pagan1

Went through the process in Nov 2017.

Easy to get certified cert from Milton Keynes by post

Easy to get Thai Consulate to certify & return to UK address by post (1 week)

Attended MFA in Feb 2018. Got the certificate translated there (took 3hrs because the guy said he had not done a Scottish Cert before and needed time to format the copy translation layout?? ,,,,,,,, said English Cert 1 hr). MFA sent Cert in post to Thai address. I understand they no longer do a 1 day service and that it takes 3 days if you plan to pick it up.

Local Ampur issued the KP22 within a couple of hours but we needed the village head to come with us,

All easy in our case and hope the information above helps

My argument would be that OP and daughter are UK citizens with an automatic right to settle in the UK.

Given that intention, the OP wishes to apply for a settlement visa for his wife. There can be no objection to this.

The financial requirements are in place to ensure that there is no recourse to public funds and ensure that the OP is able to support his family. I believe that the only concern a RO could raise is the credibility of the employment offer.

Over the years I have seen a number of messages from 7by7 and he has been a great assistance to many people on this site (in fact I think he was around when I did the fiancé visa for my wife back in 2010). However I still believe this would be a straight forward application.

Returned to the UK last year after 4 years out of the UK. Settlement visa was issued really quickly (10 days including Christmas & New Year). You need to cover the three basic requirements :

Relationship - sounds like that is easy for you

Accomodation - Do you have a place in the UK or a house available to you ? If not the issue might be gaining a rental agreement having ben out of the UK for so long. Your new employer may be able to assist.

Finance - Three ways to go. Work the job in the UK for 6 months and start to set up a home or show you have 62k in a bank (under your control for 6 months either in bank or transferred from other assets) or have a job offer starting within 3 months.

If possible the easiest is to bank the money and show available funds. The visa RO has no wiggle room and can raise few objections. With the job offer route I guess it will be easier if the offer is from a large group with UK base (ie Transocean, Ensco etc) but a little more difficult if a small non UK based company. The third route is to work in the UK for 6 months and then apply for the visa.

I think you may find it easier than you think to get the settlement visa for your wife. If you have the funds available then apply now. If not apply with the job offer you have and dependant upon the credibility of your employer it should be an easy process. Following the third route you are going to be delaying the move for at least 6 months.

As highlighted there are the odds and sods (English test, TB & NHS payment) but you appear to be in a position to submit an application now. You are in a better position than I was (returning with no job) and I was not prepared to spend months away from my wife. If me I would make the application immediately either based on money in the bank (if available) or based on the employment offer. If all goes well the three of you will be set up in the UK in a couple of months. At worst you loose the application fee and still end up wasting at least 6 months generating evidence (or have your wife come over on a visit visa while you are here)

I hope some of the above is useful. The settlement visa process is not as hard as people think (I have completed 3 for my wife) and rarely requires a visa agent to assist.

Good luck with it all 

When I first went to Brazil I asked why most of the motorbikes had radio arials with small hooks attached to the handle bars. I thought it was a joke when given the answer that it was to stop the kite strings cutting your throat. As a previous poster noted the use of glass fibre type string is popular.

B

Having gone through the visa process on several occasions for my wife I must admit my initial reaction was that VFS had provided you with the correct information.

My initial reaction & thought process was

(a) why is he making a visit just to set up the wedding ?

( the marriage visa / fiancé visa is a settlement visa so it makes sense that it is a single entry visa

© the dates specified are close to the 6 months allowed on the fiancé visa and VFS may have been trying to cover the possible timeline delay in issuing the visa. (it appears that visas are now dated from the date provided to VFS unless otherwise requested)

(d) they might be trying to save you some money or make the process easier

HOWEVER I took a look at my wife[s old passport to see the restrictions on her Fiance visa from 2010. It clearly states MULTIPLE entries are allowed.

Unless there has been a poorly circulated change in regulations I would tend to agree that you had all the bases covered and although you have chosen an unconventional way of doing things your request was valid.

Sorry to hear of your problems.

P

You should have no problem obtaining the visit visa and there is no issue concerning you writing the sponsor letter.

Main points that will be reviewed in the application are :

evidence of the relationship between you and your girlfriend

reason for visit & accommodation

funds available to finance trip

REASON TO RETURN FROM UK

From your post it looks like you have all of these items fairly well covered. Go ahead and make the application and cover the points above in your sponsor letter.

Good luck

Happy Days

Happy days.

Cancelled my Netflix membership last month when I arrived in Thailand having used it in Brazil for the past couple of years. Just signed back up and it works fine. Netflix site had retained my details and even continues to give me subtitles in Portuguese !

Thanks for the feedback Gents

My reading of the requirements suggested that I will need to convert and transfer the PBs into my bank account. I guess the haste in which the requirements were drawn up led to some poor thinking. Just another hoop to jump through but fortunately one that can now be done online

Great news to hear that you have got the visa sorted !!!

Can anyone confirm if UK Premium bonds are accepted as savings in support of a visa application ??

I have held Premium bonds for a number of years. These are issued by the UK Government (not FSA regulated) and available to cash in immediately at any time (takes about 3 days).

