Visa To Eu

[jes5133]

Hi just wondered if anyone can help I married my wife this year in England we got a shengen visa to sweden for a break and had to go to an agency we were told next time we can do it directly without fees and now we would like to go away again to france does anyone know how to do this would we just send it to the french embassy or another place tried doing my homework but always aggents plus hate going to london everytime we can not seem to get address where we need to sent it having a nightmare just thought someone may have been through this process and might be able to shed some light on the situation she has a residence permit but still needs to do the uk test thing. So annoying as only want to go for 1 day shopping trip. Kind Regards.

Mark

[Bastian]

If you are a citizen of a EU country and you travel together, your wife does not need a visa to enter France. Just take your marriage certificate to prove your conjugal ties and passports to prove your identity.

Without a visa you should plan for spending a little more time at the border though in case you come across an incompetent officer, who first has to consult his superiors or look up the relevant legislation.

cf http://eumovement.wordpress.com/

[VisasPlus]

If you are a citizen of a EU country and you travel together, your wife does not need a visa to enter France. Just take your marriage certificate to prove your conjugal ties and passports to prove your identity.

Without a visa you should plan for spending a little more time at the border though in case you come across an incompetent officer, who first has to consult his superiors or look up the relevant legislation.

cf http://eumovement.wordpress.com/

Bastian is correct that EC Directive 38/2004 gives provision for the free movement of EU spouses, with certain reservations. However, in practice, the third country national ( here we are talking about the Thai wife of a Brit, travelling to France ), will have difficulty actually boarding the carrier ( airline or ferry company ). Certainly, many carriers are unaware of the Directive, many are reluctant to face a fine for carrying an inproperly documented passenger, and many will just say no because the passenger doesn't hold a visa. If the carrier says no, you can argue until you are blue in the face, but you won't get on the flight or whatever.

If you have the time to waste, and don't mind missing your flight, then go for it. It is easier, and free, to get the visa.

[japatee]

If you are a citizen of a EU country and you travel together, your wife does not need a visa to enter France. Just take your marriage certificate to prove your conjugal ties and passports to prove your identity.

Without a visa you should plan for spending a little more time at the border though in case you come across an incompetent officer, who first has to consult his superiors or look up the relevant legislation.

cf http://eumovement.wordpress.com/

Bastian is correct that EC Directive 38/2004 gives provision for the free movement of EU spouses, with certain reservations. However, in practice, the third country national ( here we are talking about the Thai wife of a Brit, travelling to France ), will have difficulty actually boarding the carrier ( airline or ferry company ). Certainly, many carriers are unaware of the Directive, many are reluctant to face a fine for carrying an inproperly documented passenger, and many will just say no because the passenger doesn't hold a visa. If the carrier says no, you can argue until you are blue in the face, but you won't get on the flight or whatever.

If you have the time to waste, and don't mind missing your flight, then go for it. It is easier, and free, to get the visa.

this is interesting since my thai wife and I would like to travel in Europe. My wife has a UK visa already. Can she apply for an EU visa while in the UK? Is it free like you say? I thought you had to pay?

[Bastian]

in practice, the third country national ( here we are talking about the Thai wife of a Brit, travelling to France ), will have difficulty actually boarding the carrier ( airline or ferry company ). Certainly, many carriers are unaware of the Directive, many are reluctant to face a fine for carrying an inproperly documented passenger, and many will just say no because the passenger doesn't hold a visa. If the carrier says no, you can argue until you are blue in the face, but you won't get on the flight or whatever.

If you have the time to waste, and don't mind missing your flight, then go for it. It is easier, and free, to get the visa.

Ignorance among airline companies is a problem, while you can sue them, when they don't transport you and you cannot use the boopked hotel, which charges you money anyway, the vacation is pretty much ruined.

