I have a thai friend who is currently in paris on a 3 month visitors visa and wonder if she can travel to the UK for a visit? ie does the visa permit EU travel within the 3 months or is it restricted to France only? Cheers.

Hey

Sorry the answer is NO

Your friend should have applied for a UK visa before leaving Thailand

Nevertheless your friend may travel anywhere within the other countries of the Schengen space (all of them except UK)

The UK and the Republic of Ireland are not members of the Schengen area, so a Schengen visa is not valid for travel to either state. See here for members. As said above, she may travel to any other state in the Schengen area with her current Schengen visa.

Your friend may be able to obtain a UK visit visa from the British embassy in Paris, but usually one is expected to apply in one's country of residence. Worth a try if they don't mind losing the fee if refused.

Thanks for the info.

The UK and the Republic of Ireland are not members of the Schengen area, so a Schengen visa is not valid for travel to either state. See here for members. As said above, she may travel to any other state in the Schengen area with her current Schengen visa.

Your friend may be able to obtain a UK visit visa from the British embassy in Paris, but usually one is expected to apply in one's country of residence. Worth a try if they don't mind losing the fee if refused.

I am not quite sure about that: some years ago my riend and I travelled through Europe. At one point, spending some days in Amsterdam, I thought it was a pity not to cross the Channel an visit london for a week-end. Therefore we went together to the British Embassy: an officer asked us why we were going to the UK etc.... He asked for both passport and I thought to myself that we did well to go there; he gave us our passports back after some minutes and said " You are forbidden from entering UK but you may fill a complaint within three months"

I was more shocked than upset especially when I saw that both passport bore a red stamp from the British Embassy; I am still wondering why that happened

Another fact is that, now, people are supposed to apply for the visa in their countries of origin so I would not give it a try: there are so many countries to visit that it is not worth a try right now

Plan for the next trip

This is what it says on the UK Visas website:

"Where can I apply for a visa for the UK?

Applications for visit visas and EEA Family Permits for the UK can be made at any visa application centre or visa section. Other applications should be made at a visa application centre or visa section in your home country, or where you are normally and legally resident"