Hello!

can someone here,on the board give more detail information

when a person with thai passboard want enter eu states for only traveling,how high must be the monthly income,or money savings on the thai bank acount,that this person can come,withouth the garantee,of another person,and can leave thailand alone?

here from eu side i think around 1500€,but iam not sure,how mich diposit must be on bankacount in thailand also?

before a person can leave,i heard,there is a interview nesarsary!

is this true or not?

When my wife came to visit me in Greece 4 or 5 years ago (before we were married), she had to have 50,000 baht in the bank, plus a letter from her employer confirming that she was in full employment and stating her salary. I would guess that now you would need more than 50,000 in the bank.

You have a choice of embassies to apply to, as your visa will be valid for all the Schengen states, which covers most of Europe. It may well be that you will find it quicker and easier to apply at one of the smaller countries' embassies (like Greece, for instance), as they will have a much smaller workload and may be less strict about the requirements. I know my wife had no problems getting her first visa to come here.

You have a choice of embassies to apply to

Not correct. You are required to apply to the embassy of the country in which you will spend the longest time.

You have a choice of embassies to apply to

Not correct. You are required to apply to the embassy of the country in which you will spend the longest time.

That may well be true in theory, but in practise who is to know where you will be staying longest? As a tourist in Europe you are quite likely to have a flexible agenda.

You have a choice of embassies to apply to

Not correct. You are required to apply to the embassy of the country in which you will spend the longest time.

That may well be true in theory, but in practise who is to know where you will be staying longest? As a tourist in Europe you are quite likely to have a flexible agenda.

Not correct again because you also have to show a ticket or reservation for the country you are going. Impossible to apply for a visa in Germany if you are flight is to Spain.

So what happens if I am going to Spain for two days, then to Greece for a month, then flying back from France after another two days?

From my own experience it hardly matters where you are going as there are so many variables (longest stay, flying in, flying out, sponsor, etc)

So what happens if I am going to Spain for two days, then to Greece for a month, then flying back from France after another two days?

From my own experience it hardly matters where you are going as there are so many variables (longest stay, flying in, flying out, sponsor, etc)

you apply for a visa for the country with a ticket or ticket reservation for the country you fly to. And I am almost sure if the trip is not organised and booked by an agent, you need a letter of invitation too.

You have a choice of embassies to apply to

Not correct. You are required to apply to the embassy of the country in which you will spend the longest time.

That may well be true in theory, but in practise who is to know where you will be staying longest? As a tourist in Europe you are quite likely to have a flexible agenda.

Not correct again because you also have to show a ticket or reservation for the country you are going. Impossible to apply for a visa in Germany if you are flight is to Spain.

Yes, of course your initial destination airport would have to be in the country from which you applied for a visa, that goes without saying. However, when my wife first came here, she got her visa without any sponsorship from me or anyone else. And no organised bookings. She just bought a BKK-ATH-BKK Thai Airways ticket and showed them that. And the visa she got specified that it was valid throughout the Schengen area. So had she been so inclined, she could, quite legally, have landed in Athens and the next day taken a flight to Frankfurt or wherever.

Not correct again because you also have to show a ticket or reservation for the country you are going. Impossible to apply for a visa in Germany if you are flight is to Spain.

Not strictly true, AyG is correct in saying that you are supposed to apply for a Schengen Visa at the country you intend spending the longest time, this is what the French Consulate say about it:

If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, you must apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country of your longest stay.

You have to show confirmed travel bookings in and out of the Schengen Area, and if not staying with friends or relatives, also confirmed hotel bookings, but if you are flying into Spain staying for a few days before traveling to Germany, where you will be staying for a couple of weeks, you should apply for a Schengen Visa for Germany.

These are the Schengen rules, how strictly they are applied I don't know.

Edited October 19, 201015 yr by theoldgit

Not correct again because you also have to show a ticket or reservation for the country you are going. Impossible to apply for a visa in Germany if you are flight is to Spain.

