Issuing Schengen visas in Thailand under scrutiny (2016)
Every spring, EU Home Affairs, the Home Affairs department of the European Commission, publishes the latest figures on Schengen visas. In this article I take a closer look at the application for Schengen visas in Thailand and I try to provide insight into the statistics surrounding the issuance of visas to see if there are any striking figures or trends.
An extensive analysis of the figures is available as a PDF attachment: Schengen Visas Thailand 2016.pdf
What is the Schengen Area?
The Schengen area is a cooperation of 26 European member states that have a common visa policy. The Member States are therefore bound by the same visa rules, which are laid down in the common Visa Code: EU Regulation 810/2009/EC. This enables travelers to move within the entire Schengen area without mutual border controls, visa holders only need one visa - the Schengen visa - to cross the external border of the Schengen area. More information about the regulations can be found in the Schengen Visa Dossier: www.thailandblog.nl/dossier/schengenvisum/dossier-schengenvisum/
How many Thai came here in 2016?
Exactly how many Thai people came to the Netherlands, Belgium or one of the other member states cannot be said with certainty. Data is only available on the application and issue of Schengen visas, but it is not known exactly how many Thais crossed the Schengen border. It should also be noted that not only Thais can apply for a Schengen visa in Thailand: a Cambodian who has the right of residence in Thailand can also apply for a visa from Thailand. Thais will also apply for a visa from elsewhere in the world, for example those who live in the United Kingdom. The figures I mention are actually purely production figures of the paperwork that the posts (embassies and consulates) move in Thailand. Nevertheless, they give a good impression of the state of affairs.
Are the Netherlands and Belgium a popular destination for Thais?
In 2016, 10.756 visas were issued by the Netherlands for 11.389 applications. Belgium issued 4.143 visas for 4.653 applications. By way of comparison: in 2015, the Netherlands issued 10.550 visas for 10.938 applications. Belgium then issued 5.602 visas for 6.098 applications.
In total, almost 2016 thousand visas were applied for in Thailand in 279 from the Schengen member states and more than 268 thousand visas were issued. As in previous years, Germany and France were the most popular destinations. In 2016, it processed approximately 54,8 thousand and 44,8 thousand applications respectively. Switzerland and Italy have swapped places and take third and fourth place. Germany (19,7%), France (16,1%) and Switzerland (12,4%) together received half of all Schengen visa applications in Thailand.
The Netherlands only received 4,1% of all applications, which is tenth in popularity. Belgium received 1,7% of all applications and ranked thirteenth. But do not forget that the visa is applied for at the country that is the main goal, a Thai with a visa issued by Germany (main goal) can of course also visit the Netherlands or Belgium for a short time, but this cannot be analyzed from the figures.
Were those Thai travelers mainly tourists or were they visiting a partner here?
The EU does not keep exact figures for each destination, so this cannot be determined exactly. The Netherlands could, however, give an estimate/rule of thumb regarding the travel purpose of Thai: about 40% is tourism, about 30% for visiting family or friends, 20% for business visits and 10% for other travel purposes. Belgium indicated that for them the distribution was 36% tourism, 26% visits to friends, 17% family visits, 11% business and 10% other.
Are the Netherlands and Belgium strict?
Many of the Schengen embassies operating in Thailand refuse between 1 and 4 percent of applications. The Dutch embassy refused 4% of applications last year. That is not a bad figure, but higher than the previous two years: 3,2% rejections in 2015 and 1% rejections in 2014.
The Belgian embassy rejected 10% of the applications. Significantly more than most other Schengen embassies. If there were a trophy for most rejections, Belgium would take silver with its second place. Only Sweden rejected even more: 11,5%. In 2015, Belgium rejected 7,6% of applications.
Both countries indicate that they check the completeness of applications more strictly and have therefore become less lenient in the absence of supporting documents. Instead of a recovery option, there is now a rejection. It is therefore extremely important that one obtains proper and complete information so that the application meets all requirements and is also complete. Good preparation is half the job!
However, this does not explain the large difference in rejections between the Netherlands and Belgium. It is obvious that different risk assessments are made for a specific travel purpose (tourism, visiting friends/family, business, etc.): For example, the risk of tourists (on an organized tour) is generally estimated to be lower than visiting family: the latter might not return to return to Thailand. Such a suspicion results in a rejection on the basis of “danger of establishment”. However, the distribution of the travel destinations for the Netherlands and Belgium does not differ very much. The Belgians therefore seem to estimate the risks higher and are therefore significantly stricter in that respect than most other Schengen Member States.
