Brigante7

A Schengen visa is valid for all Schengen states (see here) and although one is supposed to obtain the visa from the state where you will first enter the area or spend the majority of time it does not really matter if you go to another one first.

When applying remember that many of the questions and requirements do not apply if the applicant is the spouse of a British citizen; read the form carefully.

Can you give a little more info about this and maybe some links. We live in uk and I am uk passport holder.

I want to make travel for my thai wife and I as simple as possible until she gets uk passport.

Many thanks

Benjamat, I've been advised that the best place to get a schengen visa is any french consulate.

http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/visagb.pdf

I'll be interested to see what Mrs Brigante puts on the provide proof of british citizenship part of the passport application.

All applicants have to give proof of nationality as only a british national can get a british passport.

Anyone not british by right of birth has to produce a naturlisation certificate, which can only be obtained by attenting a citizenship ceremony, which invite you only receive after applying for british citizenship using the relevant forms provided by the hone office

Mrs Brigante may be in for a very nasty shock in 11 months.

That's what I thought also, but the 2 people at the UK immigration centre in Glasgow were insistent that after looking at all my wifes paperwork, including her pass certificate for her ESOL college course, that she could apply for and recieve her UK passport after 1 year.

Now I'm even more confused!

Brigante7

The passport interview basically involves them asking for the information already provided on the passport application form. They asked Mr boo, date of citizenship granted, mothers date of birth, date you first arrived in the UK, that sort of thing. He came a bit unstuck as he didn't know his mobile number, our postcode or our home phone number off the top of his head & also had to explain that I had filled out the form for him as I had for all his visa stuff so wasn't sure what I had put for the date of arrival but it was end of march 2004. Didn't seem to matter as he received his passport through 4 days later but might be worth making sure your wife is sure of the info on the form.

Could you tell me what was the cost of the passport please Boo?

Thanks Brigante7

According to 2 sewperate immigration officers in Glasgow, once a person has their ILR visa, they have to wait 1 year before they can apply for a UK passport, or is that not what everybody is talking about?

Please make any suggestions. I will not be offended, I am grateful for the comments.

If I were you, I would take my son, his two passports and run to the nearest international airport.

Agreed, get the first flight out you can. Give your son's mum enough money to go on a 3 day bender, that'll give you time to get away.

Hope everythinmg works out for you mate.

Brigante7

She cannot get a British passport unless she first becomes a British citizen. So she first applies for naturalisation and attends her citizenship ceremony. Among the 'welcome pack' she will be given at the ceremony will be an application pack for her British passport.

If she is concerned about her status as a Thai citizen then be assured that both the UK and Thailand allow dual citizenship. Naturalisation as British will not affect her rights as a Thai citizen in any way.

We'll find out who is correct in 11 months, but at this moment in time I'll follow the advice of the 2 people I asked at the immigration centre and that advice was that after checking my wifes paperwork, granting her ILR visa they both told her she can aply for her UK passport in 1 year.

Firstly, congrats to Mrs Eastender.

Secondly, there seems to be some confusion over ILR vs citizenship.

1) ILR allows the holder to reside in the UK indefinitely; not permanently. It can be withdrawn and the holder removed from the UK if the holder is convicted of a serious criminal offence. It can lapse if it becomes apparent the holder is no longer resident in the UK; particularly if the holder spends more than 2 years out of the UK.

Citizenship, if gained via naturalisation, can also be withdrawn and the holder removed from the UK if the holder commits a serious criminal offence, but the offence would need to be much more serious than it would be to lose ILR. Other than that, citizenship is permanent. It will not lapse no matter how long the holder spends out of the UK.

2) Thai citizens require visas to visit many more countries than British citizens do. Holding ILR does not change this requirement. For example, a Thai citizen holding UK ILR will still need a Schengen visa to visit France, a British citizen does not need any visa to visit France.

Similarly, an ILR holder would need the appropriate entry clearance to live and work in another EEA state, even if accompanying their EEA national spouse or partner. A British citizen is entitled to freedom of movement and work throughout the EEA.

3) ILR holders can claim the same public funds as a British citizen.

4) ILR holders cannot vote or stand for election to public office, (local councillor, MP, etc.); citizens can.

Personally I feel that all the above makes naturalisation worthwhile, particularly Nos 1) and 2). However, it is an individual choice.

To qualify for naturalisation as British the applicant must:-

1) Have no time restrictions on their current leave to enter/remain; i.e. hold ILR or the equivalent.

