wannarepat

Just looking into this topic myself...good info folks!

Looks like I was just in time to save 15 quid....honestly what do these huge fees go on? Glancing through an evidence folder, filling out an entry on a computer DB, and putting a sticker in a passport......bargain!

Well, today i went to BKK to collect my wife's passport on her behalf and hung around Siam Paragon like a bad smell all morning, til I could stand it no longer and went down to the VAC at 2:30....I was surprised that they not only let me in at that time but also dealt with me straight away..it stated after 3pm, but seems it's whether or not they are paticularly busy...it WAS quiet I guess.

...hands shaking I opened the envelope, and the first thing i saw was the visa stuck in the passport...the relief I felt at that moment was beyoind anything I'd felt in my life....off to angrit mid march!

Thanks to Scouser, and everyone on here who has given me advice and words of support...this little forum section is golddust!

Did it ourselves...the other thing that worries me was that living together for 6 years we had little record of contact...it's not like we email each other at home. All we had to submit were about 30-40 pics dating from 2001-Present, some utility bills sent to the same Thailand address, and anniversary/xmas cards addressed to us both....it's not what was listed as evidence, but we were improvising as it seems most applications don't exactly fit the "longterm couple living in Thailand and moving back together" scenario.

Same as us then...Monday submission...ready by Thursday...I have to collect it for the wife as she's working but we can't stand the thought of another weekend of this hanging over our head.

Reading about your legendary overdraft is comforting since we have about 30k quid between us to show. We've got our own flat. Also my wife's got a UK Masters (I think I'm boring everyone to death with this one, but I think it's a major factor), and I've got an online income showing that I made 8k quid in the last year. Also we've been married 6 years and have a British daughter.

...the only thing that we don't have are day jobs in the UK, but with our quals and experience, and our clippings of job ads we're going to apply for we hope this will be sufficient.

I half wish that the embassy had phoned my wife up to ask her some questions, as at least they would have a chance to speak to her and know she's for real, but perhaps the quality of our docs proved that without it being neccessary.

Did you get that schizo feeling of...we've got it!...but oh not what if this what if that.....it's driving me nuts...I know exactly where you are coming from in your earlier posts where you say you were bricking it.

I find the latter highly improbable.....we'll see tomorrow..

No worries at all...we did this last year. You show both passports at check in....sign out on the Thai one, in and out of the UK on the British one, and back in Thailand on the Thai one. The lack of entry and exits stamps in the UK are apparently of no concern to the Thai officials.

Ok, so I'm off to BKK tomorrow to collect her passport, having been informed that they have a result after just 3 days. Am I right in thinking that a short decision like this, and no further questions with a pretty strong case is a positive sign?

This business is soooooo stressfull.......

Just looking a few fine details of my wifes SV application....my daughter is dual citizenship. Should we present both her British and Thai documents (birth certs/passports) or just her British documents?

Also, do prior granted visas (2 in our case..student and visitor) give much leverage in the decision making process?

Just one more thing....is it me or are the folks at the visa center supremely unhelpful when you phone to ask what kind of documents to provide? Are there any British people there one can speak to?

That's what I've decided to do, I managed to dig up 4 out of my 5 contracts including the 1st and latest, and have also discovered that Thai passbooks suck if you don't update them regularly as they show block transactions. Fortunately Bangkok Bank will print you attested 6 month statements for 200 baht while you wait, and I'm hoping Krung Thai do the same thing tomorrow. Would photocopying my Thai bank cards be a good idea to show that my accounts can be accessed from the UK? I also got hold of a letter from my employers stating the duration and nature of my job and the salary. I will also try to get hold of my tax statement next week.

Thanks for the reply....I'm fairly well advanced with it all actually.

It was really the issue of whether my current employment means current employment in the UK or whether I should fill it in as per my job in Thailand...if so that's another load of paper to chase...joy joy!

We've got about 32,000 UKP in savings between us, and are both fairly well educated, my wife has a UK Masters (2 prior UK visas) so intend to argue that we can live on savings and could conceivably do so for the entire duration of the initial 2 years on the minimum income support level jive specified, though will commence looking for permenant work immediately on our return. We are both currently compiling job ads which we will propose we can get...not too ambitious not too lowly.

Also I have just got a 2 bedroom flat which I'm renting off my cousin, and have agreement, deposit form copy, correspondence and agency flyer with specifications, (and a letter of permission coming), though it seems implicit that my wife can live there as she's also on the tenancy agreement.

Married 5 1/2 years, 2 year old daughter...plenty of pics, Xmas/anniversary/birthday cards and utility bills to prove we've been cohabiting for 6 years.

On paper it looks like I've got all bases covered...why am I still bricking it?

Ok, so we're doing the VAF4 form as part of my wifes UK SV application, but we're a little bamboozled by the sponsors employment section.

In the guidence notes it asks what my current employment status is.

Well, as of right now I am in full-time employment in Thailand, but will not be once the visa is granted and I return with my family to the UK to find a job. I'd say my current status is that I'm employed, but I have a feeling that the form was not designed with my circumstances in mind.

