dee_jai_maak_maak

The place exists! I have been. It's a predominantly Thai place and features a manic live band. I've been a couple of times when in Phuket and really liked the place.

The trouble is I don't know where it is! The gf took me and I was not paying much attention and was definitely not sober. However, a bit of googling turned up this entry at http://www.phuket-holidays.co.uk/phukettownnightlife.html:

"Continue down Takuapa Road and you’ll find half a dozen places featuring live bands and an all Thai crowd. One such place is known as Cowboy Bar, not to be confused with Soi Cowboy in Bangkok. Don’t expect to find any bar girls here (or cowboys for that matter) do expect to find a decent live band and lots of faux western kitsch on the walls."

That sounds like the place I went to.

Yee-haah!

My second eldest farang sister is the worst culprit. She has always been a troublesome person. Everytime I part company with her I endure a debilitating depression which often lasts for days. I think she is an extemely disturbed, bitter, hateful woman. This is difficult for me as it is family, but over the years I have seen her in action enough times to be very weary of her being in the company of my wife. She is an inward, narrow, gossipy cow who has never even left the disadvantaged socio-economic enviorment of her birth. Every time I see her she tells me how she has fallen out with this friend, that co-worker etc. She has severe personaltiy problems and deep down I think she hates herself. She has suffered with Anarexia and has had numerous mental breakdowns. She has recently turned 40, but she has the mindset of like a 9 year old.

Growing up she gave me hel_l. She is devious and a gameplayer. She delights in putting Thailand/Culture/People down, which offends me and when I tell my wife the things she says, her too. Most of the insults are vague, indirect ,but certainly said for an effect. About a year ago I decided that enough is enough and I quit any kind of contact with her. I recently made contact again out of duty but the woman hasn't changed, in fact she has got worse. I have not met a more tortured soul in all my life, but I just can't be near her anymore. Being a sensative boy growing up, she was very damaging to me, I resent her for this.

You sound like a very unhappy family unit (except for your wife, thankfully). You seem to have very low self-esteem. You should not be looking for approval of your life choices from your friends or family. You have chosen your wife and she sounds like she deserves better than for you to doubt her worth just because the people around you are imbeciles. You can't change your family, but you can distance yourself from them and keep it that way, and you can sure as he_ll change your "friends".

That said, are you sure they do disapprove? I used to have a Thai girlfriend. She visited the UK three times. Never once did I perceive any inkling of hostility or disapproval from friends, family or even acquaintances. Everyone was dying to meet her, and were fussing over her when they met her. And then begging her to show them how to cooik Thai food (cheeky s*ds! ). But then again, I wouldn't have given a sh*t if they did have a problem. I'd have told them to <deleted> off.

Contrary to popular belief, the UK is not populated solely by white working class tattooed neanderthal skinheads. It's a very multicultural place (not always happily so, I'll admit). But if you live on a sink estate in a slum area, populated by morons and/or Daily Star readers (I offer no apologies to Daily Star readers; you should know better. ) then you have get the <deleted>*k out. Go to a city. If you live in London, for example, no one will care if you and your wife are from different races. It would hardly look out of place there, believe me.

As for education, go for it. I've just finished a degree via the Open University, and I'm older than you (but not that much! ) It's tough studying and working, but it can be done. The alternative is to study full-time and incur debts in the fom of student loans (in which case, do NOT go to London as the living costs would push up the debt). But again, it can be done.

I came from a sh*thole area. I left. Buses, trains, planes, cars............they can all take you away from where you are to somewhere better.

Whatever you do, do something. Good luck.

I have been going to the Karon Family Dentist for about 3yrs now. Hate dentists as a rule but these guys are great. They are opposite the Irish pub, can't remember the name, up a small side street.

Happy Tooth. On the road from Chalong Circle towards the Green Man pub.

Let this be a warning to others. Read the guidance notes and if unsure about anything ask on forums such as this. All the advice you will need can be got here for free.

Why pay an agent a large fee to stress you out? The agent needs to make it look difficult to justify their fee!

Totally agree with this. My gf's 2nd visa application was nearly messed up after she (against my wishes) involved an agent. They stick their oar in and complicate things, mess up the paperwork, and just generally get in the way. Luckily she told them to <deleted> off in the nick of time, and everything went fine thereafter. (Well, apart from the fact she subsequently lost all the paperwork I sent to her. )

OK, this is probably not true of all agents, but why bother with them? You can get all the guidance and links you need from this site.

Best of luck with your application, ChrisP.

djmm

Thanks again for suggestions. I have kept a record of sms messages since my return to Uk as my phone bills do not show sms msgs received.

I even highlighted all the calls to Thailand through low cost dialling services on my phone bills in the last application, with appropriate numbers highlighted so they would be easy for the officer to spot.

Which is why I cannot understand the visa officer questioning the veracity of our relationship????

I have seen no mention of photos in this thread. Do you have any pictures of you and your gf together? If not, get snap-happy on your next visit.

