Guemlum

Jacqui Smith said:"I want people coming to live and work in the UK and their families to be able to integrate fully into our society. So as well as our existing and planned requirements for English language proficiency, attached to settlement, citizenship and for skilled workers, I am today publishing proposals for new requirements for spouses who plan to settle here to have some knowledge of English prior to arrival.

I have followed all of the links, but nowhere did it state what "Tier" a spouse falls under?

It seems that the tier system is for those wishing to enter the United Kingdom to work, study and train.

So should we apply for our settlement visa now or after christmas, and if we apply now, what is the likelyhood of it being processed (or even delayed untill after) before they close for christmas holidays. My wife can speak and understand English, but you never know what other obstacles the embassy will through at you.

Confused as to how this will effect us?

Guemlum

Thanks madjbs. I have since gone on to find what I need via the net. My original spelling probably didnt help. Thanks again.

Guemlum

Can anyone help me in finding a fully comprehensive list of temples in Bangkok. I'm aware there are more than 400 temples in Bangkok, but I am trying to locate a particular temple called "Wat Bang Khun Phom". I have searched the net, but it just comes up with the usual tourist attraction temples.

Forgive me if the spelling is wrong, as the name was given verbally to me by my wife.

Thanks

Guemlum

Hi Mark100, I've been traveling to Koh Chang for the past 3 years. As far as I know Bangkok Airways is the only airline that flys there. You will have to fly to Trat

If you have booked a hotel already on Koh Chang, then I'm sure that your hotel can arrange transport to pick you up from Trat airport. We have arranged this several times.

Alternatively, you can get a taxi from Trat airport to the ferry point and then catch the ferry across to Koh Chang. You will be greeted by many Songtahews, which will take you to your resort.

Guemlum

We have a Nationwide bank account and the Mrs made a withdrawl yesterday. I went online to check the exchange rate and she was getting 69.249 to the pound. From the beggining of August it has steadily risen from 67 to 69.249. Thats pretty ###### good for now. Hope this helps.

Guemlum

Sky News in UK and BBC News 24 reporting 90% of 123 passengers dead. 8 british survivors.

Our condolences go out to all of those involved. Terrible news indeed.

Cheers guys. As with the tourist visa, we plan for her to arrive in the UK as close as possible to the visa start date, all being that we are succesfull

Guemlum

Hi guys,

we will be applying for a settlement visa in October and was wondering if we could do so if my gf/soon to be wife still holds a valid tourist visa.

Her tourist visa will expire at the end of November, and we are wanting to apply for the settlement visa in mid October for her to come to the UK in December/January.

Is this possible?

Guemlum

Ok, its been several months now since we made our visa application, and my gf has since visited the UK and returned to Thailand. However, when my gf brought home the folder of paperwork we originally submitted, we noticed that a section of the application we had put forward was missing. This section contained the following..

a. A letter from her employer

b. Company information from her employer

c. A letter written by her son

d. Details showing land owned and land owned jointly with family members

e. Copies of her passport and Thai ID card

f. Copies of her birth certificate

g. Paperwork showing she was once married and now divorced

h. Other paperwork confirming address details

i. money transfer statements

I have been in touch with the British Embassy in Bangkok via email, addressing their complaints department, but never get any reply.

Why would a section of the application go missing? Are we worrying about nothing, and the fact is that this paperwork has been kept by the embassy on file. We would obviously need this information for any future applications.

Any ideas guys?

Guemlum

Cheers for the PM erikr. Will check them out upon arrival.

Guemlum

Can anyone recommend a car rental company in Nongkhai or Udon.

Cheers

Guemlum

Joe......I dont make up the rules but this is what it says you have to do on the website:

1. Obtain the affirmation in person from the British Embassy in Bangkok.

• Please retype the affirmation including your details on one page in the same format as the attached sample and bring it in person to the Embassy to sign before a British Consular official.
  We accept affirmations during normal working hours (0800-1100 and 1300-1530 Monday-Thursday and 0800-1200 on Fridays). It is not possible to make a prior appointment for this service. The completed affirmation will be ready for collection from the Embassy between from 09.00 hrs on the following working day. We are not able to arrange a “same day” service for the collection of completed affirmations.
  

• We charge Baht 3,600 per affirmation and we can provide this service to British nationals only.
  

• Please bring with you to the Embassy your passport, as proof of identity, and evidence that any previous marriages have been dissolved/terminated (death certificate or divorce certificate(s) as appropriate). Only the original evidence or a certified copy will be accepted - photocopies will not be accepted under any circumstances.
  

