Guemlum

When submitting my partners tourist visa application, we would like to include along with other documents, four very short letters which are written in Thai. One from my partner, one from her son, one from her parents, and one from her employer. Are these short letters required to be translated? I know that official documents need to be translated but I'm not sure about supporting letters. Thanks.

Guemlum

Thanks for sharing your concerns Kevin. Whilst being self employed with some of my contracts being lengthy, I don't believe it should be a problem. I was once married to a Thai but unfortunately she passed away 5 years ago whilst residing on a spouse visa in the UK. Being self employed back then wasn't an issue and I don't believe it to be now. Thanks for the reminder on the salary requirements...I'm all good on that one :-)

Thanks guys.

Guemlum

Morning all, my partner and I will be submitting a Tourist Visa application in January, and have a question relating to proof of pay.

I am self employed, and use the services of an Umbrella company in order to get paid. I can provide 6+ months of payslips but they are not concurrent as I have visited and spent time with my partner on 3 occasions within the past year.

They are spread over the duration of 2013 which incidentally would fall into tax year 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

My average take home pay can vary between 1k to 1.5k per week and have a readily/available 26k in my current account, not including savings.

Is this going to be a problem? What is the crucial factor the embassy are going to be looking at if there is a shortfall on payslips?

Regards

Guemlum

Thankyou all, I have already outlined that we will not be jeopordising future applications in my opening letter.

Guemlum

The following information is part of the check list on the Home office Uk border agency website.

My question, is how does one prove you are not going to carry out the following?.

Off course we have no intention or does my partner have any intention of the below as we do not wish to jeopordise any future application.

You must also be able to show that, during your visit, you do not intend to:

• take paid or unpaid employment, produce goods or provide services, including the selling of goods or services directly to members of the public;
• do a course of study, as long as this study is not the main reason for your visit (see the General visitors page for 'permitted study');
• marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership;
• carry out the activities of a business visitor, a sports visitor or an entertainer visitor; or receive private medical treatment.
  
  

Guemlum

Thanks, I thought that might be the case. Things have changed alot since 2007/2008.

Guemlum

I had a similar case back in 2009 when my wife was in hospital on "life support". The British embassy in Bangkok issued a visa immediately for her son to visit her in the UK within 24 hrs.

The Thai authorities were more interested in getting a hand written letter from my wife who was on life support... <deleted>!! and whether I was child trafficking or not.

Goes to show a little common sense makes all the differnece.

Guemlum

Hi all, I was wondering whether anyone has any experiences, good or bad, about booking online appointments via the VFS website for an appointment at Regent House, Bangkok. Are there any benefits?

I take it that you can still turn up without an appointment and just queue the old fashioned way?

Thanks

Guemlum

Small coverage in this mornings London Metro paper. Wonder if any other tabloids follow suit?.

Oops...will re-post unless moderator can move?

Sorry guys for not being clear in my OP. I'm applying for a tourist visa for my wife to visit the UK.

It has been a long time since I made a tourist visa application and was wondering whether requirements regarding supplied documents have changed/relaxed.

My question is whether scanned originals can be supplied when putting together an application. Other than supplying original passport, Thai ID card when applying, are scanned documents such as payslips, bank statements, official letters acceptable?

I come from England and my closest was NYC.

Have you requested a specific number? If so, and dependent on the number, it can take up to 1 year. When I purchased my bike from Honda, I requested the number 333. It took about 5 months to arrive, but when we recently changed that number we were issued the new plate and number the same day.

Hope they remembered to post on Bribespot.com

5 things Thai's shouldn't wear

1. Pyjamas when out shopping

2. Earmuffs when the temperature drops below 18c

3. Flip flops half the size of their feet (mainly aimed at the teenage men from "baan nok") who have only ever bought one pair in their lives and can't afford a new pair.

4. T-shirts with English profanities written on them

5. Stilletos with socks.

Been going to Phon Phisai for the past 9 years and never saw 1 fireball...early hours of New Year's Day, this year, saw 3 of them in Nongkhai. They seem to rear their heads along random points of the Mekong. Must admit its good fun in Phon Phisai whether you see them or not.

There's also FBI udon who sell property and land or visit one of the many banks websites where they have a section on repossessions for sale. Good luck.

Thank god I fall into none of those categories :-)

The five liner is known as "ha taew" and very popular with the female population. I've had my whole back tattooed over the years and I've had my "sak yants" done via bamboo and electric. I much prefer the electric method as the detail is better. I found the bamboo method to be no more or less painful than the electric method. All my sak yants were carried out with monks present performing the yants after tattooing complete. There are tattoo masters all over Thailand who don't and won't advertise their services like the Ajarn Noo's and Ajarn Kobs do. They overcharge both westerners and Thais. I choose mine because of the intricate designs, not because its going to stop a bullet or a knife...that's utter <deleted>, and most demonstrations I believe to be fake like everything in Thailand :-)

Something very fishy here...your wife would know that the price off gold is advertised daily outside of all shops. Was she quoted 24k or are you being asked for 24k? I can't see how a thai would be uninformed?

"Land of smiles"...dam_n Life Loss

"Suvarnabhumi"...A Vain Bum Rush, Ah Visa Bum Run, Ah An Bum Virus

"Thai Airways"...Away Air Shit

Guemlum

Have I missed it in any of the posts? Was a device actually found on/in the ATM and if so, by whom?

If it was inside Tesco then surely hundreds of more people must have lost money and the store should be responsible for the security on their premises.?

Very good point. There's also the factor, which I didn't want to mention about the credibility of the lady who had the card. Sorry no offence meant. But I've heard of several stories of GF's and wifes who say they were robbed, ATM fraud etc when in fact they spent the money or had a gambling problem.

Not wishing to put a damper on things but the Financial Ombudsman Service

only regulates UK banks,building societies etc... and won't have any jurisdiction.

I'm suprised they've agreed to look into the matter. Perhaps the best they could

do is let you know how you stood if the same scenario occured in the UK. If this

was helpful to your cause you could then pass that on to the powers that be

within Bangkok Bank. They certainly wouldn't be bound by it.But discretion may

be exercised in your favour if only to avoid bad PR.

Good luck.

No offence taken happyaussie...my sister-in-law is probably the most devout, honest buddhist I have ever met...3 years, 36 transactions and not 1 baht more taken than agreed.

ice1318...as I may have mentioned, I didnt expect to get any assistance from Bankgok bank and that has been confirmed by their email to me and there unhelpfulness when my sister-in-law visited her local branch. I only got the financial ombudsman involved as my "beef" was with Nationwide and their lack of co-operation in investigating the matter.

To this end, I put in a further complaint to Nationwide and within 2 days was credited the amount taken from my account with an apology on behalf of the fraud team.

Happy ending.

Guemlum

My banks excuse at present is that the card should have been with me and not my sister-in-law. However, I did explain to them when opening this account with them that the card would be used by her in Thailand on a regular basis. Had they not been happy with this at the time of opening the account, they should have said otherwise and I would have gone elsewhere, but it was a case of "yes sir, we can do that" etc etc.

I have referred my case to the "Financial Ombudsman Service" in the UK who will decide whether I have a case or not. I have also been in touch with Bangkok Bank but am seriously not expecting a reply. Yes, I believe it should be the responsibilty of the bank to maintain and monitor their ATM machines and re-imburse any loses to customers that have been victims of ATM fraud...but guys, T.I.T, and I really cant see them assisting me in this matter.

Guemlum