Thai girlfriend to Paris

Hi,

I was wondering wether someone could clarify some of my queries regarding taking my Thai girlfriend to live in Paris with me.

I am a Dutch passport holder (Although having never lived there) living for the past 12 years in the UK.

Due to work commitments I will be relocated to Paris permanently.

I would like to take my Thai girlfriend (currently living in Thailand) with me.

She is a Thai passport holder, unskilled, no-qualifications, speaks English, Thai, but no French. It is important in this case she does not work for the first several months as she needs to adjust to the cultural changes etc...Also she will take French lessons to build her language skills. Once adjusted to European living and speaking basic French she can find a job if she likes.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge on the processes I need to follow, embassies I need to contact, or even bureau which can help with this kind of thing.

Keep in mind she will not have a work permit, and will be solely supported by me.

dutch-english wrote:Hi,

I was wondering wether someone could clarify some of my queries regarding taking my Thai girlfriend to live in Paris with me.

I am a Dutch passport holder (Although having never lived there) living for the past 12 years in the UK.

Due to work commitments I will be relocated to Paris permanently.

I would like to take my Thai girlfriend (currently living in Thailand) with me.

She is a Thai passport holder, unskilled, no-qualifications, speaks English, Thai, but no French. It is important in this case she does not work for the first several months as she needs to adjust to the cultural changes etc...Also she will take French lessons to build her language skills. Once adjusted to European living and speaking basic French she can find a job if she likes.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge on the processes I need to follow, embassies I need to contact, or even bureau which can help with this kind of thing.

Keep in mind she will not have a work permit, and will be solely supported by me.

I think u'll find it impossible or at the very least extremely difficult without marriage or a substantial (ie around 24 months) period of living together.

You'd have to apply under EU law and the rule for Extended Family Members is proof of a 'durable' relationship. In UK and most of EU they take this as 2 years living together, although it may be France is more laissez-faire?

Thank you for your swift reply wanderer.

How would the situation lie if I took the following action:

If my girlfriend visited me in Paris on a tourist visa for a period of time and we married in Paris during this period, would this give her the legal right to stay with me?

dutch-english wrote:Thank you for your swift reply wanderer.

How would the situation lie if I took the following action:

If my girlfriend visited me in Paris on a tourist visa for a period of time and we married in Paris during this period, would this give her the legal right to stay with me?

Probably - I think u can switch from visitor to spouse under EU law (but not UK law and probably French Law), but I'd wait for others here.

You'd need to check residential requirements for marriage in France - I've no idea! The visa u need is a Schengen one, valid for all EU states except a few (inc UK and Eire) - it's valid for 90 days but again it's chicken and egg, if she's young, no job, no ties, she's unlikely to get the visa....

Thanks wanderer,

I have just compiled a whole bunch of questions on an email to the French embassy in London (as I am currently in the UK still). I have asked them to specify the criteria she needs to meet in order for her to be able to come to France, whether she can legally stay there with me if we are married, if she has a work/college placement etc...

I will keep you and other readers informed on the reply.

In the meantime if anyone has anything usefull to add, please feel free to do so.

Thanks

dutch-english wrote:Thanks wanderer,

I have just compiled a whole bunch of questions on an email to the French embassy in London (as I am currently in the UK still). I have asked them to specify the criteria she needs to meet in order for her to be able to come to France, whether she can legally stay there with me if we are married, if she has a work/college placement etc...

I will keep you and other readers informed on the reply.

In the meantime if anyone has anything usefull to add, please feel free to do so.

Thanks

You can also try jeantaquet.com
He is a nice French attorney whom if you contact by email or phone usually answers quick questions for free.

dutch-english wrote:If my girlfriend visited me in Paris on a tourist visa for a period of time and we married in Paris during this period, would this give her the legal right to stay with me?

In order to enter France at all your girlfriend will need to obtain a Schengen visa from the French embassy in Bangkok. That might be a bit of a struggle as already stated by Wanderer.

But if she does make it to France, and then the two of you do get married there, it will certainly be possible for her to apply for a 5-year Residence Card, in accordance with the Metock judgement of the ECJ handed down in July this year. That is, irrespective of how the person is in the EU country, they are entitled to apply for a Residence Card.

But why not ..... if the two of you are going to get married anyway ..... you flying to Thailand and then the two of you getting married there. After which she would apply at the French Embassy in Bangkok for the appropriate permit to allow her to fly to France. The good news is that under EU regulations, such an application by your "family member" would be free ..... unlike the Schengen visa application mentioned above.

You getting married in Thailand is a very easy matter. No doubt more information on the website of your country's Embassy in Bangkok, but having signed an affirmation at your Embassy, and got that translated into Thai, and then stamped by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you are free to marry in Thailand.

dutch-english wrote:Thank you for your swift reply wanderer.

How would the situation lie if I took the following action:

If my girlfriend visited me in Paris on a tourist visa for a period of time and we married in Paris during this period, would this give her the legal right to stay with me?

With respect, it is very difficult for a single Thai woman, with little skills and no job AND with a European boyfriend, to get a tourist visa for anywhere in the EU/EEA, so please do realise the difficulties in obtaining even a tourist visa. It is probably easier to marry her in Thailand, or arrange a language course for her in France, acting as her sponsor.