Perahps when you make your next application you could come clean and tell the ECO that you made a bit of a b*lls-up of the first application and you'd like to clarify your gf's background, ie. she's not a simple farm girl, but has a university education. (Let's face it, a lot of us would mess up the application in some way if it wasn't for this forum).

If you don't email much because your gf cannot write English very well, then tell them so. I said as much in my covering letter.

Best of luck.

djmm

Yes. They fill in a landing card.

Yes. They give it to the immigration officer along with their passport.

Yes. This precede baggage collecting.

However, if there are problems then the immigration officer may ask to see all the baggages.

Thanks.

my gf is coming to the uk on a visitor visa shortly. Is it best to organise health insurance in thailand for the visit or organise it in the uk as if she was a resident? apologies if i have the wrong forum.

Villan,

I am currently trying to organise insurance for my gf. I think I'm going to plump for BUPA Thailand

An alternative is:

WorldNomads

Cheers,

djmm

What is the actual process for non-EU travellers arriving in the UK? I know there is a landing card to fill in. Do they give it to the immigration officer, along with their passport? Does this precede collecting their baggage?

I should probably know all this, but I tend to stumble through Heathrow in a daze (the best way, if you ask me ), and don't remember when and where I go after leaving the plane.

I want to draw up a quick checklist for the gf so that she knows roughly what to do when she lands. Point number 1 is easy: put on a very thick jumper!

Cheers.

djmm

I really wish I hadn't read the article. Please tell me the gf won't have to put up with this at LHR when she arrives a in a couple of weeks. She is travelling alone, and she is VERY nervous about this. And now I am worried.

Just a quick note to to say thanks to all - you know who you are - who were kind enough to offer me tips and advice on the wife's visa application. Many grateful thanks, and now I can sleep at night, now that the vistor visa has been granted... A 6 month, multiple entry family visit visa stamped in her passport!

Thankyou

Congratulations.

Best of luck.

djmm

just explain that you've got a job lined up for her, but it doesn't start until April.......

Must be an April's fool joke as she cannot work in the UK on a tourist visa.

It was definitely tongue in cheek. Anyway, she's an old-fashioned girl - work is for men.

I can't promise...

Why not?! LOL

...that the embassy will now post-date it, but it's worth phoning to see.

Scouse.

Can I phone or should the little lady? Are applicants usually given a reference number for their visa applications?

Cheers,

djmm

Congrats.

Was the problem the ECO wanting to know why she had used an agency for this straightforward application?

Thanks. I don't know the reason why. I'll try to get more info out of the gf, but I already have my suspicions about the wisdom of involving an agency.

Unfortunately if she wanted the visa postdated she should have said so at the time. I don't think she can change it now, but as she hasn't collected it yet it's worth a phone call to find out.

Yes, you are probably right. It's not the end of the world, but it would have been nice to maximise the available time allowed.

Cheers.

djmm

Well done! If your g/f catches them before they actually print off the visa, she might be able to convince them to post-date the validity.

Cheers,

Scouse.

Thanks.

That sounds promising. Could she phone the embassy about it?

Cheers,

djmm

Result!!

The gf got the documents off the agency and presented herself at the embassy She had to sit through another (long ?) interview (about 20 minutes, she thinks), which seemed to cover the same ground as last year's, but they did grant her another visitor visa.

She seems less put out by the whole process than I am, but we are well happy with the result. (The only downside is that she will now be reverting to shopping mode. Apparently she still doesn't have enough cold weather clothes! )

As ever, thanks for all your help, Scouse. Much appreciated.

One more thing: she picks up the visa next week. She forgot to ask them to post-date it to late March. Is there any way she can now intervene and change the start date of the visa?

And best of luck to anyone else going through this (still bl**dy stressful) process.

Cheers,

djmm

I don't know anything about a mock interview.

It does sound as if all is not lost. Ask your g/f to do as you suggest (including option 2) and things should go swimmingly.

Scouse.

Scouse,

Will do.

Cheers,

djmm

PS. Good luck against Benfica tonight (he says through gritted teeth )

If the application has not yet been lodged, then get everything back from the agency and ask your g/f to do it herself. There is no reason to think that she shouldn't get the visa, so I don't see of what benefit an agency can be.

If the agency has lodged the application, it is possible that the visa officer will wonder why your g/f has instructed an agency when she could fulfil such a simple task herself.

I was a little concerned when you said that she'd been called in for interview, despite having previously successfully visited the UK. Now it would appear that the agency is insisting upon her sitting a mock interview, for which there should be no need as her application (all things being equal) should be determined on the papers alone. Providing you are happy with the documentation submitted, I would wager that an agency will have nothing to add.

Cheers,

Scouse.

Who completed the application form - your g/f or the agency? If the latter, <deleted> have they written on it?

Scouse.

Scouse,

I couldn't agree more.

I filled in most of the application form. She added her photo and signature. I have supplied sponsorship documentation and covering note. Everything is in order. No need to involve anyone else.

