Schengen Visa For Boyfriend/Companion

[neilrob]

I plan to take a vacation trip to Europe (Spain, southern France and Italy) later this year, with my boyfriend/companion. I have both UK and US passports and live/am retired in Thailand. He is Thai. I could legitimately describe him as either my boyfriend or as my paid companion. I support him and we have travelled together many times, including to New Zealand, but we do not live together. In fact he owns his own house where he lives with his wife and I live with my very long time companion. Therefore it seems like I have two possible ways to go---have him apply for a visa as my partner or as a paid companion. Has anyone had relevant actual experience (please no speculative answers)? Thanks for any relevant advice.

[remiss]

I have some problems understanding your relationship. The general Schengen rules says the person who want a visa should apply for visa where s/he is going to spend the most time. Sorry to say so but your passports are irrelevant for him getting a visa or not. And there are no partner or paid companion visas either. If you want him to come with you, he will have to apply for a tourist visa, and you will probably have to guarantee his return.

The main issue here will really be whether they will believe he will return or not (as it is with tourist visas to Schengen). If he has been to Schengen/europe before it should be easier. If he has a well paid job and family in Thailand, even better. Unless he is filthy rich or has a really well paid job i TH my guess is you will have a though job convincing them.

Speculation: However. If you have lived in the UK and have family (or possibly some close connections) there it would probably be easier convincing them to give him a visa if you can prove him and you have seen/known each other for some time.

Otherwise he will have to apply for a tourist visa to one of the countries you mention. Would probably be best giving full travel plans and as much documentation of your time spent together as possible as you will be his guarantor unless like I said he has a job that pays _really_ well (50-100k upwards probably).

PS: Don't want to sound mean, but getting tourist visa to europe/schengen is not so easy for poor people... The reason for it is if they have no reason to return a lot more of them would just stay working illegally.

Edited March 20, 2011 by remiss

[AyG]

My first thought it, why do you need to be involved in his visa application at all? If he has sufficient money and sufficient reason to return to Thailand (job, house, wife &c.) then there's no need to complicate the application.

If he doesn't have enough money, then consider giving him money to top up his bank account, then let him apply, again without mentioning you. (This is the route I successfully took with my partner to apply for a UK visitor visa.)

[neilrob]

Thanks to those who replied above, but I am a bit puzzled by the replies. I am very well aware of the difficulty of poor Thais getting visas for Europe, which is why my relationship to him is very relevant. If it were easy for Thais to get Schengen visas I would not have bothered to ask this question!

He would have no chance of getting a tourist visa by himself. His only chance is because he is going with me, which is why my citizenship and residence are of relevance. Of course I will show all necessary financial support, tickets etc. etc.--- that is not the issue. When we went on a trip to New Zealand it was also difficult to get a visa. A specific condition (stamped in his passport) of the NZ consulate granting his tourist visa was that he was accompanying me. So my relationship to him is very relevant. I could honestly couch this relationship as that of boyfriend, since we are, or as paid companion, since he is. This relationship will give an assurance of support as well as give assurance that he will return to Thailand to be with me, since I will be returning to Thailand. So my question was addressed to how best to present our relationship in the context of a Schengen visa application, probably to Spain. So I am interested in hearing from any who have experience of getting a Schengen visa for their Thai boyfriend or companion, when the background/circumstances of the Thai were such that they could not expect to receive a visa if applied for in isolation.

[LeCharivari]

You would probably get more information, from those with more experience, in the Visa and Migration to Other Countries sub-forum rather than here, but from what you have posted he doesn't meet any of the requirements for a Short-stay/Tourist Schengen Visa (except for medical insurance, if you buy that for him).

Different countries have very different rules, so what happened in New Zealand is irrelevant when applying for a Schengen visa, except that it does show that he has been abroad before and returned to Thailand.

There are several potential problems you are likely to encounter with any Schengen visa:

He must be able to support himself for his trip, without your support - that means he must have enough money, not you, and that's $100 - $120 a day; you could potentially drop dead or change your mind, leaving him penniless.

You may be able to help his application, but the description of "boyfriend" could be questioned if he is legally married with a wife with whom he lives - information he will be obliged to give on his application. The description of "paid companion" raises even more questions (particularly if he is legally married as above and has no verifiable job or income) as it implies that he is (or at least could be) a prostitute - not a recommended move.

He must have some reason to return to Thailand - wife, family, job, etc. Your returning to Thailand is largely irrelevant and academic, as your "boyfriend" relationship is questionable (as above), and any "paid companion" relationship raises the possibility that he could be looking for or find other "companions" by whom he would be better "paid" for his company, encouraging him to stay.

