andyandythai

Just a thought on this one, would you having the passport back delay the application? I have read this may be the case on the UKBA website. Maybe they are waiting for her passport to be returned to complete the application?

I may be wrong but it might be worth checking!

Andy

Yes, they will need to get a Schengen Visa. Having said that there is a rule about freedom of movement for EEA Family members but its recommended you get the Visa in case you have issues at the border or boarding the plane as they don't always adhere to it.

You dont say if your living in the UK or Thailand. Either way you will need to apply at the Embassy to the country that you will be spending the most time in and the same visa will do for both, that's presuming your going to France & Spain on the same trip.

There are a few threads on here if you search for Schengen Visa or do a search on google lots of info that may help.

My wife has had a couple of Visa's and its fairly straight forward to apply in the UK.

Andy

I remember spending a full day there a few years ago. I came out having learnt all my numbers in Thai so wasn't too bad!!.....Mailay!!!

Anyone applying for ILR from 28 October will need to meet the new requirement. (Good to see they've finally set a date.)

As for naturalisation, I'm afraid that the 'old' style KOL will not be acceptable and applicants will have to meet the new requirement.

From the statement of intent:

A migrant who fulfils the Life in the UK requirement for settlement as it applies on or after 28 October 2013 will not be required to retake any elements in a later application for naturalisation but will be deemed automatically to satisfy KoLL at that later stage.

The situation is different for those who applied or apply for settlement* before 28 October 2013. They will have satisfied the KoLL requirement by either passing the Life in the UK test or by taking an ESOL qualification (probably at a level below B1) and this by itself will not be sufficient should they later apply for naturalisation. They will need to satisfy the new KoLL requirement but if they have already passed the Life in the UK test will not need to retake it. For some people this will mean passing a relevant speaking and listening qualification for the first time. Others will need to pass a speaking and listening qualification at a higher level than they had to demonstrate to be granted leave to enter or leave to remain in the UK.

* By 'settlement' they mean ILR or the equivelent.

Andyandythai, how old is your step son? If he is under 18, and still will be when his mother applies, then he can apply for registration at the same time as his mother applies for naturalisation. See under 'Children' in British Citizenship Basics.

Also, children under 18 are exempt from this requirement, both for ILR and for naturalisation.

Edit, quote box fixed.

Thanks 7by7, he is 20 now so cant do the children way. He passed ESOL at entry level 1 so I take it he will need to do the new Life In the UK test in 2015?

How does this affect people getting granted their 2 year settlement visas now? Could they do one before this date and be ok or have to do both?

I have a similar question, my wife and stepson got ILR in November last year. In June it will be 3 years they have been here so my wife can apply for citizenship using the Life in UK she passed to get ILR. My son will need to wait 5 years so June 2015. He passed the ESOL requirements for his ILR, will this still be ok? Or will he need to do the Life in the UK test too?

Currently the website states

If you passed the Life in the UK test or completed an ESOL course to meet the 'knowledge of language and life' requirement when you applied for settlement, you will not need to show that you meet this requirement again. Simply tick the appropriate box in section 1.22 of the application form.

Do you think this will remain after the new changes?

Thanks

Andy

Yeah, she has a good chance as others say she needs to show she will return so if not in employment land/house ownership etc. My wife's best friend came over and she took a letter from the employers and we sent bank statements and a letter to say we will provide accommodation and cover all costs.

If you were to buy a return ticket as suggested make sure its a fully refundable fare as the UKBA advice is not to purchase any travel until you have been granted the visa. My wife's mate didn't buy her ticket until she got the visa and this was ok.

Good luck

Andy

I use DHL every time by using the DHL Service Point

http://www.dhlservicepoint.co.uk/

For documents its 35 pound and you take your paperwork to a service point, check out the website as there in places like Staples, WH Smith & Ryman. You dont need an envelope as they provide that, they customs seal it there and then so it wont be opened at the other end and give you the tracking number. You can then track online as the journey happens where your parcel is. Last one I sent it was a Friday and it got delivered in Bangkok Monday, really good service and well worth the money so you know your paperwork is safe.

