Uk visit visa and schengen visa

[Daniel77]

Hi all, my thai gf is applying to come to the uk on her fourth visit visa. We also want to go on holiday in Europe somewhere although not sure where yet.

Question is, she has not handed in her visa application form yet but wondered is it best to do this first and once visa is accepted then apply for schengen?? Can it be done at the same time?? Is is done at the same office?!

I have read up on this everywhere but am struggling to work out how best to do it..

Thanks

Edited September 13, 2014 by Daniel77

[metisdead]

Moved to the Visas and migration to other countries forum.

[gregchambers]

you need to decide where u r going first and then apply to that country's embassy for the visa (after UK visa), need to have hotels and airplanes booked with paperwork (so you might want to find which euro countries are the easiest and go there first), I think u can go to Switzerland on the UK visa, though.

[7by7]

It doesn't matter whether she applies for her UK visa or her Schengen first.

For the Schengen visa;

• if visiting just one country, she applies to that countryshe should apply to that country,
• if visiting more than one, she should apply to the one which is her main destination,
• if touring she should apply to the country she will enter first.

In Thailand, some Schengen countries have outsourced visa applications as the UK has, for others she'll apply directly to the embassy; check with the embassy concerned.

You may find Schengen visa FAQ helpful.

As far as I am aware, a UK visit visa does not allow entry to Switzerland without a Swiss visa.

However, Thais, and certain other nationalities, who hold a valid UK visit visa can enter the Republic of Ireland for up to 90 days or the expiry of their UK visa, whichever is the shorter, without an Irish visa; provided they travel to Ireland from the UK.

[Richard W]

It doesn't matter whether she applies for her UK visa or her Schengen first.

If her previous stays have been as stated, I would have thought there would be a tactical advantage in getting the UK visa first, at least unless her circumstances have changed. My reasoning is that her past record would argue for her getting the UK visa. The Schengen country would then see that the UK was still happy to allow her to make a visit, and would therefore follow suit.

[7by7]

You may have a point, and I meant that procedurally it doesn't matter which one she applies for first.

But to say that if she was granted a UK visit visa then a Schengen country 'would therefore follow suit' is not necessarily accurate.

I have known people who have been granted a UK visit visa and then been refused a Schengen visa.

Remember that many of the requirements are different, and may be harder for some to meet for a Schengen visa than for a UK visit visa.

[SantiSuk]

Having suffered the frustration of not having time to plan in both a UK and Schengen visa (needs about 3-4 weeks to be sure - a few days less if you live close to Bangkok) I finally bit the bullet and applied for a 5 year visa for my wife in April this year. Not cheap (US$ 869, but if you go back together every year it just about makes economic sense on pure visa cost grounds alone. Factor in the hassle factor and travel to visa agent office costs and its a no-brainer. Have to be sure of your relationship though .

My limited enquiries (web-site and ThaiV only) at the time revealed no way of applying simultaneously for both a UK and Shengen visa. You must take your passport and they need to keep it to put the stamp in. I would never say never: if you are desperate to do so it would be worth phoning up the respective agencies. My German family visit was semi-optional so I did not pursue to the nth degree.

PS I had no time to go for a German Schengen visa after processing my wife's UK visa because I forgot to ask her to specify that we would pick up the visa from VFS. She followed prior year experience and paid for delivery*. This cost us at least four days (due to incidence of weekend) - EMS is quick but their admin in putting it into the post was not. This delay was critical to the decision whether to gamble on getting the German Schengen within the then remaining 10 days (in theory no problem, but I was not about to gamble flight cost changes for a whole family)*. Lesson - always pick-up if in a hurry if you can and always brief partner thoroughly before she disappears into the bowels of VFS!

Good luck. Visa applications should not be as stressful as they are!

*Having heard that she had exercised initiative at our detriment, I thought I could phone VFS or the embassy up and change that, but In the early days of the new look 'f-you' approach to visa processing by our cash-strapped government there was no way of telephoning anyone to change my delivery option to pick-up once I had returned from Bangkok: another special visit to Bangkok would have been costly from the far reaches of Isaan! "You cannot phone them and the only way is to go back to VFS, but it's up to them whether they will even let you in to discuss it", quoth the paid-for 'f-you, customer' advice line in the UK"

Amazing UK.

[Donutz]

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you need to decide where u r going first and then apply to that country's embassy for the visa (after UK visa), need to have hotels and airplanes booked with paperwork (so you might want to find which euro countries are the easiest and go there first), I think u can go to Switzerland on the UK visa, though.

Slight correction:

- You need a reservation of transport, you do not need a fulyl booked ticket let alone have fully paid the tickets yet. Some Schengen embassies explicitly mention you that you should not buy any tickets untill the visa has been granted.

- Hotelbookings (or other accomodation) needs to be reserved/booked, but here too the advice is not to make any financial commitments that can not be undone/returned incase the visa is declined. In practise it depends on the embassy, some Schengen embassies for some silly reason do not accept bookings via Bookings.com. Nonsense if you ask me. Don't know hwo the EU Commission feels about this though, but I would assume they would not be amused either.

It doesn't matter whether she applies for her UK visa or her Schengen first.

For the Schengen visa;

• if visiting just one country, she applies to that countryshe should apply to that country,
• if visiting more than one, she should apply to the one which is her main destination,
• if touring she should apply to the country she will enter first.

