Relocating with Thai wife to Europe.

[slushyguy8]

Hello, I am an expat from the UK, currently living in Thailand. I have a job offer to work in Greece for the next 4 months and then move with the company to Tenerife,Spain for the winter season. If I accept the job I will have to move very fast. I am engaged to be married to a Thai National. My question is, will it be okay for her to come with me, after 3 months when I have some proof of wages etc, or, will the fact that I will be moving in November to another Schengen country become an issue? I really want to do the right thing but finding this information online is very very difficult. Thanks in advance.

[ubonjoe]

Moved to the visas for other countries forum.

[bobrussell]

If you are married or can provide evidence that you have been living in a relationship akin to marriage, it is a matter of applying for a Schengen visa. for a spouse this should be free.

Start with:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/724180-schengen-visa-faq-when-applying-from-thailand/:

and ask questions!

I am no expert on Schengen but plenty on here are!

[thaiduncankk]

Is it a good idea ?

How long have you known her ?

[Donutz]

I am rather tired at the moment and had a few drinks, so I'll leave only a short reply for now:

You may wish to read the Schengen sticky topic.

And you may wish to read about freedom of movement (directive 2004/38):

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32004L0038&from=EN

The first 3 months your spouse would not need to apply fir residency. But if you do plan to move there again later you may wish to apply for residency for her anyway. If she will only spent a month or two in Greece there would be little point I imagen. Regardless, after you move to Tenerife, she'd apply for residency there.

The visa to Greece would be issued for free, ASAP and with minimal documentation. Your income would be completely irrelevant. Income (sufficient enough for you not to be an onreasonable burden to the state) would only come into play for stays over 3 months.

[awayego]

Is it a good idea ?

How long have you known her ?

"Wise men speak when they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."

(Plato)

[capriole]

In order to have your girlfriend visiting you in Greece she will need to apply for a schengen visa, if that is approved and assuming they give her a multiple entry with 6 months period validity, she can follow you to Spain with no issues as the visa is applicable for all schengen countries. As you are not married yet she will need a sponsor (that will have to be you) and they will do ask for hotel reservations, air tickets, bank statements, insurance etc.

To get all the details see the following websites :

http://www.mfa.gr/missionsabroad/en/thailand-en/visas

http://embassybangkok.com/greek/greek-embassy-in-bangkok/

Good luck

Edited June 18, 2016 by capriole

[gandalf12]

Congratulations, Greece is a great place to work, I spent 2 years there with my Thai wife. First get her a tourist visa from the Greek Consulate in Bangkok. Towards the end when you get married go to the Greek Embassy in London and explain to them what you want and thy will give you residence visa in her passport. Usually unless it has changed your wife will need to get a medical in Athens, not a big deal but like everything over there it takes time. With residency you will get a green residence card.

Many restaurants in Athens certainly, especially those used by tourists will give you discount on production of your residency card.

[7by7]

As you are British you are (until next Thursday at least!) also an EEA national.

This means that, among other freedom of movement rights, you can live and work in all other EEA member states.

Your qualifying non EEA national family members have the same rights; provided they are travelling with or to join you. As Donutz says above, obtaining the required entry clearance and subsequent residency card for them should be simple and free.

A wife is a qualifying family member.

A fiancée is not a qualifying family member. Unless you qualify as unmarried partners because you have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage for the required period up to the date of the application. This period is up to the member state concerned. For the UK it's at least 2 years, I don't know about Greece or Spain but doubt it will be shorter and could be longer.

I don't wish to push you into marriage before you are both ready; and certainly a couple should never marry just to get one of them a visa!

But if you do not marry then, unless your fiancée does qualify as your unmarried partner, she will have to meet all the requirements for a Schengen visa for Greece or Spain as a visitor, and I don't see how she could apply for residency in either unless she qualifies in her own right.

[tolsti]

Hello, I am an expat from the UK, currently living in Thailand. I have a job offer to work in Greece for the next 4 months and then move with the company to Tenerife,Spain for the winter season. If I accept the job I will have to move very fast. I am engaged to be married to a Thai National. My question is, will it be okay for her to come with me, after 3 months when I have some proof of wages etc, or, will the fact that I will be moving in November to another Schengen country become an issue? I really want to do the right thing but finding this information online is very very difficult. Thanks in advance.

Timeshare? Club Greece? OPC?