2. Have the affirmation translated into Thai.

• Once the affirmation has been signed, you will need to have it translated into Thai. Please note that Consular Section does not undertake the preparation or translation of documents. Many reputable translation companies advertise on the internet as well as in the Thai local press, and there are a number of companies within a short walk of the Embassy. The Embassy is unable to recommend any particular firms.
  

3. Have the affirmation authenticated and translation certified.

• All Thai Registrars will require authentication of the British Consular Official’s signature and certification of the Thai translation. This must be obtained from:
  

The Legalisation Division Department of Consular Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.mfa.go.th) 123 Chaeng Wattana Road, Laksi District, Bangkok 10210 Tel : 0 2575 1056–59, 0 2981 7171 , Fax : 0 2575 1054 Email : [email protected] (0830 – 1530 hrs) A fee is payable. The service normally takes 2 working days, although it is possible to pay an express fee for a same day service. 4. Submit the document to the Registrar. The affirmation and translation are then ready for submission to the registrar, who, if satisfied, will register the marriage and issue a Thai marriage certificate. NB: The fees may alter without prior notice.

http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/F...d=1068717516870

Joe......I dont make up the rules but this is what it says you have to do on the website:

1. Obtain the affirmation in person from the British Embassy in Bangkok.

• Please retype the affirmation including your details on one page in the same format as the attached sample and bring it in person to the Embassy to sign before a British Consular official.
  We accept affirmations during normal working hours (0800-1100 and 1300-1530 Monday-Thursday and 0800-1200 on Fridays). It is not possible to make a prior appointment for this service. The completed affirmation will be ready for collection from the Embassy between from 09.00 hrs on the following working day. We are not able to arrange a “same day” service for the collection of completed affirmations.
  

• We charge Baht 3,600 per affirmation and we can provide this service to British nationals only.
  

• Please bring with you to the Embassy your passport, as proof of identity, and evidence that any previous marriages have been dissolved/terminated (death certificate or divorce certificate(s) as appropriate). Only the original evidence or a certified copy will be accepted - photocopies will not be accepted under any circumstances.
  

2. Have the affirmation translated into Thai.

• Once the affirmation has been signed, you will need to have it translated into Thai. Please note that Consular Section does not undertake the preparation or translation of documents. Many reputable translation companies advertise on the internet as well as in the Thai local press, and there are a number of companies within a short walk of the Embassy. The Embassy is unable to recommend any particular firms.
  

3. Have the affirmation authenticated and translation certified.

• All Thai Registrars will require authentication of the British Consular Official’s signature and certification of the Thai translation. This must be obtained from:
  

The Legalisation Division Department of Consular Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.mfa.go.th) 123 Chaeng Wattana Road, Laksi District, Bangkok 10210 Tel : 0 2575 1056–59, 0 2981 7171 , Fax : 0 2575 1054 Email : [email protected] (0830 – 1530 hrs) A fee is payable. The service normally takes 2 working days, although it is possible to pay an express fee for a same day service. 4. Submit the document to the Registrar. The affirmation and translation are then ready for submission to the registrar, who, if satisfied, will register the marriage and issue a Thai marriage certificate. NB: The fees may alter without prior notice.

http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/F...d=1068717516870

Cheers guys for the further posts. I'm well aware of the steps we have to take in obtaining the necessary paperwork, but was just wondering on the timescales involved.

The Mrs has told me that we actually have to be back in Nongkhai for the 11th now as we have a photoshoot book in a studio, so I really need to sort things out pronto.

Andrew - You mentioned you used a company on Wireless Road. Were they called "Professional Translation" or were you referring to them as a professional translation service? It seems that they might be the best route considering the timescale. We can always take the papers to the Amphur after we've had the party. And was the reason you had to return to Bangkok anyway related to the paperwork you had done?

Markr - I should have remembered from your previous posts that you'd recently gone through the whole process. Congrats on the settlement visa. Thats the next step for us.

Guemlem

Cheers guys. I just hope im leaving enough time to do all of this.

I arrive early in the morning in Thailand on Tuesday 9th October and we're getting married on the Sunday 14th. Is this enough time to sort out?

Guemlum

Hi guys, have just a few questions regarding “affirmation of freedom to marry”.

Ok, so we go to the British Embassy in Bangkok to obtain “affirmation of freedom to marry” papers.

We cant make an appoinment for this service, so do we just turn up?

Can anyone recommend a translation bureau that they have used in order to get the affirmation translated into Thai, and how much this costs?

