued free of charge.

g.

[erobando]

I would like to thank everyone for your advice/info.

My wife got her multiple-entry Schengen Visa without any problems at the Italian Embassy.

We had our itinerary all planned out; her bank account had enough to cover the trip so my info wasn't needed.

My wife was required to report after her return.

None of the visits to the Italian Embassy (Application, Visa Pick-Up, Post-Trip Report) took longer than 40 minutes.

Everything was direct, simple and easy.

Nothing like our past visit to the US Embassy.

Thanks again.