Would you like your Thai wife, girlfriend or family member to visit you in Europe? A Schengen visa application needs more than a travel booking and a bank statement. The destination country, purpose of the visit, applicant’s circumstances and sponsor’s documents all need to fit together.
Thai Visa Express helps clients in Thailand prepare clear, organised applications for short visits to the Schengen Area. We can review the proposed trip, identify the appropriate embassy process and help you prepare the supporting evidence before the applicant attends the required appointment.
Planning a European trip together?
Tell our Pattaya team which country you are visiting, your intended dates and who will pay for the trip. We’ll explain how we can help with the application.
Who is this service for?
We can discuss short-stay applications for Thai citizens travelling for purposes such as:
- a holiday in one or more Schengen countries;
- visiting a husband, wife, partner or family member;
- attending a family occasion; or
- a permitted short business visit.
If your partner intends to move to another country to live, a short-stay Schengen visa may not be the correct route. Family residence and national long-stay visas depend on the destination country and the sponsor’s nationality and residence status. Tell us your actual plans at the outset so we can identify when country-specific advice is needed.
How Thai Visa Express can help
Depending on your destination and circumstances, our assistance can include:
- reviewing the trip purpose and travel itinerary;
- identifying the country responsible for considering the application;
- checking the current embassy or authorised visa centre instructions;
- helping organise the application form and supporting documents;
- reviewing financial and sponsorship evidence;
- helping prepare invitation and relationship documents where relevant; and
- checking the application for inconsistent dates or missing evidence before the appointment.
The applicant may need to attend in person to provide biometrics and submit documents through the relevant embassy, consulate or authorised visa centre. The destination country’s authorities make the visa decision.
Choosing the right Schengen country
If the trip involves more than one Schengen country, the application should generally go to the country that is the main destination. This may be the country where the applicant will spend the most time or where the principal purpose of the visit takes place. If there is no main destination and stays are equal, the country of first entry is generally responsible.
For a fuller explanation, read our step-by-step guide to applying for a Schengen visa from Thailand.
What documents might a Thai applicant need?
The exact list comes from the country handling the application. Common evidence includes a valid passport, application form, photograph, travel medical insurance, travel and accommodation plans, and proof of funds. The applicant may also need employment, business, study or family evidence explaining their situation in Thailand.
For a visit to a European partner or relative, the host may be asked for an invitation, evidence of their status and accommodation, relationship evidence, and proof of financial support if they are paying. Some countries have particular forms or formal sponsorship procedures, so follow the destination country’s checklist.
We review the whole story. A sponsor offering to pay can help explain how a trip is funded, but the application must also make sense in light of the visitor’s own circumstances and intended stay.
How long can a Thai citizen stay?
A short-stay Schengen visa is for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, subject to the permission actually granted. Check the visa’s validity dates, number of entries and permitted duration when the passport is returned. Ireland and the UK are outside the Schengen Area and have separate entry rules.
When should you begin?
Start before making expensive, non-refundable travel commitments. An application can generally be lodged up to six months before travel and should normally be lodged at least 15 calendar days before departure. Appointment availability adds to the time required.
The normal decision period is 15 days after an admissible application is lodged, but it can be extended to 45 days in some cases. No visa agency can guarantee an appointment date or a positive decision.
Speak to our Pattaya team
Send us the applicant’s nationality, destination country, travel dates, relationship to the host and a brief outline of employment and finances. We can tell you what assistance is appropriate for the proposed trip.
For general official information, see the European Commission’s Schengen visa guidance. Always check the embassy or visa centre for your destination’s current Thailand-specific requirements.
Thai Visa Express Thailand is an independent overseas visa consultancy. Applications are assessed and decided by the relevant national authorities. No visa outcome can be guaranteed.