Thai citizen traveling to Schengen (Finland), what to expect at immigration?

[buddyy]

Hi, my So is visiting me and i wonder what are the typical questions asked at the border.

Apart from the usual questions, is she asked proof of funds, hotel bookings?

 

I mean she stays with me so no hotel needed, but can she say that at the border when asked? I ask because she made the visa on her own (Type-C short term) and not the "invite letter" way.

 

Thanks!

Edited September 28, 2023 by buddyy

[Tropposurfer]

Expectations upon arrival?: It'll be COLD????

[hotandsticky]

Weren't proof of funds and evidence of accommodating part of the Schengen application?

[CanadaSam]

I expect she'll be greeted with a hearty "Hei!" on arrival, and of-course, she should say that she is staying with you, you never lie to immigration officers in "western" countries!!!

[LikeItHot]

Doesn't matter what the questions are. Tell the truth to anything they ask. Period.  

[brianthainess]

Be there, make sure she has your phone number, incase immigration want to talk to you. She should not carry any work related documents of any kind.

[buddyy]

3 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

Weren't proof of funds and evidence of accommodating part of the Schengen application?

Yes, bank statements and proof of employement were asked but hotel bookings etc were not asked.

Just asking if need to show some kind of proof of funds at the border too. I believe there is an official rule how much euros per day you need to have.

Edited September 30, 2023 by buddyy

[buddyy]

3 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

I expect she'll be greeted with a hearty "Hei!" on arrival, and of-course, she should say that she is staying with you, you never lie to immigration officers in "western" countries!!!

Ty makes sense yes. 

I was just asking because she made the Type-C short-term tourist visa on her own without my invite letter. Just asking if she can still tell she is staying with bf.

Edited September 30, 2023 by buddyy

[buddyy]

2 hours ago, LikeItHot said:

Doesn't matter what the questions are. Tell the truth to anything they ask. Period.  

For sure yes, i mean the truth is simple.

We been together almost 8 years and i need to stay in EU for some period and she is visiting me for 2 weeks and then goes back.

[vinny41]

17 minutes ago, buddyy said:

Yes, bank statements and proof of employement were asked.

Just asking if need to show some kind of proof of funds at the border too. I believe there is an official rule how much euros per day you need to have.

Yes due to recent human trafficking between Thailand and Finland  she will  need to show 30 euros a day

An email from you to her in Finnish similar to an invitation letter stating that she will be staying with you might be useful

https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/23697-yle-arrival-of-thai-berry-pickers-to-finland-in-doubt-this-summer.html

[hotandsticky]

44 minutes ago, buddyy said:

Yes, bank statements and proof of employement were asked but hotel bookings etc were not asked.

Just asking if need to show some kind of proof of funds at the border too. I believe there is an official rule how much euros per day you need to have.

 

 

 

Try this :-  https://finlandabroad.fi/web/gbr/entry-requirements#:~:text=In addition to your visa,per day) to support yourself.

 

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-application-requirements/means-subsistence/

[Sydebolle]

OK, get in the queue for "to be ripped off as not Finnish" and subsequently queue at "to be ripped off more as not EU citizen". Then fill in landing/departure card FM6, swear to God that you will do your 45-days notification or you will be fined THB 10'000, don't forget the FM30 notification should you travel around and be prepared to pay at least double at restaurants and the 20-fold price of a local in National Parks, Museums et al.

No, all rubbish - I mixed it up. Get off the plane and go through immigration, no forms, no fees, no agents, no nothing. Your travel document is OK otherwise the airline will not even let you board the plane. Change money at the airport; possibly some already here in Thailand depending on your arrival weekday/-time if banks are closed and Thai Baht, not being the world's leading currency in other places, might not be known in each and every smaller place outside i.e. Helsinki. 

And yes, it will be a tat cooler than Krungthep ???? Bon voyage! 