2) Have been legally in the UK on the day exactly three years (five years if not the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen) prior to the Home Office receiving the application.

3) During the previous three years (or five as above) have spent no more than 270 days (450 days) out of the UK, with no more than 90 days in the final year.

Finally, if one has already satisfied the KOL requirement (LitUK test or ESOL with citizenship course) in order to obtain ILR then they do not need to do so again for naturalisation.

I'm still confused, my wife has her ILR visa and next year she will get her UK passport, does she then becomes a UK citizen because she has recieved a UK passport? She not bothered about citizenship or naturalisation, she only wants a UK passport so she can go to europe and the USA without needing a visa and she has no interest in claiming benefits either.

A fuc_k-buddy, yes. So much is true. But you still have to shell out the baht..

Paid for sex is so much better than free sex

Very nice house,

I am hoping to build something similar but in Nakhon Phanom city itself.

We have purchased the land already, just waiting for the British pound to recover some of its value before starting. Ye, I know I maybe in for a long wait, but no hurry on my part.

Hope you are happy in your new house.

Best Regards

Mr Conrad

Hi Mr Conrad, how are you? Where about in NP city did you buy, what size and if you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay?

Cheers

Brigante7

Hahahaha, so is it ok to ask a girl to be your gik? Wonder if it goes down well when you basically ask her If she wants a shag. Suppose you would be getting straight to the point.

Only one way to find out, good luck.

Today my wife received a letter from the UKBA (UK Border Agency) saying she has been granted British Citizenship. The only thing left to do is to attend a local ceremony and say an oath or pledge of allegience. I'm celebrating now on a second bottle of wine (so please excuse grammar and spelling).

So, to anybody else following this path it's fairly simple providing the person studies for and passes the exam and pays the fees. And before I get a load of questions asking me how etc, just go to the government websites. They are the best as they have the latest information on what to do.

Oh, and thanks to all who have helped us in the past.

Cheers,

Robin

p.s. Next step UK passport.

Can you tell me what's the advantage of having citizenship over an indefinite leave to remain visa? Unless I'm mistaken, your wife only needed her indefinite leave to remain visa to get her UK passport.

The difference is she can claim dole/child allowance etc etc.

So can my wife, our son's child benefit is in my wife's name. Do you have to pay for the citizenship course? If so then there is the answer, money, typical goverment.

I remember leaving Universiity on that day. My Dad said well done and Mum was smiling gladly, all expectations. A young lad who did well. It was my freind who said "lets go travel man". So I packed up my troubles and kit bag and smiled. Maybe Vietnam and all the other peices of a puzzle were coming together.

I think when I passed through Bangkok I bought all in black for the disco, my mate was pissed and headed to the room with a tart. I stayed in the scene because I like a drink. She pulled me away for the last order of 1500 THB and to be honest I couldnt make it to the taxi on my own. As I jumped on the hookers stage, tits and ass hangin out, I fell and broke my collar bone, popped out like a jack in the box. She popped it straight back in, so clever aint they.

So the years passed, watched the wanke_rs in Udon Thani turning it into Pattaya and the clever lads afar with shit bars in Khon Kaen thinking Mor Lam great aint it. Then, BANG. Up the duff and hammered this site for all the info I could get ,Scouse and the other kid who got barred, all the lads chipped in to help me. Back and forth I went, Thailand, England,Thailand, England, like a small chilld swapping mud for lolly pops. I kept up travelling around Thailand when I got the time. Seen it all. beaches, villages and temples, all that stuff.

Just wanted to be happy, had my Son and Wife and house, car you know the score. Bang, hate all them.

The End.

????????????????????????????

The embassy will want to see bank statements, utility bills, proof you own your own house, a letter from you inviting your g/friend to visit you, a letter telling them where & when you met, proof of your relationship (Photo's, letter's, e-mail's, text's), photo's of your home, photo's of where you work and loads of other things that you won't have, I know, I've been through it.

Hi, my friend wants to invite his Thai girlfriend over to the Uk as a visitor.

He's a working guy, with mortgage, credit etc...

What paperwork and information is needed and where would he find it?

Is it an process that he can do himself or should he use a third party service to make it easier?

he's going to Thailand for Songkran, is there any paperwork or documentation he should take over with him?

Thanks in advance.

