Schengen Visa For France

[yorkie100]

Firstly, apologies if this has been covered elsewhere but having searched I could not find the information.

I am travelling with my Thai wife home to the UK this coming June.

She has been to the UK with me many times and now has a five year tourist visa (6 months maximum on each entry).

We shall be in the UK for two months and during this time I would like to visit France with her for a few days.

My question is, does she have to apply for the Schengen visa at the French Embassy in Bangkok before we go or should we wait until we get to England and apply to the French Embassy in London?

In either case I guess we do not apply direct to the embassy but through TLS or Visa France?

Whatever the answers, what documents are required and how long is it currently taking for processing, can it be done by post or does she have to apply in person?

Has anyone gone through this and can help please?

[theoldgit]

Your wife will have to apply in her country of residence which means she will have to apply in Bangkok via the TLS Contact Centre.

Being the wife of a EU national she shouldn't have to pay for a visa.

[yorkie100]

Thanks old git, that helps :jap:

[theoldgit]

I tried to post the link to TLScontact yesterday but my computer was playing up, the hard drive was full of UK tv programmes and movies I had downloaded, and slowed everything up.

Apologies if you already have it https://www.tlscontact.com/th2fr/login.php

[yorkie100]

I tried to post the link to TLScontact yesterday but my computer was playing up, the hard drive was full of UK tv programmes and movies I had downloaded, and slowed everything up.

Apologies if you already have it https://www.tlscontact.com/th2fr/login.php

I appreciate your help. I had not yet found this website.

Everyone told me it was easy to obtain a Schengen Visa if you already have a UK visa but it's not going to be simple as I thought as my plan was to just go through the tunnel and travel, stopping at night at a small hotel/pension without a previous booking, which as an EU citizen I can do but not my wife.

It seems this is not possible as they need to know where you are staying. Red tape grrrrrr.

[theoldgit]

^^^^^

When we last went to France we booked a fully flexible Hilton room, didn't need to pay up front just use a credit card to guarantee the booking. Shortly after my other half got her Schengen Visa I cancelled the booking, could have actually done it up to 16.00 on the scheduled day of arrival.

We then went through the tunnel and stayed in a little hotel in Calais, nothing dishonest, just a change of plans.

[vincentc]

Anyone who knows about the procedure for the reverse situation?

Thai national married to Schengen country national. Has multiple entry to Shengen in the pocket, staying 2 weeks in Schengen area before returning to Thailand.

We were considering a quick London trip.

Seems the Uk border guards have outsourced their Visa business to some online organisation. These claim to have a comprehensive website, which it is not to me. Asking help from their helpdesk results in a reply saying to look at their self-explanatory website. It's probably my lack of intelligence, or limited knowledge of English language; after all i have just an MSc degree and only worked 13 years for a British company.

The high suggested costs and me not understanding the exact procedure made me give up. We're gonna do the shopping in Milan instead.

Nevertheless, it would still be interesting to know how to proceed;

apply in Bangkok

or

apply in Shengen area

and what would the costs/processing time be?

Cheers!

[7by7]

UK visa applicants have to apply in their country of residence, or nationality if different. So, for example, a Thai national visiting a Schengen state could not apply for a UK visa while in the Schengen area as a visitor, only if they were actually living there. Although in extreme compassionate circumstances an exception would probably be made.

It is the same for the Schengen area, the application has to be made in the applicant's country of residence or nationality. So, for example, a Thai national could not apply for a Schengen visa while in the UK as a visitor.

The cost of a standard 6 month UK visit visa is currently £70, payable in local currency. The actual fee paid varies due to currency fluctuations; in Thailand it is currently 3500฿.

They aim to process non settlement applications within 15 working days, but this varies depending upon how busy the entry clearance section at the embassy where one applies is at the time. If a quiet time it will take less time than this, if a busy time it could take longer.

A Schengen 90 day visit visa currently costs 60 Euros, again payable in local currency, but the visa is free if the applicant is the spouse or dependant child under the age of 21 of an EU national and traveling with, or to join, said EU national. No idea about processing times; I suggest that you check with the embassy concerned.

[Arkady]

I tried to post the link to TLScontact yesterday but my computer was playing up, the hard drive was full of UK tv programmes and movies I had downloaded, and slowed everything up.

Apologies if you already have it https://www.tlscontact.com/th2fr/login.php

I appreciate your help. I had not yet found this website.

