I'm moving - need advice for Thai GF Visa

[Marcoose]

Hi all,

Im thinking of moving to Spain and was looking for some advice on how to maximise the time me and the gf can spend together. Though we have been together for 4+ years, I'm not ready to commit to marriage.

As far as I'm aware the longest term visa she can get is 3 months for Spain and 3 months for UK (where I'm from). Would I be right in thinking that if she got a szechuan visa and one for the UK, they would both begin at the same time, or would she be able to do 3 months in europe, and then 3 in the UK?

I'm sick of Thailand but not sick of her - other than marriage, what is the best way to spend as much time with her in UK/Europe?

[7by7]

If you have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage in Thailand and can prove it, then she may be able to live with you in Spain as your unmarried partner.

Each EEA country has it's own definition of unmarried partner, and I am not sure how long you need to have been living together for Spain to consider you such, for the UK it's at least two years, so suggest you contact the Spanish embassy.

If she does qualify as your unmarried partner then all visas under the EEA regulations will be free; including Spanish residency. If she is living with you in Spain as a qualified family member, she can also use the EEA regulations to visit the UK with you without a UK visa, instead obtaining a free EEA family permit.

Otherwise she will need to apply for a Schengen (not szechuan; spell checker playing up?) visa for Spain as a standard visitor; see Schengen Visa, FAQ when applying from Thailand, and, as the UK is not part of he Schengen area, a UK visit visa to visit the UK; see UK visit visa basics (this topic needs some updating, but the basics are still valid).

These visas can run concurrently or consecutively; up to you. But as both embassies will hold onto her passport while processing the application she will have to apply first for one and then the other.

A Schengen visa is usually valid for 90 days in the Schengen area and is multi entry. A UK visit visa is valid for 6 months and is also multi entry. So while each visa remains valid she can use it to enter and leave the relevant country as often as she wishes.

Her UK visa will start on the day it is issued, but she can ask for the start date to be post dated for up to three months.

Not sure about the Spanish one; so you should check.

Whilst there is no specific rule, a UK visitor cannot usually spend more than 6 months out of any 12 in the UK. I do not know for sure, but suspect there is a similar rule for Schengen visas.

Edited May 30, 2015 by 7by7

[Marcoose]

Great post - thanks!

I'm sure I'll be updating this thread as I think of questions.

[abrahamzvi]

If you have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage in Thailand and can prove it, then she may be able to live with you in Spain as your unmarried partner.

Each EEA country has it's own definition of unmarried partner, and I am not sure how long you need to have been living together for Spain to consider you such, for the UK it's at least two years, so suggest you contact the Spanish embassy.

If she does qualify as your unmarried partner then all visas under the EEA regulations will be free; including Spanish residency. If she is living with you in Spain as a qualified family member, she can also use the EEA regulations to visit the UK with you without a UK visa, instead obtaining a free EEA family permit.

Otherwise she will need to apply for a Schengen (not szechuan; spell checker playing up?) visa for Spain as a standard visitor; see Schengen Visa, FAQ when applying from Thailand, and, as the UK is not part of he Schengen area, a UK visit visa to visit the UK; see UK visit visa basics (this topic needs some updating, but the basics are still valid).

These visas can run concurrently or consecutively; up to you. But as both embassies will hold onto her passport while processing the application she will have to apply first for one and then the other.

A Schengen visa is usually valid for 90 days in the Schengen area and is multi entry. A UK visit visa is valid for 6 months and is also multi entry. So while each visa remains valid she can use it to enter and leave the relevant country as often as she wishes.

Her UK visa will start on the day it is issued, but she can ask for the start date to be post dated for up to three months.

Not sure about the Spanish one; so you should check.

Whilst there is no specific rule, a UK visitor cannot usually spend more than 6 months out of any 12 in the UK. I do not know for sure, but suspect there is a similar rule for Schengen visas.

[abrahamzvi]

If you have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage in Thailand and can prove it, then she may be able to live with you in Spain as your unmarried partner.

Each EEA country has it's own definition of unmarried partner, and I am not sure how long you need to have been living together for Spain to consider you such, for the UK it's at least two years, so suggest you contact the Spanish embassy.

If she does qualify as your unmarried partner then all visas under the EEA regulations will be free; including Spanish residency. If she is living with you in Spain as a qualified family member, she can also use the EEA regulations to visit the UK with you without a UK visa, instead obtaining a free EEA family permit.

