Help With Uk Fiancee/marriage Settlement Visa

[Rboyle]

Hi everyone,

Having spent the last couple of days reading through this forum, I certainly feel better informed but still have a number of questions in relation to my own situation.

I met my Thai GF during a visit late last year. I returned to Thailand and we have now been living together for two months. We have been spending virtually every moment together since my arrival, I have visited her home in Isaan and have met most of her family and extended family. I love her and we want to marry, however I realise two months will seem a short space of time to both forum members and the UK Visa services...

Nevertheless, we would like to live together in the UK as soon as possible, for reasons related to my work.

My first question is, which visa is the easiest to obtain - the Fiancee Visa or the Spouse Settlement visa? Ideally, we would like her to get a good look at the UK before we get married. However, we would compromise on tying the knot here first if that will aid the visa application.

One potential problem is that, because we have been living together 24/7, there is less evidence than a long distance relationship. Okay, I can show she's registered as a resident at my rented apartment in Samui and we have some photographs. I don't know if there are any other pieces of evidence we should be working on obtaining before submitting the application?

Then there is the thorny issue of our first meeting... To the question on the form 'Where did you meet' is it okay to just give the name of the city or are they expecting more? And is it a bad idea to skirt this issue in the sponsor's letter? I gather from some other threads that honestly and openness are usually the best approach, but the fact is she was working bar for a few months before I moved out here (not very successfully, as it goes - no new house or car or anything like that) and she is well under 30, so I don't want to ruin our chances before we've even begun...

Thx.

Edited February 27, 2007 by Rboyle

[the scouser]

There is no requirement to have known each other a specific amount of time, and although you have known each other for only 3 months, you have, at least, lived together for two of those. Whether you decide to marry in Thailand or the UK is largely redundant in relation to the immigration rules, as the criteria for both categories are pretty much the same. However, marrying in Thailand would obviate the need to extend a fiancée visa at the Home Office once married, thereby saving a minimum of £335.00

In terms of evidence of cohabitation, collate as much as you can from as many sources as possible; e.g. do your bank statements show ATM withdrawals in her home town? If they do, then you can use those. With regard to where you met, I'd state the town/city and in your sponsor's letter you can address the circumstances in which you met.

Scouse.

[Mossfinn]

Then there is the thorny issue of our first meeting... To the question on the form 'Where did you meet' is it okay to just give the name of the city or are they expecting more? And is it a bad idea to skirt this issue in the sponsor's letter? I gather from some other threads that honestly and openness are usually the best approach, but the fact is she was working bar for a few months before I moved out here (not very successfully, as it goes - no new house or car or anything like that) and she is well under 30, so I don't want to ruin our chances before we've even begun...

There are differing view points on how to answer this question on this forum, but I will give an answer as best as I can.

Honesty is far the better route to take, although others will say there is a discriminatory practise against the profession she chose for a short time.

It is my view that they neither care or worry about it and similarly if she was from planet Zog she would be treated fairly and on merit, remembering that the burden of proof is with yourselves in proving a long and lasting relationship.

The embassy staff are well versed in catching nervous applicants in a lie and it may be exposed.

There is a Tony Blair third way of course and that is being economical with the truth, why state something that is possibly not a requirement, lying by omission it certainly is not, how you get over this by answering the question, ' Where did you meet', is another matter. It was only for a short time in any case.

My point of view is tell the truth and only the truth, if you fail first time, you can always try again and address the points that you have not quite met, if you lie and are found out, it will go ill in the future.

Just my point of view mind, you pays your money and you take your choice.

Good Luck

Moss

[GU22]

I agree completely with everything Mossfinn says above.

Whilst other countries may discriminate against persons who have at one time worked in that particular profession, the UK does not.

To be blunt; ex bar girls do get UK visas, liars don't.

[Rboyle]

Thanks for the advice everybody. Thinking it all through.

[pumpuiman]

I agree completely with everything Mossfinn says above.

Whilst other countries may discriminate against persons who have at one time worked in that particular profession, the UK does not.

To be blunt; ex bar girls do get UK visas, liars don't.

Is this true?

I would think the admission of working as a prostitute would be a nail in your coffin.

Both the worry of her continuing her work in the U.K. And the fact she was breaking the "law" in Thailand would seem to me to throw up warning flags.

