I am hoping to take my wife and her son age 12 back with me to live in the UK. I have lived in Thailand for some years and now its time to go back for a while.

We will be married and she came for a holiday to the UK with me last year.

So I can show that we are:

1. In a real long term relationship.

2. We have somewhere to live. My Dad has a big house and he is on his own now – one of the reasons we are going back.

3. I have some money that has been left to me when my Mum died last year. Not much but enough for about one and a half years salary at my level of work. So should keep us going for at least a year.

Does any one have any comments or experience of take a spouse and a child to the UK? What do I need to think about for visa etc.?

Thanks

I am hoping to take my wife and her son age 12 back with me to live in the UK. I have lived in Thailand for some years and now its time to go back for a while.

We will be married and she came for a holiday to the UK with me last year.

So I can show that we are:

1. In a real long term relationship.

2. We have somewhere to live. My Dad has a big house and he is on his own now – one of the reasons we are going back.

3. I have some money that has been left to me when my Mum died last year. Not much but enough for about one and a half years salary at my level of work. So should keep us going for at least a year.

Does any one have any comments or experience of take a spouse and a child to the UK? What do I need to think about for visa etc.?

Thanks

You need to apply for a settlement visa see Settlement visa notes (INF4) . You will have to show you can support them without recourse to public funds, so you should have a job, a job offer or good prospects of either you or you wife getting a job on your arrival in UK. You must also prove that there is suitable accomodation for you all.

Given what you say above I think you should be successful if you address all the requirements.

Search this forum on the word 'settlement' and you will find many threads that have discussed this subject and plenty of recent tips and hints

Thanks I have found out I need a letter of consent from the boys father. I gess he will give it for some cash. And a form from the Ampur to say that my wife has custody.

I would be interested in anyones advice re. letter of consent. I thought I would just type out what I wanted him to sign and get it traslated into Thai. Any ideas how to twist his arm? I could tell him if he does not sign he will have to look after the boy himself!

Thanks I have found out I need a letter of consent from the boys father. I gess he will give it for some cash. And a form from the Ampur to say that my wife has custody.

Yes if your wife does not have sole custody, or the father is not deceased then you will need his permission to get a Thai passport for the boy also before you apply for the Visa.

Edited April 23, 200719 yr by Mahout Angrit

My problem with jobs is its not possible for me to get a job when I'm here. I need to be there for the interviews - no phone interviews available in my line! I was thinking that my Dad could offer my wife a job as house-keeper. He has a big house and he could pay her something.

Hi Mig,

A letter written by you and signed by him is not enough, you will need a Sole Custody paper authorized by a court.

Have a look at this previous thread, it might give some insight.

Click Here

Any further enquiries, just post, someone will have answer.

Good Luck

Moss

PS. 23mc if you read this I havn't forgotten I will p.m when I get enough time to give it justice

Cheers

Moss

Edited April 23, 200719 yr by Mossfinn

So it seems to me that a sole custody document can be issued by the Ampur or maybe a court.

The latest I have found out is that my wife has had some discussions with people at the Ampur and she seems to say that they have given her sole custody already - as her ex deserted the family and does not contribute - infact she does not know where he is and they are divorced.

So what I need is evidence that she has sole custody - a sole custody document.

It may not need to involve the court if we can get one authorized by the Ampur.

Please feel free to coment I'm trying to work through everything!

Would my adopting him help?

Would my adopting him help?

No....Far more difficult and time consuming, you would probably still need the permission of the father.

If the Amphur says your wife has sole custody already they should be able to give her a copy of the document.

The link that Moss gave you leads to several other links. I've seen this all discussed before on this forum but it seems you are going in the right direction.

Edited April 24, 200719 yr by Mahout Angrit

Would my adopting him help?

No....Far more difficult and time consuming, you would probably still need the permission of the father.

If the Amphur says your wife has sole custody already they should be able to give her a copy of the document.

The link that Moss gave you leads to several other links. I've seen this all discussed before on this forum but it seems you are going in the right direction.

Mig, the links supplied in the threads are pretty comprehensive and in them there are two statements that say an Amphur can authorize 'Sole Custody'. However they must surely have issued a certificate?

I have just asked the wife again and she has confirmed it was in the city by a judge, but she seems to think that if the Amphur is big enough then perhaps they have enough authority to issue a 'Sole Custody Paper'? I cannot confirm the logic or the accuracy of this statement!

During the process the judge interviewed the Daughter, Mother and the Head of the Village, asking about the contribution of the biological father, the Bio Father was also sent a letter to attest his defence.

He never turned up!

As Mahout states, it would appear that Adoption is difficult, do a search on Adoption and you will see many references to the difficulty.

Good Luck

Moss

Thanks I'll let you know how we get on.