In Thailand, some Schengen countries have outsourced visa applications as the UK has, for others she'll apply directly to the embassy; check with the embassy concerned.

You may find Schengen visa FAQ helpful.

As far as I am aware, a UK visit visa does not allow entry to Switzerland without a Swiss visa.

However, Thais, and certain other nationalities, who hold a valid UK visit visa can enter the Republic of Ireland for up to 90 days or the expiry of their UK visa, whichever is the shorter, without an Irish visa; provided they travel to Ireland from the UK.

Some (most) Schengen embassies have outsourced to VFS (and the French use TLS), for part or most of the process ofmaking an appointment and handing in the documents. However for all Schengen embassies this si entirely optional so if you prefer to directly contact and deal with an embassy you are fully entitled to do so. Last I checked all embassies clearly stated the right of direct access, though some are a bit reluctant...

Having suffered the frustration of not having time to plan in both a UK and Schengen visa (needs about 3-4 weeks to be sure - a few days less if you live close to Bangkok) I finally bit the bullet and applied for a 5 year visa for my wife in April this year. Not cheap (US$ 869, but if you go back together every year it just about makes economic sense on pure visa cost grounds alone. Factor in the hassle factor and travel to visa agent office costs and its a no-brainer. Have to be sure of your relationship though alt=thumbsup.gif> .

My limited enquiries (web-site and ThaiV only) at the time revealed no way of applying simultaneously for both a UK and Shengen visa. You must take your passport and they need to keep it to put the stamp in. I would never say never: if you are desperate to do so it would be worth phoning up the respective agencies. My German family visit was semi-optional so I did not pursue to the nth degree.

PS I had no time to go for a German Schengen visa after processing my wife's UK visa because I forgot to ask her to specify that we would pick up the visa from VFS. She followed prior year experience and paid for delivery*. This cost us at least four days (due to incidence of weekend) - EMS is quick but their admin in putting it into the post was not. This delay was critical to the decision whether to gamble on getting the German Schengen within the then remaining 10 days (in theory no problem, but I was not about to gamble flight cost changes for a whole family)*. Lesson - always pick-up if in a hurry if you can and always brief partner thoroughly before she disappears into the bowels of VFS!

Good luck. Visa applications should not be as stressful as they are!

*Having heard that she had exercised initiative at our detriment, I thought I could phone VFS or the embassy up and change that, but In the early days of the new look 'f-you' approach to visa processing by our cash-strapped government there was no way of telephoning anyone to change my delivery option to pick-up once I had returned from Bangkok: another special visit to Bangkok would have been costly from the far reaches of Isaan! "You cannot phone them and the only way is to go back to VFS, but it's up to them whether they will even let you in to discuss it", quoth the paid-for 'f-you, customer' advice line in the UK"

Amazing UK alt=laugh.png>.

Depending on the embassy and how you applied, after processing :

- You may pick the passport up at the embassy

- The embassy may mail it back (which may require you to hand a pre adressed envelop with sufficient postage).

- VFS (if you chose to use their services, personally I would stay well away from those people, but to each his own), may mail it back to you

- .. other? Just check what level of service the embassy proviides. Some do seem to be customer orientated, others almost seem reluctant to have to deal with tourists/applicants, let alone being concerned about service... From what I've read hear the Spanish are not the most friendliest, the French neither. The Dutch and Germans seem more welcome. The Belgians and Swedes have the highest percentage of visa declinations (a proper application should pass but visa are judges on their own merits and some embassies may be more or less reluctant -more or less relaxed- when with comes to interpreting an application then an other embassy).

[DrChopper]

In practise it depends on the embassy, some Schengen embassies for some silly reason do not accept bookings via Bookings.com. Nonsense if you ask me. Don't know hwo the EU Commission feels about this though, but I would assume they would not be amused either

Does anyone know which ones do and do not accept booking.com?

Just check what level of service the embassy proviides. Some do seem to be customer orientated, others almost seem reluctant to have to deal with tourists/applicants, let alone being concerned about service... From what I've read hear the Spanish are not the most friendliest, the French neither. The Dutch and Germans seem more welcome. The Belgians and Swedes have the highest percentage of visa declinations (a proper application should pass but visa are judges on their own merits and some embassies may be more or less reluctant -more or less relaxed- when with comes to interpreting an application then an other embassy).

Does anyone have a view on the Italian embassy? I am from the UK, I assume we cannot use the wife of EU citizen given that UK is not Schengen?

Thanks in advance!

Edited October 13, 2014 by theoldgit
Question removed from quotes and font changed.

[theoldgit]

My partner has used booking.com bookings successfully when applying for Schengen Visas for visits to Italy, France and The Netherlands.

The fact that the UK isn't part of Schengen is irrelevant, the free movement of EU Nationals and their spouses is not part of the Schengen Agreement and actually takes precedence, so yes the spouse of a UK Citizen should be able to travel to another member state either without a visa or at least with a visa being issued free.

My partner applied for a Schengen Visa via the Italian Consulate last year, actually she went to VFS, and there were no problems.

[Donutz]

The one or two embassies that do have a problem (also depends on the country the embassy is located in) state so on their website. But as I say it's nonsense. I can't recall with embassy in Thailand had an issue with it (Spain??). But if you as an EU national travel with your spouse to an other EU/EEA member they shouldn't be asking for bookings, it is no requirement for visas issued under the EU Freedom of Movement directive.