Would it be best to state that I will be unemployed and explain the circumstances in additional information, or vice versa, state that I'm employed but soon won't be?

Anyone been in the position before?

Thanks Scouser.

Another question I've got is, do all of my savings need justifying, and do my current accounts need to be shown?

I've got one UK account which shows a large deposit from a bond maturing last year. I have a letter as evidence for this and will explain it. In Thailand, I have 2 accounts...one is where my day job gets paid into and does not have any savings..,presumably I'd need to show that to prove my current employment?

My other savings account comes from jobs on the side (web) which I'm nervous about mentioning as they're not covered by my work permit, but need to show nevertheless as they form a lot of my case for adequate maintenance. Do I have to justify where these savings come from, should I be upfront about this...

Just a quick question regarding one of the requirements of the UK SV Spouse requirements.

It states needing proof of savings in the UK. Does having half of my savings in Thailand present any problems that you can think of?

...and you got this done in Thailand?

Can anyone advise me how to go about getting a copy of my British passport certified to meet the rrequirements in the notes of the SV application form?

Also for tenancy agreements I'll have the original signed copy. I gather I also need a letter authorising me to live there. Can anyone point me to an example format for this as she's not sure how to procede with it. Are there any other documents required for proof of house rental? I have agency flyers and photos...does my landlady need to attach her deeds of ownership, or at least a copy of them?

UK Settlement for wife...

Just getting my wifeys application together, but have hit a snag. I have an online income which is semi-regular and is paid into my Thai bank account, but I'm not sure what documentation I will be able to provide to prove it's existence.

I have my Thai bank passbook which shows where payments have been made, but not much else. I do have business correspondence, and records of invoices sent but I'm not sure if they are usable as proof.

I'm wondering if it might just be better to just show the passbook as savings and not mention the income in case it proved to be a can of worms...any advice?

Without wanting to sound nasty, and smug having a highly skilled and qualified Thai wife with a UK-gained MA in English about to apply for a spouse visa, is it not fairly reasonable that those wishing to live in the UK permenantly should know the odd word or two of English? On the other hand do we really need yet another hoop to jump through?

I'm leaving soon, but I want to keep my Thai bank account running as I still expect to get the odd payment coming in through my online business. Since there is a whole song and dance about needing a non-B and work permit to open my account, will there be any issues once I no longer have these. I plan on using Internet banking to monitor my account from abroad.

Does anyone have any experience in getting somebody in the UK obtaining a rented proprty in advance to your arrival in the UK. Looking at a number of agencies they seem to require full-time Uk employment and references. Would Thai based employment/landlord references wash ok? Is this going to be a bit hit and miss in terms of finding somebody willing to give an agreement to somebody over seas through a proxy or does it happen quite regularly. Will funds in the bank be a mitigating factor?

That's good to know Scouser, though the website only generates about 6-700 pounds a month.....enough to pay the rent and utilities perhaps, but little more, my dream is to get it earning enough so that I wouldn't have to worry about job prospects but just a pipe dream for now I'm afraid.

I keep getting tantalising hints that I'd be offered a job in the UK, but nobody with stick their neck out for me and issue a letter confirming I've got an offer, not even my company owning cousin..."it's always give us a ring when you get back." which I've heard doesn't really wash with the Embasy and the emails are just too vague to really use as evidence.

My wife should be fine prospects wise....would a letter of recommendation from her Uni President help things? I'd also imagine her UK Masters would be a good thing to provide here too?

Would business correspondence from my ad clients be appropriate evidence too?

Now that second link is very interesting thanks.

As usual I've been looking at Mr Perfects supporting docs as stickied at the top of this forum and wondering how the hel_l I can even match part of those documents.

The job offer is pending, and not so concrete yet, but I'd have enough income from my website to pay the bills each month and about UKP30k in savings between us, so even if it didn't come through do you think we'd be ok....what would be good supporting documents for somebody with no work but looking to show prospects?

I'm little more prepared than gthe last time I was here aside from finally getting some firm plans together for my wife's settlement visa application.

I'm having trouble finding anything that refers to my specific situation, that is been here for 6 years, married for 5, and going back as a family unit. So I'd like if I may, start a personal checklist and woiuld appreciae anyone adding to it as neccessary.

Proof of relationship

Marriage certificate + translation

Daughter's birth certificate (my wife is already named on British one)

Wedding/Birth of child photos

My WP as proof of my living here

Utilities Bills in Thailand

.??

.??

Address in the UK (I plan on signing a years tenancy agreement, and will move in on returning)

Tenancy agreement

Photos of property

Details of bedrooms/other rooms

.??

.??

Employment (I have a job offer but have not yet started working for them so no pay slips, I also have residual online income, and savings. Wife has already applied for a number of jobs in the UK)

Statement of job prospects of my wife and I.

Examples of jobs my wife has applied for.

My letter of employment

Documents proving ownership of website

Bank statements showing income from website

Other bank statements showing total savings

.??

.??

Ok....can anyone give me any more idea of what to include?

Just one more thing.

How long after getting the visa granted does m,y wife have to use it? Does it have to be immediately or can it wait a couple of months before travelling?