robbiecia Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Last week my Thai wife applied for and recieved a shengen visa. We both live and work here in Thailand and wanted to visit Italy. To my surprise the 3000 baht fee was waived as i am a UK national. (nice one Italian government) Why then do my government ask around 100 gbp for a visa to take my wife to visit my own country????? Something is very very wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehaigh Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Last week my Thai wife applied for and recieved a shengen visa.We both live and work here in Thailand and wanted to visit Italy. To my surprise the 3000 baht fee was waived as i am a UK national. (nice one Italian government) Why then do my government ask around 100 gbp for a visa to take my wife to visit my own country????? Something is very very wrong. same for me a couple of months ago. the UK visa is expensive but at least its 6 months, no proof of where you are staying. schengen requires you show a lot of details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eff1n2ret Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 If an Italian wished to take his Thai wife to visit Italy, she would have to pay the Italian charges for a Schengen visit visa. If he wished to take her to the UK, she would be entitled to a Family Permit free of charge. It's the law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiVisaExpress Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 If you are married present and settled in the UK the visa is free to a Schengen country. UK has its own laws simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangMaiSausage Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 We recently applied for my wife's visa through the Spainish embassy, we had to pay because our marriage is not registered with the British embassy and is not recognised in Europe if it had been she would have received her visa free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Philosopher Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 If you are married present and settled in the UK the visa is free to a Schengen country.UK has its own laws simple. Thankfully we do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SantiSuk Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 If I applied for an Italian schengen visa for my Thai wife it would not be free - because my dear old money-grubbing UK embassy would want over 2,000 baht just to say they recognise my Thai marriage (must take them all of 5 minutes) and I think the Italians will want that confirmation (like the French which is where I ran up aginst that insidious little oncost). If Italy is prepared to recognise a Thia marriage certificate (or even an Italian language translation of it that would cost me only say 500 baht) please do reply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiecia Posted August 28, 2009 Author Share Posted August 28, 2009 If I applied for an Italian schengen visa for my Thai wife it would not be free - because my dear old money-grubbing UK embassy would want over 2,000 baht just to say they recognise my Thai marriage (must take them all of 5 minutes) and I think the Italians will want that confirmation (like the French which is where I ran up aginst that insidious little oncost). If Italy is prepared to recognise a Thia marriage certificate (or even an Italian language translation of it that would cost me only say 500 baht) please do reply SantiSuk We just presented the original Thai marriage certificate plus an english translation. I have not registered the marriage at the UK embassy (a 2000 baht rip-off) The Italian embassy had no problem with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7by7 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 'Registering' your marriage at the UK embassy is not a legal requirement. In fact, you cant! What you can do is use the embassy to deposit a copy of your marriage certificate with the GRO in the UK. Most people don't bother (we haven't) and not doing so wont effect the legal validity of your Thai marriage in any way. Under the Foreign Marriages Act of 1899 any marriage that is valid in the country where it took place is also valid in the UK (with some obvious exceptions such as marriages involving underage partners.) As said. a Brit, or wife/husband of same, applying for a Schengen visa to Italy will not pay a fee; an Italian applying to Italy will! An Italian applying for an EEA Family permit to the UK will not pay a fee; a Brit applying to the UK will! Just one of the many idiocy's of the whole European system. If you feel the need to blame someone, blame Brussels not London. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiVisaExpress Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 As usual 7/7 the UK wants to be in the EU but wants everything on their terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7by7 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Not sure that this Brit does want to be part of the EU! Back in 1975 I voted to join a free trade union; no one said that it would become a European super state and we were told that our sovereignty would not be effected in any way. That was a lie! Ironic that over the last 200 years Britain has saved Europe from the French once and the Germans twice, and who rules Europe now? The French and the Germans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SantiSuk Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 If I applied for an Italian schengen visa for my Thai wife it would not be free - because my dear old money-grubbing UK embassy would want over 2,000 baht just to say they recognise my Thai marriage (must take them all of 5 minutes) and I think the Italians will want that confirmation (like the French which is where I ran up aginst that insidious little oncost). If Italy is prepared to recognise a Thia marriage certificate (or even an Italian language translation of it that would cost me only say 500 baht) please do reply SantiSuk We just presented the original Thai marriage certificate plus an english translation. I have not registered the marriage at the UK embassy (a 2000 baht rip-off) The Italian embassy had no problem with this. Many thanks mate - valuable information and I will go that route next time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bram Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 The visa is free because of EU law ! If i as a dutch national bring my thai wife to a other eu country this country can not charge me any fee by eu law. Many don't know about it so still pay for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangla Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Ironic that over the last 200 years Britain has saved Europe from the French once and the Germans twice, and who rules Europe now? The French and the Germans! hasn't thailand taught you that you have to live in the here and now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwalker1973 Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 If you are married present and settled in the UK the visa is free to a Schengen country.UK has its own laws simple. I always use the spanish embassy or the irish because they are the most easiest for a european visa, no matter were you go in europe except the UK. My marriage is not registered at the british embassy but I still get a free visa, and I go twice a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigante7 Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 The missus and I live in Edinburgh and are about to book a holiday to Spain for May next year, am I correct in assuming that once we book the holiday and we have the dates of travel when we apply for the Schengen visa for my wife it will be free due to my being an EU citizen? I