bangbuathongben

Hi Owl,

Where as I am no expert, I have dealt with this before.

You will still get better advice from the guys on here than I could give, but I will say make sure your application is as packed with evidence as possible. We found this really hard, it took us 4 years, 3 applications and 3 appeal hearings to get a result. I don't want to put a negative spin on things but as soon as children are involved it turned into a nightmare, for me at least!

Hope you get the result you need!!

Bangbuathongben......

Hi all,

I seemed to be mis-understanding the whole 'citizenship material' thing. I phone UKBA today and had a in depth conversation, in which I realised that ESOL courses in general all through the levels are included with citizenship material, whereas I was expecting it to be a separate course as such.

Anyhow thanks for the help.

Bangbuathongben.......

Hi Andy,

I had a very in-depth conversation with the ukba today. Who assured me to use the SET(O) forms also. They told me that the SET(F) could only be used if my wife already had ILR. And as she is applying at the same time, to definitely use the SET(O). They just told me to include it with my wife's application but to tick the 'other' box on the form and right in dependant of mother.

In regards to the Life in the UK test, they told me that as long as my wife had progressed one level in her ESOL classes that is sufficient. For me this a godsend as my wife started in pre-entry level 1, and has only just reached entry level 1, she finds it very difficult. Listen mate hope this has helped if you get any more tips of info then le us know.

Many thanks

Bangbuathongben.......

Hi,

I am slightly concerned as to where these figures have come from as I have only seen the £1350 figure??!!!

Also the fact that Andy added a quote which says the fast track option is not available?!

Bit of a nightmare for me this as I was hoping to fast track hers as t runs out in december and we want to go away for christmas. Will phone up tomorrow.

Thanks

Bangbuathongben....

Yes, SET(M) is for spouses and civil partners; minor children can be included on SET(M) for a reduced fee.

Adult children and other dependant adults use form SET(F) and have to pay the full fee.

Thanks for the help matie.

Bangbuathongben......

I think the clue is in the qualification certificates, at a accredited Collage.

So according to this and my wires college tutor, she does not have to do the esol with citizenship material course, just make relevant progress from one level to another!

Happy dayz!

Bangbuathongben

Are you sure it is the correct course.

Unless the course included citizenship materials and the letter/certificate states this and she attended an accredited college it will not satisfy the requirements for ILR.

See ESOL course in English with citizenship. (Although that page talks about naturalisation, the requirements are the same for ILR.)

Hi as far as I am aware and according to my wires teacher she can use this letter that she has issued. It has also been used by someone that my wife knows. It took a bit of searching the ukba site but it is hidden away at the bottom of a page, here it is...

ESOL and citizenship course Close

If your English skills are below ESOL Entry 3 level (or Intermediate 1 level in Scotland), and you are not a skilled or highly skilled migrant, you must take an ESOL with citizenship course and obtain a relevant qualification to demonstrate your knowledge of language and life in the UK.

ESOL courses are available throughout the UK. The Directgov website can help you find a course at the right level in your area.

The course must be at an accredited college, and must include citizenship materials derived from the document 'Citizenship Materials for ESOL Learners' (ISBN: 1-84478-5424).

You must obtain a relevant ESOL qualification from an approved awarding body, and you must demonstrate that you have made relevant progress.

An 'accredited college' is:

a publicly funded college that is subject to inspection by Ofsted (if it is in England), the Education and Training Inspectorate (Northern Ireland), HM Inspectorate of Education (Scotland), Estyn (Wales); or an inspection programme that has been approved by the Island's Government (in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man): or

a private college that has been accredited by Accreditation UK, the British Accreditation Council (BAC), the Accreditation Body for Language Services (ABLS) or the Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC).

A college meets the definition of an 'accredited college' if it is accredited on the date when you obtain your qualification, or if it is accredited on the date when your settlement application is decided.

A 'relevant ESOL qualification' is:

an ESOL qualification in speaking and listening at Entry 1, Entry 2 or Entry 3 level approved by the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual); or

one National Qualifications Unit in ESOL at Access 2, Access 3 or Intermediate 1 level approved by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

'Approved awarding bodies' in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are:

Ascentis (formerly Open College of the Northwest)

Cambridge ESOL

City & Guilds (Pitmans)

Edexcel

Education Development International (EDI)

English Speaking Board (International) Limited

National Open College Network

Trinity College London

In Scotland, the only approved awarding body is the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

To demonstrate 'relevant progress', your college must confirm that you have progressed by at least 1 level from the level at which you were assessed at the beginning of the course that led to your relevant qualification. For example, if you were initially assessed by your college as being below Entry 1 level, you must obtain a relevant ESOL qualification at Entry 1 level or above.

