Phil_ne_uk

She took the application in on 14/12/06 and was given an interview date of 21/12/06 at 10.30. On the 21/12 however she ended up waiting 3 hours before being told that they were too busy and would have to email her a new interview date. I was pretty confident that we had a strong application, although I knew they could still use the "on the balance of probabilities, you don't intend to return to Thailand" line.

Well, this morning she phoned to find out when the new interview date would be and was told to go and collect her documents from the VAC. She was given the supporting documents with a refusal letter attached...

Because the embassy scheduled an interview and then didn’t grant one are they not in breach of the visa rules in some way?

Should this perhaps loophole give maikhaojai or his g/f grounds to complain?

I got my money in a Thai bank that pays 5.5 percent

Ajarn, is that 5.5 % net? May I ask which bank and is your money safe enough here?

cheers

Phil

sometime the best way to earn is not to do anything .

... plus some bank give good rate . look into it . doing notthing and get intrested for some fund is better then risking it at another country

Ta22, I assume you mean a bank outside of Thailand? As I believe the interest rates here are very low.

What do you mean, get interest from some fund?

What you say makes sense as I’ve researched different business’s here and can’t find anything worth investing in!

I’ve searched the forum for ideas but I suppose anyone making any REAL money here by western standards isn’t doing to give their secret away regarding what they do to make their money.

Having said that us farangs are so limited in what we are allowed to do here. It’s all very well buying a business here that usually has far too many staff, but it still doesn’t give you anything to do.

Lazing around all day sounds great but gets boring after a couple of months.

I spoke to a British guy in his 30’s who rented a 7 room guesthouse in Hua Hin with his dad. He admitted that they didn’t make enough to have holidays back to the UK.

What I would like to know is what the heck do farangs do here that makes REAL money??

Just an update on my trip. I got to Chiang Mai ok last Thursday. The tuk tuk cost 150 baht to Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station from the airport. The bus to Wiang Pa Pao cost 130B baht took about 110 minutes and they dropped me off as the instructions I had written in Thai. My wife was waiting over the road as planned. She had aged quite a bit over the last 20 years. In fact if I had been sitting next to her in a bar I may not have even recognised her!

It was bloody freezing up there too, about 10 degrees! We went to the Umpher the next day at about 11.00am but were told to return at 1.30 when the big boss was there to sign the papers. We did so and it took about 90 minutes to sort it all out. The woman looked at my passport and then at me and asked what my name was. I have a middle name and she wondered why my wife papers didn’t show her first name, then my middle name and then my surname. She must have never divorced anyone with a middle name before! Lol

We each were given a nice divorce certificate in Thai. Anyway the actual divorce cost me 40 Baht at the Umpher, so apart from the travelling costs it’s got to be one of the cheapest divorces one could get!

Thanks again for your help to those who posted in this thread.

Cheers,

Phil

So if somebody fancies your car, they just value it at 10 million, making you liable for taxes on that amount, which you don't want to pay. They confiscate, auction it of to the customs officer who likes it for a nominal price of 100 Baht...

Oh yes, just another reminder of the things I love about Thailand! (NOT) So many greedy T*ats wanting to cheat you!!

So.. you didn't pick up that much Thai then in Patters? :-)

'Ban' = village.

I understood Ban to be house and I’m told that village is Moo Ban.

So it's not "Bansunloung, Tumbol, Banpong, Umpher", it's:

Ban San Luang

Tambon Ban Pong

Amphur Wiang Pa Pao

Chiang Rai

Note that you have a village name, but not a house number or lot (moo). E.g. " 46/3 Ban San Luang "

I have the house and Moo No. I just didn’t want to post the full address on the forum.

I think I'd get better prepared before going. YOU need to find out what papers are needed, and check that she has them.

I’ll check it out, thanks for that.

If you don't want to fly and like really long busrides then Nakhon Chai Air has a bus from Pattaya to Chiang Mai.

Ah. Why not meet up in Wiang Pa Pao town then, as that's where you're going anyway.

Bansunloung, Tumbol, Banpong, Umpher is in Wiang Pa Pao, I think the Bansunloung bit is the actual Soi.

