Visa For Thai Wife To Norway....

[meithai]

What would be the likely result in terms of a Norwegian visa for my Thai wife?

I am British & I'll be returning to Norway after 8 years to work, (I lived there previously for 5 years), I have not secured employment yet, although it would not take me long with my qualifications & contacts there.

We are newly married, so she would be applying for her Norwegian visa after only 2 weeks of marriage, although, we have known each other for 2 years.

[Mario2008]

Since nobody replied I will give it a try. I think the changes as small, as you don't have employment and are not a Norwegian national. You won't be able to satisfy the norwegian government on questions like how do you will provide for an income for the 2 of you, let alone that neither of you has ties with Norway.

[meithai]

Since nobody replied I will give it a try. I think the changes as small, as you don't have employment and are not a Norwegian national. You won't be able to satisfy the norwegian government on questions like how do you will provide for an income for the 2 of you, let alone that neither of you has ties with Norway.

Thanks for replying.

EU nationals have the right to seek work, live & take their spouces with them to Norway, although, you are probably right as I have not secured work yet.

[Mario2008]

As you say, EU nationals have the right to seek work in memberstates. I'm just not sure about your wife, as she isn't a EU national and not yet inside the EU.

[meithai]

As you say, EU nationals have the right to seek work in memberstates. I'm just not sure about your wife, as she isn't a EU national and not yet inside the EU.

Yes, & take their spouces with them to Norway, where ever they are from. I think it is the secured work issue is the problem.

[Mario2008]

Take a look here:

http://www.emb-norway.or.th/visas/workandr...ndresidence.htm

and here:

http://www.udi.no/templates/Tema.aspx?id=4475

I think you're right and first need to secure a job and have your wife following you.

[sreiter]

Strange- I sent you a long (the first) reply and it never made it- so here we go again:

Norway is NOT a member of the EU, I do not know their particular laws and can not help you with explicit advice. I can only give you some "gut feeling" and the story of what we did in similar circumstances.

I am German national but have not been resident there for 20 years. I worked and lived in the UK. I wanted to get married to my Thai girlfriend after 2 years of knowing her, I also wanted to leave work and the UK and live with her in Greece where I had a house. So, here is what we did:

I could not see how we ever should get a visa or residence permit for Greece if I could not show evidence of being resident there. So- first I got a green card for EU members as evidence for residency in Greece.

We got married in Bangkok. We got an English translation of the papers (appoved by the Thai ministery of foreign affairs). There is an office when you go to the GB visa section on the right just before you walk in- they can organise that.

We went to the Greek consulate 2 days after getting married and asked for "family reunion" to Greece. (Needed my green card!) The embassador legalised the English translation- without his stamp we would have been lost later. This legalised translation was later translated to Greek in Athens (ministery of foreign affairs). Lin got a single entry visa to Greece, we applied for residency which she got after 8 month of waiting (and not being allowed to leave the country). Now she is fine for 5 years and we can travel anywhere in Europe.

My gut feeling based on our history is:

1.I can not see Norway giving your wife a visa or residency if you can not show that you live there first.

2. It is not the time that you have been married that counts, it's the legality of your marriage

3. You might want to find out if it is not easier to get residency for the UK for your wife- and once you have this transfer it to Norway (somehow)

4. There are lawyers on the internet that specialise in European migration law. They can help (for a reasonable fee, I paid 300 Euro and it was worth it)

Good luck to you! Stefan

[Mossfinn]

What would be the likely result in terms of a Norwegian visa for my Thai wife?

As you say, EU nationals have the right to seek work in memberstates. I'm just not sure about your wife, as she isn't a EU national and not yet inside the EU.

Norway is NOT a member of the EU,

The wife is quite eligible to get a visa for Norway and although Norway is presently not part of the E.U, it is part of the E.E.A and so essentially has freedom of movement within it, for all intents and immigration purposes the rules are the same.

As a citizen of an E.E.A country, although not of Norway, he has a presumptive right of entry into Norway and during a three month period, perfectly able to legitimately search for work, or be gainfully employed.

Those rights, in this case can be passed onto the wife, irrespective of Nationality.

In the light of the recent findings of the European Courts of Justice, in the case of 'Metock', the right to freedom of movement for the individual, whether it be 'between or within' actual jargon used was 'Intra or Inter', was upheld.

Your wife can apply whether she is in Thailand or in the U.k.

I have had to research this and no longer have time to post very much and it is complicated, the above poster has recommended doing an internet search for a lawyer, I wouldn't bother, just click on DaviesKhan or Mariner, both sponsors of this forum, but as this is complicated your best bet is DaviesKhan.

Good Luck

Moss

[kenimpzoom]

I am a USA citizen and took a 3 month assignment to Norway. I brought my Thai wife over to visit. She definaetly had to have a visa. The biggest problem was special health insurance had to be purchased for her. My company's health insurance wasnt good enough.

Good luck

[avinje]

As you know, Norway is part of the Schengen agreement, which means a visa for Norway would allow access to the Schengen countries.

hxxp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Agreement

hxxp://www.udi.no/templates/TemplatesBlueDesign/Page.aspx?id=6368

Judging from some private research and personal experience, the Norwegian embassy in BKK seems to be practicing these rules more strict than e.g. Sweden, which is also part of Schengen. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) also seems to practice the rules different than the Norwegian Embassy in BKK (!).

The Norwegian Embassy also has a reputation for treating thai girls applying for visa in a derogatory manner, compared to other Schengen countries (might be a good idea to join your girl when going there, even though you will might not be allowed to approach the counter when she is talking to the embassy employees).

This being said, in your case there is probably no way around going through the Norwegian system. Just don't give up if the Norwegian Embassy treats your girlfriend bad or if you get rejected a few times. After X rejections (normally 3) from the embassy, the application might be sent to UDI for a final decision. UDI just might look at the application with "new eyes". I have personally been told by Embassy staff that UDI practice some rules different than they do (quote: "UDI is interpreting the rules wrong. We are right.").

Good luck and I wish you and your wife welcome to Norway (once you are done with the terrible 'red tape')!

[Bird on the Wire]

Straight from the Norse's mouth:-

http://www.udi.no/templates/Tema.aspx?id=7579

Seems Mossfinn has it right.