Tell him to take any bank statements, utility bills, photos of his house, photos of where he works, credit card statements, mortgage statements or rent book, council tax bills, he'll have to write a letter to the UK embassy telling them where & when he met his G/Friend, proof that they have spent time together and communicated (photos, letters, e-mails, text messages), he will have to give her a letter inviting his G/Friend to come to the UK for a vist and he'll have to write a letter to the UK embassy asking them to grant his G/Friend a visa.

Good luck to him, he'll need it.

Today my wife received a letter from the UKBA (UK Border Agency) saying she has been granted British Citizenship. The only thing left to do is to attend a local ceremony and say an oath or pledge of allegience. I'm celebrating now on a second bottle of wine (so please excuse grammar and spelling).

So, to anybody else following this path it's fairly simple providing the person studies for and passes the exam and pays the fees. And before I get a load of questions asking me how etc, just go to the government websites. They are the best as they have the latest information on what to do.

Oh, and thanks to all who have helped us in the past.

Cheers,

Robin

p.s. Next step UK passport.

Can you tell me what's the advantage of having citizenship over an indefinite leave to remain visa? Unless I'm mistaken, your wife only needed her indefinite leave to remain visa to get her UK passport.

You are mistaken. you have to apply and get British citizenship before you can get the passport.also you need only to pass The Life in the UK test to qualify for citizenship approx 700 pounds

My wife has her Indefinite leave to remain visa and now she has to wait 1 year before she can get her UK passport, the immigration didn't say anything about taking a citizenship test, she took an ESOL course instead of the life in the UK test but didn't have to go to a citizenship ceremony.

Today my wife received a letter from the UKBA (UK Border Agency) saying she has been granted British Citizenship. The only thing left to do is to attend a local ceremony and say an oath or pledge of allegience. I'm celebrating now on a second bottle of wine (so please excuse grammar and spelling).

So, to anybody else following this path it's fairly simple providing the person studies for and passes the exam and pays the fees. And before I get a load of questions asking me how etc, just go to the government websites. They are the best as they have the latest information on what to do.

Oh, and thanks to all who have helped us in the past.

Cheers,

Robin

p.s. Next step UK passport.

Can you tell me what's the advantage of having citizenship over an indefinite leave to remain visa? Unless I'm mistaken, your wife only needed her indefinite leave to remain visa to get her UK passport.

My understanding after reading the home office website is that somebody can apply for a 2 year limited leave to remain visa every 2 years forever as long as they pay the fee (Suprise suprise).

Hello all

My wife is struggling to pass this bloody life in the uk test. She still has 4 months on her current 2yr settlement visa.

If she fails to pass the test before her visa expires what are our options?

Is she expected to return to Thailand?

Can we apply for another 2yrs and keep trying to pass the test?

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Yes Steve, your wife can get another 2 year visa, if your wife is struggling with the Life in the UK test maybe she would like to try an ESOL course, my wife is doing a course at the moment, she started in September and she finish's in June although she has reached the desired level to obtain her Indefinite leave to remain visa and we obtained that 2 weeks ago. I don't know how good your wife's english is but the course focus's on reading and writing.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLe...lls/DG_10037499

Hope this helps.

63 actually, and he'll still get more skanky pussy in a week then you'll be offered in 3 lifetimes.

Fixed.

Nothing better than a bit of skanky pussy, it's amazing what they'll do.

Do you mean soccer?

No he means football.

Rod Stewart in Bangkok ?

goody goody gum drops... a real top singing guy indeed..!!

i'll never forget when i first saw this great performance on TV back in the 70's... how i wept with utter joy..

LOL.......GOOD OLD KENNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LMFAO, I forgot how funny Lenny Everet was, I used to love watching his TV show when I was just a nipper.

Is this the real Rod Stewart or is it one of the 'would be Rod Stewarts' that Thailand attracts?

When my wife came to the UK to live she brought a Rod Stewart CD with her, and I'm listening to it and I'm thinking this isn't Rod Stewart, not sure who it was but the wife is convinced it's him.

Pretty simple to overcome really, Buy a 2 500ml bottles water or juice and pi_ss in them.

LMFAO, I never ever look at the date of a thread, only realised it was an old thread after reading Boo's post.

On a lighter note, i took my thai wife to a restaurant in wales ( uk ) where we ate king prawns,. oh how i laughed when the waitress collected the plates and asked " where are the prawn tails etc " ? .my wifes eaten them i replied ! her face was a picture !

That got me in the beginning too. She likes them if they are crispy

My wife and her sister fight over the eyes and tail in a fish, as for the OP, well handled not sure if I would have been so calm.