VISA requirement for Thai Aircrew

[ZWsquare]

Hi All,

I am a little confused by the VISA required for an aircrew holding Thai Passport. I am going to start flying for an Airline in afew months (not Thai Airways). I know that I need to apply for US C1/D Visa and UK Visa in order to operate a flight to those 2 places. But what about Schengen Visa? I checked out the the website for France Embassy. And it says:


Airline crew member visa
Valid for Schengen area
You must apply at the Consulate of France in person.
ATTENTION - In certain cases, the processing time is 3 weeks for the issuance of a visa.
Because their countries are NOT signatories of the Chicago Convention of December 7th, 1944, on civil aviation, only the following nationals require a visa as a crew member;
Albania Mongolia Belize Samoa Bhutan St Kitts & Nevis Dominica Tuvalu Hong Kong
However, because of reciprocity, the following countries also require a visa as crew members:

Israel
United States of America

However, just for precaution, I emailed the German Embassy and their reply was that I need to apply for Schengen Visa even though I will be operating a flight there as an aircrew.
This left me confused. So do I need one?
Hope someone especially any Thai Pilot can hlep me on this. My company's admin staff were not able to give me any advice because I am apparently the only Thai Pilot in the company now.

Thank you very much..

[GBB]

There are some new rules in some EU countries for (I think not only thai, but for sure most of asian and maybe even all other than EU citizens aircrew).
I know these new rules applay to Germany for sure but im not aware of any other country.
EY doesnt roster their non EU citizens crew (at least cabin crew) for flights to Germany.
Ek does roster everybody (at leats they used to sometime ago) for flights to Germany but once you arrive there everybody have to wait for non EU crew to get their visa at the airport and if they are slow on that day and most of the crew is non EU you might have to wait an hour or two by the time they finish up everybody.
I guess if US can make money out of it all others will do sooner or later too.
Now... Pay me for all that info with some cold Singha, hehe :}

[B737NG]

It is also for Cockpit-Crew that some Asian Countries and part of the Russian Federation need a -Schengen-VISA-

I had a very "German Border Guard" who took it serious in Munich a while ago and did not accept the Crew-Registration -Card, issued by the Minestry of Justice, because according to the Chicago connvention it should be a -Crew -Member - Certificate, CRC. So all the Boy´s and Girls got the Passport stamped with a Tourist-entry for 90 days. Needless to say that Airlines do not leave the Crew there for 90 day´s....... But to have it correct: They where not Tourist´s either. Two day´s later the Guard on the Exit was pi..ed because he had to stamp about 22 Passports for the Departure to make sure it is documentet that nobody exceeded the 90 day period.

We can get things complicatet in our lives, some things can be very complicatet and when it comes to travel as Aircrew it is the Djungle of regulation you will pass. Arriving in China´s provinces is a serious act: Every Custom "King" needs a diffrent declaration, twice at least.

In 8 Years and 4 months I retire from active flying. The freedom is gone in this Job a while ago. Sometimes I feel like a relict leftover from the day´s of the Dinos.

Fly safe and land happy

NG

[ZWsquare]

Hi GBB and B737NG. Thank you very much for those info. I owe both of you a carton of beer. :ok:

[B747-800]

like our thai crews operating into europe a schengen visa is needed for them. usually it takes 14 working days (!) which would be equivalent of 3 weeks provided that you don't have any previous application for a schengen visa which was denied.

file the application with the european country which you'll fly most (standard routes) and you'll get a schengen visa a crew member with a validity one 1 year to be renewed yearly (very easy for renewal).

good luck.

[ZWsquare]

like our thai crews operating into europe a schengen visa is needed for them. usually it takes 14 working days (!) which would be equivalent of 3 weeks provided that you don't have any previous application for a schengen visa which was denied.

file the application with the european country which you'll fly most (standard routes) and you'll get a schengen visa a crew member with a validity one 1 year to be renewed yearly (very easy for renewal).

good luck.

Thank you very much. I owe you one carton too... :ok:

[B737NG]

ZWsquare: You most welcome and all the information is free of charge for fellow Aviators, all others: Please donate 10 $ to a Charity Organisation. You can keep your Beer..... but I join You for any Soda or Juice.........

Fly safe and land happy

NG