gprit

Have recently had advice on here regarding Schengen Visa for France visit under EEU rules - thanks all.

Anyway, the good news is that following the Visa application (normal /paid route) it was approved the following day, so must have done something right!

The application and Visa was in my fiancee's maiden name.

We plan to get married at the end of the month but am unsure about name changes.

My understanding is that her ID card can be changed to married name immediately (or if not then within 60 days) - no problem there, will do immediately.

So she can register to take an A1 Level English test in her married name and it will match up with her ID Card.

My question is - before we go to France for 90 days from mid March, we want to also apply for a UK Settlement Visa, so that when we get back in mid June (with UK Visa hopefully approved) we can start to prepare to go to UK.

.......but to do this presumably they need to have her passport in her married name(?). BUT the Visa is in her maiden name passport, and I am assuming that if we applied for a new passport in her married name they would want the old one (with the Visa) back. Not sure I want to complicate things with trying to get it transferred.

Any thoughts?

Thanks - yes one would assume that about documents.

Trouble is that when you register on TLS for Family visit it generates a list of the documents required - and doesn't seem to make provision if entry is being sought via this method.

Not sure they would process if several things were missing.

"The application form has various questions marked *."

I didn't see any asterisks in teh lists of documents required, as issued by TLS Agent for French Embassy (Family and Friends Visa)

AM I missing a different application type?

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Thanks - just making a backup plan...as we are to be married before the end of January (trip is planned mid March), so if 'normal/full' visa refused I know all the facts!!

We would only be there 90 days anyway...just wanted to make sure it wasn't 30 days!

I think I am correct in stating the certification by Thai MFA can be done via third party, as it would be a pain to have to go from Udon Thani to Bangkok for this (and btw it is WAY out of town....)

but the process was quick and straightforward yesterday when submitting Affirmation to Marry for authentication..

Referring back to Post #16 can I ask three supplementary questions.

1) The marriage certificate will be in Thai. I can get this translated into English by a certified translator BUT I have read somewhere that it also has to be certified as a true copy by the Thai Consulate (in the same way as the Affirmation to Marry was), Is this correct?

2) If using this method of entry into France is there a maximum stay time?

3) To use this method who does one apply to? The French Agency TLS site does not seem to cover this and they do not seem aware of it / how to apply.

Applied for normal Schengen Visa yesterday (as it had all been aranged before I knew the above!) so may not need to go down this route, but am making a backup plan if refused.

thanks

Thanks for the practicalities of the test - good feedback. I am Welsh(!) but don't really have a Welsh accent.

At the moment I am taking all counsel, and my fiancee is going through all the sample tests that are available on sevaral websites.

We live in Udon Thani, and also have a young baby, so it is not easy to spend 3 days prep in Bangkok (for which of course we have to pay for hotels/air fares)...unless of course they can do this online - I'll check.

What is this EEA Visa called as I didn't see it on TLS (Agens for French Embassy). Is there a list of documents somewhere (from Thailand to France)?

thanks

The EEA freedom of movement regulations mean that if a qualifying family member, which a spouse is.....

Gosh - if I am reading this correctly, if I had waited until after we were married (I submitted Schengen Visa application in her current maiden name), I could have avoided getting an Attestation d'accueil, Bank Attestation letters ...Confirmed Air Travel etc?

Remember, if she is travelling with or to join you in France then her initial visa will be free and if you are or will be exercising an economic treaty right in France (one of those listed in my previous) then once in France she can have it extended without cost under the EEA regulations.

How will her Visa be free if she is travelling with me or to join me in France. We are travelling together (hopefully) in March via Schengen Visa. How would she travel with initial visa free?

I said previously that I am effectively retired. Not quite true - I still design and change websites for clients, so if I registered the business in France, the fact I can work from anywhere shouldn't matter...and I would pass the 'working' test(!?)

Quite a minefield isn't it?

Excellent reply as always - thank you.

The last point should not be a problem as if we can get into the UK via the French route we would be spending around 8 months in Uk and 4 months in France.

One query:

However, they can do so if

• the EEA family member has been working, employed or self employed, in another EEA state,
• they have been living there with them and

Obviously a) I would not have been working there as I am effectively retired.

how long would they have needed o have lived there with me....eg would the 90 schengen visa be enough time?

Thank you for that practical information. To brush up we are going through sample papers(!).

It seems also that during January and February one of the approved test providers only has on day in February available for a test...

As an aside I read the UKBA section on TB Testing. Certainly could do with someone who can write Englisg to redo that section!!!

It is an interesting point about the French route. At the moment I am seemingly without a resident country, spending (nearly) six months in Thailand, four in France and two in the UK.

I will have to look up the rules for Residency in France (and of course we may decide to stay in France eventually). Have had a place there for fifteen years now, and the local Marie was happy enough to approve an Attestation d'accueil towards a 90 day visit Visa.

If anyone has information about the France / Europe route that would be good to hear.

Thanks for the prompt response.

Think going to Savvanakhet is not feasible as I am in North of Tailand (again adds to cost as would have to go to BKK first I think).

With income does it have to be in Thai Bank?

I can get Bank Attestation from UK BUT it tkaes longer than seven days to get here.

Would an Income Attestation from British Embassy be sufficient? What would be its time limit?

