Taking thai lady abroad to europe

[2008bangkok]

im looking to take the other half on holiday somewhere nice in europe, UK, france, italy, greece, norway, iceland somewhere like that, does anybody know of an agency to help with the paperwork with a high sucess rate?Cheers

[theoldgit]

You really don't need an agent, it's really not a difficult process.

Where are you thinking of going? Different process for most European countries who require a Schenghan Visa, have a look here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/724180-schengen-visa-faq/

The UK has a stand alone process http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/446602-uk-visit-visa-basics/

What is your nationality, are you married and do you live together? It makes a difference.

[MJCM]

I agree with Oldgit.

You really don't need an Agent, you pay a lot of money for things you can do easily yourself.

Just come prepared and have all the paperwork they require. (Plane Tickets, Hotel Bookings, Insurance, Guarantee form etc etc)

And as stated if you are married that will make the Visa application a whole lot easier.

[overherebc]

I agree with Oldgit.

You really don't need an Agent, you pay a lot of money for things you can do easily yourself.

Just come prepared and have all the paperwork they require. (Plane Tickets, Hotel Bookings, Insurance, Guarantee form etc etc)

And as stated if you are married that will make the Visa application a whole lot easier.

My wife just got a uk visa, 6 month, no hotel bookings no confirmed flight, supplied marriage cert, been told that's the main thing they look for,a couple of salary slips and explanation of the touring holiday, that's why no hotel bookings etc.

Edit to add, No agent used, did it herself.

Painless experience.

Edited July 4, 2014 by overherebc

[theoldgit]

Indeed the UK advise applicants not to make non refundable flight and hotel bookings before the visa is issued.

Scheghen do require sight of flight and accommodation confirmation but do stress that applicants should not purchase non refundable elements.

For all applications, affordability and reasons to return are the main components of applications for a visit visa.

[Donutz]

Would be nice to know if the OP is married and what his nationality is, depending on where he is from the visa to UK and/or Schengen could be free and with minimal paperwork.

The otherwise excellent UK sticky doesn't cover EU/EEA applications (perhaps Theoldgit/7 by 7 can a this Include with a link to UKGOV webpage on EU/EEA, link to EU webpages?).

As for Schengen paperwork if you don't fall under Freedom of Movement (2004/38/EC), you will indeed need evidence of tickets and accommodation. Get reservations, or if you have to book do so in a way that you can get your money refunded incase of a visa denial (trip cancellation).

Edit: I noticed the gov.uk site changed and now you need to create an account? Wonder if they made applying for EU/EEA permit more straightforward and easy as it should be without minimum hassle etc. May visit the UK with my soon to be wife myself and may get a visa in advance (from NL) if it's straightforward and with no costs (except maybe postal fees) or just apply at the border instead. May very well chose that route as the current service in NL is pretty bad (50 euro postal fee for services?? lol).

Edited July 4, 2014 by Donutz

[MJCM]

I agree with Oldgit.

You really don't need an Agent, you pay a lot of money for things you can do easily yourself.

Just come prepared and have all the paperwork they require. (Plane Tickets, Hotel Bookings, Insurance, Guarantee form etc etc)

And as stated if you are married that will make the Visa application a whole lot easier.

My wife just got a uk visa, 6 month, no hotel bookings no confirmed flight, supplied marriage cert, been told that's the main thing they look for,a couple of salary slips and explanation of the touring holiday, that's why no hotel bookings etc.

Edit to add, No agent used, did it herself.

Painless experience.

@Overherebc.

Where are you from ? Are you from the UK or from one of the Schengen states ?

If you are from the UK it wouldn't surprise me 1 bit why it is so easy for her to apply, it was the same for my wife when she applied for a Schengen Visa (I'm from one of the Schengen States).

I think it will be a bit more difficult for the Thai Wife of a Schengen Citizen to apply for a UK visa without any Hotel Bookings / Guarantee of Friends etc. (But in whole honesty I haven't looked at that option very closely yet (I still have time )

@2008Bangkok

Also make sure that you get a good insurance from any of the (approved) by the Embassy insurance companies.

My Embassy emphasized this when I 1st asked them how to proceed with getting a visa for the Missus.

I also noticed that the approved (local) Thai insurances are nowhere near as comprehensive in their coverage as a European one. In the end I got her an Insurance from an Insurer back in Europe (got it via the Internet) for the price of 160+ Euros for the whole 3 months (with 500.000 Euro of Health Insurance Coverage and 1.25 Million Euro of Third Party coverage)

Edited July 4, 2014 by MJCM

[laislica]

To all those who think a visa to the UK for a wife is easy.

I am a UK citizen but living in Spain full time since 2004.

I married a Thai and applied at the Spanish embassy Bangkok for an EEA family member visa, 90 days.

