Guys and Gals any ideas on where we can get a cheap reasonably priced holday at short notice??

The bonuses didn't come in at work so Thailand is out at the moment (maybe in a few months) - but the Mrs and I have to use some holidays up soon (use them or loose them)

Given recent posts on the schengen situation where can we get some sun or just something exiting for the kid to do as well??

At one stage we thought Disneyland Paris - but how long would the schengen take?

If we went to the Canaries how long would the schengen take?

Why can't the fact that we live and work in the UK be enough for GOVTs in the EU?? I mean their ppl can come and work here pretty easily ( I have taken to ordering beers in Polish here in London at the moment - not a critism it just means you get your order quicker!!)

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Also would the MRs require a visa for Ireland??

Now I know how bloody S Africans feel when they want to see Europe

thanks Skippy

Egypt is cheap sunny and easy for visas but the airports can be chaotic

ash

The Gambia is also nice at this time of year too

Thanks Guys

Keep the suggestions coming - will start looking on the web

-Skippy

quote:

Also would the MRs require a visa for Ireland??

Yes for ROI for sure, but not for NI, although there are no boarder controls between the two. So you could go to NI, then travel down south without a visa, not that I would suggest you do that of course!

I hear Clacton's quite beautiful at this time of year!

Cheers

Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus no visa needed, nice bars and eateries around the harbour, a beautiful Island.

Skippy, have you now got a British, or other EEA, passport yet? Or are you still using your Australian passport with ILR?

I ask because if you do have a British or EEA passport then your family travelling on Thai passports can get a Schengen visa from the French Consulate in London for free and with not a lot of hassle. Also such Schengen visas would tend to be for six months duration and would be multi-entry.

If you are still travelling on Australian passport then Schengen visas for your family will not be free and more information will need to be supplied in order to get such visas. In particular all questions on the application form will need to be answered, whereas for family members of EEA citizens the starred questions can be left unanswered.

Yeah, still on Aussie passport.

Sounds like Euro Disney could be a bit of a pain

I have been a little lazy as far as sorting out the passport - Also been waiting the outcome of the legistlation in the Australian Senate regarding citzenship

-Skippy

quote:

been waiting the outcome of the legislation in the Australian Senate regarding citizenship

What's the problem? Surely it has been two or three years since Australian law was changed and Australians no longer have any problem taking other citizenship and also remaining Australian.

Many Australians, living in the UK, are now also British.

Yeah - I know, But basically haven't go off my backside and done it....

I know I am eligible been a year after the ILR - but the money has been better spent on other things at the moment.

The senate hopefully will actually make it easier for my wife to gain Australian Citzenship - without having to go to Australia

Skippy

OK Skippy I understand, but you getting British Citizenship will help the non-British members of your family also becoming British!

That is, if your wife is married to a British Citizen then she can apply to be British three years after she came here, whilst if you are not British she will need to wait for five years.

Food for thought? British passports all round = no need for Schengen or Irish visas, or indeed visas for lots of other countries. In this house we are now all British ... our summer holiday last year .... Netherlands, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Austria and Italy ... all visa free. But in your house to do the same there would be the need for Schengen visa (to cover Netherlands, Austria and Italy), and separate visas for each of Hungary, Croatia and Slovakia = nightmare!

But if Australian citizenship being handed out to spouses of Australia without needing to live there, then that would also be rather useful. But I suggest not as useful as British passports which also give the right to live and work in all other EEA countries (and Switzerland) without needing Work Permit (subject to transitional provisions for the A8 countries).

Thanks John, I know I need to get it sorted - Just lazy I guess - with regards to the 3/5 year rule is that 3 years in total or 2 years on the ILR?

I think we have spoken about mine and the wifes ILR before, haven't we??

Regarding the senate, it ties in with the Australian Citzenship act changes that you refered to in recent posts The politicians want to "neaten" things up - as there are rather crazy rules regarding minors if their parents renounce their citzenship etc etc. Also if we have children here in the UK they may be able to claim citzenship easier etc.

Sort of off topic but will save some hassles if/when we decide to move to Aust.

Skippy

Skippy,

The Canary Islands are where you can expect the best weather for sunshine this time of year and 4 hours flying. I have done winter breaks there at this time of year and it is like the best of summertime here. Gran Canaria is my favourite (Wild West Town, Water Parks etc), followed by Lanzarote and then Tenerife, Fuerterventura is ideal for windsurfing, but only a little else. Nick posted on the Spanish Consulate in Manchester, could be worth contacting them or one more local to you concerning Australian and Thai national visas and entry requirements. You should be able to find some very good deals for there. Elsewhere in Europe you may find very cold or just warm enough to be bearable. Ireland is a great place to visit, I have been winter time and travelled from South to North, but without multiple layers of clothing it could be a bit of a let down just because of the cold even with snowball fights in Stormont!

Regarding your last question, if you were to move to Australia and stay there without plans for travel abroad then I would imagine that would make life easier for you as an Australian national, but as you are here and can apply for dual citizenship, why not do it? Surely you should be able to pass the Englishness test

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and advice.

I hope to pass the Britishness test - but the lady said I would still have to have some way of proving I can speak and use English!!

We had thought about the Canaries and also rightly or wrongly assumed that getting the visa would be easier than the continent because you are technically in Spain but effectively on the islands so you "flight risk" would be limited

Skippy

oldoldgit,
you say northern cyprus no visa req ive just had a look at the website for turkish northern cyprus and the way i read it if you have a thai passport then you need a visa or am i just missing something
rob

Had a fax from TRNC consul in London saying my Thai wife did not need Visa, so we flew fom BKK to N/Cyprus no problems we stayed 2 weeks and then flew on to UK, only snag was we had to wait 12 hours at Istanbul airport coming to N/Cyprus and again going to UK, but when we normaly fly from UK to N/Cyprus we touch down at Istanbul and stay in plane, let people off and take on more people then take off again about half hour wait and land at Ercan airport, same procedure on return trip. Had trouble with woman ECO over going to N/Cyprus from BKK on SV, read my previous post.

Can anybody tell me of a good resort in Northen Cyprus because if no visa is needed this would be a nice holiday for my thai wife and kids.(without the hassle of going to london to sort out a visa).

The Girne=Kyrenia area is very nice, I have a Turkish friend who does holiday lets and car hire, a very honest man, straight as a die, I rent a car from him whenever we go to N/cyprus also he or his brother picks us up at the airport and takes us to airport after the holiday, PM me if you want his website.