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The initial English test if you get married in Thailand is harder as two candidates have to chat together as part of the test. IMHO the test in the UK was much easier in the UK. The test is six minutes long and my wife was in and out in less than 15 minutes. 

The A2 was similar and I would suggest that your wife takes it in the UK.

I took a flyer on my wife's test and we applied for B1 and I was a little surprised when she passed. Very pleased too.

Here is a link to some A2 test videos.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=trinity+college+a2+test

In the UK it's not that different from A1. Far more use of prepositions but that was about it.

1 hour ago, cantaloupe said:

If her application does get rejected then i imagine the only option would be to consider a fiancee Visa for her. Can i ask theoldgit is it accurate what i have been able to glean from online sources that a fiancee visa only looks at my situation - and as i have more than the £62500 in my bank (and have for over the 6months and is immediately accessible)

The main differences between a visit visa and a fiancée visa is that a reason to return is not needed. It is a visa to come to the UK to get married and to live here. Her finances are not that relevant and your savings will be sufficient to cover the financial side of things. She will need a TB test and an A1 language test. You must get married in that six month period and then apply for Further Leave to Remain from inside the UK for her to continue living here. During the fiancée visa she will not be allowed to work.

????

On 1/20/2020 at 8:12 AM, GuyFawkes said:

In completing the application my wife has has been asked to tick a box to say that has has seen and read the guide to war crimes, terrorism and extremist organisations.

It's been there for as long as I can remember. Assuming she is not as a terrorist,  just tick no. ????

My pleasure. My wife is currently doing a test each night until she knows it. Apparently, if an applicant can learn the 15 main tests on the Facebook group, they should pass.

I would suggest that you explain who will be looking after the elderly relative while she is away in the application.

One of the problems with her lack of income in Thailand is that her main income comes from you living in the UK. Why would she need to go back to Thailand?

As long as the college she did the B1 exam is still on the list of approved colleges it is fine. That's unless they have recently changed anything, of course.

LITUK is not that hard if your wife is happy to stick at it for a while.

Join this Facebook group and take a look and you might be surprised. I have a Thai translation of a lot of the LITUK guidebook which can be useful but I do urge you to look at the Facebook group first.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1326461717481328/

My wife went to the IOM centre for her appointment, went straight to the Christian hospital 400 yards away and went back to the IOM to pick her certificate up. I booked a week or so in advance. All wrapped on the same day but you do need an early appointment.

They will take a copy of her Thai ID card and get a signature on the copy. They did with my wife. We supplied translations of a name change certificate and my wife's divorce papers. That was all.

The criteria is this. If you rely on any document to get a visa to the UK it's wise to get it translated. Birth certificate not needed for an adult. ID card is in English too.

A far as I know, a TB test only lasts for six months.

The problem is that the issues in the two refusals in the next application. Her fiances have been effectively rubbished with the very low amount that she earns. It's a hard one to argue.

Quite a good way to have a visit visa refused nowadays.

Thai Visa Express is OISC accredited. One if the best companies out there.

NO way I would use an agent. If I did I would use an OISC accredited agent. Far too many cowboys out there.

The biggest mistake was supplying bank statements at all imho. My girlfriend simply said that she got paid in cash, sent some home and paid her rent and after that there was enough for her to live on. (I did the whole application for her).

The genie is out of the bottle now and it looks really difficult to recover from this.

If you marry and go for settlement it is a simpler process imho and she won't need any reason to return to Thailand. After a couple of visit visas we simply went for a settlement visa (fiancée) married in the UK and she's never had to go back to Thailand. More expensive but that's what we did. Cheaper getting married in Thailand and it saves one of the visas.

There is no requirement to supply six months of statements for either you as a sponsor or for her. You simply need to show that you have sufficient funds to pay for the trip. 

I met my, now, wife at the end of January back in 2015. I visited twice between then and May when she applied to come to the UK. She had job, nothing in the bank and her only real reason to return that we use was the job. She worked away from home in a hotel like so many and she has a son and a huge family but saw them once a year for about a week. NO problem getting a couple of visit visas and went for settlement in February 2016 and then we married in June 2016.

The three visits in four months made quite a difference to the application imho.

No need for an agent whatsoever. Save your money. If you absolutely insist in using one make sure the company is OISC accredited. Many, many cowboys out there who are likely to cause more problems than anything with wrong advice.

I doubt it will with a mistake like that.

I'm very pleased for you. Congrats.

And the SA302.

1 hour ago, timstocks666 said:

My thoughts, it's my first time since returning from Thailand so I am unfamiliar. I will quiz him again. Do you think a tax return and bank statements will suffice.

Yes it will along with the SA302, a full set of your latest accounts, and validated bank statements for the period. Bank statements either need to be original posted statements. If not get a letter from the bank validating them or get them to stamp and date them. You don't actually need to have paid the tax if it's not due. My wife got her second FLR back in May and the tax is due to be paid at the end of January.

On 11/13/2019 at 4:10 PM, Captain 776 said:

Be prepared.

She will last a maximum of 6 months............she will miss her family, friends, food and hate the weather.

That was a bit unnecessary. Many Thai wives come here and love the lifestyle and the weather. My wife loves the change of seasons and she is happy doing starfish in the snow.

It is more difficult for a guy bringing his girlfriend to the UK if she doesn’t work and doesn't have many ties to Thailand but your circumstances are very different.

You will still have to supply the three main criteria for your wife to get a visa. You need to show affordability for the trip, prove you are a couple and reasons to return for your wife. Also where you will stay while you are in the UK. It should be straightforward as you live as a couple in Thailand and will be travelling together.

Excellent. Congratulations.