Otherwise she will need to apply for a Schengen (not szechuan; spell checker playing up?) visa for Spain as a standard visitor; see Schengen Visa, FAQ when applying from Thailand, and, as the UK is not part of he Schengen area, a UK visit visa to visit the UK; see UK visit visa basics (this topic needs some updating, but the basics are still valid).

These visas can run concurrently or consecutively; up to you. But as both embassies will hold onto her passport while processing the application she will have to apply first for one and then the other.

A Schengen visa is usually valid for 90 days in the Schengen area and is multi entry. A UK visit visa is valid for 6 months and is also multi entry. So while each visa remains valid she can use it to enter and leave the relevant country as often as she wishes.

Her UK visa will start on the day it is issued, but she can ask for the start date to be post dated for up to three months.

Not sure about the Spanish one; so you should check.

Whilst there is no specific rule, a UK visitor cannot usually spend more than 6 months out of any 12 in the UK. I do not know for sure, but suspect there is a similar rule for Schengen visas.

One thing I have to correct is that even if the Thai GF is accepted as a family member in Spain and is granted a residence permit there, she will still require a EEA dependent visa to enter the UK, such visa being free of charge and is valid for 6 months. My wife is a permanent resident of an EU country and has been one for the last 24 years (in my country no dual citizenship is permitted and therefore, not willing to renounce her Thai citizenship, she carries only a Thai Passport) and she still is required to have EEA dependent visa to enter the UK.

[hocuspocus]

If you have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage in Thailand and can prove it, then she may be able to live with you in Spain as your unmarried partner.

Each EEA country has it's own definition of unmarried partner, and I am not sure how long you need to have been living together for Spain to consider you such, for the UK it's at least two years, so suggest you contact the Spanish embassy.

If she does qualify as your unmarried partner then all visas under the EEA regulations will be free; including Spanish residency. If she is living with you in Spain as a qualified family member, she can also use the EEA regulations to visit the UK with you without a UK visa, instead obtaining a free EEA family permit.

Otherwise she will need to apply for a Schengen (not szechuan; spell checker playing up?) visa for Spain as a standard visitor; see Schengen Visa, FAQ when applying from Thailand, and, as the UK is not part of he Schengen area, a UK visit visa to visit the UK; see UK visit visa basics (this topic needs some updating, but the basics are still valid).

These visas can run concurrently or consecutively; up to you. But as both embassies will hold onto her passport while processing the application she will have to apply first for one and then the other.

A Schengen visa is usually valid for 90 days in the Schengen area and is multi entry. A UK visit visa is valid for 6 months and is also multi entry. So while each visa remains valid she can use it to enter and leave the relevant country as often as she wishes.

Her UK visa will start on the day it is issued, but she can ask for the start date to be post dated for up to three months.

Not sure about the Spanish one; so you should check.

Whilst there is no specific rule, a UK visitor cannot usually spend more than 6 months out of any 12 in the UK. I do not know for sure, but suspect there is a similar rule for Schengen visas.

This topic could be of interest to me as I want to take my Thai wife for a trip to my home country of the UK next year. As well as the UK trip I want to visit friends in Greece with my Thai wife. By the time we visit the UK next year we will have been married for at least 18 months but we will have been together for three and a half years. We previously visited the UK before we were married 18 months ago so by the time we visit the UK next year we will have documented proof that we have been together for more than two and a half years. My question is if we apply for a Greek visa for my Thai wife we we be able to visit the UK without a separate UK visa for my wife. Or can it be done the other way around by getting the UK visa and then travelling to Greece without a visa for my wife.

[shaurene]

Hi Mate

I had the same plans. The UK does not recognise the Shchengen visa. We went to the Spain visa place in Bangkok. You can get in touch with them. Go onto google, Visa Spain the give you all the info. If Spain issue you it you must fly into Spain and you must show flight tickets. The floor below the visa office has a travel agents they will issue you with ticket document, you do not have to pay, only around 200baht for their service. You must also show your accomodation bookings in Spain. Book with "Booking. Com" on line you can always cancel it later. You must show bank statements showing enough funds to last you the time.

If you decide you want to live in Spain you can apply for residence for your G/F through a lawyer is best when there.

The visa place is very helpfull there is an email address on the site, they respond very quick. We where going to the Valencia area, Javea, very nice lot of expats live there.

Best of luck.

