theoldgit

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Videos showed the men being led from the Bangkok Remand Prison to a special, relatively new court that deals with corruption cases against bent officials. 

I suspect that if this corruption issue was really being taken seriously then they would also need a new, and much larger, prison to hold those involved.

13 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The right to NHS treatment is not based on tax/NI payment history, it is based on ‘Permanent Residence in the UK or Permanent Residence in the UK being established at the time treatment is being sought’.

Guidance - using The NHS when you return to live in the UK

12 hours ago, simon43 said:

What's this about Blackpool's reputation? I thought it was well-known for its bracing winds, OAPs walking the promenade etc.

A friend of mine returned there, with his Thai wife, a few years ago, he seems to be happy with his lot.
He used to manage a British style pub in the basement of a hotel on Sukhumvit in Bangkok.

This has nothing to do with visas to countries other than Thailand, I'll move to the travel forum.

1 hour ago, Mutt Daeng said:

Could you provide a little more info please?

Have you or a friend received one?

A friend of mine received one yesterday, as the mail delivery in my area is very hit and miss, I received no mail since September, I called DWP who confirmed that I'd been sent one three or four weeks ago, she offered to send my another by email.

30 minutes ago, Burgo1979 said:

Thank you. Is the 2. 5 and 10 year options only available after a certain amount of 6 month visas where the applicant has returned successfully, or can someone applying for the first time now go straight for a 10 year? My wife was given the option for the longer ones the last time she applied, but on her previous 4 visits only the 6 month was available.

Longer term visas are available to anyone who can demonstrate a compelling reason to visit over a longer period, a business person for instance who needs to travel regularly.

For an ordinary traveler, maybe visiting family, whilst there are no rules to say an applicant has to work their way up the ladder, I suspect that’s what most do, don’t forget that if a shorter term visa is granted, there’s no refund.

33 minutes ago, Burgo1979 said:

With regards to the 2, 5 and 10 year visas, how would a sponsor be able to show funds for that period of time?

You don't, the applicant would provide evidence that the initial visit is affordable, and the ECO would make a decision that on the balance of probabilities future trips would be affordable.
An applicant would need to satisfy the decision maker that there is a genunie reason for visits over a longer period and demonstrate thier ties to their home country.

1 hour ago, Upnotover said:

I think the £100 version is a short term one hit visa;

 

No, the six month Standard Visit Visa is usually multi entry

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

I've never heard of anyone getting a single-entry visitor visa for the UK - I thought they were always multi-entry. Has it changed recently?

The ECO can issue a single entry if they have any concerns, rare but it can and does happen. Likewise if an ECO has concerns regarding a longer term visa, they can issue a six month visa and there’s no refund, again rare but there have been a few reports on this forum of this happening.

The Consular Team aren't involved in visa issues, so I'll move your question to the appropriate forum.

As @soi3eddiehas pointed when your wife applies for a visa, if granted, it will normally be a multi entry visa meaning that she can make a number of visits during the validity of the visa.  

I applied on 23 December and received my new passport in just under three weeks, there are a number of similar reports.

The VFS staff are still advising twelve weeks, but the young lady who dealt with my application added that there seemed to be an improvement in turn around times of late.

On 1/25/2023 at 4:49 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

"Does anybody know the actual  legal answer"

Yes. 

They are not obligated to charge the customer the incorrect lower price.  

Indeed, and it's the same in the UK, though many believe otherwise.

12 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

I think that's putting it politely. I don't know exactly how easy it would be to retrieve such data from an airline, and I doubt it would be quick.

Wasn't that one of the purposes of the over rescoured E-Borders project, the only Directorate that was imune from spending cuts, it was later abandoned, though I believe carriers were still required to forward data to the UKBA black hole. E-Borders_select/cm
 

58 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

That said - Immigration do not ‘check visitors out’ from the UK... So when my Wife arrives for a two week visit I’m not sure IF immigration can tell she left two weeks later or 6 months later... Thus, when she returns can they only see her ‘entry details’ ????

Whilst you’re correct in pointing out that there are no regular embarkation controls when leaving the UK, carriers do record those leaving and pass the information onto the UKBA.

That requirement was introduced following the outcry when the Home Office couldn’t provide accurate numbers of those leaving the UK, it was supposed to identify overstayers and those who haven’t complied with the conditions of their visas.

I’m not sure that the UKBA are really that joined up ensure the actual data is effectively used.

1 hour ago, Negita43 said:

Thank you - very clear.

However I must say that having a 10 year visa does imply "frequent or successive visits" in itself - why else have one?

Fair point, but there is probably a difference between frequent and successive visits, the Border Force Officer will need to be satisfied that the passenger is a genuine visitor and that the visa designed for regular visitors over a longer period of time isn’t used to live in the UK.

Be prepared to answer questions, and provide evidence, of the ties to the home country if the visits are too regular.

Update re UK Visa application processing times from UK Embassy

https://www.facebook.com/ukinthailand/videos/547663913984889/

As the Consular Team are not involved in Visa and UK Entry issues, I'll move your question to a more appropriate forum.

There is no specified maximum period, which an individual can spend in the UK in any period, such as ‘6 months in 12 months’ (as long as each visit does not exceed the maximum period for that visit, normally 6 months). However, if it is clear from an applicant’s travel history that they are seeking to remain in the UK for extended periods or making the UK their home the Border Force Officer should refuse entry.
Border Force Officers are advised to check the visitor’s travel history, including how long they are spending in the UK and how frequently they are returning. They must assess if they are, in effect, living in the UK through frequent or successive visits or making the UK their main home.

Your wife can apply for a new visa at any time, her current visa doesn’t need to have expired.

UK visa holders must leave the country on, or before, the expiry date printed on the vignette, UK visa rules differ from countries like Thailand. 

26 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Well yes but from an applicant's point of view, the whole process is handled by VFS. There may on some occasions, be contact with an ECO if there is a problem or they want additional information and/or they do sometimes contact an employer to check the applicant's employment status etc.

Applicants can believe what they want, but the fact remains that VFS staff play no part whatsoever in the decision making process, they don’t even see the actual application.

if an ECO requires clarification, and the vast majority of applications are decided on the application and the supporting evidence submitted, they will either make their own enquiries, or use a locally employed member of the UKVI team based in Bangkok to make enquiries.