norrona

I really don't see why she can't visit here for 6 months....the ladies of 2 friends of mine both have been successful more than once on obtaining visitors visas to the UK, as far as I know one of them was knocked back and had to reapply but the other one has been coming here 6 months a year past 3 years.....

as far as these 'loso' Thais, my wifes been living here for 2 1/2 years now and through work got introduced to a circle of 'friends' that liked to visit the casino and go out till all hours, lucky for me that she see through them quite quickly or our marriage wouldn't still be happening.....but it isn't Thai related it's just a certain section of 'good time girls/gambling addicts' that could be from anywhere....

I do recommend to keep their minds occupied that they go out and earn their own money, get a taste of paying some bills and having responsibility, but surely that's just common sense!

to the OP keep plugging away and reapply, I wish you all the best

In 5 years you should at least speak a reasonable amount of thai.

whilst I agree with your words there is a certain mind set for many thai ladies and even their family that it probably suits them the husband doesn't speak their language....if the OP is fed up with being called farang and that's the only word he can pick up on then I dread to think of what else they call him or say behind his back!

And where do you go to learn the language if you are living in a village in nakon nowhere?

Much better places to be living in this world with that kind of money.....by all means go to Thailand on holiday but as a multi millionaire I wouldn't choose to live there....

Just a up-date, our friends won their appeal and received the Visa and passport back today, But looking back, The UKBA got it wrong again causing expense and heart ache.

The UKBA did not turn up at court, Only sent their solicitor who agreed with our friends that the application should not have been turned down, The judge sent the paperwork back to the UKBA for review and our friends got the passport back. No sorry or anything. Our friends had to do a 200 Mile trip with a your baby for the appeal.

Malc

good to hear, it is no surprise they didn't show at court.....cases like this they never do!

No way would they say sorry or admit they were in the wrong, civil servants in this country only seem to get promotion or paid off when they make errors....

Read most of this all again. The OP states in Post #1:

Met my girlfriend in Oct 2012 ...

But nowhere there or subsequent does he say just HOW he met her.

does it really matter?

the main hurdle she needs to overcome is the 'reason to return' at the end of the visit....in the sponsors letter you could write that she wanted to visit the UK and continue relationship before moving onto the next step which would be marriage.

Good luck

I've known from the start that if the application was refused it would be because we struggle to prove she'll go home. In addressing the points raised by the UKBA I've got to provide more proof than 3 pages of photographs and 3 trips to Thailand that the relationship is genuine, and I've got to convince them that we fully intend to return together to Thailand in October to get married.

from memory with my now wifes application it seems like a battle that can never be won but my advice is to keep plugging away and go for it, our application(fiancee visa) was rejected and we had to appeal over similar stuff but it made us more sure that we wanted to be together, all in all from meeting her to her being with me over here in the UK it was best part of a year....but worth it

Paying sinsot and her parents using that to buy her some land is a waste of time as far as any UK visa application is concerned. It will be seen for what it is; an attempt to artificially bolster her application.

From your OP you seem to know where the problems lie, lack of evidence, and how to deal with them, provide it; but will say a couple of things.

Firstly, you should have explained that you use a low cost card/access number to call her and that this is the number shown on your phone bills.

Had you done that, then I'm sure that you were unable to provide Skype logs etc. would have been accepted.

The ECOs are well aware of modern technology.

However, it may be worthwhile exchanging some emails and including print outs of the headers (the contents are none of the ECOs business) in her next application.

Secondly, if she says she is going to visit her aunt while she is in the UK then include a letter from her aunt confirming this. A copy of her aunt's British passport whilst not essential wont hurt. Her aunt can self certify the copy.

You may find UK Visit Visa Basics helpful.

Feel free to ask any further questions.

As always 7by7 a very helpful answer with guidance. Yes you're right, on some of the points I know we have to include new supporting documents or clarify the information already provided, we're on the same page re the WorldSIM phone and invitation letter & passport from the aunt.

Thank you for your input on the sinsod/land question, I've been having the same thoughts that it might just appear to be a move to address the visa refusal. As it happens we've been talking about it for a long time, but they don't know that.

