theoldgit

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Seems another batch of Life Certificates is enroute, obviously not to those who use their, or someone else’s, UK address.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Maybe the police?

I can't speak for Udon and I don't where else you've been in Thailand, but I've seen numerous armed and uniformed police officers when I lived in Bangkok and they also have them here in Hua Hin.

What’s the difference between the officers selling their services to escort tourists and the uniformed and armed officers who sit inside gold shops throughout the country?

For the avoidance of doubt, VFS only capture the biometric details, upload supporting evidence if the applicant hasn't uploaded it themselfs, and retain the applicants passport until a decision has been made by a directly employed ECO in either the UK, India or China, I think that's what you meant.

There are no quotas for the issuing of Standard Visit Visas, why would there be? If an applicant can satisfy the ECO that they are a genuine applicant, who can afford the trip, and also satisfy the decision maker that they will return home at the conclusion of the proposed visit, then Entry Clearance will be approved. Like all of us, ECO's make mistakes.