Not strictly true, AyG is correct in saying that you are supposed to apply for a Schengen Visa at the country you intend spending the longest time, this is what the French Consulate say about it:

If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, you must apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country of your longest stay.

You have to show confirmed travel bookings in and out of the Schengen Area, and if not staying with friends or relatives, also confirmed hotel bookings, but if you are flying into Spain staying for a few days before traveling to Germany, where you will be staying for a couple of weeks, you should apply for a Schengen Visa for Germany.

These are the Schengen rules, how strictly they are applied I don't know.

This is why I suggested using an embassy from a smaller country. They tend to be a little less pedantic, a little more personal, and you can often bend the rules a bit.

The first visa my wife got was for 1 month, but I was able to extend it here twice to the maximum of 6 months. The second time she applied for a visa (we were still not married at that point), I was with her in Bangkok, so I went with her to the Greek Consulate. I don't know if it was because they found it highly amusing that an Englishman was in the Bangkok office speaking Greek or what, but we were ushered through the security barriers into the inner sanctum, and ended up drinking coffee with the Consul, who couldn't have been more helpful. He gave her a 3 month visa that time, based on my sponsorship, even though I'm not Greek. I was at no point asked to give any proof of income / worth, or indeed that I was actually resident in Greece.

That is the advantage of using a smaller embassy / consulate. I think I would have met with a far more rigorous and impersonal response had we gone to the German / French / Dutch etc offices.

Not correct again because you also have to show a ticket or reservation for the country you are going. Impossible to apply for a visa in Germany if you are flight is to Spain.

Not strictly true, AyG is correct in saying that you are supposed to apply for a Schengen Visa at the country you intend spending the longest time, this is what the French Consulate say about it:

If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, you must apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country of your longest stay.

You have to show confirmed travel bookings in and out of the Schengen Area, and if not staying with friends or relatives, also confirmed hotel bookings, but if you are flying into Spain staying for a few days before traveling to Germany, where you will be staying for a couple of weeks, you should apply for a Schengen Visa for Germany.

These are the Schengen rules, how strictly they are applied I don't know.

This is why I suggested using an embassy from a smaller country. They tend to be a little less pedantic, a little more personal, and you can often bend the rules a bit.

The first visa my wife got was for 1 month, but I was able to extend it here twice to the maximum of 6 months. The second time she applied for a visa (we were still not married at that point), I was with her in Bangkok, so I went with her to the Greek Consulate. I don't know if it was because they found it highly amusing that an Englishman was in the Bangkok office speaking Greek or what, but we were ushered through the security barriers into the inner sanctum, and ended up drinking coffee with the Consul, who couldn't have been more helpful. He gave her a 3 month visa that time, based on my sponsorship, even though I'm not Greek. I was at no point asked to give any proof of income / worth, or indeed that I was actually resident in Greece.

That is the advantage of using a smaller embassy / consulate. I think I would have met with a far more rigorous and impersonal response had we gone to the German / French / Dutch etc offices.

This has gone seriously off - topic ! I doubt if the original OP ever got a response that was useful. That said, I'll make few comments for what they are worth. Firstly, I find Nisakiman's story just a little bit unbelievabe - coffee with the consul, etc ? Mind you, if it is true it then it demonstrates well my next comment, that is that Schengen rules are only rules when the concerned country wants them to be. The original concept of the Schengen agreement was to allow free movement within the Schengen area. I guess it does, but you have to get in first. Schengen visas are most often issued to allow free movement within the Schengen countries but the issuing country can, if it wishes, restrict entry to just one, or more, countries within Schengen. Or even for transit only through one Schengen country with entry to one or more countries. I have seen many Schengen visas with restrictions as to country.

A lot of the earlier comments are correct. You should apply for your visa from the country where you intend to spend most of your stay in Schnegen. You do not need to apply to the country where you first enter Schengen unless that country is the place you mean to spend most of your time. For example, if you wanted to travel to Italy by car from UK it would not be possible to have Italy as your entry point to Schnegen. You would, in fact, go through several Schengen countries before arriving. I would suggest that, in this example, you could apply at the French or Italian Embassy. Also, what do you do if there is no Schengen Embassy where you live for the country you want to visit . Obviously, you cannot apply there. You have to apply at the Embassy of the country which handles consular activities for the country you wish to visit.