You can also see this difference in other areas: last year, the Netherlands again issued a relatively large number of multiple entry visas (MEV), with which an applicant can enter the Schengen area several times. As a result, an applicant has to apply for a new visa less often, which is great for both the applicant and the embassy. Since the introduction of the back office system, whereby Dutch visas are processed in Kuala Lumpur, almost 100% of all visas are MEVs. The RSO back office implements this liberal visa policy throughout the region (including the Philippines and Indonesia): many of the visas are MEVs and the number of rejections in the region was a few percent last year. Belgium did not issue nearly as many MEVs, only 20% compared to over 60% in 2015, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no explanation for this.
Are many Thai people still refused at the border?
Not or hardly, according to Eurostat data. This statistical office of the EU collected figures, rounded to 5, about refusals at the border. According to these figures, only about 2016 Thai people were refused entry at the border in the Netherlands in 10, comparable to the number of refusals in previous years. In Belgium, according to the rounded figures, no Thai has been refused at the border for years. Thai refusal at the border is therefore a rarity. In addition, I must give the tip that travelers prepare well: bring all the necessary supporting documents so that they can demonstrate that they meet the visa requirements when asked by the border guards. I advise the sponsor to wait for the Thai visitor at the airport so that they can also be reached by the border guard if necessary. In case of refusal, it is best not to have yourself sent back immediately, but to consult a (on-call) lawyer, for example.
Conclusion
The general trends seem to continue, each year the number of visa applications from Thailand is increasing and the number of rejections is still declining overall. The Netherlands and Belgium did show a small increase in the number of rejections, but these figures are not shocking. However, the decrease in the number of Thais to Belgium is greater than I expected, if - as the Belgian ministry stated - this is really due to the attacks, it will fortunately pick up again. It is also a pity that Belgium is no longer generous with the issue of MEV.
The vast majority of Thai applicants get their visa, and that gives a positive feeling. The bona fide traveler must pay more attention than before to whether the application is completely complete, so it is very important to follow the instructions that the embassies leave carefully. You can, however, criticize the Netherlands that the information is/was fragmented across various websites such as the embassy site, VFS site, central government and IND. It is hoped that with further development of the new site (www.netherlandsandyou.nl) all necessary information and forms can be found at a single address. Good preparation helps of course, for example with the help of the Schengen visa file on Thailand Blog.
Sources and backgrounds
– Schengen visa statistics: ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/visa-policy/index_en.htm#stats
– Schengen Visa Code: eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32009R0810
– Refusal at the border: ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-datasets/-/migr_eirfs
- www.thailandblog.nl/visum-short-stay/afgifte-schengenvisums-thailand-loep-2015/
– Contact with the Dutch, Belgian and Swedish authorities (via the embassies and RSO). Thanks!
About this blogger
-
Regular visitor to Thailand since 2008. Works in the accounting department of a Dutch wholesaler.
In his spare time he likes to go cycling, walking or reading a book. Mainly non-fiction, especially the history, politics, economy and society of the Netherlands, Thailand and countries in the region. Likes to listen to heavy metal and other noise
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Clearly the visas for thai are scrutinized and on top of that all thai and asian women are assumed to be prostitutes (whether you are 20 or 46 it doesn't matter) ad nauseam, the tens of thousands of others of other nationalities that the crossing the border without papers are welcomed with open arms without many questions, receive an allowance, health insurance and housing. The Thai tourist is exposed from bank accounts to land titles, company documents, etc., etc. I call this a violation of privacy because even those who pay for the trip must present all this, even as a good Schengen citizen who has paid taxes in their own country for years. Since the Belgian embassy no longer gives financial statements, only to be obtained when you are domiciled in Belgium through the municipality, so every Belgian is not equal before the law!!
It's getting so ridiculous that I'm looking for countries where the classic package of documents is sufficient.
Even for the US who are born paranoid, my partner got a 10 year multiple entry visa in 10 minutes, flipped through passports with a lot of stamps and immediately granted. The old passports themselves with old schengen visas do not interest vfs, but a week later the embassy wants them??? Understand who wants to or can understand….
I'm not surprised that Belgium is still in the leading group when it comes to rejecting visas.
When I visit the embassy website : http://thailand.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/travel-to-belgium/visa
then I get the very strong impression that people prefer not to deal with direct applications.
I will be submitting a visa application in September to allow my Thai friend to come to Belgium for 3 weeks and would like to follow the path that gives the best chance of success.
Does anyone know if there are more rejections when applying for a visa directly at the Belgian embassy, after appointment of course, or at VFSglobal?
Thanks in advance,
Josh.
VFS only passes the papers on to the Belgian officials (assessors). Fortunately, VFS is not allowed to review applications. They compare the papers with the embassy's checklist and can report that something is missing or superfluous in their opinion. But that too is only advice, you can ignore that and insist that they take the application and forward it to the embassy.
So whether you hand it over to VFS or the embassy, the papers will end up with the same official. It makes no difference.
It is better to visit Belgium via another schengen country.
Anything one can reject WILL and reject. That is known in Thailand.
Sad..
According to the rules, one is obliged to apply for the visa at the consulate that is the main purpose of the trip. If there is no clear main purpose, for example because you want to go on holiday for 5 days in the Netherlands, 5 days in Germany and 5 days in Belgium, the visa must be applied for at the country of first entry.
Belgium is notorious for being strict, on blogs and forums like this you sometimes read that a Belgian with a relationship of say a year is told that the relationship should first be developed further (outside Europe). Sometimes a shorter stay can help by coming here for a few weeks instead of a few months. But I also understand very well those who think “I want to see if my tarak can settle in Europe at all, so let her explore things here before the relationship gets really intense. And if she can't get leave for more than five days, she might as well come for 90 days instead of 30. If she gets homesick, we'll just book an early trip back to Thailand”.
If a bona fide traveler thinks that the Belgians will arrive with 'No' after all, the only legal option is to go on holiday together elsewhere in Europe. A trip to Belgium is allowed, but you can't spend most of your time there. Of course you have to be careful that the other embassy thinks you are shopping for visas and knocks on the door of that embassy in the hope that they will give you a visa, but that this country is not really your main destination. In short: whatever you do, be sincere and don't lie because then you can get the lid on your nose.
I still have an email with further questions open to the Swedes about the number of applications for seasonal work and what the number of rejections is about when you look at seasonal work, holidays, etc. It could very well be that if we correct the figures from the Swedes by not counting requests for seasonal work, then the Belgians are in the highest position with rejections. This summer I will check with the Swedish embassy again, they don't have time to answer my additional questions right now. If anything interesting comes out, I'll report it.
Recently my girlfriend applied for a visa at the Dutch embassy in Bkk, her application was accepted but not for our son (baby) because he was not present in person. Next day to VFS and the application for our son could be submitted there? Ultimately, the papers you hand in to VFS will be returned directly to the NL embassy. Very strange way of doing business, a bit like bullying!
That sure is annoying! I would say send an email to the embassy (banca @ minbuza . nl ) in which you indicate that you are disappointed / surprised that you failed at the counter and were able to submit the application to VFS without the baby (what age?) was present. It goes without saying that whether you choose counter A (embassy) or B (VFS), there is no difference: you submit your belongings according to the rules, the counter employee forwards the file to the back office (RSO in Kuala lumpur).
I am a Belgian with a permanent residence in Spain, I wonder how strict the Spanish embassy is, I also have to mention that my girlfriend is still married to an Australian.
Marcel, the Spanish Embassy does not reject so many applications: 1,5% last year as you can see in the more extensive PDF. However, they are known for asking for more than strictly necessary according to EU rules. Pragmatic approach is best: follow their instructions carefully if it doesn't run too much. If you then write an accompanying letter on an A4 sheet explaining why he invites her and that she will return in time, it will probably work out. Of course I wouldn't mention the Australian for a short stay of your girlfriend, that's irrelevant for such a holiday. If you still receive a rejection despite closely following the requirements, you can start thinking about objection (via a lawyer) or a new application later.
The Schengen file focuses on NL and BE, but you can also use the main points and tips for Spain. The basis is the same for all member states, the emphasis differs somewhat in implementation per member state.
You can always complain to, for example, the EU ombudsman Solvit and the European Commission ( JUST-CITIZENSHIP {at} ec.europa.eu ).