The marriage cert had to be translated in to Spanish, seen at the Thai Min of foreign affairs, verified by a Bangkok law firm nominated by Min foreign affairs Madrid, only then would the Spanish emb legalise the document.

My wife had to get a police clearance certificate, I forget the cost but it took three weeks to get.

Also needed a clean health certificate.

As she had worked in Schengan countries before, she got the full health cert, blood works etc, but because it I dint ha ve some specific words to say that she didn't have the diseases noted on some WHO requirement, she had to get another one.

If we had known, when she attended the DSI to apply for the clearance cert, she should have used the police hospital for the health cert, because they know the required format.

I had to provide proof of funds and then the visa was issued.

Whilst the actual visa was free all the other activities were not and it took quite a while to complete.

OK got visa, flew to Spain and started the procedure to get my wife registered as living in Spain with me.

She was enrolled at the city town hall.

We applied online for her NIE, foreigners ID number, which took 6months to complete.

She had to buy private health insurance to at least the standard of the NHS.

Once she had health cover she was given her NIE, provisional until she would receive the actual ID card.

We were required to have the marriage recognised by the Brit Consul in Malaga but before they would do that the Spanish translation legalised as above now had to be sent by secure currier to Madrid and be seen by the MoFA.

In Malaga we both had to swear oaths that we were legally married and living together.

The consul produced a sealed statement for each of us which we each signed.

The consul produced another sealed statement and the translated marriage cert and all supporting papers plus these three new statements were bound by blue ribbon and sealed.

About a month before she got the physical ID card we applied for a general visitor visa to tour the uk to see family and my new grandson. We gave 5 names and addresses of family and friends that we would stay with.

Said she had 5,000£ for the trip and husband would provide if more was required.

We went to Madrid Brit Emb to give biometric Data and handed over a colour copy of the recognised marriage cert and they also needed the original. I asked to see an officer because I had used a general visitor application rather than a family member as we had no intention of ever settling in the UK. I was told that it wasn't necessary and that the officer would simply give the correct visa.

The visa was refused

They said that my wife was not sufficiently tied to Spain, that she might overstay and that she would require financial support from the state!

We told them I pay taxes in the UK and gave them my nat ins number, but nothing helped.

It was about the time that Romania joined the EU so maybe that coloured things?

They said that we could apply again, correcting and perceived mistakes.

The biometrics have to be given again, cost £114 plus 2 return air fairs and an overnight stay.

We didn't bother!

She got the ID card and we flew to Thailand and returned to Spain, no problems.

The ID card is good for five years and renewal should be routine, the same for Spanish citizens, everyone has to renew every five years.

The visa application on line had more than 120 questions, they wanted phone numbers, email for us and those we would visit. They called no one! There was no where to provide attachments to support the application.. We did say that she owns two properties in Thailand but we didn't say that I owned property in Spain, the visa app did not ask.

If we ever bother to apply again, we will stress that we have sufficient funds, that I own property in Spain and that she owns property in Thailand.

I made an online appeal against the decision and their reply was that they are very busy and it can take a year or so before the get round to looking at the application and they suggested we apply again.....

Lovely eh what!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[robblok]

I agree with Oldgit.

You really don't need an Agent, you pay a lot of money for things you can do easily yourself.

Just come prepared and have all the paperwork they require. (Plane Tickets, Hotel Bookings, Insurance, Guarantee form etc etc)

And as stated if you are married that will make the Visa application a whole lot easier.

My wife just got a uk visa, 6 month, no hotel bookings no confirmed flight, supplied marriage cert, been told that's the main thing they look for,a couple of salary slips and explanation of the touring holiday, that's why no hotel bookings etc.

Edit to add, No agent used, did it herself.

Painless experience.

Stupid Dutch embassy wanted an invitation letter from my dad so I did not have to show hotel bookings. I found it a bit overkill, marriage certificate supplied and so were bank statements.

But seems she got the visa (expecting it to arrive today) not real hard let her do it all herself and go there herself. I had better things to do so even a Thai could do it without help.

[MJCM]

@RobBlok

When you go to Schengen take a copy of the same Documents you gave to the Embassy with you because it might be that you have to show them to the Border Control when you arrive. This happened to us on my wife's first visit. (and not on the subsequent 2nd visit)

At the Border Control Post we where picked out of the line and accompanied by a Border Control Officer send to an Office (next to the line), I still remember all the people in the line (and there were a lot) were looking.

But it was no Big Deal, just a quick check (5 min. or so) of the supporting documents and we were on our way.

[robblok]

@RobBlok

When you go to Schengen take a copy of the same Documents you gave to the Embassy with you because it might be that you have to show them to the Border Control when you arrive. This happened to us on my wife's first visit. (and not on the subsequent 2nd visit)

At the Border Control Post we where picked out of the line and accompanied by a Border Control Officer send to an Office (next to the line), I still remember all the people in the line (and there were a lot) were looking.

