Hi

I tried a search but could not find what I was looking for.

I live in Thailand with my Thai partner and we are having our first child later this year and will be getting a British Passport for the child when it's born.

My work will be taking me to mainland Europe next year specifically Holland and possibly Germany and would like to take them with me (approx 6 weeks trips at a time) so I was wondering on peoples experience in obtaining Schengan visas for Thai's when the sponsor is not a native of the country they are applying for. About 3 years ago she got refused a Belgian visa when I was there (horrific agency used) but recently got granted a 6 month multi entry UK visa even though we are only going for a 3 week holiday which was a pleasant surprise.

Any information hints, tips, advice would be most welcome

Many thanks

Having a visa for Britain is very helpful.

The application for a Schengen visa must be made in the Embassy of the country where you enter the Schengen area.

If it is possible to put € 34 per day in your partner/wife' personal bankaccount qualifies for entrance.

Owning a house/land in her name helps very much.

If you are married, there is an European ruling that your wife can have a 90-day visa on arrival.

The immigration officials will try to make problems, but eventually will give in.

This ruling is also valid for UK citizens.

A member of the Dutch parliament, from the foreign commission told me this ruling is indeed valid.

I have till now received positive results from The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Finland

If you enter Schengen by the Netherlands, look up the website of the embassy.

If you want to obtain a visa for Schengen through the Dutch Embassy, do it in time.

Any more info?

If a qualifying family member of an EEA national and travelling with that national then yes, no visa is required.

But you will need to prove the relationship at your entry point to the Schengen area; e.g. marriage certificate.

From what you say, you are not married. Unmarried partners do qualify, but different Schengen states each seem to have a different definition of what constitutes an unmarried partner; and how do you prove it?

However, being the mother of an EEA national child would also mean she can enter without a visa; again provided she is travelling with or to join the child and can prove the relationship.

The biggest problem, though, will be in persuading the airline to carry her without a visa.

Better to obtain the visa in advance, will save hassles later. As a qualifying family member it will be free and most of the questions on the application form and other requirements will not apply to her.

She should, as said above, apply to the embassy of the country she intends to enter first.

If she is resident in Thailand then she must apply in Thailand.

Unlike UK visa applications, for a Schengen visa application translations of Thai documents, e.g. the child's birth certificate, must be certified correct by the Thai MFA.

BTW, remember to get a Thai passport for the child as well, which s/he should then use to leave/enter Thailand.

Edited July 13, 201312 yr by 7by7

You can apply for the schengen visa in the UK at either Dutch or German Embassy, takes around 2 weeks and costs around 60 gbp in order to do this it has to be done within first 3 months of the stay in uk. It is best to do it in Bangkok if you know for sure exactly where you will be spending the majority of time in schengen state. It will also help your case if your company writes a letter supporting your GF visit to schengen this would kind of be on the lines of a letter of invitation or you could just provide details of the accommodation that your company is providing in terms of hotel booking and say its a holiday.