UK Tourist Visa, can you then get a Schengen Visa

[SirPaul]

As a UK citizen, once I have successfully applied for a UK tourist visa for my wife, can I then apply for a Schengen Visa for her so that we can visit Italy once she is in the UK.

If it is possible to get a schengen visa on a tourist visa, should we apply for the schengen visa in Thailand, or in the UK. Will the Schengen Visa be free?

[Jay Sata]

You need to apply for it in Thailand.

It will cost you 60 Euro's and the application in your wife's case needs to be made to the Italian Embassy in Bangkok.

http://www.ambbangkok.esteri.it/Ambasciata_Bangkok

Edited December 18, 2013 by Jay Sata

[beano2274]

two points, you do not apply for a visa for your wife she does it is her application.

And has stated above she must apply in Thailand for the Schengen Visa, as she has no rights of abode in the UK.

[Jay Sata]

two points, you do not apply for a visa for your wife she does it is her application.

And has stated above she must apply in Thailand for the Schengen Visa, as she has no rights of abode in the UK.

Yes you're correct and I should have been a bit more specific on that one as you say Beano.

She'll need him to help her fill it in though. The visa can be used elsewhere in Europe once activated in Italy but only for a maximum of 90 days throughout the travel area.

[7by7]

1) As she is the wife of an EEA national, the visa should be free; not 60 Euros. Also questions on the application form marked with an * should not be filled in. She wont need all the supporting documents either; basically just proof that she is your wife. Check the information on the embassy website.

2) She should apply to

• the country she will be visiting, or
• if touring the country she will enter first, or
• if passing through one or more countries whilst travelling to her final destination, the country which is her final destination.

Which, from what you say, means Italy.

However, the visa does not have to be 'activated' by using it to enter the country which issued it, in your wife's case Italy; it is valid for all Schengen states and can be used for all.

As she lives in Thailand she has to apply in Thailand; as least he got one thing right!

[theoldgit]

Your wife actually needs to apply at the Italian Consulates Application Centre vfsglobal.com/Italy the link provided in the previous post is actually the Italian Embassy, and does not contain all the relevant information.

I wouldn't be brave enough to say that the applicant needs help filling out the form, some do but I suspect that many don't.

A Schengen Visa is not automatically valid for 90 days, it's valid for the amount of time printed on the visa vignette which normally equates with the number of days mentioned in the application, remember that applicant has to submit confirmed details of the travel plans with the application. Certainly when my partner applied for her latest Schengen Visa, she was given 13 days in a 27 day period which exactly matched the travel plans submitted with her application.

7by7 is correct in his advice in which Consulate to apply to, however at least one Visa Section in Bangkok are not sticking to the rules. I have first hand knowledge of one Visa Section that refused to process an application because, whilst the applicant was entering and departing Schengen from their soil, they were visiting a number of other countries, and were spending a few hours longer in one of the other countries, they refused to refund the fee and the supporting evidence, simply telling the applicant to reapply at another Consulate. Totally against Schengen rules, but they did it anyway.

7by7 is also correct in saying you don't activate a visa.

[bobrussell]

A pretty sweeping statement 'she will need him to help fill it in though'.

Obviously if you know the couple personally you will be able to say this with reasonable certainty. If you don't then it is a comment based on assumptions, stereotypes and ignorance.

The form is very straightforward and many wives are perfectly capable of completing one without help!

Whilst the visa should be free through the Embassy there may be a 'processing fee' if carried out by VFS or similar!

Edited December 20, 2013 by bobrussell

[SirPaul]

I know if you have a settlement visa for the UK there is no fee for a schengen visa.

We will be applying to go to Italy with a UK 6 months tourist visa, I suspect there will therefore be a fee.

I am hoping that the application will be viewed as if we were holding a settlement visa and therefore will go through. I am hoping there is no descrimination for only having a tourist visa

[7by7]

EEA freedom of movement treaties and regulations mean that provided your wife is travelling with or to join you in any EEA state, Schengen or not, (other than the one you are a citizen of, i.e. the UK) then her visa must be free and most of the requirements wont apply to her.

This is the case regardless of where you live and her immigration status in the UK, if any.

See 'Applying for a Visa' on this page from the EU Commission.

[bobrussell]

Nothing to do with the immigration status of your wife. The Schengen visa should still be free (processing charges are creeping in!. A spouse has a right under EU rules to accompany an EU citizen spouse (more correctly the EU citizen has the right to have his or her spouse accompany them!).

A full Schengen visa application (including fee, insurance, accommodation etc) is required if they wish to travel to the area without their partner.

The UK visa has nothing to do with the Schengen one, they are different visas but it will probably be a big plus if the applicant has 'settlement'.

Discrimination is pretty unlikely but lack of basic knowledge of the EU regulations can be an obstacle!

[SirPaul]

Thanks for the feedback most appreciated. I am now clearer about the whole thing but I still suspect they will find a way to charge for something. The informaton given here however makes one more confident about applying and I will now persue the application once my wife gets her visa to the UK.

Nothing to do with the immigration status of your wife. The Schengen visa should still be free (processing charges are creeping in!. A spouse has a right under EU rules to accompany an EU citizen spouse (more correctly the EU citizen has the right to have his or her spouse accompany them!).

A full Schengen visa application (including fee, insurance, accommodation etc) is required if they wish to travel to the area without their partner.

The UK visa has nothing to do with the Schengen one, they are different visas but it will probably be a big plus if the applicant has 'settlement'.

Discrimination is pretty unlikely but lack of basic knowledge of the EU regulations can be an obstacle!

EEA freedom of movement treaties and regulations mean that provided your wife is travelling with or to join you in any EEA state, Schengen or not, (other than the one you are a citizen of, i.e. the UK) then her visa must be free and most of the requirements wont apply to her.

This is the case regardless of where you live and her immigration status in the UK, if any.

See 'Applying for a Visa' on this page from the EU Commission.