I have manually copied our chat log from Facebook but think there's far too much information and things said I wouldn't want them to read. Not sure what to do with this information - do I filter it, do I include the odd page or six showing regular consecutive dates and explain there are 360 pages of chat? Although I've not copied the Skype chat it does look better as it shows video call start and duration so perhaps better than Facebook.

that's the idea

do not give her family money as what you call 'sin sod' by any means, the fact that this has been discussed I suspect when you say you are now not going through with it will upset someone down the line as they expected to be off loading some farm land!

do however put together a full and complete application covering what 7x7 says, all the bases covered that they initially refused you on.

the main hurdle she needs to overcome is the 'reason to return' at the end of the visit....in the sponsors letter you could write that she wanted to visit the UK and continue relationship before moving onto the next step which would be marriage.

Good luck

If you as the OP pay for absolutely everything, the roof over their heads, the car/motorbike they drive around, the leo beer they quaff of a night then I say they should call you sir....

If there is no monetary investment as in monthly payments then think yourself lucky and let them call you what they want!

Oddly enough, I've found over 31 years that it's not hard to find people who will treat you with respect even without having to spend any money on them. So, call me demanding, but I expect courtesy (and give it) AND expect to not have to allow myself to be exploited and refuse to have anything to do with people who would expect to exploit me or for me to attempt to purchase their good will - and I've managed to achieve that without much difficulty.

Choices. Plain and simple. Don't choose to be in such a situation or do choose it.

Oh, and if you pay for absolutely everything, the roof over their heads, the car/motorbike they drive around, the leo beer they quaff of a night then I too say they should call you "sir" - I also say you are a muppet and they have little reason to respect you and aren't likely to.

you American?

My post was littered with sarcastic tones by the way.....

It was obvious to me it was a joke - in fact at first I laughed and was going to "like" it. However, sarcasm is by definition meant to convey a point, is it not? To me, there was a point made there - or an implicit assumption - that I wanted to address. Sorry if it annoyed you (or was too American - I won't bother to ask why anyone would bring that into it because the reason almost certainly going to be pretty dumb at best).

my point was if the OP is paying for the privilege of being mugged off by peasants then he didn't need to travel all the way to Thailand...

would have saved a whole lot of typing if you had just clicked like in the first place

If you as the OP pay for absolutely everything, the roof over their heads, the car/motorbike they drive around, the leo beer they quaff of a night then I say they should call you sir....

If there is no monetary investment as in monthly payments then think yourself lucky and let them call you what they want!

Oddly enough, I've found over 31 years that it's not hard to find people who will treat you with respect even without having to spend any money on them. So, call me demanding, but I expect courtesy (and give it) AND expect to not have to allow myself to be exploited and refuse to have anything to do with people who would expect to exploit me or for me to attempt to purchase their good will - and I've managed to achieve that without much difficulty.

Choices. Plain and simple. Don't choose to be in such a situation or do choose it.

Oh, and if you pay for absolutely everything, the roof over their heads, the car/motorbike they drive around, the leo beer they quaff of a night then I too say they should call you "sir" - I also say you are a muppet and they have little reason to respect you and aren't likely to.

you American?

My post was littered with sarcastic tones by the way.....

If you as the OP pay for absolutely everything, the roof over their heads, the car/motorbike they drive around, the leo beer they quaff of a night then I say they should call you sir....

If there is no monetary investment as in monthly payments then think yourself lucky and let them call you what they want!

stop, get lynched or maybe perhaps worse if you have injured someone especially if family or friends of the injured are about, regardless of whether it's your fault or not...yes sounds great that!

thing is, in the local peoples eyes as a foreigner it will always be you whose in the wrong, always you who is left to sweat it out and hope that the authorities are going to listen to your side of things, always you who is going to pay through the nose....

from the times I have had scrapes with moronic motor bike riders and stopped they have always asked for ridiculous amounts as if they have rubbed the magic lamp and I am the genie who has popped out and about to grant them their request!

I do believe in driving slow and carefully in Thailand as much as I do believe in doing the right thing and stopping at an accident.....but then the realism kicks in and everyones aware of the possible outcomes if you do this in Thailand!