Airlines and immigration staff operate as they wish really when it comes to applying the Schengen "rules". For instance, if a passenger on an airline flying from, say, Nigeria to Paris holds a Schenegn visa issued by Poland or one of the other "minor" countries ( as Nisikaman would propose ) then it is likely that the airline ( possibly Air France in this case ) or the French immigration liaison officer in Lagos, might say that the passenger cannot travel, and that he should fly to Poland. If he is later allowed entry to Schengen in warsaw, so be it, but he is not flying to France ! The rules don't allow this, but it is a pragmatic decision.

I have lots more comments on " Schengen ", but I won't bore you further !

This has gone seriously off - topic ! I doubt if the original OP ever got a response that was useful. That said, I'll make few comments for what they are worth. Firstly, I find Nisakiman's story just a little bit unbelievabe - coffee with the consul, etc ? Mind you, if it is true it then it demonstrates well my next comment, that is that Schengen rules are only rules when the concerned country wants them to be. The original concept of the Schengen agreement was to allow free movement within the Schengen area. I guess it does, but you have to get in first. Schengen visas are most often issued to allow free movement within the Schengen countries but the issuing country can, if it wishes, restrict entry to just one, or more, countries within Schengen. Or even for transit only through one Schengen country with entry to one or more countries. I have seen many Schengen visas with restrictions as to country.

A lot of the earlier comments are correct. You should apply for your visa from the country where you intend to spend most of your stay in Schnegen. You do not need to apply to the country where you first enter Schengen unless that country is the place you mean to spend most of your time. For example, if you wanted to travel to Italy by car from UK it would not be possible to have Italy as your entry point to Schnegen. You would, in fact, go through several Schengen countries before arriving. I would suggest that, in this example, you could apply at the French or Italian Embassy. Also, what do you do if there is no Schengen Embassy where you live for the country you want to visit . Obviously, you cannot apply there. You have to apply at the Embassy of the country which handles consular activities for the country you wish to visit.

Airlines and immigration staff operate as they wish really when it comes to applying the Schengen "rules". For instance, if a passenger on an airline flying from, say, Nigeria to Paris holds a Schenegn visa issued by Poland or one of the other "minor" countries ( as Nisikaman would propose ) then it is likely that the airline ( possibly Air France in this case ) or the French immigration liaison officer in Lagos, might say that the passenger cannot travel, and that he should fly to Poland. If he is later allowed entry to Schengen in warsaw, so be it, but he is not flying to France ! The rules don't allow this, but it is a pragmatic decision.

I have lots more comments on " Schengen ", but I won't bore you further !

I have no need for b/s.

I have his card in front of me. His name was Vassilios P Petromichelis and he was head of consular section. His wife was from Romania, and he came from Kalamata. Those are just a couple of probably easily verifiable facts (if you can be bothered to look) that I remember from when we were chatting over coffee. He was both charming and helpful. And we came away with a 3 month Schengen visa.

i met schenghen once.....nice guy.

If you marry a thai - no problem at all - she / he will receive a Schengen visa, and can arrive in whatever Schengen airport. No hassles at all.

If you just invite...... you might be honnest, but do not blame Schengen for doubting your intentions.

Hello!

does someone have any advice,what kind of travel insurance,is the best for the invited person?

most insurance company are the same world wide like eviva from sitzerland,the are every where also in thailand,when i look the month price in thailand maybe the have then the same in europe,but i think,that also the money the pay,in each diffrent thing the pay is much lower!

also it could be that all hospital bills must be payed before,directly,and after that insurance pay back,like a non thai inside thailand,but i think it is the better way,more expinsice,to make the insurance direct in th ecountry where the thai person travels,then insurance will pay,the bills,directly !

maybe each hospital is diffrent!

in europe you have to insure hundrets of things,like a car insurance,when exiident would happen for the invited person and so on!

