Visa to Italy, Difficult?

[soidog2]

American married to Thai; would like to take her on vacation to Italy this summer; with a jump to another Schengen country, so I would need a multiple entry visa for my wife.

 

Does anyone have recent experience obtaining a visa to Italy ?

Any pointers? how do I show she is not traveling alone but together with two American citizens and that she has substantial assets here, not a chance in the world to overstay her visa?

 

Thank You

[theoldgit]

The process is pretty painless and thousands of successful applications are made every year.

Your wife should apply at the Consulate with jurisdiction for the Schengen Area State where she intends spending the longest time, if she's touring and spending an equal time in a number of countries then she should apply at the Consulate which has jurisdiction for the State where she enters the Schengen Area. 
The application process for Italy can be found here Italy/Thailand

Basically she must provide evidence of affordability, her travel in and out of the Schengen Area, travel and accommodation within the area and health cover, the visa will be issued to cover the duration of her stay, whilst a multiple entry visa isn't required for travel within the Schengen Area, it would be if she was intending to visit a non Schengen State and then return.

I'm not sure why she should show that she's not travelling alone, again many applicants do, but if you're travelling with her then there's no problem in her mentioning it, especially if you are a married couple living and travelling together.

[soidog2]

40 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

The process is pretty painless and thousands of successful applications are made every year.

Your wife should apply at the Consulate with jurisdiction for the Schengen Area State where she intends spending the longest time, if she's touring and spending an equal time in a number of countries then she should apply at the Consulate which has jurisdiction for the State where she enters the Schengen Area. 
The application process for Italy can be found here Italy/Thailand

Basically she must provide evidence of affordability, her travel in and out of the Schengen Area, travel and accommodation within the area and health cover, the visa will be issued to cover the duration of her stay, whilst a multiple entry visa isn't required for travel within the Schengen Area, it would be if she was intending to visit a non Schengen State and then return.

I'm not sure why she should show that she's not travelling alone, again many applicants do, but if you're travelling with her then there's no problem in her mentioning it, especially if you are a married couple living and travelling together.

Thank you, need multiple because we are also going to Romania, not yet full member.

[Donutz]

Be sure to clearly indicate about the trip to Romania and thus the need for a MEV. Id suggest to apply directly at the Italian embassy and skip the optional route of applying at VFS.

 

Info (somewhere on this page is a paragraph with a downloadable .doc file about how to bypass VFS): http://www.ambbangkok.esteri.it/ambasciata_bangkok/en/informazioni_e_servizi/visti/

 

More info can also be found in the Schengen sticky topic in this forum.

[soidog2]

21 hours ago, Donutz said:

Be sure to clearly indicate about the trip to Romania and thus the need for a MEV. Id suggest to apply directly at the Italian embassy and skip the optional route of applying at VFS.

 

Info (somewhere on this page is a paragraph with a downloadable .doc file about how to bypass VFS): http://www.ambbangkok.esteri.it/ambasciata_bangkok/en/informazioni_e_servizi/visti/

 

More info can also be found in the Schengen sticky topic in this forum.

Read other posts; that option is outdated, the phone number does not work and that Email is not monitored, true?

 

Thank you for taking your time to answer.

[Donutz]

The option should still excist as all Schengen embassies are required to give a direct access route (bypassing the external service provider such as VFS).  I cannot imagen that the Italian embassy disappeared of the face of the earth, perhaps their website is outdated but they should have some Phone number of e-mail to reach them on. I'd do move, mail them, and contact them by phone to see if the received the email. Any delay in answering is THEIR loss, if they take 1 week to anwer they only have 1 week left to give you an appointment (or at a later date if you desired a date later than 2 weeks).

 

Contact page (I would assume that you can in touch with an actual staffer at the embassy or at the very least get an appointment at the embassy without any sort of service fee ad ofcourse witin 2 weeks as the embassy is required to to by the Schengen visa rules):

----

Visa section: 27mo piano
Tel.: +66-2-250 4970
Fax: +66-250 4986
e-mail: [email protected]
Public hours:
Monday to Friday: 9:00 - 12:00 (submission of applications)
Monday to Friday: 14:30 - 15:30 (visa pick-up)
Thursday afternoon also from 14:00 to 16:00
 
Visa applications can be submitted only by appointment which can be reserved through the call center 1 900 222 344.

--------

 

If that department seems to be on a long siësta, I'd try an other point of entry, surely there is atleast 1 person around not sleeping or playing games:

 

----

Diplomatic Chancery: 40th floor
Tel.: +66-2-250 4970
Fax: +66-2-250 4985
e-mail: [email protected]
certified e-mail (PEC) [email protected]
Public hours: Monday - Friday: 9.00 -17.00

Consular section: 27th floor
Tel.: +66-2-250 4970
Fax: +66-2-250 4988
e-mail: [email protected]

---------

Source:  http://www.ambbangkok.esteri.it/ambasciata_bangkok/en/ambasciata/gli_uffici

 

For sake of having all information in one post, I'll also post the contents of the word document:

 

"Visa appointment can be also scheduled directly with the Visa Office of the Embassy by following these procedures."

