Schengen visa for Thai wife , entering EU from UK by Car ??????

[liddelljohn]

my wife has UK multi entry tourist visa valid 10 years   she lives in Thailand and has business in thailand   we have a house in UK which she visits for 3 months every year  .   I also Have dual Citizenship with Austrian Passport   as well as UK passport

 

We will be visiting friends and family in France Italy and Austria  this year and will  cross by car from Newhaven to Dieppe ,, but every time we apply for Schengen visa in Thailand we are directed to VFS in Bangkok who say you cannot cross from UK to EU   by boat , car or rail,, Patently completely wrong ..   

 

How  do we proceed    to get Schengen visa  with this idiotic  lack of knowledge in VFS ..  She had a Schengen visa 14 years ago  which we got from French embassy in Bangkok   with no problems in 20 minutes   and  a Danish visa as well  , but now they say use VFS ??

 

i have spoken to varius agents but they are clueless about Schengen visas  for Thais  unless booked for package holidays .

 

any advice welcome

 

 

Edited June 24, 2023 by liddelljohn
spelling

[theoldgit]

Which country is your wife applying for her visa via, Austria and Italy use VFS and the French TLS?

 

You’re probably aware that she should apply via the Consulate who has jurisdiction for her main destination within the Schengen Area, ie where she’s spending the longest time. If she’s spending an equal amount of time in a number of Member States, then she should apply via the Consulate with jurisdiction for her entry into Schengen, so that would be France managed by TLS, who might understand that you can enter by rail or Ferry.

 

My wife has certainly successfully applied to the French, Dutch and Italian Consulates when travelling by train.

 

l will confess that we’ve encountered issues with all three service providers who didn’t understand the rules, on each occasion we insisted that the application was forwarded for processing, and on each occasion visas were issued.

 

Maybe TLS staff will appreciate that visas will be granted for rail and ferry passengers, though the French, at least in our experience, are strict on which Constitute has jurisdiction.

[liddelljohn]

we will arrive in France  travel for a few days  in france to Limoges then down to Cannes  then San Remo in Italy  for a few days , then  accross italy over alps into Austria for a week at my cousins then  a lazy drive back via germany etc to Dieppe  ,,,

 

Are you saying I should deal with French Consulate  rather  than one of the Service providers ???  Im only here for 2 weeks then back to Europe ,,

[Eff1n2ret]

18 hours ago, liddelljohn said:

we will arrive in France  travel for a few days  in france to Limoges then down to Cannes  then San Remo in Italy  for a few days , then  accross italy over alps into Austria for a week at my cousins then  a lazy drive back via germany etc to Dieppe  ,,,

 

Are you saying I should deal with French Consulate  rather  than one of the Service providers ???  Im only here for 2 weeks then back to Europe ,,

Would this site help you? - Download France Visa Application Form - French Visa PDF Application Form (schengenvisainfo.com)

 

I'm sure  you're aware that your wife has the right to apply for a Schengen visa as the family member of an EU citizen exercising their right to travel to EU countries other than their own - which in your case is Austria. As your first point of entry to the EU will be France she applies to that country for the visa.

[liddelljohn]

Spoke with the French embassy   told them we would be crossing from Newhaven  to Dieppe  , but they said as main stay of trip is Austria and I hold an Austrian passport  I should apply via them .

 

What is  a fact is that even as wife of EU national she cannot apply for schengen in UK as she NOT UK resident .

 

Now waiting for reply from Austria embassy in Bangkok   as VFS are clueless and just say  cannot travel into EU by ferry ????

 

So i know we have to sort it  before she leaves Thailand on 8 August .

[Bangkok Barry]

On 6/26/2023 at 5:58 PM, liddelljohn said:

Now waiting for reply from Austria embassy in Bangkok   as VFS are clueless and just say  cannot travel into EU by ferry ????

Can't you print off or send them details of how you CAN. Ferry website etc.

[jimn]

As you are an Austrian citizen your wife is entitled to free movement in in the Schengan area as part of the EU family member scheme. This visa should be issued free of charged and should be processed quickly and without question. As part of this scheme you are allowed to apply direct to the embassy of your choice. Do not be fobbed of with excuses or being told you must apply via TLS or VFS.

I am a UK citizen and when the UK was part of the EU we successfully used this process 3 times. Netherlands once and Sweeden twice.

https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/eu-citizenship/movement-and-residence_en#:~:text=COVID-19 pandemic-,The right to free movement,EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

[Thomas KH]

On 6/24/2023 at 4:12 PM, liddelljohn said:

Patently completely wrong

Brits becoming Austrians too. Schamlos.

[sandyf]

On 6/24/2023 at 3:12 PM, liddelljohn said:

How  do we proceed    to get Schengen visa  with this idiotic  lack of knowledge in VFS ..  She had a Schengen visa 14 years ago  which we got from French embassy in Bangkok   with no problems in 20 minutes   and  a Danish visa as well  , but now they say use VFS ??

You are being told garbage by VFS, not uncommon, I suspect they may be getting mixed up between general applicant and family member.

You have a couple of options.

You can challenge VFS and say you will report them to the Austrian Embassy. I did that once and they changed tune in a flash. You could ask them to quote the section in the handbook that restricts entry to the EU for family members by air.

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2020-06/visa_code_handbook_consolidated_en.pdf

 

You can make the application in the UK. it is preferable for a third country national to make the application in their own country but is not cast in stone. You need to have a fairly good reason why it was not done in Thailand. A friend of mine took his wife to Holland for the weekend on the boat. Did it in London and said it was a last minute discounted offer, not a problem.

Good luck.

Edited July 2, 2023 by sandyf

[Russ McD]

Fact - was in similar situation.  Wanted to take GF for a 2 week motorcycle tour last May, during our 6 month UK visit. (She has 10 year UK tourist visa now)

We live in Chiang Mai so applied at VFS there in February, on the basis the "most nights would be spent in Germany" (and it wud save a trip to BKK for the application ????).  Had to make a Booking.com reservation for first 2 nights in Germany which we subsequently cancelled. 

Also had travel insurance in place for the entire visit.

For German Schengen applications you now fill out an online form (I made a mistake and hand filled out a PDF I downloaded, so had to do the electronic one on my mobile in VFS office.  Fair does, they were relatively helpful here in waiting, then printing off for me). Oh make sure your girls name is on the hotel booking too.

Didn't ask for tour details / ferry bookings etc, or anything else. 

2 weeks later, we got the Visa, multiple entry but for just 6 weeks .... maybe as it was her first application.

Tour completed with no hassles at either the Tunnel out, or the ferry back.