And do we just turn up or make an appoinment at the " Ministry of Foreign Affairs" in order to have the affirmation authenticated and translation certified. And also how much does the "express same day service" cost.

Thanks

Guemlum

Well done Mark and to the Mrs....I'm gonna be following your footsteps within the next few months and will be crapping it just as much.

Congrats again

Guemlum

Cheers guys, thanks for the reassuring posts.

Guemlum

u stole this from mr and mrs smith...

i am a German. we Germans invade, kill, rob, get drunk and rape. BUT WE DO NOT STEAL!

I thought "rob" and "steal" meant the same thing?

Hi Scouse, the settlement was just another option. Obviously we want to spend more time together, and being husband and wife makes this more important to do so.

It wouldnt be a sensible decision for me to even consider moving out there, based on financial reasons...job etc, so would therefore make more sense for me to take care of my wife back here, at no cost to public services.

Right now, we're just thinking about all the possible avenues, but more importantly, choosing the right one based on our situation.

Guemlum

Hi guys, its been a while since i last posted on here as things have been a bit busy.

My gf has since returned to Thailand after spending 1 month here in the UK, and she had a fantastic time meeting my friends and family as well as sightseeing. She had a strange fascination with Londons architecture, especially St Pauls Cathedral. Not sure what thats all about.

Anyway, I will be returning to Thailand in a couple of months time where we will be getting married. 2 years have passed by very quick, but have enjoyed every single minute of it.Now that we have survived the 1st visitors visa process, we are wondering what comes next.

At our next application, we will be husband and wife. I have thought about applying for the spouse visa enabling her to stay here in the UK with me for a period of two years.

She thinks it would be better applying for another tourist visa, this time staying for maybe 3-6 months, then applying for the spouse visa at a later date. We stuck to the terms agreed when we applied for the 1st tourist visa as we dont want to jeapordise any future applications.

Our job situations changed for both of us after we applied for the 1st visa and prior to her visiting. Mine for the better, and hers as a result of her boss falling ill, being hospitalised, and nearly dying around the time we made our first application.

She had the prospect of being promoted upon her return to Thailand, but due to this unforseen event, she found herself relieved of her position. Bit of a shock for us.

Her boss decided to take a step back from work, not go ahead with his original plans, downsize

and she now works with her sister in the family minimart.

So my question is, would it be wise to apply for the spouse visa once married, or go for another

visitors visa....and would her recent change of job make a difference.

We can get her previous employer to back up the above circumstances should this be required by

the embassy.

Thanks

Guemlum

Hi Marty, thats really strange about them not letting you cross?

Anyway, I'm in the UK right now and will be visiting Phon Phisai for the festival in October, as we are getting married in NK the week before, so I may take you up on that drink!!

Guemlum

Trevor, I used to travel from Phon Phisai to Laos every Wednesday where my friend would buy birds of prey. We never had any problems. However, if a visa run was neccesary then obviously NK would be the point of crossing. So as far as I know, Whiteys are still alowed to cross for the day, but you cant go outside of the village once in Laos. Its not particularly well known that this is possible, unless you are an expat in the area. On a few occasions, I only had to flash the passport but most of the time was just given a nod of the head as my companion was the son of the chief of our village.

Marty, you'll see for yourself just how "not busy" Phon Phisai will get on the day. Your Mrs is putting things lightly!! no offence meant, but you wont be able to move along the river front.

I lived in PP for almost 3 years and things never change. Gets busier and busier every year.

Enjoy everyone if you are going!!

Guemlum

Hi Chung Noi....I've been going to this event for the past 3 years now and have yet to see a fireball.

The most popular location to witness this phenomenon is supposedly Phon Phisai. Don't travel to Phon Phisai on the day of the event as you'll probably be queueing all the way back to Nongkhai in traffic.

The banks of the river are absoulutely full off people, TV crews, etc and there will probably be close to 200,000+ people. There's always an evening show of boats, highly decorated with lights that cruise up and down the river and are made by people from the surrounding villages; each boat representing each village.

My gf and I choose to witness this event at a location in the village of Pak Suai, just before you get to Phon Phisai. Its quiet, dark (so stand more chance of seeing something without the ambient light being around you) and even better, romantic. But unfortunately, I cant tell you whereabouts in Pak Suai,

As for activity on the Laos side, its usually too dark to see whats going on but I dont think they get as excited and take it as serious as the Thais. Maybe I'm wrong

The one thing you should experience, whether you hang around or not to see a fireball, is the atmosphere.

Guemlum