Schengen Visa For My Thai Girlfriend.

[R2Quad]

My Thai girlfriend is coming over to the UK in July/August for 6 weeks holiday on her second 6 month UK tourist visa.

I am a British National residing in GB.

While she is over here we would like to visit both Spain and France for a few days.

Is it possible for her to obtain a Schengen Visa in Thailand.

Which Embassy is the easiest to apply to (we can go to either county on separate occasions)

What documents would the Consulate require, bearing in mind that she doesn't have employment and hasn't much in her bank account, but I'm fully supporting her and have proof of this.

[theoldgit]

Not only is it possible for your girlfriend to apply for her Schengen Visa in Thailand, it's a requirement as she has to apply in her country of residence.

The Schengen rules are that she should apply at the consulate of the country which her main destination, if if there is no main destination the country where she enters the Schengen area.

The requirements are slightly different from those of the UK, she must provide proof of travel out of Schengen and proof of accommodation for her trip, she also needs to provide proof of medical cover. The financial requirement is on a par with the UK.

My girlfriend's experience was that a visa from the French Consulate was a pretty painless experience.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Yes I agree the French application was very straight forward we generally use AXA Schengen visa insurance for our clients.

[blades1889]

Sorry to but in on the post but, me and the wife are thinking of going to Switzerland next year, just for a week, but how do I go about getting visa etc.

Im British, do I need a visa? the wife has a Thai passport with ILR.

Would we have to apply at the swiss embassy for visa/visas if needed?

Thanks

Lee

[beano2274]

Sorry to but in on the post but, me and the wife are thinking of going to Switzerland next year, just for a week, but how do I go about getting visa etc.

Im British, do I need a visa? the wife has a Thai passport with ILR.

Would we have to apply at the swiss embassy for visa/visas if needed?

Thanks

Lee

Lee you do not need a visa, Switzerland is Europe and you can move freely within Europe, your wife will have to apply to the Swiss Embassy in the UK.

[blades1889]

Thanks pal,

Is this done by post, or apointment in person?

Lee

[ThaiVisaExpress]

She does need a visa she requires a Schengen visa which she can apply for at the Swiss Embassy.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Sorry to but in on the post but, me and the wife are thinking of going to Switzerland next year, just for a week, but how do I go about getting visa etc.

Im British, do I need a visa? the wife has a Thai passport with ILR.

Would we have to apply at the swiss embassy for visa/visas if needed?

Thanks

Lee

Lee you do not need a visa, Switzerland is Europe and you can move freely within Europe, your wife will have to apply to the Swiss Embassy in the UK.

If she does not require a visa why is he contacting the Swiss Embassy ?

The applicant requires a visa.

[alyx]

She does....the poster said

[ThaiVisaExpress]

She does....the poster said

Lee you do not need a visa, Switzerland is Europe and you can move freely within Europe, your wife will have to apply to the Swiss Embassy in the UK.

What does the above say ?

The applicant requires a visa as a Thai national.

Edited May 27, 2012 by ThaiVisaExpress

[7by7]

Beano, alyx and TVE, with respect, if you read each others posts carefully I think you will find that you are all saying the same thing!

[beano2274]

Beano, alyx and TVE, with respect, if you read each others posts carefully I think you will find that you are all saying the same thing!

Excuse me but I added no comments only my original, and in plain English that I believed was understandable to all, if some posters cannot understand it and start having a go, then that is there perogative.

TO TVE = Lee said, I am British do I need a Visa?

Many thanks

Edited May 27, 2012 by beano2274

[7by7]

Calm down, Beano. I wasn't having a go at you, or anyone else. Just pointing out that your post and those of alyx and TVE were all basically saying the same thing.

No offense to or criticism of anyone intended; apols if it came across that way.

[R2Quad]

Thanks to both 'theoldgit' and 'Thai Visa Express' for your replies.

We will go to France first, which means that she will apply to the French Consulate in Bangkok for her Schengen Visa, I take that this Visa will also cover her for a later trip to Spain.