LOL.. better ask that on the main forum.. Would suck if you go all the way out there only to learn you need some xyz-document

She's told me that she has the papers that she'll bring with her from Australia where she now lives.

Thanks for all the replies guys. I’ve a few more questions please.

Will I have to fly from the new Suvarnabhumi Airport?

What will a taxi cost to the arcade bus station from the airport?

The actual place I’m going to in Wiang Pa Pao is Bansunloung, Tumbol, Banpong, Umpher so I don’t know how far this is from Mae Kachan, anyone know??

I know you may wonder why the heck I’m going there, well realthaideal was anyway! Lol

I’m going there to meet my 1st Thai wife so we can get a divorce at the local office. In February this year I found out that I was in fact still married to her even though I posted papers back to her around 1990 and thought we were divorced back then. I wonder what would have happened if I had tried to marry my present g/f in BKK, would they have known I was still married, anyone know?

The last time I saw her was at Heathrow in September 1986 so it’ll be strange seeing her again. I’m presently living in Pattaya with my new g/f who I’ve known over 2 years now.

While we’re on the subject does anyone know the procedure for getting the divorce? Just thought I’d ask. Lol

Cheers,

Phil

I would appreciate some advice please. A friend has found a small rubber plantation for sale and I’m wondering if it’s a good deal. Relevant details below.

The land is just outside khon kaen

It has 20 Rai.

Has 1000 trees producing with new trees planted. Not sure as yet how many new trees.

This year is its first year of production.

There are no buildings on the land

I don’t think the seller wants to continue working the farm.

Any idea where we could find people we could trust (lol) to work the farm on a 50/50 basis?

So the million baht question is, what would you lot of professionals on this forum consider a fair price to purchase it for?

Cheers,

Phil

Thanks for the info guys!

Hi, I’m flying to Chiang Mai next month and am wondering the best way to get to Wiang Pa Pao from Chiang Mai?

Where can I get the bus from and what’s the cost and journey duration. Alternatively what’s the cost and journey duration by taxi?

If anyone has any information I would appreciate it.

Cheers,

Phil

from PHIL

So the Wa**er was wrong wasn’t he! ...........It’s up to the two people as to how they feel! It shouldn’t be what some young jumped up power freak decides what HE thinks is genuine!

from GU22

With the benefit of hindsight, it would appear so. But based on the information before the ECO at the time?

It is fairly obvious that the conclusion the ECO came to is that she was trying to get into the UK to continue her chosen profession. Whether you were considered as a willing accomplice or an unwitting stooge is irrelevant.

No she never intended to work in a beauty salon again as she didn’t need to as I had enough money to look after her in England, and still have now!

from GU22

"Bar girl, who claims she is a hairdresser (how many times have I heard that this week?), wants to visit the UK with her 'boyfriend' whom she has known for all of 2 weeks (or is it 6 days? She doesn't seem very sure when questioned).

She was NEVER doubted or questioned regarding the duration of our relationship. There was no need as the dates of my holiday fitted in with my passport stamps! So again with all respect, you’re talking through your @rse (as usual)

from GU22

Having developed the relationship over a longer period and provided more and better evidence, such doubts in the ECO's mind would be lessened if not removed.

The evidence provided for the second application was EXACTLY the same. If you had bothered to read my post fully regarding this matter before once again talking through your @rse, you would have read that the only difference was that we had known each other longer. Which I have also said before proves that these eco’s are vindictive nasty C***s

from PHIL

Okay you keep asking so without going into lengthy detail. Basically it’s because neither of us are divorced as yet.

from GU22

After more than 2 years!!!

Doesn't show much commitment by either of you, IMHO.

As I said, I wont go into lengthy detail, so don’t make an opinion about something that you know <deleted> all about! Opinions are like belly buttons, we all have them and they’re all useless!!

from GU22

There's lots of things that people don't particularly want to do, but have to do in order to obtain what they want. It's called growing up and living in the real world.

What like robbing banks? Lying to get a visa! Well done GU22, now you’re getting the right idea!!

