JohnnyBigmilk

Hi, am looking for some guidance please if anyone can help? 

My current situation is as follows :
 

1) I am British, living in UK with my Thai wife, our son (British) and daughter (Thai) from my wife’s previous relationship, now 13 (raised by me since 2 years old). 
2) My wife and step daughter have lived in UK for 11 years, we were married in UK, and we have simply been renewing their FLR visas, mainly due to finances. 
3) My wife and daughter still have Thai passports in their maiden names. 
 

We now wish to make the visas permanent and eventually obtain British citizenship/passports for them too. I also wish to formally adopt my daughter so she has our family name. 
 

When we have spoken to the adoption place in UK, they say we need to change the family information in Thailand first. However the Amphur in Thailand say we have to get marriage certificate translated and then adopt via a Bangkok office first. But no one seem too sure. 
 

I just wondered if anyone else had been through a similar situation and could provide some advice. We will be in Hua Hin later this week so hoping to translate any docs there if might be possible. 
 

Many thanks in advance. 
 

John 

Hi

Following on from the original post, I have a situation which I am not 100% clear on and would be grateful for some help with.

My wife came to Jersey with me as my fiance 4 years ago in April. After six months on the fiance visa, we married here in Jersey and she had a FLR visa granted for two years, with the relevant page placed in her passport, still bearing her thai family name. At the end of those 2 years, she had not yet passed the Life in the UK test, so we got a further 2 years FLR, which expires in September this year.

Her thai passport also expires this year, in November, and we would prefer her to get a new passport from the Embassy in London, prior to the new ILR visa being hopefully granted and placed in the new passport. Due to my work and the obvious costs, it will not be feasible for us to get to Thailand before the passport expires.

My problem is that if we go to London to get the new passport, which they would need to post back to us here in Jersey, she has not yet registered her new (my) surname in Thailand yet. Therefore, I assume that the Embassy will be unable to produce a new passport in her new married name, even though we can show the marriage certificate etc. Am I right?

I guess they would issue a new passport in her Thai name, which would mean us applying for ILR in her thai name, even though we are married? I don't recall the Jersey Immigration office having a problem with the last extension being in her Thai name, although things may have have changed.

My wife has passed the UK test and we have all our documents for both the passport and the ILR, but before we book the flights to London from Jersey, I just need to make sure it doesn't end up as an even more expensive trip.

Please help!

Many thanks

John

Hi All

My Thai wife and I and expecting a new baby early next year, which also coincides with my wife's birthday.

I was considering trying to arrange a visitor visa for the mother in law to come over as a surprise for the wife's birthday and for her to see her grandson. My wife and I have talked about her mother coming over for a visit before and it would be nice for her to have some motherly support when the baby arrives.

The mother does not, however, speak a lot of english and would be very wary of travelling down to Bangkok to try and arrange this on her own. I have a thai sister in law here who could chat with her on the phone but as its a surprise, I dont want the wife to find out.

Does anyone have any experience of trying to arrange something similar and how did you go about it?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Hi Marshall

I don't know if its the same where you live, or will live in the UK, as i live in Jersey, but I went down to the immigration office here to have a chat with them and find out what evidence they would be happy with in terms of supporting my g/f and baby. I did have statements which they looked at but they were more keen to know that I had a job and could prove this in writing. So I got a letter from my employer, confirming how long I had worked there, my salary, even any potential bonuses from work. I completed a sponsorship form with them and gave them all I could.

I also got a letter from my landlord addressed to me confirming that my girlfriend and baby could stay in my flat, he mentioned them by name. I even took photos of the inside to show that there was enough space. I suppose you brother will need to give you a letter and a copy of his mortgage/deeds to the house, plus maybe some photos to show this.

I think if you give as much as you can you can't go wrong.