Forgive them Lord for they not know what they do.....

whilst I agree with your last paragraph on the whole, your comparison to the western world and being ostracized for political belief is exactly the same as in your chosen country you reside in(for however much longer that lasts) do we see red shirts/yellow shirts walking along holding hands?

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I wasn't trying to compare the two wrt how each treats its own citizens, but simply how I feel at home vs abroad (in any country other than my own). I am alien everywhere in the world, but back home is the only place where I'm made to feel bad about it, because there's an expectation to fit in there that doesn't exist abroad.

May I ask where are you from?

Me, I live in Essex and work in the city of London....

come on, i've showed you mine....you show me yours

I see a simple misunderstanding here.

Some people only hear what the want to hear and from there misunderstandings develop.

I've seen my Wife explain something to a shop assistant (in Thai), I've understood it, but the shop assistant fetches something completely different... Some, simple don't pay attention, even after clear explanation.

In the case of the Op, he clearly explained what he wanted, the shop assistant clearly understood something else which is why he was so persistent. He's probably now on another forum explaining how a foreigner (a regular customer) ordered something then changed his mind !

I find in Thailand that I often need to double check then triple check many things and even then mistakes and misunderstandings occur. Failure to pay attention to detail is so commonly the cause of events like this.

He will also be able to complain how i cancelled the new macbook pro i ordered with him too in this case......

Joking aside i really don't understand the concept of what he did, OK if it was a missunderstanding why, when i handed him the unopened still sealed box of loan speakers did he not ask what was the problem instead of just opening them and checking them?

what would really get his goat is if you were on the phone outside his shop with a the computer box and a few other items....just for the hell of it

the glory days of early 2000's I survived on B20k a month retainer when I first started working....good times indeed....not having much money made me appreciate it when I started to earn more

that was just me on my own and the occasional gf, mind you I was a young handsome man in those days with a car(provided by work) and a mobile phone so I suppose I looked the part....

if you not including rent then surely B40k a month is suffice for 1 person....as long as you not on the razz in the bars everyday then surely it has to be?

Whatever I think we can all agree Songkran is a great way of keeping the numbers down.....

I just feel sorry for the families left behind and of course those who were in the wrong place at the wrong time and were wiped out by one of the drunken off their heads morons!

I think in Thailand you also have to watch your mouth as well don't you? In fact that goes for anywhere in the world unless you are a dictator from North Korea or perhaps Elvis in his prime....in fact I find your last paragraph really strange and would suggest some mental assessment and perhaps a spell of prozac/counselling if that's how you really feel....you come across as extremely self conscious/paranoid

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No, I pretty much speak my mind here without fear of consequences, opinions that are considered extreme and radical back home seem to be accepted as par for the course among expats.

Plus no one holds it against you being a "traitor" when you're overseas, or at least those few that might aren't likely to influence my ability to achieve my goals in life.

Whereas back home if you disagree with people's politics these days they tend to take it personally, ostracise you socially and possibly actively try to discredit you with others, see you as the enemy rather than engaging in open discussion.

For example I think Assange and Manning should at least be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, Bush/Cheney should be prosecuted for international war crimes (along with Kissinger) and hundreds of Wall Street dealmakers and bankers should be behind bars. My family and friends' circles back home are pretty right-wing, tend to think along the same lines as the TV member with the Dean Martin avatar, while among my NES friends here they'd have a hard time believing he's not just playing a caricature for laughs.

you might speak/write your mind on thai visa but I don't believe you are as verbally opinionated out in public...

whilst I agree with your last paragraph on the whole, your comparison to the western world and being ostracized for political belief is exactly the same as in your chosen country you reside in(for however much longer that lasts) do we see red shirts/yellow shirts walking along holding hands?

see post #203

I find it a lot safer to hold strong opinions about my own government than about my host government.

SC

Exactly, his point is mute.... it's the same as me sitting here in London having opinions about the Thai governments/parties, nobody would give a crap and I could vent/rant pretty much unopposed (fair enough people will think I am a weirdo as well....still)

We have had discussions in my office about politics....nobody ostracized for their beliefs or what side they favour....what we have come to the conclusion on as a whole is they are all liars-cheats and scoundrels and only in it for their own gain...suppose that goes for Thai politics as well....