But it was no Big Deal, just a quick check (5 min. or so) of the supporting documents and we were on our way.

Thanks,

This will be her 3rd time in the Netherlands but its always good to keep those papers. I would have expected the visa alone would have been enough.

But seriously I think these visa's can be done by people themselves.. it just takes a bit more doing. If you want to save time you can take a visa service but if you have the time its relatively easy to do it yourself.

Now waiting for the mail to receive her passport.

[MJCM]

Thanks,

This will be her 3rd time in the Netherlands but its always good to keep those papers. I would have expected the visa alone would have been enough.

But seriously I think these visa's can be done by people themselves.. it just takes a bit more doing. If you want to save time you can take a visa service but if you have the time its relatively easy to do it yourself.

Now waiting for the mail to receive her passport.

I agree 100% we did it both times ourselves, and both times were rather painless. The only part I didn't like (but that's just me) is that we had to travel to BKK

[Donutz]

To all those who think a visa to the UK for a wife is easy.

I am a UK citizen but living in Spain full time since 2004.

I married a Thai and applied at the Spanish embassy Bangkok for an EEA family member visa, 90 days.

The marriage cert had to be translated in to Spanish, seen at the Thai Min of foreign affairs, verified by a Bangkok law firm nominated by Min foreign affairs Madrid, only then would the Spanish emb legalise the document.

My wife had to get a police clearance certificate, I forget the cost but it took three weeks to get.

Also needed a clean health certificate.

As she had worked in Schengan countries before, she got the full health cert, blood works etc, but because it I dint ha ve some specific words to say that she didn't have the diseases noted on some WHO requirement, she had to get another one.

If we had known, when she attended the DSI to apply for the clearance cert, she should have used the police hospital for the health cert, because they know the required format.

I had to provide proof of funds and then the visa was issued.

Whilst the actual visa was free all the other activities were not and it took quite a while to complete.

OK got visa, flew to Spain and started the procedure to get my wife registered as living in Spain with me.

She was enrolled at the city town hall.

We applied online for her NIE, foreigners ID number, which took 6months to complete.

She had to buy private health insurance to at least the standard of the NHS.

Once she had health cover she was given her NIE, provisional until she would receive the actual ID card.

We were required to have the marriage recognised by the Brit Consul in Malaga but before they would do that the Spanish translation legalised as above now had to be sent by secure currier to Madrid and be seen by the MoFA.

In Malaga we both had to swear oaths that we were legally married and living together.

The consul produced a sealed statement for each of us which we each signed.

The consul produced another sealed statement and the translated marriage cert and all supporting papers plus these three new statements were bound by blue ribbon and sealed.

About a month before she got the physical ID card we applied for a general visitor visa to tour the uk to see family and my new grandson. We gave 5 names and addresses of family and friends that we would stay with.

Said she had 5,000£ for the trip and husband would provide if more was required.

We went to Madrid Brit Emb to give biometric Data and handed over a colour copy of the recognised marriage cert and they also needed the original. I asked to see an officer because I had used a general visitor application rather than a family member as we had no intention of ever settling in the UK. I was told that it wasn't necessary and that the officer would simply give the correct visa.

The visa was refused

They said that my wife was not sufficiently tied to Spain, that she might overstay and that she would require financial support from the state!

We told them I pay taxes in the UK and gave them my nat ins number, but nothing helped.

It was about the time that Romania joined the EU so maybe that coloured things?

They said that we could apply again, correcting and perceived mistakes.

The biometrics have to be given again, cost £114 plus 2 return air fairs and an overnight stay.

We didn't bother!

She got the ID card and we flew to Thailand and returned to Spain, no problems.

The ID card is good for five years and renewal should be routine, the same for Spanish citizens, everyone has to renew every five years.

The visa application on line had more than 120 questions, they wanted phone numbers, email for us and those we would visit. They called no one! There was no where to provide attachments to support the application.. We did say that she owns two properties in Thailand but we didn't say that I owned property in Spain, the visa app did not ask.

If we ever bother to apply again, we will stress that we have sufficient funds, that I own property in Spain and that she owns property in Thailand.

I made an online appeal against the decision and their reply was that they are very busy and it can take a year or so before the get round to looking at the application and they suggested we apply again.....

Lovely eh what!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Wow, you got screwed over big time!! For a Schengen visa to Spain, since you are from the UK a marriage certificate should be enough, possibly legalised to verify it is legit and translated (The Spanish can read English can't they? ) so they read it. That should also be enough to register as a resident in Spain. No need for registration of marriage in the UK (optional), police reports etc. TBC test and health insurance once the applies as a resident in Spain. That should be it if you check the EU webpages.

Did you at any time contact Solvit? Wrote about this BS you got to EC Home Affairs? Sorry to hear you got bullied around... That should not happen!