The rest of your pathetic comments aren’t worth wasting my time by answering! I would get a more sensible response talking to my computer.

What im trying to say is, if you dont know how to spot the fact that you have been wronged, then you would never know about, and therefore not able to complain about anything.

For example, I sell cars for a living and if I wanted to "lift your leg" so to speak, then I could and you would never know(not that i would do such a thing!!!)unless you were clued up on the matter.I know this is not the same but I think the same sort of thing happens with visas.

I highlight the word could because the embassy can, if they want, confuse an unsuspecting visa applicant with any old blarne they want and there none the wiser.

Well thought out and well said Mark!

Phil, I still would like to know why you are continuing to bang your head against a wall in a fruitless attempt to get the Spanish government to change their immigration rules regarding unmarried couples. As discussed at great length elsewhere, they are not breaking any EU rules provided they are treating you the same as they would a Spanish citizen in this regard.

GU22

Sorry but you are wrong. Even if they recognize cohabiting couples as akin to marriage, as the directive clearly states,

“In those cases where there is no direct obligation to recognise, member states must facilitate entry and residence of partners in a durable relationship”

Solvit agree and certainly wouldn’t waste their time if there was no case!

The problem is that they won’t acknowledge or state what they class as a durable relationship. That’s what Solvit are looking into.

You made reference earlier to her first unsuccessful UK application and her subsequent successful one. The first was refused because you hadn't known each other long enough for the ECO to believe the relationship was genuine ( she may also have been caught lying).

So the Wa**er was wrong wasn’t he! Why should they decide what length of time is long enough to be considered a genuine relationship? Also she was NOT found out about the small lie about how long we had known each other.

Solution, get to know her for longer and voilà; visa issued.

Moral; look at the reasons for the refusal and do something about them.

It’s up to the two people as to how they feel! It shouldn’t be what some young jumped up power freak decides what HE thinks is genuine!

The Spanish wont issue her a family permit because she is not married to you. Solution; marry her. Why wont you take this simple and easy route?

Okay you keep asking so without going into lengthy detail. Basically it’s because neither of us are divorced as yet. Apart from that I don’t really want to marry for the reason of obtaining a visa. Been there done that, years ago. People shouldn’t have to marry for the sake of a visa even though sometimes it’s the easiest or only way.

Atlastaname, regarding your post as below. I have just one thing to say,,,,

BL**DY WELL SAID!! I couldn’t agree more! Particularly the points I’ve highlighted in bold

Like Phil and i suspect Mark also, i disagree with Mahout when he says along the lines of ...well its happened , forget it and move on you can't change anything.... I guess women would never have got the vote if that attitude was adopted . On a frivolous note i personally enjoy making work for them because they made work for me . Childish maybe ..but it IS satisfying to rock the boat. On a serious note, only by protest and by enough people doing it will change happen. It certainly can happen . How long do you think the system can last before breakdown if every MP had his every surgery packed with about 5 immigration protesters (and 5 is enough to pack a surgery) complaining about the attitudes of the Embassy staff and the inadequacies of the system in terms of redress? Swamp the MP's and UK Visas and you would soon see change. Unfortunately most people are either too lazy or lack the motivation to complain because it does of course require some considerable effort.

Off topic a bit but Solvit (part of The European Commission) are presently working on my case regarding the refusal my g/f’s family permit for Spain.

This link could be useful for any EU citizens who have problems with any EU countries who are not fulfilling their EU laws obligations.

Unlike some, I believe that the ECOs are fair, and do their, not easy, job to the best of their abilities. I do not believe them to be petty and vindictive.

I disagree. I believe as well as many others on this forum that they enjoy their power and forget that their job is to consider issuing visas, not looking for excuses to refuse them which they often do. Marks case is an example, as you wrote below.

However, like all of us, ECOs can make mistakes and when they do they will try to cover their @rses. From what Mark has been told by them, it seems that this is the case here.

They should remember that if it wasn’t for the likes of us guys, they wouldn’t even have their job here in Thailand!