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, vinny41 said:

Yes due to recent human trafficking between Thailand and Finland  she will  need to show 30 euros a day

An email from you to her in Finnish similar to an invitation letter stating that she will be staying with you might be useful

https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/23697-yle-arrival-of-thai-berry-pickers-to-finland-in-doubt-this-summer.html

And include your telephone number so that Immigration can easily call you if they want. 

[NicoBKK]

If she has a visa no questions will be asked. May be where she will stay and with whom but should not be worry with a valid Shenghen visa will go through

[GypsyT]

Finland visas are now handled by VFS Global. Not easy to deal with and they ask/require MANY things.

https://visa.vfsglobal.com/tha/en/fin/

 

Like;

https://finlandvisa.fi/checklist/THA/105

Appl;

https://www.migrationsverket.se/download/18.5e83388f141c129ba6312919/1669639071060/119031_blvisa_en.pdf

 

It's a pain in the S now. Same to Sweden.

I'd make Spain her destination via Finland, or direct, and go there to spend 2 weeks together! Better weather too ????

Or make Spain the first entry country.

 

If she answers honestly to stay with you Immi wants to know many things about you!

- Your bank records, income, name, how you live, passport etc

- They also expected your "Invitation letter". Do it, it helps most.

- If she comes on her own better you are not in the picture at all and  she does hotel bookings as below.

 

I'd recommend booking a room in major hotel chain for 3-4 days. Stay there together.

Also, book a long stay for whole visit in other hotel via agent, like Agoda, but don't pay for nor stay there. Agoda allows to cancel for free. Do it, and stay at your place rest of the trip.

 

Good luck!

 

Edited October 3, 2023 by GypsyT

[buddyy]

15 hours ago, GypsyT said:

Finland visas are now handled by VFS Global. Not easy to deal with and they ask/require MANY things.

https://visa.vfsglobal.com/tha/en/fin/

 

Like;

https://finlandvisa.fi/checklist/THA/105

Appl;

https://www.migrationsverket.se/download/18.5e83388f141c129ba6312919/1669639071060/119031_blvisa_en.pdf

 

It's a pain in the S now. Same to Sweden.

I'd make Spain her destination via Finland, or direct, and go there to spend 2 weeks together! Better weather too ????

Or make Spain the first entry country.

 

If she answers honestly to stay with you Immi wants to know many things about you!

- Your bank records, income, name, how you live, passport etc

- They also expected your "Invitation letter". Do it, it helps most.

- If she comes on her own better you are not in the picture at all and  she does hotel bookings as below.

 

I'd recommend booking a room in major hotel chain for 3-4 days. Stay there together.

Also, book a long stay for whole visit in other hotel via agent, like Agoda, but don't pay for nor stay there. Agoda allows to cancel for free. Do it, and stay at your place rest of the trip.

 

Good luck!

 

Thank you for the long answer.

 

She already has a visa and made it via VFS on her own, she got her passport back within 48 hours with a visa.

She specifically wants to come here as we been talking about it for years, she wants to see the rough weather that you cant see in Thailand, not some beach holiday. Also to meet my family.

 

Staying in a hotel 3-4 days is out of the question as where i live we dont even have hotels and plan to stay in the capital just 1-2 days.

 

How long before arriving can you cancel agoda? I guess can book a real stay which we will do and then a longer stay what can cancel.

 

 

 

I seem to get very different info.

 

Some say its easy at the border.

Some say can mention me as its a pluss even when she made visa on her own. Now you say she might need to provide a lot details about me on the border if she mentions staying with me?

Never heard of immigation asking for bank records etc at the border.

Lil confused.

 

Edited October 4, 2023 by buddyy

[buddyy]

Any more recent experiences?

 

Some say if she made the visa on her own, mentioning staying with me is a bad idea. Other say the opposite, who is right?
Best bet is to just book hotel for entire stay and have cash ready to show?

 

Thx.

[varun]

You're panicking for nothing;

she just needs to answer the immigration officer's questions honestly - nothing else.