Do I need to transfer money to Thai girlfriend for Schengen visa?
Dear editors,
I met a Thai girl online, and after several months of contact, I went on holiday in Thailand to meet her. This went well. Now we want to spend 3 months together in the Netherlands on the basis of a tourist visa (Schengen visa). Partly thanks to this website, a lot is clear to me about that. However, the following is not clear to me (even with Google).
She currently has virtually no money (only for day to day food) and no job (worked at her mother's restaurant until 2 months ago, but not anymore). She indicates that this is a problem, because when applying for a visa, the Thai government will think that she is going to flee to seek her happiness elsewhere. However, if she has around 2.000 euros (in Baht) in her account and can prove it, the Thai government will know she has something to come back to and issue a visa more quickly.
However, I can't find anything about this on the internet. I find this striking, because I have a lot of confidence in her, and during the 4 months that I have known her, she has never asked for money, and during our time together she always insisted on staying and eating cheaply and not receiving gifts ie, no signs of a golddigger.
Do you know anything about the fact that the Thai government gives problems with visa issuance if the Thai in question has no demonstrable money of his own?
Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Tom
Dear Tom,
There is probably a little misunderstanding here. If a Thai foreigner wants to come to the Netherlands for a short stay, the Dutch government checks whether all requirements are met, including a risk check for the risk of settlement (overstay, illegal stay). At that point, the Dutch government checks whether the foreign national has, for example, a job to return to, a minor or elderly family member who needs care, possession of real estate (house, land) and so on. If there are few or no reasons to return in time, the chance of a rejection increases.
Separately, a foreign national must also prove that the intended trip is affordable, i.e. by showing that there is enough money in the bank (with no strange transactions raising eyebrows, there should be no doubt that the money in the bank is the property belonging to the foreigner and not a loan or the like). Of course, as a sponsor, you can also act as a sponsor by providing a financial guarantee, so you don't have to have your own money in the account. But I do think that the misunderstanding has arisen here: without a guarantor, someone must indeed show money, for the Netherlands that is 34 euros per day, so you will end up with 90 euros for a stay of 3060 days. Quite a lot of money for many Thai. But this is separate from the risk of establishing a business and not having a job.
More about this can be found in the Schengen dossier pages 12, 16 and 18: https://www.thailandblog.nl/wp-content/uploads/Schengenvisum-dossier-sept-2017.pdf
With some preparation, this is all doable. Must be fine. And don't worry too much about your girlfriend, follow your heart and don't let the horror stories about gold diggers drive you crazy. Do what feels right and if you are concerned about something, discuss it. Your sweetheart will understand that this is a serious amount so that you don't just give it away like it's nothing. Moreover, you have to be careful that the government does not see this as a strange transaction, consider spreading such an amount over a longer period of time or that it has been in its bank for a long time so that there can be no doubt that the money has really become its property and no loan. Or opt for a guarantee if it doesn't feel right to transfer such large amounts.
Success!
Rob V