In my original post I said that I'm fully supporting her and she doesn't have much money in her bank account, so I take it that they will need a letter from me stating this, as well as copies of my bank statements etc.

Does the letter have to be counter signed by anyone?

For the French accommodation, I can book a package with a travel agent here in Uk and get a reciept to show the Consulate.

If I book a return trip on the ferry, would that suffice for proof of leaving a Schengen country?

[theoldgit]

will go to France first, which means that she will apply to the French Consulate in Bangkok for her Schengen Visa, I take that this Visa will also cover her for a later trip to Spain.

In my original post I said that I'm fully supporting her and she doesn't have much money in her bank account, so I take it that they will need a letter from me stating this, as well as copies of my bank statements etc.

Does the letter have to be counter signed by anyone?

For the French accommodation, I can book a package with a travel agent here in Uk and get a reciept to show the Consulate.

If I book a return trip on the ferry, would that suffice for proof of leaving a Schengen country?

Yes the visa would cover her for Spain, in fact anywhere in Schengen, but make sure you tell them about the second trip, they are inclined to issue a visa for the exact length of the proposed trip, the visas are normally multi entry.

When my girlfriend applied she did have money in the bank but as I was paying, we live together in Bangkok, I only sent details of my bank. Make copies as they sometimes keep them, I have never countersigned them.

Yes you could book a tour and that should suffice, I always book fully flexible hotels, Hilton, Holiday Inn and the like, guaranteed against a credit card but not paid in advance, you can then cancel when your travel plans are firmed up. People's plans do change, we always take copies of our revised hotel reservations with us, but have never needed to show them.

I have only ever shown copies of Eurostar back to the UK and that has worked for us. There have been reports that some Consulates, or their agents, have asked to see proof of return to Thailand, so it wouldn't hurt to include details of her flight home.

[pakorn7]

Make sure she dress like a lady.

Sometime when Thai girl dress too sexy, or in their working dress, additional interview by the embassy staffs may be needed.

[theoldgit]

Make sure she dress like a lady.

Sometime when Thai girl dress too sexy, or in their working dress, additional interview by the embassy staffs may be needed.

Please don't insult the OP's girlfriend.

When applications are submitted they are done so via an agency contracted by the Consulate, they certainly don't have a tick box to inform Immigration Officials how the applicant is dressed.

Interviews are rarely undertaken as applications are considered on the evidence, if officials want any clarification they will usually phone.

[beano2274]

Make sure she dress like a lady.

Sometime when Thai girl dress too sexy, or in their working dress, additional interview by the embassy staffs may be needed.

Please don't insult the OP's girlfriend.

When applications are submitted they are done so via an agency contracted by the Consulate, they certainly don't have a tick box to inform Immigration Officials how the applicant is dressed.

Interviews are rarely undertaken as applications are considered on the evidence, if officials want any clarification they will usually phone.

Please remember some Embassies do not use a VFS Service, such as the Swiss Embassy.

[theoldgit]

Please remember some Embassies do not use a VFS Service, such as the Swiss Embassy.

You are of course correct, but the OP is going to apply via the French Embassy who, whilst they don't use VFS to collect applications, do use another contractor.

I doubt that even in the case of the Swiss that Immigration Officials will collect applications from the front desk.

I'm sorry Beano but it does wind me up when posters advise applicants to dress appropriately when handing in a wad of papers to a clerk, with all that implies.

[beano2274]

Please remember some Embassies do not use a VFS Service, such as the Swiss Embassy.

You are of course correct, but the OP is going to apply via the French Embassy who, whilst they don't use VFS to collect applications, do use another contractor.

I doubt that even in the case of the Swiss that Immigration Officials will collect applications from the front desk.

I'm sorry Beano but it does wind me up when posters advise applicants to dress appropriately when handing in a wad of papers to a clerk, with all that implies.

I hate it when people tell someone to dress appropriately as well, upto the individual how they dress, I never tell my wife what to wear.