You should check with your college to ensure that it is accredited as described above, and that the course meets all of the above requirements. If your college is not accredited, or if the course does not meet all of the above requirements, your application will be refused. Your college should provide a letter confirming that the relevant criteria are met. We have drafted a template of the letter (PDF 27KB opens in a new window) which you can use. The college should also provide evidence to show how it meets the definition of an accredited college.

I hope that this is right and I have interpreted it correct, and if so I hope it helps others!!

Bangbuathongben.....

Hi,

her visa runs out the same as her mothers on 15th december. She also has a settlement letter from her college tutor, so can she apply for this also and is this still form setF?

Thanks in advance

Bangbuathongben......

Hi Just to post another question I need help with.

My stepdaughter arrived in the uk on a dependants visa (after 4 years, 3 applications and 2 appeal hearings) Can she apply for settlement? I don't seem to be able to find a form which applies to her. Or can she apply on a set(m)?

Thanks in advance

Bangbuathongben........

Hi,

Just checked the website and I had missed part of the info. It does state that as long as a approved association has stated that she has improved from her starting level she should be able to use this letter instead of doing the life in the uk test! Phew!Hopefully all will be ok.

Bangbuathongben

Hi all,

Its been a while since I have posted on here but am in need of some help once again. My wife is currently coming up to the end of her 2 year extension which will mean that she has been here for 6 years. Although being here that long she still struggles with the language. She has however passed here speaking and listening exam, and her college have given her a letter (costing £10) stating that she has improved and progressed with her english which apparently is good enough to apply for her settlement visa ILR. I am going to fast track her visa as I need a quick response as we fly to thailand in december so i need her passport back asap. Has anyone obtained this letter from there college and had a result? The last thing I want is too loose the £1350 fee and have to re-do, which would potentially would mean we would loose our flights to Thailand for the whole family £4000+ Any advise would be much appreciated.

Bangbuathongben

Boo, just a quick one my wife and daughter will now be staying, but they are not looking to return to the uk for another 6-8 weeks, will this still be ok on a wavier?????

Bang...........

Hi all,

Was hoping somebody could shed some light on this. My wife ha a 2year exstention to her settlement visa (residence permit)I was wondering what it intitals you in regards being out of the uk. How many days, months ect can she be in Thailand before she looses her visa??

Thanks in advance..

Bang.............

Quick Update......

Just been called by the embassy, and told that we have to have a interview. But they can't give me a date and time yet??????? So I have been on the phone to regents house again, who said that they are waiting for a letter from the embassy, and then they will phone and let me know straight away. Bit of a nightmare, but hey at least when they contact me hopefully today i can change my wife and 23 month old daughters tickets. Just means I will miss her 2nd birthday, arse!!!

Bang.................

Thanks boo,

Thats a relief!! I will certainly get to the thai embassy when they all return though. And get it sorted out.

Cheers

Bang..........

Hi to all,

Just wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction here. You may or not know that I am currently waiting for a visa for my stepdaughter. Anyhow I also have a nearlly 2 year old daughter who was born in the uk and has a british passport. We have been here a month, and was hoping to have the visa for my stepdaughter squared away by now, but havent. So this means that my wife and my daughter will wait untill they have a desicion on my stepdaughters visa as she is living back with us here. Now I will have to go home for work commitments, but this leaves my daughter her on a overstay. This would not bother me, I have done many a trip to the border in previous years, but my wife is not to keen in taking our youngest on a visa run. So I was wondering how easy it would be to obtain a thai passport for her, but bairing in mind that all here original documents ie birth certificate ect are in our stepdaughters visa application. Or can she be written onto the tabian bahn and be classed as a thai citizen? I am not sure which route to go down, Now obviously I am hoping thon Monday we get a call from the British Embassy saying come and collect your visa and we all return home happilly ever after together. But i need a back up plan!! Any help would be much appreciated,

Cheers

Bang...............

Just to say guys that I handed in a application on the 5th, same situation as steve, it was for my wife's daughter's settlement visa. I still have not heard anything, and we are booked to go home on the 18th. I know probably my fault for wanting to get it done in a short time frame, but had to wait afew weeks to obtain relevant supporting docs. I am going to have to change my wife and youngest daughters return flights on monday afternoon if I have not heard anything. I did ring regent house and explained the situation to them, who told me that they would contact the embassy on my behalf and ask them. Whether this was a fob off or not I dont know, they did seem genuinly helpfull. But I to am pulling my hair out , drinking a lot of beer at the thought of having to go home alone. Still I think better to wait and get it, than push and have it refused!! Just another point they told us it would be finished on tuesday also!! Good luck anyhow mate..

