maxcorrigan

3 hours ago, ehs818 said:

I find it amusing when Brits and Australians make fun of American speaking English. We don't speak British style English, we speak American English. While similar, it's quite different than British style English. I come from California and am regularly praised for speaking in a clear and understandable voice. I've no accent and can't understand much of what Brits from certain parts of English say. There's a mumble to there speech that I find very hard to unpack. And as for Aussies, I've learned that they simply pronounce the vowels, (aeiou and y) differently that I do. Their A sounds like my I. But once I train my ear to understand their pronunciation, I've little trouble understanding them.. They are generally good natured and friendly people. But hey, how 'bout them Brits!?

I speak London English (not cockney) there are many accents in London again not all cockney, as everyone likes to think, when in America i get asked if i'm Australian I tell them no and that they the Ozzies get their accents mainly from London English before strangling a bit, but all good fun and banter laughing at each other!

Mind you the way London is going it'll be Islamic in a few years, i am now classed as a minority in the place i was born and bred in, sad really!

3 hours ago, soalbundy said:

I don't know where this myth originated, None of the people in the occupied countries were forced to speak German and many Germans could and can speak better English than many Americans without the "errm you know, like erm" etc. As for WW2 'Johnny come lately's production capabilities definitively was a contributing factor to victory but the country that bled Nazi Germany dry was Russia.

I think it originated from the US as to how they won the war, both WW. 1and2 that is!

19 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

Yeah, my daughter has the same problem. When I take her home to Liverpool everyone asks why she has an American accent.

 

It's the mid-Atlantic accent influence of the international school system where they don't correct them. She can't even say aluminium the way it's spelled!!

 spelled =US spelling, spelt =UK

1 hour ago, possum1931 said:

No problem. Steven100 will be just fine as long as there is plenty of booze nearby.

And don't forget a regular dose of Khun Prayut to keep him charged up!

@Tony M What you are saying is correct, so in other words she should lose it, despite the difficulty in obtaining this visa in the first place, they are not given willy nilly the cost of the test before hand to see if she is eligible for ILR (can't remember exactly around £200) plus £1250 fee for the interview with the cost a trip to Scotland from London ( no office being available in England in the difficult time frame allowed by the government) we have family here in Thailand and in the UK whom we like to keep in contact with, and the added option of settling in the UK one day in the future!

But as you seem to be saying rules are rules so she lose it, in the cold light of day it's easy to say these things, but the realty can be lot different!

38 minutes ago, puchooay said:

I have just finished a call with the helpline. 

 

I was told that my wife can apply for a settlement visa from here, she is currently here on a visitor visa.

 

Sadly, when I asked about how to get around the TB test I got a, in my opinion, stupid remark. "Call the NHS to see if they can do it". I did mention that they were probably a bit busy right now and they probably would not want people walking in asking for such tests. That was met with a silent pause and then " Those are the guidelines we have". I will attempt to send an email and see if I can get a better answer.

 

The guy on the phone did not seem that interested or knowledgeable. He mumbled and was rather difficult to understand.

Similar prob;em My wife has ILR visa which will expire on the 6th June after more than two years out of the country (UK) in the likely event of a total UK shutdown will her ILR visa be extended?

 i know we've got some time before that, i cannot get any info/answers from the "UK Home Office" site or the Embassy in Bangkok regarding this, we had planned on a trip back before the expiry date, there are probably more Thai's here in the same predicament, so probably have to wait and see!

10 minutes ago, Liverpoolfan said:

Are you kidding mate?

the thais i know go straight to the hospital the minute they start sneezing. 

Agreed my wife is a good example couple of sneezes straight to hospital, it's us frangs who won't go!

1 hour ago, pluto_manibo said:

Don't you also need a certified letter from the bank, confirming the funds came from abroad and the amount  of 400k has been on the account for more than two months? If so, 2 copies as well?

And not more than two days old either.or they won't be excepted at Jomtien!

2 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

Have a read of the Returning Resident option though I’m assuming you are not actually intending to return full time.

https://www.gov.uk/returning-resident-visa

Thanks i had already read that earlier, there seems to be nothing very definite at the moment regarding Thailand/UK shutdowns we're hoping things might be clearer before 6th June that's the last UK stamp in her passport!

On 3/16/2020 at 10:52 PM, South said:

A little more info - 

 

Contact UK Visas and Immigration in English

You can call or email English-speaking staff with a question about your application. Contact centre staff cannot give you advice about your personal circumstances.

By phone
Telephone: 00 44 203 481 1736
Monday to Friday, 24 hours
Calls cost £1.37 per minute on top of your standard network charges.

By email
Email UK Visas and Immigration.
Emails enquiries cost £5.48. You will not be charged for any follow-up emails about the same enquiry.

You’ll get a reply to your email within 2 days, except on Saturdays, Sundays and UK public holidays.

£5.48 for an email they don't miss a trick do they?