However, if you travel by car/ferry/train, then, afaik, nobody from the company will look at your passport, when buying the ticket or travelling. Plus I think, when going from the UK to France, no officer will check your passport anymore, at least I was not checked the last time I went, only when there are soccer games and they want to keep out the hooligans they still do checks.

this is interesting since my thai wife and I would like to travel in Europe. My wife has a UK visa already. Can she apply for an EU visa while in the UK? Is it free like you say? I thought you had to pay?

A visa for a wife of a EU citizen is free (at least for countries the EU spouse is not a citizen of) but a visa may only be obtained from an embassy in the country of residence, so if she is already in the UK on a tourist visa, she cannot get a visa from the embassy of a Schengen country in London, she would have to go back to Thailand first to apply for a Schengenvisa. However, she can travel without a visa to EU countries, if accompanied by her husband with EU citizenship, only not to the country her husband is a citizen of.

[VisasPlus]

in practice, the third country national ( here we are talking about the Thai wife of a Brit, travelling to France ), will have difficulty actually boarding the carrier ( airline or ferry company ). Certainly, many carriers are unaware of the Directive, many are reluctant to face a fine for carrying an inproperly documented passenger, and many will just say no because the passenger doesn't hold a visa. If the carrier says no, you can argue until you are blue in the face, but you won't get on the flight or whatever.

If you have the time to waste, and don't mind missing your flight, then go for it. It is easier, and free, to get the visa.

Ignorance among airline companies is a problem, while you can sue them, when they don't transport you and you cannot use the boopked hotel, which charges you money anyway, the vacation is pretty much ruined.

However, if you travel by car/ferry/train, then, afaik, nobody from the company will look at your passport, when buying the ticket or travelling. Plus I think, when going from the UK to France, no officer will check your passport anymore, at least I was not checked the last time I went, only when there are soccer games and they want to keep out the hooligans they still do checks.

this is interesting since my thai wife and I would like to travel in Europe. My wife has a UK visa already. Can she apply for an EU visa while in the UK? Is it free like you say? I thought you had to pay?

A visa for a wife of a EU citizen is free (at least for countries the EU spouse is not a citizen of) but a visa may only be obtained from an embassy in the country of residence, so if she is already in the UK on a tourist visa, she cannot get a visa from the embassy of a Schengen country in London, she would have to go back to Thailand first to apply for a Schengenvisa. However, she can travel without a visa to EU countries, if accompanied by her husband with EU citizenship, only not to the country her husband is a citizen of.

Playing Devil's Advocate here, that is illogical. If the Thai wife is entitled to travel visa free under EU law, how could the Embassy refuse to issue a visa in UK and insist that the Thai national return to Thailand to apply ? Why should it be ok to explain the law to an airline or ferry company, and expect to be allowed to travel, but be told by an Embassy that the law cannot be applied by them ? I just put this up for discussion.

[potter09]

If you are a citizen of a EU country and you travel together, your wife does not need a visa to enter France. Just take your marriage certificate to prove your conjugal ties and passports to prove your identity.

Without a visa you should plan for spending a little more time at the border though in case you come across an incompetent officer, who first has to consult his superiors or look up the relevant legislation.

cf http://eumovement.wordpress.com/

Bastian is correct that EC Directive 38/2004 gives provision for the free movement of EU spouses, with certain reservations. However, in practice, the third country national ( here we are talking about the Thai wife of a Brit, travelling to France ), will have difficulty actually boarding the carrier ( airline or ferry company ). Certainly, many carriers are unaware of the Directive, many are reluctant to face a fine for carrying an inproperly documented passenger, and many will just say no because the passenger doesn't hold a visa. If the carrier says no, you can argue until you are blue in the face, but you won't get on the flight or whatever.

If you have the time to waste, and don't mind missing your flight, then go for it. It is easier, and free, to get the visa.

'VisaPlus', could you kindly clarify whether the visa requirement you mention(despite EC Directive 38/2004),only applies to a Thai national entering an EU country(eg,France) but does not apply if one is simply passing through France as a transit passenger(without leaving the airport) on the way to a third non-Schenegan state(eg.Thailand).