Cheers

Bang...........

Not 100% sure but might be worth doing some searches on a shengken visa, if thats how you spell it?

Bang.......

Ok sorry fo not be very clear. This is a third attempt of a child settlement visa for the uk. Previous refusal's were because the ECO thought that my wife never had sole responsibility, regardless of being the custodial parent. I am pretty sure that I have addressed this issue, and have everything in hand. Its just that this guy I met said about my overdraft, to date i am overdrawn about 120 pound. But bearing in mind I have submitted my P60 which is proof of me earning about 42500 for the year. I have letters from my boss, who also sent a leter direct to the ambassador, ( my boss is Terance Conran ) Am I worrying for no reason?????

Cheers

Bang...............

Hi I was afer some advice from you clued up guys on here. I am in Thailand and ready to re-apply for my stepdaughters visa (3rd time lucky). Anyway I have all my documents in order and feel as if I could not have prepared anymore tfor this application. The problem I have is that I was speaking to a guy who has a agency and was telling him about the application, he then proceeded to tell me about my bank statements, I have 6 months printed and ready to go, but I am in my overdraft facility. He told me I shold go home and not re-apply until I have this sorted out. Now obviously it would look better if I wasnt in my overdraft but thats where I am at at the moment, also when I applied for my wife's visa I was in the same position and they granted hers. Now I am thinking just go for it but its a lot of money to re-apply everytime. I can show that I have a sufficient amount coming in to my account every month, and I also have my p60 which shows me earning a amecable wage. Its just this fella has put the scares up me. What do you all think...

Cheers

Bang.......

I am posting this thread in the hope of some recomendations on agency's, as I am at the final straw with trying to reunite our stepdaughetr with us here in the uk. Ok firstly a quick rundown of my situation, my wife entered the uk in September 2005 on a SV. Since then my wife has had a extention granted to her visa of 2 years. During this time my wife and I have had a child of our own who is now 18 months old. Originaly when we came to the uk our plan was to bring our stepdaughter over once we got settled, she has just turned 15 years old. Her father agreed to take care of her while we got settled in the uk then applied for her visa. We did this and got refused on several issues. We the re-applied, this also got refused, both cases we also went to appeal hearings for. Now unfortunatly things have taken a turn for the worse and her father wants to kick her out (evil stepmother who has decided that she agreed to 2 months not 2 years) I have been sending money over for a period of 2 years, and we have sole custody of our daughter, but because the father is taking care of her now the courts judged that he has responsibility, which he would have to, to a certain degree as she is staying with him. Anyhow to cut to the chase this is causing alot of strain on my wife, so we have decided to try a agency before my wife returns to thailand to support our stepdaughter and my real daughter, which will be a nightmare being apart from them. So does anybody have the emails of any good agency's that might be able to help? I have tried to contact siam-legal, but they basically told me that I was fighting a lost cause. Any help would be much appreciated

Bang...............

I have litterally just sent off this document and recieved a letter stating that they wish for my wife to prove her aboad in the uk. Basicaly saying they were not 100% convinced we were still living together, so i am frantically try to gather evidence, if you have extra I would submit it, it wont do any harm

Bang..........

Hi my advice is just to be thorough!!

Me and my wife had my stepdaughters first visa refused and then refused again at appeal, the judge then basically said he was happy all bar a letter from the social saying i was not a sex offender. We then re applied actually obtaining sole custody which we never had before and the bastards refused again, and we are waiting for another appeal date.. Nightmare its causing alot of strain.. Anyhow I hope you have more sucsess then we have had...

Bang........

Thanks everybody that is a weight off my mind!!

Although it has given me a kick up the arse as to getting her into school. And a rollocking for speaking in thai too much!! I will get in touch with the college after the half term break and try and get her back on the list.

Thanks again as always thaivisa!!!

Bang.............

OK,

Firstly I apoligise for not posting for a length of time but my life has been in a whirlwind since my wife got her setlement granted in September 2005. Since then a lot has happened. I have a beautiful daughter, we have a house everything is great. Until I realised that we have neglected the ILR requirements. When my wife arrived in the Uk we tried to get her going on a ESOL course but unfortunatly in my area they were all full, so we had to wait. But then my wife fell pregnant and the course sort of took a back step. And it has all crept up so quickly. There is noway that my wife can speak enough english to pass this course, mainly my fault as we usualy comunicate in thai, as I can speak a reasonable amount. The added problem we have is that my wife is dislexic, and she cannot read and write even thai that well. This means their is noway that she is going to learn the needed amount of english in time. Does anybody have any advice or suggestions as to what we can do, as I dont want to be seperated from my family.

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Bang.........