Everyone told me it was easy to obtain a Schengen Visa if you already have a UK visa but it's not going to be simple as I thought as my plan was to just go through the tunnel and travel, stopping at night at a small hotel/pension without a previous booking, which as an EU citizen I can do but not my wife.

It seems this is not possible as they need to know where you are staying. Red tape grrrrrr.

I believe the Schengen visa application form has a footnote that says that evidence of hotel bookings is not required for accompanying spouses of EU citizens exercising their right to free travel in Europe. If you really need hotel bookings but are not sure where you will stay, just book hotels on the Internet from a site that doesn't charge cancellation fees and cancel them after you have got the visa. Simple.

[vincentc]

Your wife will have to apply in her country of residence which means she will have to apply in Bangkok via the TLS Contact Centre.

Being the wife of a EU national she shouldn't have to pay for a visa.

Being the wife of an EU national or a British national?

i''m asking because of possible reciprocipy;

are UK visas free of charge for all Thais married to EU nationals as well?

[7by7]

British nationals are also EU nationals and EEA nationals.

The right of free movement within the EU and EEA granted to all EU and EEA nationals extends to their immediate family as well.

This means, for example, that the non EU/EEA national spouse of an EU/EEA national is entitled to a free visa (in the UK called an EEA Family Permit) to travel with or join their EU/EEA national spouse who is visiting or exercising an economic treaty right to live in any EU/EEA state, other than their own.

So as the Schengen area is within the EU/EEA, a Schengen visa is free to the spouse of all EU/EEA nationals, including British nationals, even though the UK is not a full member of the Schengen area.

The non EU/EEA national spouse of a British citizen could not use this route to visit or live in the UK with their spouse, but could do so to enter, for example, France if their British spouse were visiting or exercising an economic treaty right to live there.

Similarly, the non EU/EEA national spouse of a French national could not use this route to visit or live in France, but could do so to enter, for example, the UK if their spouse were visiting or exercising an economic treaty right to live there.

However, if an EU/EEA national has been exercising an economic treaty right to live in an EU/EEA state other than their own and their non EU/EEA national family have been living their with them and they now wish to return to the EU/EEA national's home country, then they can use this route to do so.

The above are the simplified basics, but you get the drift, I hope.

[NVass]

Thanks old git, that helps :jap:

As a British Citizen I have taken My Thai wife and more recently my Thai girfriend to the UK and almost always we visit Europe.

I have always found the French embassy hard work so usually now we go to the Belgium Embassy. Obviously they follow the same rules, but the staff in the Belgian Embassy at Sathon are friendly, respectful and will help all they can. Last time we submitted the papers and while we were ther the guy who actual says ya or nay came out to clarify a small point and just said OK no problem come and get the visa tomorrow.

All you need to do is go to visit Brussels first ans state that as your main destination. I think its a nicer city with better, cheaper food anyway. Then you are free to head for Paris or wherever.

Having said that, last time we went through the tunnel my girlfriend didn't have her passport checked once either way inspite of my stopping and waving her Thai passport at French and English Immigration officers. I am sure if we hadn't bothered with the Visa, murphys law says they would have checked.

[Tom9999]

British nationals are also EU nationals and EEA nationals.

The right of free movement within the EU and EEA granted to all EU and EEA nationals extends to their immediate family as well.

This means, for example, that the non EU/EEA national spouse of an EU/EEA national is entitled to a free visa (in the UK called an EEA Family Permit) to travel with or join their EU/EEA national spouse who is visiting or exercising an economic treaty right to live in any EU/EEA state, other than their own.

So as the Schengen area is within the EU/EEA, a Schengen visa is free to the spouse of all EU/EEA nationals, including British nationals, even though the UK is not a full member of the Schengen area.

The non EU/EEA national spouse of a British citizen could not use this route to visit or live in the UK with their spouse, but could do so to enter, for example, France if their British spouse were visiting or exercising an economic treaty right to live there.

Similarly, the non EU/EEA national spouse of a French national could not use this route to visit or live in France, but could do so to enter, for example, the UK if their spouse were visiting or exercising an economic treaty right to live there.

However, if an EU/EEA national has been exercising an economic treaty right to live in an EU/EEA state other than their own and their non EU/EEA national family have been living their with them and they now wish to return to the EU/EEA national's home country, then they can use this route to do so.

The above are the simplified basics, but you get the drift, I hope.

This is actually an easy way to bring your wife back home...live first in an other member state.

Note: Switzerland is part of the agreement and within Schengen. The same rights for you as a Swiss citizen.