[Donutz]

Edit time ran out as I was writing some changes:

Did you at any time contact Solvit? Complain with the Spanish authorities (MFA)? Wrote about this BS you got to EC Home Affairs? Sorry to hear you got bullied around... That should not happen!

Perhaps some links/sources would be helpfull:

- directive 2004/38/EC on freedom of movent. By reading this you see there is little other EU nations can ask of you and your Thai spouse.

- traveling to the EU: http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/non-eu-family/index_en.htm

- setteling in: http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/index_en.htm

Basically all the Spanish would need to have done would be to have verified who the both of you are (passports) and that you are infact family (legaly and genuinly married). What they did was absolute overkill!! Solvit has been set up for cases like this. I guess it's too late now though to ask compensation from Spanish authorities...

[laislica]

Edit time ran out as I was writing some changes:

Did you at any time contact Solvit? Complain with the Spanish authorities (MFA)? Wrote about this BS you got to EC Home Affairs? Sorry to hear you got bullied around... That should not happen!

Perhaps some links/sources would be helpfull:

- directive 2004/38/EC on freedom of movent. By reading this you see there is little other EU nations can ask of you and your Thai spouse.

- traveling to the EU: http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/non-eu-family/index_en.htm

- setteling in: http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/index_en.htm

Basically all the Spanish would need to have done would be to have verified who the both of you are (passports) and that you are infact family (legaly and genuinly married). What they did was absolute overkill!! Solvit has been set up for cases like this. I guess it's too late now though to ask compensation from Spanish authorities...

many thanks for the links.

What I found was a circular route on the UK border control websites and finally just gave up.

I sent money to my daughter and she, hubby and baby visited us in Spain in May, job done. LOL

As to the Spanish, the hoops we jumped through are about the same as other Thai wives we know encountered but we completed the job in only about six months, other folk took a year or more and they employed an agent/lawyer, so I'm not unhappy with my result. However, if I trotted up the total cost it would be well over 2,000 euros

Spain illegally require UK citizens to apply for and get a Spanish NIE before you can buy property.

They illegally charge VAT on a second hand car brought from the UK and then re-plated in Spain with Spanish numbers.

They are a law unto themselves LOL

So we just put up with the BS and got the job done.

My wife can come and go as she pleases now, no more visas,etc. only need to renew in five years.

As to visiting the UK, EXPLETIVE deleted em !!!!!!!!

I will not waste more of my precious life on them, it could make one ill if you let them!!!!!!

I am now looking into no longer paying tax to the UK......

However, with the current crisis, tax levels in Spain have been raised and it might be more expensive to do that.

No need to cut off my nose to spite my face LOL

BTW, we also had an English translation made and we sent a certified copy to the UK International Pension Office.

They then were able to reissue form S1 with my wife's details and she now has full NHS cover in Spain.

If anyone else needs to do that from Europe, I suggest that they give a UK based address and have the recipient forward the S1 to them. The pensions office use a cheap mail contractor and it can take 6 weeks for the doc to arrive - if ever.....

They will post to a UK address though. They will not email the doc and their BS excuse is - for security reasons.....

No additional pension though as I already get the maximum.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[laislica]

@donutz,

So if our sister-in-law who is a Thai wife of my wife's Thai brother wants to visit for a week or two next year, it should be straight forward to get the free visa for her?

Just visit the Spanish embassy in Bangkok with a copy or my and wife's passport, plus copy of our Spanish translation of our marriage cert, copy of wife's Spain ID card and state my NIE. Would she need a letter from me inviting her for the holiday or anything else?

Proof of funds in her and or my name?

I am sure her employer would give her a letter in Thai stating that she has holiday and should return to work after the holiday, would this be required?

She would travel alone to Madrid and we would meet her at the airport, stop the night to look around before driving south to our home.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Donutz]

The EU considers direct family of the EU/EAA family member and spouse: those in the direct descending and ascending order. So that would be the spouse, kids or parents. Other family members could request being treated as family members though and a member state could chose to do so if the want, but have no obligation.

[7by7]

The directive defines family members thus

the spouse; the registered partner, if the legislation of the host Member State treats registered partnerships as equivalent to marriage; the direct descendants who are under the age of 21 or are dependants and those of the spouse or partner as defined above; the dependent direct relatives in the ascending line and those of the spouse or partner.

In-laws are not there; so she will have to apply as normal and meet all the usual requirements.

See Schengen visa FAQ

[laislica]

The directive defines family members thus

the spouse; the registered partner, if the legislation of the host Member State treats registered partnerships as equivalent to marriage; the direct descendants who are under the age of 21 or are dependants and those of the spouse or partner as defined above; the dependent direct relatives in the ascending line and those of the spouse or partner.

In-laws are not there; so she will have to apply as normal and meet all the usual requirements.

See Schengen visa FAQ

Thanks Guys,

Up to her as they say.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand