Schengen visa for visit to France

[MarieCeleste]

I'd be grateful for any advice on this.....our son's girlfriend is from Thailand, but has a UK Resident's permit.

They want to come & stay with us in our house in Provence for a short holiday. Is there any way round the lengthy & expensive process of the Schengen Visa? Appointments to apply for one are booked up for weeks ahead (apparently by Travel Visa Agents), & you also have to give details of hotel bookings, etc BEFORE you get the visa. Obviously, making any booking before receiving the visa is risky, as the long delays might mean you don't get there in time!! Also, in our case, they will be staying with us, so we would happily take responsibility for her.

Does anyone out there have any experience of this, please?

[Sprogster]

Unfortunately, there is no way around this, as the UK is not part of the Schengen travel area and a UK residents permit does not entitle her to travel elsewhere within the EU, other than Ireland.

Also there is no guarantee she would get a visa, as they can be difficult to obtain, especially if you are young, single and from a country like Thailand which is seen as a high risk juridiction for illegal immigration, so would advise not to make any bookings until a visa is granted.

[Sprogster]

Just to add, that I know of a couple of South African professionals permanently resident in the Uk, that struggled to obtain Schengen visas to go on holiday to France, and they had to obtain supporting letters from their employers evidencing that they had full time jobs in the UK to return to.

Ironically, within Europe the UK is seen as a back door to illegal immigration, due to its perceived soft touch!

[PaulT]

[quote user="Sprogster"]Just to add, that I know of a couple of South African professionals permanently resident in the Uk, that struggled to obtain Schengen visas to go on holiday to France, and they had to obtain supporting letters from their employers evidencing that they had full time jobs in the UK to return to. Ironically, within Europe the UK is seen as a back door to illegal immigration, due to its perceived soft touch![/quote]

As Freud said 'perception is reality' but from past events is it not perception but fact?

Paul

[MarieCeleste]

Hello again! Just thought that I would let you know that the Schengen Visa has been obtained today, & they are on their way tomorrow. We had to provide an "Attestation d'Acceuil", which was complicated & expensive, even involving a visit from the Mayor to inspect our house (why??), but it was all worth it. Thank you for your comments.