Multiple Visas For An Around The World Trip

[Madivad]

Later this year my wife and I will be travelling extensively and I am wondering what would be the best way to apply for her visas. Who takes the longest to issue visas, problems, etc.

I am an Aussie, semi retired, under 50, living in Thailand on an o-type visa.

My wife is Thai and has done some overseas travel previously (on her passport - as opposed to ID card into neighbouring countries) to Lao, Singapore, Malaysia, Fiji and Australia. She has been to Australia twice now totalling 8 months. She has complied with all visa conditions in the past, never overstayed or been in any trouble.

We plan to visit South Korea, USA, Sweden (and other Shengen countries*) and the UK. I believe we will have no trouble getting tourist visas for several reasons, mainly because she is married to me (an Aussie) and we have good reason to return to either Thailand or Australia (we have a marriage visa app going in this week).

Because of the number of places we want to go, the turn around time for some countries, and whatever possible hiccups along the way, we don't want to 'book' any flights at this time just in case we need to change things. I don't really think that's a problem, but what are other people's thoughts on that?

Q1. SHOULD we have a set itinerary with airline tickets before applying? We won't be entering any country without having an outbound route already organised.

Q2. What is the expected validity period for entering the country for each of these areas? We won't be spending any more than a month anywhere, but are any of these countries likely to only give us a tourist visa that has to be used within 3 months? case-in-point, we applied for an Australian tourist visa for her way back when and they gave us a visa to enter, but the entry had to be within three months even though we asked for it to be later than that - it appears they didn't even read that part of the application.

I have heard that the USA will give 10 year tourist visas, ie valid for entry for up to 10 years, ie can still only stay for 1, 2 or 3 months (I can't remember right now - but 1 is fine). But it would be really handy as we don't have to do this again. Australia will only issue a visa for entry up to one year.

Q3. Can anyone report what these other countries are likely to do? and confirm the USA will give us a 10 year (1 or 2 would be fine)?

Q4. Who's application process takes the longest? and should we apply for first?

Any ideas on how best to approach this would be greatly appreciated.

*With the Shengen visa, our primary destination will be Sweden and so we will apply thru the Swedish consulate in Phuket, but I hear that it should be applied for at the initial country of arrival, and given the nature of air travel and that depending on which carrier we go thru, we could wind up finding ourselves entering thru Germany, France, Sweden itself, or anywhere...

Q5. If it is our intention and we plan to fly onto Sweden the next day, is it ok to just apply thru that consulate? Or is it a MUST to apply for a visa in the country that we will first be entering?

TIA

Dave

[theoldgit]

I will try and make a start, no doubt others will chip in with advice and their experience.

1 - Most countries will require an indicitive itinerary, though Schengen Area Countries will require a specific itinerary together with evidence of accomodation in the Schengen Area, tickets out and medical insurance. She will not, of course, require a visa for South Korea.

2 - The UK will routinely give a six month, multi entry visa which is valid from the date of issue, though it can be post dated. Schengen Area visas are typically for the duration of the trip. I have no experience of a US Visa for a Thai, but I think that will be the hardest to obtain, and the validity seems to be a bit hit and miss.

3 - As I say the US visa might be the most problematical, but as you are Australian and currently living with your wife in Thailand you may stand a better chance than an American Citizen wishing to take his wife to the US, they will automatically assume she wants to stay in the US. Again the length of visa seems to be hit and miss.

4 - I personally would apply for the UK Visa first, then the Schengen Visa followed by the US Visa. Given your wife's previous travel history, the fact you are travelling together and your future plans, I don't expect she would have any problems obtaining a UK Visa, once she has that the Schengen Visa should almost be a given. The US Visa is more problematic, requires more hoops and necessitates your wife being interviewed, but once she has her UK and Schengen Visas, can supply details of your trip and, most importantly, her reason to return to Thailand, or even Australia, then I don't envisage she would have a problem.

5 - Schengen rules are that you should apply for the visa for the main destination in the Schengen Area, if you have no main destination then you apply at the consulate for the country you first enter the area. So in your case you should apply at the Swedish Consulate.

As I say, others may give you more advice or recent experiences, but I honestly believe that if you plan well you shouldn't encounter too many problems, though there may be a few hurdles to jump.

Good luck, keep us posted, and don't forget the postcards.

[Madivad]

4 - I personally would apply for the UK Visa first, then the Schengen Visa followed by the US Visa. Given your wife's previous travel history, the fact you are travelling together and your future plans, I don't expect she would have any problems obtaining a UK Visa, once she has that the Schengen Visa should almost be a given. The US Visa is more problematic, requires more hoops and necessitates your wife being interviewed, but once she has her UK and Schengen Visas, can supply details of your trip and, most importantly, her reason to return to Thailand, or even Australia, then I don't envisage she would have a problem.