Your involvement could prove to be as much of a hindrance as a help, as if he is reliant on you throughout his holiday then he is making it very clear that he is not eligible for a visa; at the same time he appears to have no chance of being eligible for a visa without you. I would strongly suggest that before you get an application refused you see an agent - preferably one with a "no visa - no pay" policy, and a set fee.

(Please note: I am not questioning your relationship, or casting aspersions on your boyfriend - simply raising doubts that any embassy will raise)

[seekingfriends]

if he will not be issued a visa .because he can not show his income and job status .there is nothing that you can do . you will only confuse the issue more .james hat yai sydney

[rickthailand]

my bf got a visa by showing he owned property in thailand and money in the bank was easy

rick

[neilrob]

I thought I had been clear that I was looking for information from someone in a similar situation who had got a visa, not speculation. Instead (with the exception of rickthailand), I get ill informed speculation. Not worth raising a topic here. Moderator please close this. Thanks. If you have USEFUL information I'd be grateful if you could PM me. Thanks

Edited March 23, 2011 by neilrob

[LeCharivari]

I thought I had been clear that I wasn't speculating.

You are unlikely to find anyone "in a similar situation" because most people applying for a visa for a Thai friend (male or female) realise that describing them as a "paid companion" is as good as describing them as a prostitute, which will result in their application being refused. This may or may not be an accurate description in his case, but whether you like it or not that is the effect it will have.

My b/f / partner has been "in a similar situation" (a Thai applying for visas) but the difference is that his financial and personal circumstances were verifiable and clear. Your friend's are not. He cannot apply for a Schengen visa as part of a "couple" with you: he isn't (you both have your own partners) and there is no "couples" Schengen visa - he has to be eligible on his own merits, not yours.

You may not like the information you have been given here, but that doesn't make it "ill informed speculation" (it isn't - it is all correct) or not "USEFUL" even if you do not care to use it.

[seekingfriends]

i am just confused its too much for me. . james hat yai

[balo]

Its not that difficult.

First he need to have a bank account in his own name in Thailand. It should at least be 200k in it so he can prove he can support himself during the trip.

Then he need to apply for the tourist visa.

Of course if you want to support him financially give him 200k first and let the money stay in his bank account for at least 2 months before applying for the visa.

It will be a lot easier for him to get the visa that way.

Edited March 29, 2011 by balo

[Cnxforever]

actually it is not difficult at all to get a Schengen Visa as long as you have somebody who does an official invitation (or declaration that you will be fully responsible for the person) at the relevant government office in Europe (Schengen country of course)- all the person states there on an official form is that the Thai person is invited and they guarantee while he is staying there to take care of his every needs.

So this is what you need if he is invited:

the electronic declaration from the inviting person filled in at the relevant government office in Europe

a copy of the passport of the inviting person

a statement of income for the last 3 month of the inviting person

copies of rental contract or ownership details (house / apartment)

copy of the house registration of the inviting person

travel health insurance over at least 30.000 Euros

return airline reservation

Passport valid for at least 90 days upon his return

Passport photo ca. 3 x 4 cm), in ICAO-Format

Application Fee 60 Euros

If the invitation can not be done because you are from the UK and have nobody in a Schengen country who will do the invitation for you - then he has to prove that he can support himself during his stay -

he needs - a bank statement or travelers checks (cash and credit cards are not accepted!) a letter from his employer that he has a job and has been granted leave for holidays, hotel reservations for his stay - if you are not the official invitee - you should stay out of this as your presence then has no relevance to him getting the visa.

He can also have an itinerary ready which states the places you want to visit, mode of transport and accommodation.

Then he needs a return airline reservation (not a paid ticket before he applies for the visa!) - most Thai travel agents will do a booking especially if you tell them you need it for the visa application and will both book there once he has his visa. If you actually do that is your choice.

Then he needs a travel health insurance over at least 30.000 euros -(costs roughly 50 Euros for a month) most travel insurance cover that amount - you can also purchase the insurance here in Thailand at most travel agencies or have a person in your home country purchase one which covers him for all of Europe during the relevant time and sent a scan to you to print out - this is quite sensible as you don't want to be sick or injured in Europe without insurance cover!

That's about it - he of course needs a valid passport and anything which can support the application - like a job, land, house ownership. money in the bank can be submitted - but is not required when traveling on an official invitation.

Should not be so difficult - just do the invitation in time so its ready when you apply for the visa.

Very straight forward really and hopefully people do not abuse it as these just causes only problems for others.