Schengen Visa Approved for Netherlands

[tjb30i]

GF just got Schengen visa approved for 30 days and flies out in 1 week. I heard they can still say no when she enters Amsterdam even though she has visa. What will the customs agent likely ask her and what should she bring to show them? I did financially sponsor her. This is what I think she should bring so far:

 

- Medical insurance (already purchased)

- Return tickets

- Bank book that shows she has 200,000 BAHT more than enough to cover the daily requirement. It will show it was just recently deposited though.

- 200 Euro's in cash. I could always get her to bring over 4,000 Euro's in cash instead of bank book but for safety reasons I would prefer to show money in bank book.

- ATM and debit card to access money

- Itineary with confirmed hotel reservations

- My pay stubs and bank account information since I sponsored her

 

p.s. We found Netherlands to be much easier to get Schengen visa. We applied in Belgium, after 1 month they denied it. Two weeks later we applied for the same visa in the Netherlands and got it in 3 days. Supposed to be applying the same rules but it sounds like sound countries are tougher than others.

[Bravo]

With all that I am sure she will have no problem getting in mate.

 

Have a good time!

 

Bravo

[Scumbag]

I am pretty sure that the only reason (other than trying to import some dodgy stuff) that they will refuse entry is if they believe that she will not comply with the visa conditions. Just don't give them any reason to have concerns.

 

It might be a little late for you now but the first time my GF went to Australia I gave her a letter explaining why she was going to Australia and how she would support herself while there. Make sure she has a phone number that she can give immigration should they want to talk to you. I assume you will be at the airport to pick her up? Also, make sure that she knows why she is visiting and has an idea what she will do while she is there (ie visiting you and seeing your country.) If she could name a couple of places you are planning to take her that could be useful. Tell her that she may be asked many question and they may be asked more than once. You may like to read about the experience that my GF had entering Austraila for the first time: LINK.

 

Also make sure that she knows that there are things she can not bring to your country. I don't know the customs laws of Europe but I think it likely that people can not bring in food and plants. If this is correct make sure that she knows that.

 

A bit of a funny story about when my GF first went to Australia. When asked about what she wanted to do while in Asustralia she said she want to see jinjo. Apparantly they asked her a number of times what she was trying to say. At one point she cupped her hands downwards and made up and down motions saying jinjo, jingo. I think it was at this point that they waved her through thinking that she was nuts. After a few days she told me that she wanted to see a jinjo. I didn't know WTF a jinjo was and assumed she meant dingo. A few days later I worked out that jinjo was Thai for kangeroo...lol

 

I am sure she will have no problems, have a good time.

[tjb30i]

Thanks for the input. Funny story about the Kangaroo. She does speak good English so this will help. On the downside she is really attractive for a Thai lady so if I was a customs agent I would want to detain her for questionning as well!

[kikka]

My Thai wife and I have visited Belgium, from England, twice now ...to visit and stay with her sister who is married to a Belgian guy.... Each time I applied for a Schengen Visa for her.

 

Once we had gone through all the hoops required by the application process , the Visa was granted within about 10 days each time ...with no questions, or requirements ( other than the passport with the stamp ) on arrival in Brussels.

[Thai Visa Express]

The passport with the valid visa inside.

[tjb30i]

The passport with the valid visa inside.

Well she arrived today. Please don't just arrive with your visa and passport or she might be on the next plane back to Bangkok! This was anything but easy. The customs detained her along with another Thai lady with a Schengen Visa. The questioned her intensly for 45 minutes and said they have the right to refuse entry even if you have a visa. They asked for supporting documentation and fortunately I had her prepared with everything from bank book with 200K BAHT, ATM with Visa card, cash on hand, my paystubs & bank balances, invitation letter, itinenary, copy of my passport etc. They went through all of this intensly. Even after showin all that they would not let her enter until they had spoken to me. They called me on my cell phone, got me from the waiting area and took me to the customs office. They then asked me a number of questions to make sure our stories matched. So in the end he let us through (not apparently happy about it judged by his attitude). The other Thai lady with a Schengen visa did not appear so lucky and looked like she was on the next plane back.

 

I work with a Thai lady married to an EU citizen, been living hear for years and refuses to fly through Amsterdam. She said she gets so much crap going through customs she flies into Paris instead and drives to Belgium from there.

 

Morale of the story. Don't just turn up with your passport and visa. Prepare for the worse and hope for the best. Bring everything just like the embassy interview (embassy was a lot easier). If you come prepared you should be OK.

[eXplosief]

Also make sure that she knows that there are things she can not bring to your country. I don't know the customs laws of Europe but I think it likely that people can not bring in food and plants. If this is correct make sure that she knows that.

I doubt this would be much of an issue going into europe, except for the UK which is like Australia an island. With the land borders it can hardly be controlled what is brought into (or comes into) europe.

 

1 thing to add to the story above would be to bring photo's of the 2 of you along to show customs and maybe some older correspondence to show that the 2 of you really know each other. But they can always still question her.

 

PS Being dutch myself i always fly from Dusseldorf (Germany) as you get a lot less of a hassle when returning. This also goes for goods you bring back home (clothes etc..).