Thanks in advance

[VisasPlus]

If you are a citizen of a EU country and you travel together, your wife does not need a visa to enter France. Just take your marriage certificate to prove your conjugal ties and passports to prove your identity.

Without a visa you should plan for spending a little more time at the border though in case you come across an incompetent officer, who first has to consult his superiors or look up the relevant legislation.

cf http://eumovement.wordpress.com/

Bastian is correct that EC Directive 38/2004 gives provision for the free movement of EU spouses, with certain reservations. However, in practice, the third country national ( here we are talking about the Thai wife of a Brit, travelling to France ), will have difficulty actually boarding the carrier ( airline or ferry company ). Certainly, many carriers are unaware of the Directive, many are reluctant to face a fine for carrying an inproperly documented passenger, and many will just say no because the passenger doesn't hold a visa. If the carrier says no, you can argue until you are blue in the face, but you won't get on the flight or whatever.

If you have the time to waste, and don't mind missing your flight, then go for it. It is easier, and free, to get the visa.

'VisaPlus', could you kindly clarify whether the visa requirement you mention(despite EC Directive 38/2004),only applies to a Thai national entering an EU country(eg,France) but does not apply if one is simply passing through France as a transit passenger(without leaving the airport) on the way to a third non-Schenegan state(eg.Thailand).

Thanks in advance

Thai nationals can transit France without a visa as long as they are ticketed for a connecting flight to a third country within 24 hours and do not leave the transit area. The third country cannot, of course, be a Schengen country. For transit purposes it does not matter if you are married to an EU national or not. Here is the relevant visa guidance :

TWOV (Transit Without Visa):

Visa required, except for Those continuing their journey to a

third country by the same or a connecting aircraft, provided

not leaving the airport transit area.

Edited November 20, 2010 by VisasPlus

[erikr_]

If you are a citizen of a EU country and you travel together, your wife does not need a visa to enter France. Just take your marriage certificate to prove your conjugal ties and passports to prove your identity.

Without a visa you should plan for spending a little more time at the border though in case you come across an incompetent officer, who first has to consult his superiors or look up the relevant legislation.

cf http://eumovement.wordpress.com/

Bastian is correct that EC Directive 38/2004 gives provision for the free movement of EU spouses, with certain reservations. However, in practice, the third country national ( here we are talking about the Thai wife of a Brit, travelling to France ), will have difficulty actually boarding the carrier ( airline or ferry company ). Certainly, many carriers are unaware of the Directive, many are reluctant to face a fine for carrying an inproperly documented passenger, and many will just say no because the passenger doesn't hold a visa. If the carrier says no, you can argue until you are blue in the face, but you won't get on the flight or whatever.

If you have the time to waste, and don't mind missing your flight, then go for it. It is easier, and free, to get the visa.

'VisaPlus', could you kindly clarify whether the visa requirement you mention(despite EC Directive 38/2004),only applies to a Thai national entering an EU country(eg,France) but does not apply if one is simply passing through France as a transit passenger(without leaving the airport) on the way to a third non-Schenegan state(eg.Thailand).

Thanks in advance

Thai nationals can transit France without a visa as long as they are ticketed for a connecting flight to a third country within 24 hours and do not leave the transit area. The third country cannot, of course, be a Schengen country. For transit purposes it does not matter if you are married to an EU national or not. Here is the relevant visa guidance :

TWOV (Transit Without Visa):

Visa required, except for Those continuing their journey to a

third country by the same or a connecting aircraft, provided

not leaving the airport transit area.

Here it is a difference between theory and practice!

Theory: free movement says she should be allowed entry

Practice: French are following the free movement, but not the easy way. Apply for Visa, this visa will be free of charge. Unless you are EU citizin (non UK) living in UK and for your wife you have a residence card mentioning "as the spouse of a EU National" in which case the residence card can be used as entry document, the visa will be needed (even the residence card route is difficulty at the border)