Morning all,

I'm contemplating spending a few years in Europe from next year so my daughter and wife (Thai) can experience life outside of Thailand, obviously I don't need a visa/work permit but my wife would. If we plan to go straight to mainland Europe from Thailand (Netherlands, Belgium or Germany) would she still need to get a British visa before applying for a shengen visa? I might study again while I'm there, would a shengen be more likely to be granted if I was studying full-time? As our daughter is only two years old my wife will be looking after her but if she said she might want to work after our daughter starts school, would she be able to get a work permit if on a shengen visa?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Edited May 14, 201214 yr by skybluestu

As you are an EEA citizen then you have certain economic rights to live, work or study in other EEA countries. Your also have the right to have your nonEEA family live there with you.

This right does not extend to the country of which the EEA citizen is a national, in your case the UK, so your wife would need the appropriate UK visa to travel or live there. Unless you had been living together in another EEA state and were now returning to the UK to live.

Different EEA states have different procedures for dealing with this; I believe that for most Schengen states she would apply first for a Schengen visa in Bangkok and then for residence once in the country concerned. I suggest that you check with the embassy concerned.

Whichever country you decide to live in, as she is accompanying an EEA citizen, you, her initial visa and all subsequent residence permits will be free.

Your daughter presumably has dual nationality and so a British passport, and so like you will not need any visa.

As I said, different countries have different procedures for handling this, but the regulations are the same for all EEA states; so for an overview have a read of EEA family permits, which is the UK's way of doing it.

Your wife will be able to work in which ever country you decide upon.

As you are an EEA citizen then you have certain economic rights to live, work or study in other EEA countries. Your also have the right to have your nonEEA family live there with you.

This right does not extend to the country of which the EEA citizen is a national, in your case the UK, so your wife would need the appropriate UK visa to travel or live there. Unless you had been living together in another EEA state and were now returning to the UK to live.

Different EEA states have different procedures for dealing with this; I believe that for most Schengen states she would apply first for a Schengen visa in Bangkok and then for residence once in the country concerned. I suggest that you check with the embassy concerned.

Whichever country you decide to live in, as she is accompanying an EEA citizen, you, her initial visa and all subsequent residence permits will be free.

Your daughter presumably has dual nationality and so a British passport, and so like you will not need any visa.

As I said, different countries have different procedures for handling this, but the regulations are the same for all EEA states; so for an overview have a read of EEA family permits, which is the UK's way of doing it.

Your wife will be able to work in which ever country you decide upon.

Thank you.