I am British. My Thai wife will shortly have a UK Visitor's visa and my 4 month old daughter has just received her Thai and British passports. We live in Thailand.

We will visit the UK later this summer and also wish to tour a little in Europe (Schengen Europe is sufficient) and visit my sister and her family in Germany. We will probably drive across the channel - well you know what I mean) - to France first. We will therefore apply for a French or German Schengen Visa for my wife. I assume our daughter needs nothing more than her British passport.

Has anyone recently (under the new contractor TLS) applied for a French schengen visa? I researched France thoroughly last year but there seems to be a new visa contractor and I noticed minor changes - is it true that you now have to provide accomodation details in France at the time of application? How long did you have to wait for an appointment? How long did the SV take to come back? Has anyone applied on behalf of their wife or girlfriend? It would save me a few thousand baht if my wife does not have to visit BKK, but I don't want to risk rejection.

Has anyone recently (last 6 months) applied for a German Schengen Visa? One year ago my research indicated that the German Schengen people were more difficult to deal with. Did you find it straightforward if your circumstances of visit were straightforward (like mine)? Same questions re timing and application via me as a personal representative.

Thanks

Have a look at this site, which is giving a good explanation on Schengen visa's, who needs them and how to apply for same

http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/Differents-ty...-issued-by.html

And remember that as she is the spouse of an EEA national, not all the questions on the form, and requested evidence, will be applicable. Read the form and guidance carefully.

Has anyone recently (under the new contractor TLS) applied for a French schengen visa?

=> I did last month (Visa for France , TLS Contact Thanon Sathorn Rd Bangkok, Sathorn City Tower)

I researched France thoroughly last year but there seems to be a new visa contractor and I noticed minor changes - is it true that you now have to provide accomodation details in France at the time of application?

=> That's true but maybe not new (no change from the new procedure with TLScontact). Most important question is "what kind of Schengen visa you will ask" ? tourist visa or private visit or family visit ? From data you provide I can only guess you are asking for "tourist" in France (since no family no friend in France). My case is "private visit" and it's true you need one paper from "mairie" of friend's home (in french "attestation d'accueil"). If tourist, I read that you need proof of accomodation for tourist, hence an hotel reservation would be a paper to provude.

How long did you have to wait for an appointment?

=> Not so long. You can only have appointment three months before France stay on tlscontact website: you can fill other informations but when at final step (make appontment) date is checked. I asked for appointement 14 days later. No problem. At appointment date, at Bangkok office tlscontact, you enter the queue of all others and waits (don't be surprised iif you need to wait a little...). There are about 12 desks. And all customers in the queue are driven to one desk according to arrival order.

How long did the SV take to come back?

=> Not sure "SV" I understand. TLS keeps passeports and documents for a scan and transfer all of them to consulate visa service (same road). About one week delay, before papers are back to Tlscontact. And then TLscontact has to warn you (SMS,..) than procedure is complete and retrieve your passeports (with visa granted or not) via post (if you pay for the "extra" postal service.

Has anyone applied on behalf of their wife or girlfriend?

=> Person who go to tlscontact office in Bangkok can be different people asking for visa: wife,girldfriend,tour operator and so on.

We have last week.