Check the embassy website.

I know for a fact that the swedish embassy has a list of thai insurance companies that they trust and accept.

Not many --- surprised?

Or any european insurance company would be accepted too - ANY....... - surprised? They are all controlled by european governments that care for their citizens.......

Officially there would not be the need for a sponsor / invitation if:

1) you have a confirmed return ticket

2) you have travelinsurance from one of the preferred Thai insurances or any European insurance

3) you have hotelbookings for your entire stay OR a minimum amount to spend per day (I think it was something like Eur 35 per day)

In practice at the Dutch consulate it means

1) you have a confirmed return ticket

2) you have travelinsurance from one of the Thai insurances on a list that the embassy will give you. I found a travelinsurance onine for a quarter of the price Bupa is charging with a twice as high coverage. It was underwritten by Lloyds register in the UK. It took me quite some time to convice the consulate to allow this...

3) Permission form the employer to leave for holiday and that you are welcome back at work after you come back

4) No hotel bookings means a sponsor is required, no matter how much money in the account

Why always so much nonsense about a Schengen visa ?

It is a very simple system:

1) you have to apply for a visa at the embassy of the country you will stay the longest / where you enter / where you depart. But in fact.. nobody checks this.

2) EU governmentsd do NOT want a few things:

a) somebody here on the expense of the EU tax payer

somebody who stays long time as illegal

So: ad a ) show you have a health insurance + the money to pay for your stay. When you have an invitation letter from somebody in the EU to give you free accomodation, that amount is not needed to show.

ad b1) Have a proper reason to go back: permanent job, capital to take care of ( house for instance ), own business.

b2) departure ticket ( best return to origin, but .. departure to .. Dubai.. is jusst as good )

The more your papers are clear, the less chance for interview to explain or a refusal.

Last: if refused, you can complain at the Foreign Dept ( visa section) of the country who refused the visa.

Remind: it is NOT a criminal offence to overstay ( as long as at a stupid control by police as you did something wrong, you are not caught )

So, sister where you stay in .. NL sick and you want to stay longer to take care for her children? Simple trip to the police here and about sure you can stay longer.

This is NOT Thailand and NOT the USA.

Why always so much nonsense about a Schengen visa ?

It is a very simple system:

1) you have to apply for a visa at the embassy of the country you will stay the longest / where you enter / where you depart. But in fact.. nobody checks this.

2) EU governmentsd do NOT want a few things:

a) somebody here on the expense of the EU tax payer

somebody who stays long time as illegal

So: ad a ) show you have a health insurance + the money to pay for your stay. When you have an invitation letter from somebody in the EU to give you free accomodation, that amount is not needed to show.

ad b1) Have a proper reason to go back: permanent job, capital to take care of ( house for instance ), own business.

b2) departure ticket ( best return to origin, but .. departure to .. Dubai.. is jusst as good )

The more your papers are clear, the less chance for interview to explain or a refusal.

Last: if refused, you can complain at the Foreign Dept ( visa section) of the country who refused the visa.

Remind: it is NOT a criminal offence to overstay ( as long as at a stupid control by police as you did something wrong, you are not caught )

So, sister where you stay in .. NL sick and you want to stay longer to take care for her children? Simple trip to the police here and about sure you can stay longer.

This is NOT Thailand and NOT the USA.

You have a choice of embassies to apply to

Not correct. You are required to apply to the embassy of the country in which you will spend the longest time.

That may well be true in theory, but in practise who is to know where you will be staying longest? As a tourist in Europe you are quite likely to have a flexible agenda.

That may well be true in theory, but in practise who is to know where you will be staying longest? As a tourist in Europe you are quite likely to have a flexible agenda.

If you marry a thai - no problem at all - she / he will receive a Schengen visa, and can arrive in whatever Schengen airport. No hassles at all.

If you just invite...... you might be honnest, but do not blame Schengen for doubting your intentions.

This is totally nonsense. I am married to a Thai, and it is not easy to get a Schengen visa at all.