Can a Thai citizen get a U.K or Schengen visa outside of Thailand?

[Sidsid]

Hey all,

 

My Thai wife's U.K and Schengen visa's have expired (I'm a U.K citizen). We are not in Thailand right now and I was wondering if it's possible to apply for either one from outside of Thailand? Anyone done this previously?

 

We are currently traveling in the middle east and would love to catch autumn in Europe/U.K if possible.

 

Thanks!

[theoldgit]

You can normally only apply for a Schengen, or indeed a UK, Visa in a country where the applicant is legally resident, not just visiting on holiday.

 

As with anything visa related there are sometimes exeptions made, but the usual answer is no. 

[puchooay]

Something I've often wondered.

 

If a Thai national is in UK on FLR or ILR, is it really the case that they need to travel to Thailand to get a visa to visit France( ie. A schengen visa).

 

Thanks

 

 

[uncleP]

My Thai wife got schengen visas in the UK with her Thai passport : French embassy.  Was a few years ago though.

[Tony M]

You can apply for a UK visit visa in any country, as long as you are there legally (as a visitor or any other category). You can only apply for a UK settlement visa if you are in your home country or if you are resident in another country.

[tomazbodner]

I had a case for a Thai who wanted to visit Croatia but was in Slovenia at the time. They told her to go back to Thailand to apply. Then again, she was just a tourist in Slovenia, not a resident there. So it would probably depend on what kind of arrangement she's in UK on.

[theoldgit]

2 hours ago, Tony M said:

You can apply for a UK visit visa in any country, as long as you are there legally (as a visitor or any other category). You can only apply for a UK settlement visa if you are in your home country or if you are resident in another country.

Tony, thanks for the clarification regarding the UK applications.

 

Though I’m not so sure that I’d be wanting to visit the UK this Autumn in the current climate.

[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, tomazbodner said:

I had a case for a Thai who wanted to visit Croatia but was in Slovenia at the time. They told her to go back to Thailand to apply. Then again, she was just a tourist in Slovenia, not a resident there. So it would probably depend on what kind of arrangement she's in UK on.

The op said they’re in the Middle East, not the UK.

[tomazbodner]

2 hours ago, theoldgit said:

The op said they’re in the Middle East, not the UK.

Apologies. Need glasses...

[Tony M]

14 hours ago, theoldgit said:

Tony, thanks for the clarification regarding the UK applications.

 

Though I’m not so sure that I’d be wanting to visit the UK this Autumn in the current climate.

This is from the Entry Clearance Guidance:
 

 Applications for short-term visas, EEA family permits, Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting), Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) and Global Talent

You can make applications for a visit visa, a short-term study visa, an EEA family permit, Tier 5 (Creative and Sporting), Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) and Global Talent entry clearance in any visa application centre, British diplomatic mission or consular post overseas where entry clearance applications are accepted.

You should be present legally in the country or territory you’re applying from.

[sandyf]

9 hours ago, andy said:

For Schengen, it's possible ONLY if they have some sort of residence status (any non-tourist visa) in the country.  One of the questions on the application form asks for this and you have to list the document number and date of expiry.

 

No idea about UK.

That is not true, you should read the Schengen handbook.

It is preferred that the applicant make the application in their home country but it can be allowed if the reason is time based and wasn't known before leaving the home country, for example a business meeting being called at short notice.

I have known successful applications in the UK by Thai nationals on visitor visa on the basis of taking advantage of last minute travel promotions.

[khunPer]

On 9/17/2020 at 7:25 AM, Sidsid said:

I was wondering if it's possible to apply for either one from outside of Thailand? Anyone done this previously?

If nothing has changed in the later years, then you can only apply from a country where you live/are resident.

 

I asked specific for UK, if my Thai girlfriend could apply from the Schengen country where I by that time was resident, but she had to apply in Bangkok before travelling to Europe.

[Kalasin Jo]

On 9/17/2020 at 9:11 AM, puchooay said:

Something I've often wondered.

 

If a Thai national is in UK on FLR or ILR, is it really the case that they need to travel to Thailand to get a visa to visit France( ie. A schengen visa).

 

Thanks

 

 

Normally you need to be legally resident in a non Schengen zone country to get a Schengen visa which need not be your country of nationality. But these are not normal times. Guess you'd need to ask an Embassy.

 For UK don't know, just it is not, has never been a Schengen country so has always had its own Immigration rules for non EU citizens and now for EU citizens too from the end of the year, as the EU/ Schengen countries will have for British citizens wanting to enter there.

[Tony M]

I think I'm living in a parallel universe

[alyx]

On 9/17/2020 at 11:24 PM, andy said:

For Schengen, it's possible ONLY if they have some sort of residence status (any non-tourist visa) in the country.  One of the questions on the application form asks for this and you have to list the document number and date of expiry.

 

No idea about UK.

I beg to differ:  when married to an EU member the spouse/partner is allowed to apply without returning to their country of residence, and UK is still part of EU if I am not mistaken.

OP: if your spouse had a UK visa then she had a Schengen visa as they are the same, up till now ????, unless she had a residence of some sort in UK.

Something else is confusing me even more: OP is asking if "either one" can apply for a UK/Schengen visa ( same same) from outside Thailand: why would you have to even consider applying ?...you are British, aren't you ?