Andy

Hi,

I had a few issues with them when we changed address and when I called they told me, once the letter comes out to say they have your application then there is nothing at all they can do until the case working starts it, they couldn't even update my address so the biometrics letter went to my old house, even though I followed their online process.

I wouldn't worry too much as they have you application and they will soon ask you for the money when they realise you may not have paid!!

Not to put doubt in your mind but we had some issues with the biometrics too and my wife had to go 3 times to do them due to a system issue of theirs, what I did learn was someone checks up on applications. As soon as 6 months was up a lovely woman from Liverpool called and she explained her job was to look at all cases at 6 months old to see why they have not completed, she soon sorted it out for me and has the decision within 2 days of her phone call.

You wont get any joy out of the call centre before 6 months, I found them rude and unhelpful too. Unfortunately its a sit and wait game!

Andy

Hi,

My wife had a couple of Schengen Visa's whilst on a a UK settlement visa. You need to apply for the visa to the Embassy of the country you will spend most time in if you were travelling around Europe.

We went to Germany to see my brother and applied by post as she is married to an EU citizen they allow you to do it by post, most ask you to go to in person, after we went to Germany we used the same Visa to go to Holland. Then we wanted to go to Spain so we just applied through the German Embassy again although we didn't go to Germany, we sent a hotel booking and cancelled this when the Visa came through as the Schengen visa can be used in any Schengen country. It does say on the website if you are found to be getting a visa from one country and visiting another they may not allow any future visa's as they are aware some embassies are easier to do the business with that others and I found the German Embassy to be excellent, all passports and visa back within 48 hours. Having said that on my wife's first visa she didn't have any German stamps in it as we drove through France yet they still allowed her a second visa, so she has had 2 German Schengen Visa's and no German stamps in her passport and had no issues at all. This was last year and things do change so just because we did it this way doesn't mean you still can so don't take my word for it!!

Depending on the Embassy will depend what documents they want. The German Embassy need

Both you and your wife's passport

Marriage Certificate - Translated in English if it's Thai

Hotel Booking (there are plenty of sites you can book without paying a deposit if needed)

Adequate Travel Insurance for you both

Evidence you have enough money to cover the holiday

Pay slips or Salary Statements if employed.

(Some ask for flight tickets etc, but the German one didn't, a bit risky booking flights if you don't get the visa)

Double check the website for more exactly what they need,

The German website is

http://www.london.diplo.de

But if you Google Schengen Visa and the country you wish to apply in then you will find lots of information.

Andy

Update: I have just had a look on the German website and things have changed since we applied, they now outsource the application process and its different, they also charge now and it takes longer.

Check this site http://www.vfsglobal.com/germany/uk/allaboutvisas.html

Andy

Hi,

My wife had a couple of Schengen Visa's whilst on a a UK settlement visa. You need to apply for the visa to the Embassy of the country you will spend most time in if you were travelling around Europe.

We went to Germany to see my brother and applied by post as she is married to an EU citizen they allow you to do it by post, most ask you to go to in person, after we went to Germany we used the same Visa to go to Holland. Then we wanted to go to Spain so we just applied through the German Embassy again although we didn't go to Germany, we sent a hotel booking and cancelled this when the Visa came through as the Schengen visa can be used in any Schengen country. It does say on the website if you are found to be getting a visa from one country and visiting another they may not allow any future visa's as they are aware some embassies are easier to do the business with that others and I found the German Embassy to be excellent, all passports and visa back within 48 hours. Having said that on my wife's first visa she didn't have any German stamps in it as we drove through France yet they still allowed her a second visa, so she has had 2 German Schengen Visa's and no German stamps in her passport and had no issues at all. This was last year and things do change so just because we did it this way doesn't mean you still can so don't take my word for it!!

Depending on the Embassy will depend what documents they want. The German Embassy need

Both you and your wife's passport

Marriage Certificate - Translated in English if it's Thai

Hotel Booking (there are plenty of sites you can book without paying a deposit if needed)

Adequate Travel Insurance for you both

Evidence you have enough money to cover the holiday

Pay slips or Salary Statements if employed.