I think in Thailand you also have to watch your mouth as well don't you? In fact that goes for anywhere in the world unless you are a dictator from North Korea or perhaps Elvis in his prime....in fact I find your last paragraph really strange and would suggest some mental assessment and perhaps a spell of prozac/counselling if that's how you really feel....you come across as extremely self conscious/paranoid

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No, I pretty much speak my mind here without fear of consequences, opinions that are considered extreme and radical back home seem to be accepted as par for the course among expats.

Plus no one holds it against you being a "traitor" when you're overseas, or at least those few that might aren't likely to influence my ability to achieve my goals in life.

Whereas back home if you disagree with people's politics these days they tend to take it personally, ostracise you socially and possibly actively try to discredit you with others, see you as the enemy rather than engaging in open discussion.

For example I think Assange and Manning should at least be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, Bush/Cheney should be prosecuted for international war crimes (along with Kissinger) and hundreds of Wall Street dealmakers and bankers should be behind bars. My family and friends' circles back home are pretty right-wing, tend to think along the same lines as the TV member with the Dean Martin avatar, while among my NES friends here they'd have a hard time believing he's not just playing a caricature for laughs.

you might speak/write your mind on thai visa but I don't believe you are as verbally opinionated out in public...

whilst I agree with your last paragraph on the whole, your comparison to the western world and being ostracized for political belief is exactly the same as in your chosen country you reside in(for however much longer that lasts) do we see red shirts/yellow shirts walking along holding hands?

see post #203

...

but the saying of 'I could never live back home' I find is really for the newbies or the ones who have burned all their bridges and probably owe money or worse wherever it is they are staying away from...

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In my case not at all, I truly feel much more of an alien when I go back, can't identify at all with local attitudes especially political-economic, but also cultural stuff, work-life balance and of course political correctness and nanny-state BS.

At least here being an alien is normal, no one expects me to fit in to the local culture that much, but there I have to watch my mouth, basically keep it shut or even white-lie to be polite, if I say what I really think about everything I see around me I would immediately be cast out as a loony or traitor.

Of course you feel like an alien when you go back to wherever you are from, especially if you haven't lived there for a bit...that's quite normal.

I think in Thailand you also have to watch your mouth as well don't you? In fact that goes for anywhere in the world unless you are a dictator from North Korea or perhaps Elvis in his prime....in fact I find your last paragraph really strange and would suggest some mental assessment and perhaps a spell of prozac/counselling if that's how you really feel....you come across as extremely self conscious/paranoid

Actually I have just read the thread started by you about doing a runner from your landlord....sincerely hope you have sorted it out as you'll need a lot more than prozac and counselling if it all goes wrong!

...

but the saying of 'I could never live back home' I find is really for the newbies or the ones who have burned all their bridges and probably owe money or worse wherever it is they are staying away from...

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In my case not at all, I truly feel much more of an alien when I go back, can't identify at all with local attitudes especially political-economic, but also cultural stuff, work-life balance and of course political correctness and nanny-state BS.

At least here being an alien is normal, no one expects me to fit in to the local culture that much, but there I have to watch my mouth, basically keep it shut or even white-lie to be polite, if I say what I really think about everything I see around me I would immediately be cast out as a loony or traitor.

Of course you feel like an alien when you go back to wherever you are from, especially if you haven't lived there for a bit...that's quite normal.

I think in Thailand you also have to watch your mouth as well don't you? In fact that goes for anywhere in the world unless you are a dictator from North Korea or perhaps Elvis in his prime....in fact I find your last paragraph really strange and would suggest some mental assessment and perhaps a spell of prozac/counselling if that's how you really feel....you come across as extremely self conscious/paranoid

I spent 8 glorious years living/working in Thailand and moved back to UK in my early 30's, took about a year to finally get my act together work wise where I tried this job and that job, then managed to get back into the business I was working in before I moved away....still doing it.

I have said it myself, but the saying of 'I could never live back home' I find is really for the newbies or the ones who have burned all their bridges and probably owe money or worse wherever it is they are staying away from...

to the OP, it's a brave move and good luck to you....there's a lot of hard work ahead of you and that's what I reckon would put most people off of actually having the nuts to do it