Apart from South Korea, this sounds like an exercise in bureaucratic paperwork hell. The US doesn't require hard evidence of travel plans, tickets, or insurance (or at least didn't use to, it has been awhile since my wife got her visa). If approved, 10 years seems to be the norm in my experience, but not guaranteed of course. As the above post says, once you have one of these visas (US, UK, or EU), then in theory that in itself should help somewhat with the other visas. But these are embassies in Thailand we are dealing with, so you never know what hoops they might give you to jump through.

Great info, thanks guys. Thanks. It seems we have the same ideas.

I don't know how I thought South Korea was a visa for her, but looking it up again I see she's fine.

With Shengen, the main purpose of the trip is to visit a mate in Sweden (although we will be going other places as well). Would a letter from him suffice as to accommodation (ie, we'll be staying with him and his wife)? I think I might leave the Shengen one til last, if they require something set in stone (or even clay), then I'll leave it until I know the others (USA and UK) are done. As you both said, that will give more credence to the Shengen visa, which chronologically, will be used between the USA and UK visas.

UK 6 months - that's cool, we don't need any longer - although I will ask for it to be dated from when the trip commences. We did this for Australia once, but they never listened and just dated it from the date they sent it out. We made it work though.

USA 10 years - that would be cool since we probably will go back there at some stage, but it's not important.

Thanks again for your input

[theoldgit]

With Shengen, the main purpose of the trip is to visit a mate in Sweden (although we will be going other places as well). Would a letter from him suffice as to accommodation (ie, we'll be staying with him and his wife)?

For Sweden, and indeed other Schengen Area Countries, your friend has to has to supply an invitation form and a Civic Registration (personbevis). You have probably already looked at the Swedish Embassies Website, but I have attached the relevant links, just in case. http://www.swedenabroad.com/Page____18560.aspx

http://www.migrationsverket.se/download/18.51d465a612bb43eca6480003598/frfinbref_237011_en.pdf

Whilst your wife doesn't need a visa for South Korea have read some reports of Thais getting the third degree at the point of entry, this wasn't our experience, the IO's were really nice, as were the Korean people, I think it's a beautiful country.

[Madivad]

Thanks again for your reply, and the links. I haven't looked too greatly into the Shengen one yet myself (other than researching Shengen generally on the web), but have spent considerable time over the last day or two reading up on the USA and UK visas and their process. The USA is a toughy! My wife has to do it alone with no assistance from anyone, I can't be there and she can be in the office for several hours! And I bet they seize her phone in the process. So she will be so happy to go thru that process I'm eligible to go under the VWP, but considered just doing both of our together at the same time. That way if I'm granted a 10 year M/E visa, then I wouldn't have to worry about the ESTA at all in that 10 years. Plus, maybe we would be interviewed together??? I doubt it, at least it may be on the same day

re getting hassled in South Korea, we had heard similar incidents at the Aussie Passport Control where a mate's thai g/f of several years got the third degree and started crying. I was busy preparing my then g/f at the time (now wife), and as I'm trying to explain where to go and what to do/say, a customs officer heard me. She approached us and just said, "Don't worry about it, she can go through with you," pointing us to the Aussie line. We went up there and he hardly battered an eyelid. All these "hassles" at border entry seem to be over zealous or grumpy officers. Attitude goes a long way, so we should be right in that department But thanks for the warning.

[Arkady]

US embassies issue 10 year tourist visas as the default type, unless there is evidence to suggest it should be shorter. In most cases they will either issue it for 10 years or not at all.

For Schengen visas, note that since she is not married to an EU national she will have to provide a detailed itinerary for the entire time in Schengen countries, supported by flight, and hotel reservations for the entire trip. Schengen rules require that, if you are staying with friends you must get a letter of invitation from your host, notarised by a public notary in that country. This is extremely inconvenient and expensive (I once had to pay a Spanish lawyer 200 euros to do this and my father and sister had to spend a couple of hours in the old fart's waiting room for him to come out and do the five minute job). Alternatively you can make hotel reservations that allow cancellations without penalty and ditch them after you have got the visa. In fact the same applies to the entire itinerary which makes it a pointless piece of bureaucracy. You should also note that you must appply to the embassy of the country where your intinerary shows you will be spending the most days which is not necessarily the first port of call. This rule is totally inflexible.

For all the visas, don't hesitate to provide more information than they seem to need, including bank or income statements for yourself and her title deeds etc. It's much better than being knocked back for lack of one document.

Have a great trip.