(Some ask for flight tickets etc, but the German one didn't, a bit risky booking flights if you don't get the visa)

Double check the website for more exactly what they need,

The German website is

http://www.london.diplo.de

But if you Google Schengen Visa and the country you wish to apply in then you will find lots of information.

Andy

You didn’t say whether your step daughter is officially a Thai citizen or not as evidenced by a Thai national ID card. In case she does not have that, then getting a Thai ID card comes first by submitting all the documents mentioned by Andy.

Yeah, we assume she is Thai and living in Thailand but you may find that you have to be 15 years old to have a Thai ID card. My youngest has a Thai passport but doesn't have an ID card because of his age.

Hi,

I take it your in Thailand?

My wife did a similar thing a few years ago for my stepson and she tells me that all she took was the child's birth certificate, House papers (Blue Book) that must show the mother and child's name on, the mothers ID card (good idea to take her passport if she has one) She also tells me its actually easier if there is no father on the birth certificate and if the child's surname is same as her mother then no questions will be asked at the passport office. All documents must original and it pays to have copies when you go to the passport office to apply.

As we were all coming to live in the UK we then had to go get the sole custody document BPOR 14 (something like that) from the Ampur and that's fairly easy to get if needed for the Visa application. You wont need this just to get the passport though.

Andy

It took just over 6 months for my wife's to come back submitted in May got it back end of November. Saying that she had to go do biometrics 3 times due to their mistake of using a wrong barcode on the letters so im sure this delayed it a month or so.

Andy

Gary,

For the visit VIsa one of the most important things you (or she) needs to show is on balance of probability will she return to Thailand? If she's not working and has no income then this could prove difficult, getting a job in the meantime may be a good idea as you say she has moved back home, not sure if she's working. A letter from the company she works for would be a good thing to submit to prove she has a job to come back to.

You say you can support her on the visit so you will need to prove that, also keep as much evidence as you can of your visit, photo's, hotel bookings (book them in both names).

My wife and I went to Cambodia and Malaysia on holiday together, not too expensive to do from Thailand, we kept flight tickets, hotel bookings etc and submitted them when we applied for her first visit visa and im sure it would only strengthen the application as it shows your in a relationship, it seemed to work for us.

My wife has been living in the UK for 2 1/2 years now and has UK residency (ILR) next step for her is British Citizenship next year. We married in Thailand first an applied for Spouse settlement, she had a couple of visit's to the UK before she came to settle.

I remember years ago having big plans and dreams that we would live together in the UK and you know what, if you want it go out and get it...I have never been happier...

Oh and this website was my bible, god knows how I would have done it without.

Go for it, just make sure to tick all the boxes take time to research and when you submit anything to UKBA make sure it's spot on.

All the best

Andy

Hi,

This is normal process for the NHS to check for TB once your wife has registered with a GP in the UK, its nothing to do with UKBA.

When my wife & 2 sons came over in 2010 the same happened and they all had to go to the hospital for a quick check, They also tested my youngest who has a UK passport and not subject to Immigration restrictions as he lived in Thailand previously.

Andy

Hi DonW,

I have had to make numerous call recently about my wifes ILR and the only way I can get through to speak with someone is to choose the option for return of documents, hold on the line and someone will answer. You may need to persuade them to help you and if you get a nice person on the other end they often will. Maybe its a similar set up for Citizenship queries.

I wouldn't worry too much about that little mistake, they had my son's DOB all wrong and his nationality as Canadian when he's Thai, there was no way on earth I filled the form in wrong for his Nationality, the reason given is they use a template for all letters and didn't change it from the last person.

Andy

On the Biometrics side of things, once your application get processed you will be sent a letter inviting you to go do the biometrics at a Post Office. If you use the premium service then they will be done on the day you do for the appointment.

She will need to get a National Insurance number first to open an ISA and the bank may also want to see address and name ID, passport is ok for name, a utility bill or council tax bill for the address, so its an idea to get her name on some bills.

Andy

Hi SGD,

My wife and stepson applied for ILR back in May and we have had the biometrics done and just waiting for everything to be done now, it can take up to 6 months.

