Italian Visas

[richardb]

I have emailed the Embassy but no reply yet. I see that visas are issued by appointment. Does the proposed visa holder have to be present or can the application and appointment be made by a relative. My GF is in the UK and I am planning to post her passport back for her sister to take with the application.

Any ideas

Richard

[the scouser]

Hi Richard,

That's a risky, and possibly illegal, strategy. It'll be evident from the stamps in the passport that your girlfriend is not in Thailand when her passport and application are presented to the Italian embassy in Bangkok.

Scouse.

[richardb]

Dont't worry mate. My cover letter will explain that the circumstances and that the GF is in the UK. I have emailed the embassy to ask if " in person " means the actual person who is applying has to be there or just that they do not issue by post. If its the latter it should make no difference where the GF is as to whether she merits a visa or not.

If they do not answer I suppose we will have to suck it and see. If they refuse to accept the application at the appointment on the basis that she is ouside the country thats one thing if they will refuse it on that basis. Well I am not sure they can can they?

It would be a complete pain in the bum to fly back to BKK to do it in person.

Richard

[lordsux]

The applicant must show themselves at the Italian Consulate in Bangkok. I know this from personal experience.

Not sure if there is an Italian Embassy in the UK, if there is then I would recommend applying there.

Good luck

[giruz]

I have emailed the Embassy but no reply yet. I see that visas are issued by appointment. Does the proposed visa holder have to be present or can the application and appointment be made by a relative. My GF is in the UK and I am planning to post her passport back for her sister to take with the application.

Any ideas

Richard

Hi,

Just a quick question. What visa does she hold now in the UK?

Rules recently changed and if she has a Family member permit she is not required to have a schengen visa for Italy.

My advice, is just to pop-in at the consulate and ask (NOT THE EMBASSY!). I've been there last week and they have been very helpful (first time ever that an Italian public official is helpful!).

If I remember correctly the tube stop is Victoria and you can walk from there.

The consulate doesn't have any obvious sign/logo/flag outside...so it looks like an house...

giruz

[Bukseeda]

The applicant must show themselves at the Italian Consulate in Bangkok. I know this from personal experience.

Not sure if there is an Italian Embassy in the UK, if there is then I would recommend applying there.

Good luck

I agree - I don't understand why the application should be made in Bangkok?

[Ave]

The applicant must show themselves at the Italian Consulate in Bangkok. I know this from personal experience.

Not sure if there is an Italian Embassy in the UK, if there is then I would recommend applying there.

Good luck

Of course there is. It's in Eaton Place, near Victoria Station, London.

[animatic]

She needs to apply WHERE she is. Which would be at the italian consolat in UK.

She is there with her passport.

I can reasonably assume that the person saying she must do it here,

THINKS she IS here.

And defintiely check on those Schengen rules, once In a Schengen country,

I believe your VISA is valid for other Schengen countries.

But I am a yank and our passports open a lot of doors.

If not bring a lot of smiles on face value...

I lived in europe for 10 years,

but even before I was a french resident alien,

I could travel in all Schengen countries with no hassles.

Including, based from France: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany,

Italy, England, Denmark, Ireland.

If she has enough passport clout to get into england, the others won't flag it,

but go to the italian embassy in UK and verify for usre.

Edited June 1, 2008 by animatic

[ScubaDuc]

She needs to apply WHERE she is. Which would be at the italian consolat in UK.

She is there with her passport.

I can reasonably assume that the person saying she must do it here,

THINKS she IS here.

And defintiely check on those Schengen rules, once In a Schengen country,

I believe your VISA is valid for other Schengen countries.

But I am a yank and our passports open a lot of doors.

If not bring a lot of smiles on face value...

I lived in europe for 10 years,

but even before I was a french resident alien,

I could travel in all Schengen countries with no hassles.

Including, based from France: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany,

Italy, England, Denmark, Ireland.

If she has enough passport clout to get into england, the others won't flag it,

but go to the italian embassy in UK and verify for usre.

The UK has not fully implemented the Shengen treaty. In fact they only signed up for the Police cooperation part. When you enter the UK from a Shangen country, you still have to go trough immigration. No visa is necessary for EU citizens but the Yanks get their passport stamped one more time. I recently travelled with a US colleague and I had to wait an hour to get though immigration and we were coming from BE.

To the OP. Pick up the phone and call the consulate and ask. If you wait for an e-mail from the Italian government you might be lucky to hear from them next year Also, don't be too surprised if you get different answers if you ask different employees.... It's one of the idiosyncrasies that make Italy oh, so charming

Ciao e buona fortuna

and greetings to the rest of you from "old" europe

(48+ and counting......)