It has happened, and is normal?

I haven't seen any other posts saying to just admit she's a prostitute before.

I don't doubt your knowledge......just amazes me.

Edited March 3, 2007 by pumpuiman

[Mossfinn]

And the fact she was breaking the "law" in Thailand would seem to me to throw up warning flags.

Any chance of clarification Scouse, whats your take on this, I would hate to be giving out inaccurate or just plain wrong information.

Should people be totally honest or put up Smoke and Mirrors on this issue, how to the visa office view this situation.

Cheers

Good Luck

Moss

Edited March 3, 2007 by Mossfinn

[GU22]

What the official line on this is I don't know.

However, I do know plenty of couples, both personally and via forums such as this, who have been completely honest with the embassy about meeting, shall we say, professionally and have got their visa. I have also read many posts from disgruntled Brits whose wife/fiance was refused because the ECO caught them in a lie.

IMHO, being an ex bargirl is ok, the past is past and it's the current circumstances that are important to the ECO when assessing a visa application.

But if the ECO thinks that she is still working in the bar then they will also suspect that she is coming to the UK to continue in her chosen profession; in which case no chance.

Pumpuiman, this applies to the UK only. How the US views the situation is unknown to me.

Edited March 3, 2007 by GU22

[Mossfinn]

GU22, as you know I fully agree with you, but Pampuiman made a good point, if you admit that that worked in a bar, and not all girls who work in bars offer additional services, this is tantamount to admitting to illegal services and as such may compromise your application.

It is my view that they do turn a blind eye to this, however I would like a view from someone who worked in the visa service and currently is an accredited advisor on all things immigration.

Good Luck

Moss

[GU22]

Of course. I, too, would be very interested to read Scouse's thoughts on this point.

[the scouser]

In relation to the UK, one must simply satisfy the requirements of the immigration rules. In respect of visitors, these say that they must be visiting, have sufficient funding, and must intend to leave the UK at the end of their stay.

Scouse.

[Mossfinn]

In relation to the UK, one must simply satisfy the requirements of the immigration rules. In respect of visitors, these say that they must be visiting, have sufficient funding, and must intend to leave the UK at the end of their stay.

Scouse.

Thanks Scouse,

Bad result today though, just have to make up for it on Tuesday.

Good Luck

Moss

[fwinder]

In relation to the UK, one must simply satisfy the requirements of the immigration rules. In respect of visitors, these say that they must be visiting, have sufficient funding, and must intend to leave the UK at the end of their stay.

Scouse.

Thanks Scouse,

Bad result today though, just have to make up for it on Tuesday.

Good Luck

Moss

Not bad result for utd sup

not what here for though

tried for visa 3times now 2 times holiday visa 1 time fiance

next time as wife

problem is when she goes for interview she falls to bits and can not answer anything they ask so gets every thing wrong

allready tried visa lawyers and pre interview test done no good

any one got any ideas?

[Mahout Angrit]

any one got any ideas?

Make the application so good, so watertight that she doesn't get called for an interview. She only gets called to interview because the ECO has doubts about something in the application and needs clarification.

she falls to bits and can not answer anything they ask so gets every thing wrong

Oh and if she does get to UK dont send her out for the shopping Edited March 4, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[Prakanong]

What the official line on this is I don't know.

However, I do know plenty of couples, both personally and via forums such as this, who have been completely honest with the embassy about meeting, shall we say, professionally and have got their visa. I have also read many posts from disgruntled Brits whose wife/fiance was refused because the ECO caught them in a lie.

IMHO, being an ex bargirl is ok, the past is past and it's the current circumstances that are important to the ECO when assessing a visa application.

But if the ECO thinks that she is still working in the bar then they will also suspect that she is coming to the UK to continue in her chosen profession; in which case no chance.

Pumpuiman, this applies to the UK only. How the US views the situation is unknown to me.

I can only back up what you say through my own personal experience.

I have a friend who used to work at the Embassy in Bangkok although not in the consular section.

A girl I knew was going to apply for her visa and I said you should speak to Dr XXXXX. He told her to be totally honest if they asked her where she met her husband

She was, she got her visa and is now the mother of a 3 month old baby happy in the UK last I heard.