That being said why  don't you, the OP, contact TLS directly and ask them, unless the embassy is dealing directly with the visas, in which case a quick email to the consular section will give you an accurate reply.

Apologies if I misread the OP's content.

Have a great week

[theoldgit]

5 hours ago, alyx said:

I beg to differ:  when married to an EU member the spouse/partner is allowed to apply without returning to their country of residence, and UK is still part of EU if I am not mistaken. Yes, you're mistaken, the UK left the EU in January, though it's now in a transitional period where the EU rules still apply for a further three months.

 

OP: if your spouse had a UK visa then she had a Schengen visa as they are the same, up till now ????, unless she had a residence of some sort in UK.That's also incorrect, UK and Schengen Visas are totally seperate. Whilst a spouse of a UK National can enter the EU, they still require a visa, unless they can present themselves at the Schengen Border, then they could be, in theory, admitted. 

 

Something else is confusing me even more: OP is asking if "either one" can apply for a UK/Schengen visa ( same same) from outside Thailand: why would you have to even consider applying ?...you are British, aren't you ? The OP has said he's British, his wife will still need a visa for the UK and/or Schengen, it's not "same same".

 

That being said why  don't you, the OP, contact TLS directly and ask them, unless the embassy is dealing directly with the visas, in which case a quick email to the consular section will give you an accurate reply. The OP is in the UAE, TLS don't operate there, British Consular staff don't deal with Visas and probably won't respond, the UKVI do, he could call the UKVI call centre in India for a fee, but they work to a script and won't advise on Schengen Visas. 

 

Apologies if I misread the OP's content. 

Have a great week

 

[alyx]

1 hour ago, theoldgit said:

 

 

1 hour ago, theoldgit said:

Yes, you're mistaken, the UK left the EU in January, though it's now in a transitional period where the EU rules still apply for a further three months.

Yes, sorry. I wrongly wrote my thoughts. I meant that rules have not changed for either citizen.

1 hour ago, theoldgit said:

That's also incorrect, UK and Schengen Visas are totally seperate. Whilst a spouse of a UK National can enter the EU, they still require a visa, unless they can present themselves at the Schengen Border, then they could be, in theory, admitted. 

Still today, holders of UK visa are still granted entry to EU space. In that respect, until the end of 2020, UK and visas granted by other state members entitIe the holder to their entry under the same conditions. I never wrote that the spouse does not need a visa: it is the same rule applying to all EU members when entering the space. What you are correctly mentioning is valid for every EU citizen's spouses/partner if the latter is non EU and not under a visa free. You are also correct when it comes to the admission: it is not guaranteed.

 

1 hour ago, theoldgit said:

The OP is in the UAE, TLS don't operate there, British Consular staff don't deal with Visas and probably won't respond, the UKVI do, he could call the UKVI call centre in India for a fee, but they work to a script and won't advise on Schengen Visas. 

I was referring to any consular section not the UK's in particular.

 

Still, that does not explain why the OP would need to apply for a visa to enter the Schengen space, today.  

[theoldgit]

2 hours ago, alyx said:

Still today, holders of UK visa are still granted entry to EU space. In that respect, until the end of 2020, UK and visas granted by other state members entitIe the holder to their entry under the same conditions. I never wrote that the spouse does not need a visa: it is the same rule applying to all EU members when entering the space. What you are correctly mentioning is valid for every EU citizen's spouses/partner if the latter is non EU and not under a visa free. You are also correct when it comes to the admission: it is not guaranteed. The fact remains that the spouse of a UK Citizen can still exercise their right of the Freedom of Movement Directive and they will need a visa to do that, unless they can present themselves at a Schengen Border and persuade the Border Offial that they wish to excercise that right  

 

I was referring to any consular section not the UK's in particular. Consular Staff do not advise on Immigration matters for other countries.

 

Still, that does not explain why the OP would need to apply for a visa to enter the Schengen space, today. Because the Schengen Member States require it.

 

[alyx]

34 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

 

34 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

Consular Staff do not advise on Immigration matters for other countries  I am confused: If you want to go to any state of EU space you have to apply to the country of first entry or where you spend the most time. So France or Denmark would be able to advise the OP if they intend to visit such countries

34 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

The fact remains that the spouse of a UK Citizen can still exercise their right of the Freedom of Movement Directive and they will need a visa to do that, unless they can present themselves at a Schengen Border and persuade the Border Offial that they wish to excercise that right  

That applies to any EU space 's citizen . And that is what I am saying 

 

34 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

Because the Schengen Member States require it.

Are you saying that as a British subject you must ask for a visa? ... that would really be news to me but, then again I am not from UK 

[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, alyx said:

 

That applies to any EU space 's citizen . And that is what I am saying - Sorry, I don't have a clue what you're talking about.

 

Are you saying that as a British subject you must ask for a visa? ... that would really be news to me but, then again I am not from UK No, I've not said that, the OP is British, he's asking about a visa for his wife to visit the UK and the Schengen Area (not space), she will require a visa for both. 

 

[alyx]

4 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

Sorry but I do not seem to be able to quote your post.

Nevertheless, what I am trying to explain is that: if one is French and their spouse is not from EU ( Schengen area) , then a visa must be asked for the partner. So UK sir not, the same rule applies 

 

Reading again I admit that I was confused by : « I was wondering if it's possible to apply for either one from outside of Thailand?« . I interpreted as either person whereas it is about the kind of visa