You can apply for UK visa at the Madrid UK visa office. Hope all this helps.

[7by7]

One thing I have to correct is that even if the Thai GF is accepted as a family member in Spain and is granted a residence permit there, she will still require a EEA dependent visa to enter the UK, such visa being free of charge and is valid for 6 months. My wife is a permanent resident of an EU country and has been one for the last 24 years (in my country no dual citizenship is permitted and therefore, not willing to renounce her Thai citizenship, she carries only a Thai Passport) and she still is required to have EEA dependent visa to enter the UK.

I know, and said so in the first part of my post.

You can apply for UK visa at the Madrid UK visa office. Hope all this helps.

Only if the applicant is a resident in Spain; unless they are a qualifying family member of an EEA national.

Otherwise they have to apply in their country of residence; e.g. Thailand.

[7by7]

Hocuspocus,

As the UK is not a member of the Schengen area a UK visa is not valid for any Schengen state and a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.

Your wife will need both a Schengen visa and a UK visa if she wants to visit Greece and the UK.

As you are British she will have to pay for the UK visa, but the Schengen one, which you should obtain from the Greek embassy, will be free.

It would be the other way round were you Greek.

[gchurch259]

I wish you luck, my problem is you are not considering the long term needs of this Lady, only your immediate needs. Less say you live with her 8 to 10 years of her prime years and either die or kick her out, now she is stuck in some foreign country and becomes unable to find another she will have a problem.

But, That is your business, just a though.

[beano2274]

If you have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage in Thailand and can prove it, then she may be able to live with you in Spain as your unmarried partner.

Each EEA country has it's own definition of unmarried partner, and I am not sure how long you need to have been living together for Spain to consider you such, for the UK it's at least two years, so suggest you contact the Spanish embassy.

If she does qualify as your unmarried partner then all visas under the EEA regulations will be free; including Spanish residency. If she is living with you in Spain as a qualified family member, she can also use the EEA regulations to visit the UK with you without a UK visa, instead obtaining a free EEA family permit.

Otherwise she will need to apply for a Schengen (not szechuan; spell checker playing up?) visa for Spain as a standard visitor; see Schengen Visa, FAQ when applying from Thailand, and, as the UK is not part of he Schengen area, a UK visit visa to visit the UK; see UK visit visa basics (this topic needs some updating, but the basics are still valid).

These visas can run concurrently or consecutively; up to you. But as both embassies will hold onto her passport while processing the application she will have to apply first for one and then the other.

A Schengen visa is usually valid for 90 days in the Schengen area and is multi entry. A UK visit visa is valid for 6 months and is also multi entry. So while each visa remains valid she can use it to enter and leave the relevant country as often as she wishes.

Her UK visa will start on the day it is issued, but she can ask for the start date to be post dated for up to three months.

Not sure about the Spanish one; so you should check.

Whilst there is no specific rule, a UK visitor cannot usually spend more than 6 months out of any 12 in the UK. I do not know for sure, but suspect there is a similar rule for Schengen visas.

One thing I have to correct is that even if the Thai GF is accepted as a family member in Spain and is granted a residence permit there, she will still require a EEA dependent visa to enter the UK, such visa being free of charge and is valid for 6 months. My wife is a permanent resident of an EU country and has been one for the last 24 years (in my country no dual citizenship is permitted and therefore, not willing to renounce her Thai citizenship, she carries only a Thai Passport) and she still is required to have EEA dependent visa to enter the UK.

Only two residence permits from European Countries are acceptable to enter the UK without a visa, these being Germany and Estonia, for all others a visa is still required.

[hocuspocus]

Hocuspocus,

As the UK is not a member of the Schengen area a UK visa is not valid for any Schengen state and a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.

Your wife will need both a Schengen visa and a UK visa if she wants to visit Greece and the UK.

As you are British she will have to pay for the UK visa, but the Schengen one, which you should obtain from the Greek embassy, will be free.

It would be the other way round were you Greek.

Thanks for that but can you tell me does my wife have to get the UK visa first and then get the Schengen visa free or is the Schengen visa free regardless of weather or not she applies for the UK visa first. Regards

[beano2274]

Does not matter which one she gets first

[7by7]

Plus, as you are an EEA national a Schengen visa for your wife will always be free; provided she is travelling with or to join you.

Unless she is applying to enter the country of which you are a citizen; in which case she will have to pay their fee.