After the renewal of the procedure and the increase in costs at the Dutch embassy in Bangkok for the confirmation of the (Dutch) income to 2000 Baht, I decided to get the confirmation from the German embassy. This also coincided with the Schengen visa application for my wife.
I booked a hotel room near the embassy. Easy to reach from Sala Daeng within fifteen minutes. The embassy was a ten minute walk from the hotel and we completely passed it at first, because according to my GPS map the entrance was in a side street…so not.
It's a difference. Our embassy is nicely situated between the green, the German one on a busy road. Inside you had to have your belongings scanned just like at the airport, after which your phone and tablet were kept in a cubicle. Inside a large hall. We had an appointment at eight thirty for my wife and I to draw a number for the Rente Bescheinigung.
My wife also received a number for her application. I had to go along and was able to assist her with the interview – unlike the Dutch embassy.
All papers were in order, people were satisfied with our answers and the application was almost complete. My eyes only widened when I saw the bill. To pay was the sweet sum of 0 Baht. If you travel via a country other than your own, your family, wife, do not have to pay anything!
When I went to my counter for my income statement, my turn had just ended. But I was lucky that there was no one else there and I could still hand over my papers. Again a pleasant surprise here. Instead of 1700 Baht, I only had to pay 1484 Baht. And in total we only used an hour for all this.
We get the visa sent home for 130 Baht.
All in all, I am very happy to have made this decision. Of course I do have the advantage that I have a German income and that we fly to Düsseldorf via Frankfurt. From there we will continue by train to visit my parents in the Netherlands.
We are now back home between the pineapple fields, far away from Bangkok ... this is better!
Submitted by Jack S
Dear Jack,
First of all, it's nice that everything went so smoothly, such practical experiences are useful to readers. I do want to dot the i's and cross the t's:
A Schengen visa is free and with a minimum of papers if a European travels together with a family member (such as the husband or wife) that requires a visa. But only if a country other than your own EU country is the main destination. Entry via Germany is not sufficient according to the common regulations.
The minimum amount of paperwork means that you only need to prove that:
1. There is a valid family relationship with which you fall under these regulations (EU directive 2004/38 on freedom of movement). For example, a marriage certificate. The embassy may require that it be officially translated and may also require that the deed be legalized by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is to ensure that the applicant does not have fraudulent papers.
2. Legitimation of the EU national and the Thai so that it can be seen that the papers under point 1 concern the people who are applying.
3. An indication that they will travel together or that the Thai will join the EU for a short or long stay in Europe (other than in the country of which the European is a national). A (written) statement from an EU national should suffice, but many embassies are even happier with a flight reservation. They may not actually require a flight reservation or hotel booking, but you can make a flight reservation in a few minutes and often free of charge and if that makes the official happy…
The free, smooth and accelerated visa is discussed in my Schengen visa file (left menu) and should also be listed on the visa instruction pages of all EU/EEA member states. Also see:
http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/non-eu-family/index_nl.htm
Finally: there is no talk of a real interview. When handing in, you may ask a few questions for some extra clarification. Some people don't get a single question or only a single one. If an application immediately raises questions at the desk, you can expect more questions. A real interview can take place later if the official responsible sees this as necessary.
Thanks for the addition. So we also brought all the necessary papers and copies with us. Our marriage certificate, translated, stamped by our Dutch embassy and also legalized by the ministry of foreign affairs. A letter or hotel confirmation was also requested for an overnight stay in Germany. I would have taken care of that too. What we did do, but not necessary for the visa: travel insurance for my wife.
It was indeed not an extensive interview, this would have been the case if I had the German nationality.
We arrive in Düsseldorf via Frankfurt and leave in the same way. I have registered my main residence with my daughter in Düsseldorf. In between we will go to Kerkrade to visit my parents. So everything within the legal limits…I think so!
Another small addition: make sure that the marriage certificate is registered in The Hague. Against European rules or not, some embassies do not accept the translated and legalized marriage certificate, they want proof that the marriage has been recognized in the Netherlands. The Spanish embassy is an example of this. Once registered in The Hague, it is easy to obtain a document for this.
The Spanish are indeed notorious for this. What they are asking for is against the rules and for some Europeans an impossible demand. For example, the British cannot obtain a declaration/recognition from the British authorities regarding a marriage concluded in Thailand. That should not be necessary at all because according to the rules (EU directive 2004/38) and the interpretation given therein, any legally valid marriage is sufficient as long as it is not a marriage of convenience.
In practice, therefore, Member States ask more than necessary, which can be something as simple as a flight reservation or hotel booking or travel insurance, but a single Member State also asks for recognition of the marriage by the Member State of the EU national. For example, by showing registration of the marriage in the Netherlands or a legalization of the Thai marriage certificate by the Dutch embassy.
Participating in this kind of nonsense as long as it doesn't go to waste is often the easiest thing to do. But you can of course also contact the EU ombudsman service Solvit (see the 'need more help?' buttons at the bottom of my link in my response above) and report your complaint to EU Home Affairs (European Ministry of the Interior) via:
JUST-CITIZENSHIP @ ec.europa.eu
Remove the spaces around the at sign.
If you continue the complaint via Solvit, Spain will usually give in and drop the claim. In Madrid they also know that they are actually wrong, but they still try to get away with this kind of thing as standard.
NB: if you live in the Netherlands, you are obliged to register your foreign marriage with your municipality. In addition, it is advisable (whether you live in the Netherlands or not) to register your marriage certificate with Landelijke Taken via the municipality of The Hague. They convert the deed into a Dutch deed. Then you can easily request a Dutch deed.
But a question;
As a Dutch resident and therefore with a Dutch passport, can you also obtain an income statement in Germany or another European country?
I'm curious, that will mean that there will finally be some much-needed competition.
Gerrit
That is already happening with the Austrian Consul in Pattaya.
He also draws up income statements for other nationalities.
That is allowed and is also accepted by immigration there.
Whether this is the case for all embassies/consulates and whether this is also accepted in all immigration offices is something else.
Question is then:
1. Will another embassy/consulate make this up?
Personally, I think that this should not be a problem, and certainly not as long as the necessary supporting documents can be submitted. This must be in a language that the relevant embassy/consulate understands, for example English.
You will have to inquire at the embassy/consulate of your preference whether they want to do this.
2. Does your local immigration office want to accept an income statement made in another embassy/consulate?
Personally, I think this shouldn't be a problem either. Embassies/consulates are official bodies after all.
But you will have to ask that question at your local immigration office.
Note: The Austrian Consul General in Pattaya CANNOT do this for the FIRST application for a so-called Annual Visa; for follow-up requests. Costs currently 1480 Baht. A statement from the Dutch embassy is required for the FIRST application.
How I feel about that first time I already let you know in a previous response, so I won't repeat it. In the meantime I still think about it as I did then .
Well, Sjaak, it seems that you were a bit cheaper than with the Ned. embassy but what are we actually talking about? Probably a few euros difference. How much did the hotel cost? How much did the trip to the embassy cost? Send the visa B.130
Transfer my application/declaration by post back and forth 2 x B 37 by EMS and € 50 by internet.
In total we not only saved 2300 Baht for the visa and 500 BAHT on my statement. However, the main reason was that I have a German income, with a payslip in German.
And because we exchanged via Germany, the visa requirements for my wife were lower. I didn't know it was free. But 2800 Baht is still a nice bonus.
In addition, as I wrote, it took us all together a little over an hour.
Besides, since I had it done at the German embassy for the first time, I had to appear in person.