-----

VISA OFFICE – ITALIAN EMBASSY IN BANGKOK

 

If you choose not to submit your application through the Italy Visa Application Centre, you can lodge it directly at the Visa Section of the Italian Embassy.

 

Appointments can be scheduled by calling the Call Center Tel +66 (0) 2 2639101. Applicants are required to indicate their general information (name, sex, d.o.b and Number of passport ), the type of visa requested and the prospective date of departure.

 

Applicants must appear in person at the counter with the required documentation for the type of visa you want to request

 

The Visa Office is open to the public on Monday –10:00 -12:00 Wednesday 14:00-16:00 – Friday 10:00-12:00.

 

It is recommended to set the appointment well in advance (at least 3 weeks) compared to the departure date and prestasbilita limited to the days and times established

 

The office may require a personal interview. In this case, applicants are asked to come up with 15 minutes before the time fixed. In case of impossibility 'to appear, will be necessary to set a new appointment

 

Each visa application must include all the required documents for the type of visa requested

 

Applicants can contact our Office by sending an e-mail to the following address: [email protected].

 

Passports can be picked up on the same days and hours above mentioned.

------

Source: http://www.ambbangkok.esteri.it/ambasciata_bangkok/en/informazioni_e_servizi/visti/

[soidog2]

37 minutes ago, Donutz said:

The option should still excist as all Schengen embassies are required to give a direct access route (bypassing the external service provider such as VFS).  I cannot imagen that the Italian embassy disappeared of the face of the earth, perhaps their website is outdated but they should have some Phone number of e-mail to reach them on. I'd do move, mail them, and contact them by phone to see if the received the email. Any delay in answering is THEIR loss, if they take 1 week to anwer they only have 1 week left to give you an appointment (or at a later date if you desired a date later than 2 weeks).

 

Contact page (I would assume that you can in touch with an actual staffer at the embassy or at the very least get an appointment at the embassy without any sort of service fee ad ofcourse witin 2 weeks as the embassy is required to to by the Schengen visa rules):

----

Visa section: 27mo piano
Tel.: +66-2-250 4970
Fax: +66-250 4986
e-mail: [email protected]
Public hours:
Monday to Friday: 9:00 - 12:00 (submission of applications)
Monday to Friday: 14:30 - 15:30 (visa pick-up)
Thursday afternoon also from 14:00 to 16:00
 
Visa applications can be submitted only by appointment which can be reserved through the call center 1 900 222 344.

--------

 

If that department seems to be on a long siësta, I'd try an other point of entry, surely there is atleast 1 person around not sleeping or playing games:

 

----

Diplomatic Chancery: 40th floor
Tel.: +66-2-250 4970
Fax: +66-2-250 4985
e-mail: [email protected]
certified e-mail (PEC) [email protected]
Public hours: Monday - Friday: 9.00 -17.00

Consular section: 27th floor
Tel.: +66-2-250 4970
Fax: +66-2-250 4988
e-mail: [email protected]

---------

Source:  http://www.ambbangkok.esteri.it/ambasciata_bangkok/en/ambasciata/gli_uffici

 

For sake of having all information in one post, I'll also post the contents of the word document:

 

"Visa appointment can be also scheduled directly with the Visa Office of the Embassy by following these procedures."

-----

VISA OFFICE – ITALIAN EMBASSY IN BANGKOK

 

If you choose not to submit your application through the Italy Visa Application Centre, you can lodge it directly at the Visa Section of the Italian Embassy.

 

Appointments can be scheduled by calling the Call Center Tel +66 (0) 2 2639101. Applicants are required to indicate their general information (name, sex, d.o.b and Number of passport ), the type of visa requested and the prospective date of departure.

 

Applicants must appear in person at the counter with the required documentation for the type of visa you want to request

 

The Visa Office is open to the public on Monday –10:00 -12:00 Wednesday 14:00-16:00 – Friday 10:00-12:00.

 

It is recommended to set the appointment well in advance (at least 3 weeks) compared to the departure date and prestasbilita limited to the days and times established

 

The office may require a personal interview. In this case, applicants are asked to come up with 15 minutes before the time fixed. In case of impossibility 'to appear, will be necessary to set a new appointment

 

Each visa application must include all the required documents for the type of visa requested

 

Applicants can contact our Office by sending an e-mail to the following address: [email protected].

 

Passports can be picked up on the same days and hours above mentioned.

------

Source: http://www.ambbangkok.esteri.it/ambasciata_bangkok/en/informazioni_e_servizi/visti/

Thanks once again, will do and report results.