[SantiSuk]

Please remember some Embassies do not use a VFS Service, such as the Swiss Embassy.

You are of course correct, but the OP is going to apply via the French Embassy who, whilst they don't use VFS to collect applications, do use another contractor.

I doubt that even in the case of the Swiss that Immigration Officials will collect applications from the front desk.

I'm sorry Beano but it does wind me up when posters advise applicants to dress appropriately when handing in a wad of papers to a clerk, with all that implies.

The three times I have applied for Schengen Visas (even when I did it on behalf of my girlfriend and at the French and German visa places) it was more than a case of handing in the applications - I or we were required to stand at a counter and answer a few questions about the documents included. I have no idea whether they take dress code into account but I could tell that the German counter girls (two separate occasions) appeared to take an instant dislike to us, even though we were well dressed! I had a feeling that it was not applicant-specific though .

Go right ahead if you want to dress like a slob or a tart (or both). Its a semi-free country and you don't care what other people think anyway. All you will probably suffer is the disdain of people like me - you can see the looks printed on some peoples faces - jeez who let that creep or that hooker into the compound . No doubt it is us who have the issues, not you.

[theoldgit]

What on earth are you on?

[7by7]

I can see where this could go, so as a preemptive measure:-

Keep it civil, gents, and if necessary agree to differ.

For myself, I wouldn't go in vest, shorts and flip/flops, but I wouldn't put a suit on either: casual trousers/jeans, casual shirt/T shirt. The wife the same, only female equivalent.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

https://www.tlscontact.com/th2fr/help.php here is the link which you may find useful.

[R2Quad]

Thank you all for your very informative replies..... looks like I'll need to get busy and organise the bookings.

Thanks to you all, I now have a much clearer picture of how to go about obtaining her Schengen Visa.

[cooked]

Let's start again, I just went through the Swiss embassy/tourist visa thing. Switzerland is a member of the Schengen area, so with the visa we can visit France and so on.

We went to the Swiss embassy, there were some girls there that seemed to be bar girls or whatever, my soon to be wife (age 59) was dressed discretely and doesn't wear much makeup. She didn't get a visa, I think because she didn't know the dates of birth of my sons. Officially: 'no guarantee that she will return to Thailand after expiration of visa' - which you can say about any applicant I think. As around 80% of applications are accepted first time, this means that a certain arbitrariness is applied. A well known prostitute from a neighbouring village got her visa without a problem and she looks like a prostitute. And I think she will work as a prostitute in Switzerland. (Comment removed by moderator. See below)

I had to make an appeal to the Immigration department here in Switzerland, I had to go for an interview and I was interrogated like a criminal, which I wasn't prepared for (luckily I had taken the correct documents with me). So we lost 4 weeks and she will be coming over on Thursday to see somewhere that isn't Thailand before we go back to get married.

Try googling swiss helping point.

I also heard that France is the best bet but you have to provide an address in France, the address of someone that is willing to stand guarantee for up to €40 000 (I think), you need to show a return ticket and proof of health insurance for the period she will be there.

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I reside in Switzerland and am Swiss.

Edited May 28, 2012 by 7by7
A serious, unproven allegation has been removed. See forum rule 6. If you have evidence of corruption at any embassy then you should report it to the relevant authorities, not post it here.

[alyx]

if you are to apply to either embassies make sure to do so at the country's one where you plan to stay the longest

Have a confirmed booking of hotels you will go to (Of course go for the one you can cancel otherwise you might be quite upset if the appliaction is turned down)

You will find the list of all other documents on the link provided by Thai visa express

Cooked is talking about 40 K €, well I don;t know where that comes from as not many French people have this amount in bank. What they want t know is that the applicant has the means to stay and the intention to leave the country

Two advices though,,,,,choose carefully the status of the visa as documents required differ from one to another on the same sort of visas, prepare yours dates ahead as the French Embassy (and Consulate) is to close a couple of weeks some time next month, not sure whether this has any effect on the treatment of the dossiers

Edited May 28, 2012 by alyx