just want to be 100% clear in case the Spanish consulte in Edinburgh try to charge me for the visa, many thanks. Brigante7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgs Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 (edited) I'm an Aussie with a French passport (and an Oz one). If I understand the above correctly, taking TW to Europe with DE as the first port of call, the visa should be free - but charged for if FR is first? -- For those with FR passports, once the FR consulate - as painful as they are to deal with - registers the marriage, there are only about 20 more pages of cr@p to fill in to have a permanent 'spouse visa' given. Edited August 29, 2009 by pgs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterpop Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 If I applied for an Italian schengen visa for my Thai wife it would not be free - because my dear old money-grubbing UK embassy would want over 2,000 baht just to say they recognise my Thai marriage (must take them all of 5 minutes) and I think the Italians will want that confirmation (like the French which is where I ran up aginst that insidious little oncost). If Italy is prepared to recognise a Thia marriage certificate (or even an Italian language translation of it that would cost me only say 500 baht) please do reply I was recently married in Chiang Mai. I asked the British Consulate if there was any point in registering my marriage with them. They advised me not to as it would be automatically registered by the Thai Government department and to register again with them would cause confusion. As it happens I need a Schengen visa next year. All will be revealed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7by7 Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I always use the spanish embassy or the irish because they are the most easiest for a european visa, no matter were you go in europe except the UK. My marriage is not registered at the british embassy but I still get a free visa, and I go twice a year. Err, the Republic of Ireland is not a signatory of the full Schengen agreement, same as the UK. A Schengen visa is not valid for the RoI and an Irish visa is not valid for anywhere except the RoI. Schengen visas are free to non EU family members of EU citizens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangMaiSausage Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 I'm confused and this thread has confused me even more. I married in Chiang Mai almost three years ago but have not registered a copy of our marriage certificate with the GRO UK. It is my intention to register a copy with the GRO this December. QUESTION: do I gain anything for registering our marriage? Will it make life easier for the two of us if we have to return to the UK in the future? What are the benefits of registering the certificate? Some many questions Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7by7 Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 do I gain anything for registering our marriage? No. You do not register the marriage; you've already done that at the ampur. You simply deposit a copy of your marriage certificate with the GRO. Will it make life easier for the two of us if we have to return to the UK in the future? No. What are the benefits of registering the certificate? If you are in the UK and need a copy of your certificate you can obtain one from the GRO rather than having to contact the Ampur where you married. That's it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangMaiSausage Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 do I gain anything for registering our marriage? No. You do not register the marriage; you've already done that at the ampur. You simply deposit a copy of your marriage certificate with the GRO. Will it make life easier for the two of us if we have to return to the UK in the future? No. What are the benefits of registering the certificate? If you are in the UK and need a copy of your certificate you can obtain one from the GRO rather than having to contact the Ampur where you married. That's it! 7by7 - we have two original marriage certifcates, only one of them would be registered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abdulrahman Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 If an Italian wished to take his Thai wife to visit Italy, she would have to pay the Italian charges for a Schengen visit visa. If he wished to take her to the UK, she would be entitled to a Family Permit free of charge.It's the law. Not True.The Schengen Visa is absolutely free,for the wife. Well...speaking about your GF......no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7by7 Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 7by7 - we have two original marriage certifcates, only one of them would be registered. Everyone who marries in Thailand receives two copies of the marriage certificate. Whether you want to waste the money in depositing one of them with the GRO via the embassy is your choice. We didn't, and we don't know anyone who has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangMaiSausage Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 (edited) 7by7 just read another post of yours that made more sense i.e. if you loose your copy of the certificate then it would be easier to get hold of a GRO certified copy whilst living in the UK. The appeal to me is if I register my marriage certificate wit the GRO it would make it easier for my wife to prove that she was married to me, if something happened to me that is. Something to do in the future me thinks. Edited August 30, 2009 by ChangMaiSausage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7by7 Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 That is the only possible reason why one may wish to deposit a copy of one's marriage certificate with the GRO. If you think it's worth the fee, that's your choice; I personally don't think it's worth it. If anything were to happen to me, the wife knows where the certificates are; in a fireproof document box at home with our insurance policies and other important documents! Remember, they will charge you a fee to deposit the copy and then charge you another fee if you want it back! Your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangMaiSausage Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 As mentioned maybe one for the future but I dont think I will register (give a copy) this December. I'll buy a few more drinks instead..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossfinn Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Ironic that over the last 200 years Britain has saved Europe from the French once and the Germans twice, and who rules Europe now? The French and the Germans! Just to take this thread a little off line, I am assuming you mean Britain saved Europe from the French in 1815? I was always under the impression it was the arrival of Von Blucher that saved the day, that wily old General of the German empire Now that is ironic. As for the German wars, that was just a holding action until the Yanks bowled in and saved the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the scouser Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 ...Von Blucher .... that wily old General of the German empire Surely he was Prussian? Germany, and its associated empire, didn't materialise until 1871. Just being a pedant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossfinn Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 He most certainly was Prussian, I thought I mentioned that, but Prussia had a major influence over German politics and economics at the time, but you have trumped my pedantry, the German Empire did not actually form until 1871. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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