On 3/16/2020 at 11:57 AM, South said:

Max, we were looking at going at the end of this month and returning a week or so later. The major worry is that this situation is changing on a daily basis and I/we certainly don't want to be stuck in the UK because of self-isolation or whatever it's called. Another worry is that the situation in Thailand could very well change while we are away - The UK is already on the 'danger' list here and there's a possibility that Thailand could go into lock-down and refuse me re-entry. That's the frustrating thing, nobody knows what is happening on a daily basis.

 

I have spent all morning trying to find more info on the net but there really isn't a lot. The couple of links below might be of some help.

 

Email address: [email protected]

 

https://www.facebook.com/ukinthailand/ 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/indefinite-leave-to-remain-in-the-uk#travelling-outside-the-uk

https://www.freemovement.org.uk/case-irene-clennell-rules-returning-residents-ilr/

Thanks for the info virtually sums up my understanding of the ILR, i saw a Home Office memo that i assume was at the beginning of this virus outbreak concerning Chinese people with ILR where because of shutdowns in China people with UK ILR visa would be extended until the 31st March not sure when the original report came out though as i can't seem to pick up the original posting, so hoping a similar stance might be adopted for Thailand (won't be holding my breath though) my Thai wife has got until the 6th June so we'll have to wait and see!

Thanks for your answer, and sorry about delay in answering TV can be so depressing at times i have to leave it alone for while!

Good luck with your trip, as you say at the moment it's a double edge sword leaving Thailand possible self imposed quarantine in the UK, and refused ticket or entry coming back with another quarantine when you get back!

2 hours ago, Chazar said:

who disagrees

True but your breath alone will make people stay 2 mtrs away!

I think a lot of people are hording simply to cut down on shopping trips that would make them more vulnerable to mixing with folk who might be carrying the virus, now as usual carried to extremes of course!

2 hours ago, AussieBob18 said:

Have you got Skype? Very inexpensive way to call any landline and most mobile numbers anywhere in the world. I use it all the time when in Thailand or anywhere else overseas.  Good luck with emails - Governments all over the world are avoiding email - they dont want to actually have to do what they are supposed to do - help people. Sorry to get political, but all they want to do is control people and run programs and services the way they want. 

 

I agree Bob the UK home office kindly provides an email address which i thought was great, only to find it returns to exactly the same page as i'm on ie. goes round in circles, we have decided now for her to go back before the end March which is the easiest way out, saying that they have extended Chinese nationals ILR to the end of March so far, presumably on account of Chinese ban on travel!

11 hours ago, puchooay said:

There are currently no travel restrictions from Thailand to UK. Get back quickly. That would be the simplest way to do things. Flights are very cheap right now too.

 

 

That's exactly what she plans on doing now, ie go before end of the march which as you say the easiest way, thanks for your reply!

1 hour ago, AussieBob18 said:

Call UK Immigration and ask what rules applies - can she be entended due to the travel ban.  If entry from Thailand is banned or not recommended then I would assume she could apply for an extension.  

Yes Bob that's a suggestion but would be pretty costly from Thailand, unless the UK embassy in Bangkok has a number have'nt seen anything by googling for enquiring though, was hoping to try other simpler email avenues first!

38 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

There is a British Embassy in Bangkok. It presumably has consular assistance functions ...

Thanks for your answer i had thought of that, but from Sattahip to Bangkok 2hr+ trip at least is quite a jaunt for me at 80 plus and it seems you have to make an appointment in their limited opening hours, i was hoping for an address or preferably an email where i simply could get a reply about my request, and what to do, plus the UK Embassy from what i hear are not the most helpful to us expats for something to them would seem to be trivial, thanks for your suggestion though!

My wife has exactly the same problem as the opener South, her UK ILR expires on the 6th June we were aiming to return to the UK before that date, in the event of a complete UK shut down on account of covid 19 which seems very likely at the moment, would the UK extend her ILR remain for the length of the shutdown, is there an email address i could send too with this enquiry would anyone know?

Have tried googling but can only seem to get UK entry visa's/work permits etc. hope someone can help we would hate for her to lose this ILR permit!

12 hours ago, tifino said:

 

... both sets cause a smokescreen 

Yep, and you can actually see the smoke rising from his desk in the opening picture!

17 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Do your wife and yourself a favor, and next time do your 90-day report on-line.  See post #13.

It's very easy, took me 10 minutes to do my very first 90-day report on-line.

Yes i have thought of that and will try later, my wife does'nt mind doing it as she has a friend nearby and after the report they go on to Central Plaza and make a day of it, that's why i have'nt bothered in the past, but thanks for suggestion!

After your first 90 day, it does'nt have to be you reporting, my Thai wife does mine everytime i have'nt done one personally for years at JomTien, that is of course if you are married to a Thai! 

I posted this on another topic a couple of days ago,my Thai wife has ILR visa for the UK which means she must visit UK within two years or lose ILR visa she is planning on travel to UK in May to keep ILR alive, if Thailand were to block Thai people from leaving Thailand or more likely UK puts block on visitors from Thailand how would she stand. i know it's all supposition at the moment so probably have to wait and see, hasten to add she would hate to lose her UK ILR visa!