Sometimes applicants don't meet the necessary requirements, know they don't and so lie and are then caught in that lie.

Sometimes it’s necessary to make small lies. (as long as you can definitely cover your @rse) As in my g/f’s case 2 years ago. Had we told them that we had only been together in Thailand for only 6 days they would certainly have decided that 6 days wasn’t long enough to be considered a “genuine” relationship and refused the vv on that basis. We said we had been together 2 weeks (which they never found to be untrue) but still refused her first application as they didn’t think 2 weeks was long enough. They didn’t state that they refused for that reason, just other petty reasons, or rather excuses which was obvious as when she re-applied 3 months later, she got the vv and the only difference in her circumstances was the time we had known each other. Which proves that their reasons for the first refusal were unjust. Or in simple terms one could say they were just nasty, petty and vindictive awkward C***s

Good thinking, no amount of moaning or stirring will help you get your Visa any sooner, neither will it prevent it happening to someone else, nor will it improve the sytem. At best it could well leave you a marked man and cause you to be flagged to cause you problems in the future. Best to leave it.

Not always. Sometimes one has to complain or these eco’s think they can do what they like. My g/f’s second application was accompanied by a letter from my MP. I’ll never know if the letter helped her get the vv. But it certainly didn’t do any harm as she got it!

I am looking for a luxury villa or large house of a high standard to rent for up to 1 months from January for some friends of mine coming from the UK for a holiday. They are all married couples.

The villa must be in a popular resort such as Pattaya, Phuket, Chaing Mai, Samui, Krabi etc

Minimum 4-5 bedrooms

Private pool essential

bad luck Mark. It just goes to show what a bunch of unfair and unreasonable TW**s they are!

she is my queen and her name was used as a way of comically hinting at the mentality of the ECO's, not as a blame!

well said Mark

Come on chaps, must protect the queen at all cost's from the attact of the evil teeraks!!!!

lol :D

Mark, As you said, david matthews stated

documents you have mentioned are not present

Phone mr matthews and ask if the documents not present was the only/main reason they refused the visa. If they confirm that was the reason for refusal, Tell them you can get your g/f to bring copies into the embassy. I don’t see how they can refuse this simple request even if they are Tw**s lol

If they wont allow this then bring up the fact that THEY must have lost them in the first place, otherwise as GU22 said she would have to have signed the declaration. As she didn’t sign any declaration, this must prove that the paperwork was in order at the time of submitting the application. If they wont admit that then ask why your g/f wasn’t asked to sign the declaration.

Don’t accept their decision if you are in the right!

Mark, I would phone them again using GU22’s strategy as he wrote below!

They accepted that she had provided the necessary financial documents or else they would have got her to sign the standard declaration to say she knew some documents were missing. I would point this out to the ECM and that this means the documents must have been mislaid somewhere between the VAC and the visa section at the embassy.

Ask one more time if you can now produce these documents and if doing so means the decision will be overturned.

You have nothing to lose by trying this idea. Insist that they must have lost the documents! So it's only fair that they give you the chance to produce them again!

GU22 with reference to your “comment” (or dig)

One sees a lot of comments on forums such as this like Phil's above

My comments (as you call them) on this particular post are appropriate. Obviously, otherwise you wouldn’t have written

someone at the embassy has cocked up and is now trying to cover themselves. Don't let them get away with it!

Oh incidentally, I didn’t comment, I stated my opinion!

Have you ever considered, perhaps the reason one sees a lot of comments/opinions like mine as you say, is because they are true and justified, as in this instance.

Mark, I can imagine you're pulling your hair out now. In my opinion these eco are mostly awkward b******s and like to make things difficult for people. However, what's your next step?

Mark I must say it makes perfect sense what atlastaname is saying. I would phone the eco tomorrow and suggest what atlastaname has suggested, offering to produce copies of the missing/lost documents. It's worth a try, it must be better than wasting time and money re-applying again!

Typical of the embassy! Mark, you will have to try again on Monday morning again. Keep trying, as I said, they just like to crack you up! But don't worry you'll get sorted sooner or later. Good luck for monday.

Phil