When you submit your application they will take the money then it goes in a pile for working, they will send you a letter to say thanks for your money and don't contact us!! Great!! Almost 3 months after that we had the letter to go and do the biometrics at the post office, you take the letter they send you pay another 20 quid and then sit and wait again. Like I say hopefully we should have it all back soon.

When you get the letter to go do the biometrics, double check everything is correct before you go. For my stepson they had is date of birth wrong and his Nationality as Canadian (totally there mistake there is no way I wrote Canadian on the application form!) I didnt notice this until after we had done them, I called the UK Border Agency and they made me wait for another letter and go back to the post office and pay the 20 quid again, I had to pay for there mistake!

Good luck, patience is whats needed with this process.

Andy

There will be no problems, my step son has a Thai Passport and we live in the UK, he went back to Thailand for a holiday when he was 17 alone and had no problems.

Andy

Hi,

My wife is waiting for ILR to come back, within the last 2 years my wife has her own bank account with an overdraft and credit card so your ok for that kind of consumer credit but for a mortgage you must have ILR (residence permit), we have just purchased a house and I had to do the mortgage in my name or wait for the ILR to come back. I actually work for a UK bank (sshhh) and I did check out the lending criteria and most banks insist on residency for foreign nationals.

Andy

By way of an update our biometric can today . Dated 11July only allowing us till Tuesday to have them recorded. You would think the best part of 1000 would get you more than second class post.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect App

Exactly...And you have to pay 20 quid at the Post Office.....I have had my wifes letter but not my step sons, they told us to send them together so they can be processed together, but they have not done that as he is 18 they have put his on another pile to be worked and has not been worked yet...and they cant change our address until its processed..so I am having to go to my old house every few days to check as you have said you dont have long to get to the Post Office and do the Biometrics.....They also told me when I called it can take up to 6 months to complete at the moment...

Let me know how you get on..

Andy

7by7....Do you know if this will be the same applying for Citizenship after October 2013?

Thanks

Remember that as your wife will be applying for her ILR after October 2013, an ESOL with citizenship course will no longer be acceptable for the language requirement.

She will need to have passed the LitUK test and achieved B1 of the CEFR, or better, in speaking and listening.

Unless her spoken and written English is at entry level 3 or better, she will require some study to bring it up to the standard required. So you should start looking for an ESOL course for her. Note, though, that some colleges/LEAs will charge her the higher overseas student fees until she has been living in the UK for 12 months.

The UKBA have yet to publish approved test providers for the B1, so watch this space.

Hi,

My wife has been here 2 years now and we are currenlty waiting for her Indefinate Leave To Remain to come back and that is currently 991GBP. You have the right idea with getting a GP, NI number etc, and it pays to think ahead an prepare for the next step. First get her on the council tax bill you can then use this as address verification to open up a Bank Account, you then only need the passport as name verification, good idea to get a joint account too as this will help when going for ILR in 2 years. Get some utility bills in joint names too as you and save all the bills over the next two years as you will need to send off 6 items from 3 different companies showing both yours and your wifes name.

Also check out the requirments for the English requirments, the Life in the UK test and there maybe a further test from what I have read by then. To get the NI number just go on the direct.gov website, you can call before she comes to do that just say she cant speak English and they will take it from you, it can take a while to get it so if you do it before she arrives when they ask tell them she is here now, I did that and it was all in place for when she arrived and she didnt need an interview the card came through the post.

Have a good read on the UK border agency, everything you need is on there for the ILR, im not sure if the probationary period of 2 years has changed before you can apply ILR, again the UK Border Agency will have that info on.

Good luck, and all the best for future, when I look back now it all seemed to fall into place saying that I am very organised and kept on top of the Immigration rules and changes.

Andy

Hi All,

An update on my situation, the wife got a letter today requesting to go do the biometrics but not for my stepson..We sent them both in the same envelope!! Also we did a change of address online 1 month ago and guess what?? It went to the old address!!! I have redirection but my stepson has a different surname so his wont get redirected as I imagined they would process everything together as thats what they told me when I rang. I even had an email checking the details so I know they got the request. Looks like I may need to make a phone call tomorrow.

Andy