I am certain an agency cannot be of benefit, but I also suspect they can <deleted> things up.

I have asked her to take the documents off the agency, tell them to <deleted> off, and present herself at the visa window at the embassy (I'll settle for 2 out of 3).

I don't know anything about a mock interview. I hope that is not the case. She doesn't need "coaching" for this.

Cheers,

djmm

..... I can see no reason to make her jump through hoops again.

Exactly! Unless there has been a change in her circs, there is no point. Is it feasible that the embassy phoned her to come and collect her passport at a given time, complete with visa?

Scouse.

The embassy don't have the paperwork. I have now found out who does - an agency!

I told the gf not to use an agency (I have no idea what useful function they could perform), so she goes ahead and uses one anyway . She is meeting them at the embassy to retrieve the paperwork and then attend the interview. I don't even know at what point they got hold of the documents. Can these guys mess the process up?

djmm

Sorry, djmm, it seems like only yesterday. Is it really that long?

Have her circumstances dramatically changed since the last visa was issued? If not, all she needs to do is state the obvious to the visa officer, that her situation is the same and she has already visited the UK and abided by the conditions imposed upon her. Perhaps a letter from you to the visa officer stating this would also be of assistance.

Scouse.

Scouse,

Time sure flies!

I have supplied a covering letter for the application, explaining that both our circumstances are identical to last year. I also explained that she had visited the UK (there are photos to prove it, she has a visa reference, etc), and has no intention of staying for good, etc.

I am actually hoping that the gf has misunderstood and the embassy just want a short chat because I can see no reason to make her jump through hoops again.

Cheers,

djmm

In that case, it looks as though she is going to be formally interviewed again.

Providing that her circumstances have not materially altered since the first visa was issued, then it is difficult for the visa officer to refuse the visa; i.e. having accepted her as being a worthy recipient of a visit visa last year, to then turn round and say that, despite her situation being identical, she is not now worthy, is legally indefensible. Barring any material change, the only thing he could justifiably hit her with is the purpose of the visit; i.e. she only visited last year, so why does she wish to visit again, relatively quickly. You girlfriend should, therefore, have an (acceptable) answer to this is case she's asked.

Cheers,

Scouse.

Scouse,

Is visiting the UK a whole year after a prior visit going to be viewed as a quick return? That seems a bit unreasonable.

Silomfan,

The gf returned to Thailand last year after visiting the UK, so I hope the "reason to return" question has already been answered satisfactorily.

Cheers,

djmm

Have they given her a specific appointment or asked her to pop in at her convenience? If the latter, I would suggest they just want a quick chat to establish that her circumstances haven't altered since the first visa was granted.

Scouse.

Scouse,

It is the former.

djmm

Hi all,

The gf has applied (at last) for her second tourist visa. She visited the UK last year, no problems. I have supplied all the usual paperwork. She used the drop box at the embassy for this application, but the embassy have asked to see her this week.

Anything abnormal about that? I must admit I wasn't expecting it, and I am starting to worry a bit. (She seems remarkably calm about it all).

Cheers,

djmm

Hi all

not a very deep topic but I would like an insight off anyone who has sent visa documents to Thailand from the UK. What Postal Courier did you use ie. most trustworthy and efficient from the UK?

I really do not want to lose them when I come to send them at this point ( I have photocopies of originals).

Thanks all

I have used Fedex twice. No problems. Took 3 or 4 days London to Phuket. It cost me about £21 last time (about a month ago).

Best of luck.

djmm

DJMM,

The rules have changed since Phuket Siam's time. The immigration officer no longer grants the permission to enter. It is the visa that does that, so the holder's permission to stay in the UK starts on the day the visa is issued. If you want the visa post-dating, I'd write it in a covering letter stating the date from which you want the visa to be valid.

Scouse.

Thanks for the update, Scouse.

I presume the letter should come from the applicant? I'll knock up a quick note and get the little lady to put her scrawl on it.

Cheers,

djmm

If i remember correctly the visa is valid for entry for 3 months, and its duration starts from the date of your actual entry, subject to approval by immigration in UK, so for example if you get a 6 month visa, you will have to travel within 3 months of the visa being issued (or it will expire) and then immigration in UK will stamp the visitors passport with an expiry date a maximum of 6 months from arrival in the UK

Thanks for prompt reply, PS.

I didn't know about the three month rule. That sounds fine.

Cheers,

djmm

Hi all,

I have checked a couple of previous threads on this forum discussing post-dating the start date of a tourist visa to the UK, but I haven't seen any mention of how to actually specify a preferred visa start date when making an application.

Field 5.2, in Section 5 of the VAF1 form asks "One what date do you intend to arrive [in the UK]?" If the date entered into this field is about one month from now will the visa officials deduce that the applicant wishes the visa to start on that date? If not, how does one alert them to this, bearing in mind we will be using the drop box?

Thanks in advance.

djmm