Visa For France For Thai Wife

[Insight]

Hi,

Me and my wife would like to go to France during April, but unfortunately all interviews at the French embassy in BKK are all booked up beforehand meaning it's unlikely she'll be able to get a visa in time. She does however own a two 2 year tourist visa for the UK.

We'll be visiting the UK w/c 11th April and was hoping to go to France the following week. Other than getting a visa from the French embassy do we have any other realistic options given the short period of time - such as getting a visa from the UK during the first week of a trip, or a European Schengen visa - or are we going to have to cancel the trip?

Many thanks in advance for any advice offered.

[vinny]

It may be difficult for a tourist to obtain a visa to Europe while in the UK. Best to apply for a multiple-entry Schengen visa in Bangkok from the French Embassy ((66 2) 627 2150) before travel.

[vinny]

See also French Visa Applications By Appointment Only !

[pault17]

It may be difficult for a tourist to obtain a visa to Europe while in the UK. Best to apply for a multiple-entry Schengen visa in Bangkok from the French Embassy ((66 2) 627 2150) before travel.

Or a Shengen visa from ANY Shengen country.

[mickj88]

Just to echo what Paul said, you dont need a French visa you need a schengen visa, try the spanish embassy or the dutch embassy.

The only thing is that you might need to produce flight and hotel bookings but if you book on the net ,get confirmation print it all off and then cancel the confirmation will be enough.

I have obtained a schengen visa for my wife before and all they asked for was confirmation of bookings which I printed off from attachments sent to me by e-mail.

[duuview]

While my Thai girlfriend was visiting me in England I tried to get a visa for her to visit a relative in the Netherlands. The guy I telephoned at the Dutch Embassy advised me not to bother as the process could take weeks and would almost certainly result in a rejection of the application. I think you need to apply before you leave Thailand.

[Insight]

Thanks for all the responses folks.

We tried to apply for a Schengen visa at the Italian embassy, but looks like they're experiencing similar problems - all booked up.

Just to confirm, if we apply for a Schengen visa for Spain (for example), would it raise any eyebrows with immigration if we went through France first, or would we have to start our trip within Spain, then move onto France?

[Mossfinn]

I thought you had to apply for a Schengen visa through the Embassy of the Principle Country you are going to visit, but you do not have to go to that same Principle Country first, but it has been a long time since I looked at the Schengen criteria.

Moss

[Huey]

My wife and I used a travel agent and paid a 3000 baht fee to get it done within a few days for our honeymoon. We went to both France and Switzerland, and it did not require any interview at all. They needed to see my passport and a letter from me, bank statements and a letter from her employer (my father-in-law's company) and some other stuff but neither one of us needed to be there in person for the Shengan visa. Though I must be honest I'm not sure if they got it through the Swiss or French embassy

[mariner29]

They are not to strict on the rules we got one from the Danish embassy in Hull and flew straight to Spain without any problems.

[bkk_mike]

In theory Schengen visa should be applied for either the country you're visiting first, or the country you're going to spend the most time in.

Spain should have no issues with you applying for a visa there if you say you're going to Spain through France (i.e. by train, or driving).

As she's your wife, and assuming you're an EU national, the Visa should be free.

Edited March 31, 2008 by bkk_mike

[paully]

We tried to apply for a Schengen visa at the Italian embassy, but looks like they're experiencing similar problems - all booked up.

This is the practical - as opposed to legal - problem, how to actually get a visa if you can't just show up at the embassy and wait or you don't live far enough away to use the post? The French Embassy in London is not particularly helpful, as you've found they're seemingly always booked up, and frankly don't care.

The way the wife and I have got around it in the past is to use an agent or courier service to go to the London French Embassy. Normally I'd never recommend one, but, guess what, an agent can get an appointment at the French Embassy within 2-3 days but you or I cannot get one within 2 months. Curious, eh

But if you need a French Schengen fast, this way should only cost you about £60-80 all in (the visa itself is free, it's just the agent costs + secure postage - you could easily pay something near that in travel costs to the Embassy yourself if you're not in London) and does work. Alternatively, you could try queueing outside another Schengen Embassy.

Edited March 31, 2008 by paully

[Insight]

Thanks again for all the responses folks. We've decided to play it safe - get a visa from the Czech embassy (got an interview this Wednesday), and hit Prague for a few days before making our way onto either Italy or France.

bkk_mike - we haven't registered our marriage yet, so not sure if alters the visa being free.