Good luck mate

John

Hi

My g/f got her SV within a few weeks from applying, including an additional one for her daughter. I think it all depends on the quality of evidence you give them. We hadn't applied for any type of visa before and they didn't even call her for an interview or anything in the end! But I made sure everything they needed was in the application, like landlords letter, confirmation of a marriage booking over here, photos of us together over a space of time, including one of me putting a ring on her finger. I even had receipts from hotels and flights with our names on. As long as you are honest and give them as much info as possible then you should be fine.

I got called up to visit my immigration office here for a few questions which was OK, to make sure I was able to provide for them both etc. I think they were checking on the fathers background too.

Good luck

John

Cheers Steve

I am going over there to get them as I can imagine the major hassle to get the littlun over here by herself. Plus I am flying over there for Songran week so can have a cheekly holiday at the same time! So not all bad.

Just trying to keep costs down but think I may have found some flights with BA that are not too bad. Thai and EVA seem really pricey.

Did your wife have any problems when she arrived on her own over here? Wasn't sure if they were funny with one way tickets but seems not.

Cheers

John

Sorry for delayed thanks, computer playing up. Cheers Scouse!

Having looked at various websites, return flights seem cheaper than one way anyhow!

John

Hi All

Firstly, I have to say that this Forum and all the useful stuff within it is an absolute godsend and I doubt I would have got through the application process without it!

My fiance and I have just been successful in obtaining an SV for her and her baby daughter to come to the UK, absolutely over the moon!, and thank you to all the guys who give their time to respond to peoples need for help and guidance!

I just have a couple of questions and hope this is the right place for them. Now we have the visa, will booking a one way flight be OK for both of them or, as the visa is only technically valid for 6 months, will they need to show a return ticket when entering the UK? We intend to marry here and extend the visa when done but not sure what the ruling is.

Also, if one way flights are OK, does anyone have any tips on the best place to book them, i.e internet or in Thailand. Any advice useful, especially in keeping costs down.

Again, thanks to all and if I can help anyone who is also applying or waiting, please let me know.

Cheers

JB

Thanks again fellas, much appreciated.

Guess it is easy to over-worry a bit when its all new but sure we will be OK!

Cheers

JB

Thanks guys, appreciate your responses and advice.

My intentions are for us to settle down together so I will go for the settlement visa. The only compelling reason for her to return is to visit her family in the village so guess this would go against us.

I assume it would be a good idea for us to bring the littl'un to the application centre so they can confirm she exists? I am likely to have returned to the UK before any follow-up interview takes place but I hope I am OK to be at the application part.

Thanks again

JB

Hi All

Losing my ThaiVisa cherry here so apologies if this is posted in the wrong place and if my query has been answered a thousand times!

I would appreciate some help with a Settlement Visa application I am making for my G/F when I next visit in January. She has a daughter from a previous relationship (Thai man who scarpered when she was two months pregnant) and, having been together for 14 months (baby is now 19 months old), I would like to bring her over to the UK with the baby. Initially I was going to apply for a six month visit visa for the two of them, with the intention of them staying with me for six months to see how things go and if both settle. However, I have been advised that as a baby is involved, the Visa Office in Bangkok may not grant a visit visa.

My G/f has sole responsibility for the baby and the birth certificate shows this, plus the family book etc. I really want to make a go of things, as does the missus, so am happy to apply for the settlement visa if needs be, with a view to getting hitched in the UK before the six months is up.

I guess I have two questions ;

• I believe I need to complete a seperate settlement visa application for the baby (plus another £500!) How do I complete this as the form is really all about the G/F and the sections about how we met etc all seem a bit irellivant for a baby? Do I need to provide duplicate paperwork for the baby and I assume the G/F would sign the form? If anyone has done this before your help is greatly appreciated.
  
• Has anyone applied for, and been successful, in getting just a visit visa for a G/F with a baby, or is the settlement visa the best idea?
  

Sorry for going on but its all a bit of a minefield it seems and i just want to get everything right, expecially at a grand a pop for the settlement visa. Any advice is warmly welcomed!!

Cheers

JB