I have been using UKForex to transfer reasonable chunks of money in recent months. It works fine for me, rate is OK and easy to send money direct to our Thai account

https://secure.ozforex.com.au/fx/login.asp

Hope that helps

P

Had a punt on Aberdeen's New Thai IT at the begining of the year which has worked out well and would have also put some in the All Asia IT but for a glitch in buying online at the time. As a result ended up in the New India IT which has done somewhat better than the All Asia IT.

As stated though you pays your money ............. unfortunately sometimes you also have some in ROK

When we applied for M's VV I contacted my bank regarding 6 month statements. They advised me that the copy they would (and did) send would be just the same as the one I print off from my online account.

As a result when we applied for her settlement visa I just printed out the statement from my computer. I must admit that almost all the financial information I provided were photocopies. These included P60, salary slips, Premium bonds, mortgage statement etc. I also just printed out the online statement for the few shares I hold in an online share dealing account.

Given so much of daily life is now conducted online I believe that the ECO understands that banking and financial management has changed. As a result they are probally used to looking at a variety of documentation which is typically held in electronic format.

If you have a good bank (????) as Jonzboy appears to have then having them stamp up the statements would be beneficial but I don't believe that it is essential

As ever flights into London are a bit lower than into Manchester or Glasgow. I paid £511 for M to fly BKK- GLA on Emirates and just booked via Expedia. There were slightly cheaper deals about but :

M came on Emirates via Dubai earlier this year so she knows the route

Expedia were great when we needed to change her flight because she was taken into hospital 24 hours before her flight. OK so they charged me £19 to change it

I normaly fly Emirates but can not book just for her on my credit card on the Emiratres site

I have some concern that some airlines can ask to verify the credit card when you check in but I believe using Expedia makes this less likely

Flights to Manchester were about the same cost as those to Glasgow and when I add petrol & time costs travelling down from Inverness it just works out easier.

She only has a 2 hour transit in Dubai

If it were for me I would take a real cheap option and enjoy the adventure (It takes me about 2 hours to recount a flight I made on Syrian airways to Delhi...) but I don't think M would appreciate a similar type of experience. I note that there have been comments about Jet Airways and the transit in Mumbai. I have flown with Jet and thought they were great, think Mumbai is a great city and have come to understand Indian methods so would probally enjoy the trip. However I can understand how some people could regret taking such a route.

Yumster - If you are on the Isle of Man I guess Manchester will be the best option for you. Hope all goes well

Pleased to hear that Yumster has some explanation for the delay.

Booked M's flight and she arrives next week.

Happy days !!!

Silverdales ................... What's your secret ?

A mere 9 weeks !!!!!

Guess the £100 hidden amongst all the photographs and accounts worked

Good luck and all the best

With so many of us listed on this thread maybe it would be an idea to set up a follow on thread for recent arrivals.

I know M and many others have been here before and know what to expect (for M another winter in the Highlands, 4ft of snow and temperatures down to -18 .......) however there are so many practical things to sort out for those on a settlement visa than just a VV. For some employment, NI number, marriage, food, contact back home, Thai TV, etc etc etc.

Maybe we should name the thread after Tiggerfish as a way of thanks for maintaining the listing. Just need to name it ................

Tiggerfish's nail biters

Tiggerfish's room pacers

Waiting for Tiggerfish

12 weeks of Tiggerfish .....................

Someone must be able to come up with a catchy thread title ( or maybe Tiggerfish can change his name to help )

Anyway just a thought to keep in touch, combine knowledge, encourage Tiggerfish to maintain the list and let him know we appreciate his efforts.

Sorry to be lazy and just steal your message Brotch but M just picked up her visa this morning and ...................

"YESVisa successful . This has been a great thread and i wish everyone all the best luck , i did not use an agent and did it myself but was worried i had missed something but all is ok ,must thank everyone on the site as i got so much info take care all and hope you are all successful god it is a long wait "

I think you said it all. No need to use an agent (I think better not to). It is a long wait but at least this thread gives you a likely timescale and a degree of hope as to when you will hear. Thanks Tiggerfish

Malpal

7by7 gives you an excelent brief of what is required. If you download the VV checklist and have a modicum of common sense the application is easy. I went through a similar process in January. GF had returned home was living with family and working on family farm. VV was issued in 4 days. Tell the truth, provide the information they request and collate it such that it is easy to review,

As for a winter visit, I am up in the Highlands of Scotland and we had temperatures down to -18C with several feet of snow. Santisuk is right about getting some basic clothing it makes all the difference. Hate to admit it but M faired better than me with the winter conditions !!!!

Good luck and look forward to a post from you where you say the process is easy and your GF is due to arrive.

Good news !!!!!!!!!! Got SMS today visa is ready to collect !!!

Nearly at the top of the list and it looks like they are into July applications. In the meantime just got to keep waiting and hope to hear in the next 2 weeks.

Add another one to the list. M put her application in on 20 July.

Was hoping that we may be one of those lucky 50% that UKBA say wait just 30 (working) days !!!