Trust this post is the right one to ask this question. Have recenty posted on another subject elsewhere.

I have a non imm 'O' Visa that expires mid February. I could go to Laos and renew for a further 90 days just before then to extend to mid May..

As posted in my other question, I hope to depart for France mid March (Schengen visa permitting for my Thai wife) and return to Thailand mid June.

Then depending on UK Visa application would hope to go to Uk in August, or return to Thailand if not granted..

Now I have read / been advised about extending my Visa one year based on Marriage....Retirement Visas etc, but then Re-entry permits would be required etc. Also it means getting Income Certificate from British Embassy...all the costs add up and I just think it would be 'cleaner' to simply renew my non imm 'O' Visa.

Is it possible to do this within Thailand???

Personal profile - age 66, UK Retirement pensions around £13,000 per annum (but paid to UK bank account), plus I have approx £50,000 on UK Bank Deposit.

thanks

Think I have got the gist of things now as far as visas go.

Still unclear about the complexity of the English A1 Level Test.

My confusion lies in what I have read on the official providers list from UKBA (Person and Cambridge), which seem quite stringent and based on computer voice recongnition.

However, videos I see on Youtube are of a much more informal one-to-one nature and consist mainly of quite easy banal sentences.

Which is the realistic one? My own thoughts are that when listening particulalry, word recognition is hugely enhanced in a face to face contact situatuion.

Any practical experience to share?

thanks

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Could she apply for a Spouse Visa (different from Settlement visa??) whilst on a visitor visa in the uk?

Also, I realise that if she had a visitor visa she would need a Schengen visa to go to France on other occasions...BUT,

if she was in the Uk on a Marriage Visa would that be enough to enable her to travel to France / Schengen countries freely?

Seem to recall somewhere that the UK Visa could show that she was entitled to do this.

thanks. (

Thanks for that - studying is not really necessary as her English is quite good, just needs practice with exam-style questions.

My only concern with applying as a Visitor is that we will already be married, and her surname will be the same(!). Not sure if this would prejudice application.

Am I correct in saying that if we did then want to apply for marriage visa she would have to return to Thailand to apply?...or can it be applied for whilst in UK?

Also would not need to take the British Life' test for marriage visa?

I would also add that we have a young son (he has full Brtish and Thai passports so no complication for him).

We are getting married (in Thailand) in January. I am British, wife is Thai. We are then travelling to France together for three months (under Schengen visa) and also want to apply for a UK Visa before we go. I am however a little confused as to what the English A1 Level test actually comprises - other than only listening and speaking is needed.

My confusion lies in what I have read on the official providers list from UKBA (Person and Cambridge), which seem quite stringent and based on computer voice recongnition.

However, videos I see on Youtube are of a much more informal one-to-one nature and consist mainly of quite easy banal sentences.

Which is the realistic one? My own thoughts are that when listening particulalry, word recognition is hugely enhanced in a face to face contact situatuion.

My other thought on this is (as time is tight) that we apply for a visitor passport to UK (renewable) and take the Language test in the UK if needed, although I understand that she would need to return to Thailand IF an application for a Settlement Visa was made.

I say IF because we are not sure yet where to settle - UK (where I have a small house)....France (where I have a large house). It may be that my wife doesn't like either and we might sell all and buy property in Thailand (currenly renting).

Any thoughts appreciated.

Really clear - many thanks indeed!!

my fiancee (thai) and I have an 8 month old son who was born in Thailand and registered with the British Conulate in BKK and has a British birth certificate and a British Passport. He also has a Thai passort.

Now - my question is.....(subject to schengen visa for my fiancee) we plan to travel from Thailand to France in mid March for 90 days, returning to Thailand in mid June.

My thoughts are that my son can show Thai passort when leaving Thailand and when re-entering. When arriving in and departing form France he can show the British passort. Am I correct?

The thought that crosed my mind was there are no entry stamps in his British passport and would there be any problems using the Thai passport through the airport (as they wouldn't know where he was going) so no need to get visa for him

Am I correct?

Can this be 'moved' to a new topic?

Thanks for the Cash Savings document pointer. If I am reading this correctly I don't think I should have a problem with Income requirements.

Lets say income is £15,000 (state and private pensions)

Page 41 says....

"The following equation is to be used:

Getting clearer!! Presume the re-entry permit is also available from local immigration office in Udon Thani - any cost for that?

Many thanks for the comprehensive reply.

I can satisfy all the criteria - I already have a multi-entry non O immigration visa (expires February).

...and just to confirm, once I get the income confirmation from British embassy in Bangkok (which I can do when I get marriage affirmation letter), I can then get the Marriage visa at local immigration office in Udon Thani? go t

Presumably this would be valid for me to stay after we return from France after a holiday, in mid June 2014, for the rest of the one year period?

Thanks for all the advice!

Just to confirm - If I get the Financial confirmation from UK Embassy in January when I sort out the affirmation, I can then take it to the local immigration office in Udon Thani and get a one year stay (after the marriage)?

If that is correct, anyone know the cost and what other documents etc the immigration office would need.

Let's assume I dont get a visa for my wife to visit France, so the 90-day final visa expires early May. If I get a 60 day extension at local immigration office that takes me to early July. Can I then extend it for a further 60 day period/

Plan to return to Uk end August. What are the costs for getting these extensions?

thanks