theoldgit

As far as l’m aware UK Pensions are taxed at source in the UK. I’m not aware of a 25% tax free rule, but you still get the Personal Allowance of £12,570, which means you are taxed at anything over that at 20 or 40%. If you receive a State Pension, that is not taxed at source but your Personal Allowance by that amount and the reduced allowance is applied to any private pension you might have. My lump sum was paid without any deduction of tax. My State and Private Pensions are paid into my Santander Account in the IoM and l transfer what l need via Wise.

The linked newspaper story from the Daily Mail confirms that the lad had no travel insurance.

You may find this helpful https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/border-crossing/short-stay-visa-calculator_en

Most, if not all, UK banks do an identity check via Credit Reference Agencies these days to check you are actually a UK resident, would you have passed these checks? l note that one of the requirements of this account is having a Starling Current Account, do you have one, or would you satisfy the identity check to open one?

She was just interviewed on the BBC Breakfast show, l have to say she is really good for a hundred year old lady. Sadly the DWP rolled out their usual misleading quotation for the piece, l honestly don’t think it will ever change, Governments of all colours rely on the fact that most Brits don’t even believe that expats should be receiving a pension.

I'm not from the US, and I received the same email four hours ago. I don't recall being asked my nationality whenever I've opened my accounts, but of course they have a room full of my passport copies, not sure that they're joined up though.

Maybe l could also add my ha’penny worth, based on personal experience. l had a failed marriage in Thailand and obtained a divorce some years later via a Thai Court, retrieving my assets in the process. The divorce wasn’t registered in the UK, in fact I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have been possible anyway, maybe you could enlighten me as to which UK authorities you refer to. I met someone else and we’re in our 18th year together, as girlfriend and spouse, during which time she successfully applied for numerous visas to the UK, as my girlfriend when l was still married to the previous lass, and as my wife following our marriage, there was never a problem due to me still being married to someone else, for visit visas and ultimately, some years after our marriage, a settlement visa. For her settlement visa l, as her sponsor, submitted a copy of the court order in respect of my divorce along with a translation, her visa was issued without further question. So in my experience the lack of a divorce being registered in the UK, to whoever, didn’t make anny applications “non-starters”.

An American passport holder can visit the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in a 180 day period, a visa is not required.

That’s what l used last year.

When leaving Thailand she should check in with her UK passport, otherwise they’ll be insisting on a UK Visa. Clear Thai Immigration using the passport she entered with, and present her UK Passport on arrival at the UK Border, she could even use an expired UK Passport at the UK Border. The advice to renew her UK Passport during her stay is sound, providing she has sufficient.

You have a multi entry visa, this allows you to stay for up to 90 days in a 180 day period, so you can enter again during the validity of your visa but must leave the Schengen Area by 6 March 2025. The Immigration Officer will still ask how long to intend to say and the purpose of your visit.

Well in theory yes, but as l pointed out earlier doing so may well, and in all probability would, lead to in depth questioning by the Border Force Officer on her return, who will need to be satisfied that she isn’t misusing her Entry Clearance as a visitor. It’s not common for genuine visitors to have holidays of 180 days, and certainly not back to back ones, there’s no such thing as “Visa runs”.

There’s no such rule as 180 days in a twelve month period, that’s a pretty common misconception, visits are calculated individually. Her visa actually allows 180 days per visit, though on each occasion visitors may be asked to prove that they’re a genuine visitor, and not using a visit visa to effectively live in the UK through “frequent and successive visits”, not many visitors visit that often. So she shouldn’t encounter any problems on return providing she can satisfy a Border Force Officer that she remains a genuine visitor.

Post flaming another member and making unsubstantiated allegations removed.

I’m fully aware that an agent is not a lawyer, but l stand by my view that a lawyer isn’t necessary in all but the most complex of cases, which the OP’s isn’t. Of course you are free to use a lawyer who may be expert in UK Immigration Law as well as other legal matters. I’m not sure which sort of “l can do” agent you are referring to, but the agent recommended by TonyM is registered with the UK Regulatory Authority, even though that isn’t a legal requirement in Thailand, and highly experienced, as l say, the choice is of course yours.

Really no need for a lawyer, if the OP and his partner needs some guidance during the process l would recommend enlisting the help of a qualified Immigration Agent, the agent recommended by TonyM is qualified and highly experienced.

Unhelpful posts and measured response removed.

The last figures l’ve read from Homeland Security indicated that less than 1.5% of those entering the US using a Visa or under the VWP fail to leave on the first or subsequent visits, l accept with the numbers visiting that is a lot, but is it excessive, l don’t know. The ICE staff l’ve had contact with over the years have told me that there is indeed checking, enforcement and detention of Immigration Offenders, with a lot of offenders being removed, l will concede that it’s been a few years since I’ve been in regular contact, but I’d be surprised if there were no checks carried out now.

Yes, I’m well aware that Consular Officials are required to start from the position that an applicant intends to stay in the US permanently, illegally, unless they could show strong ties to their home country. Maybe if the lady concerned could could have provided evidence that she owned a house on her land and had done so for in excess of thirty years which, along with her history of international travel, the decision maker may have issued the visa. It would seem that it wasn’t necessary to even read the supporting evidence before refusing the ladies application.

But neither do they have strong ties to the US that should give the Consular Officer concerns that they would stay in the US following the visit with their British partner. The British partner could not remain in the US either. There have been numerous reports of spouses and partners of US Citizens being refused visas, but this is the first time I’ve seen an example like this, though l assume there must have been some over the years.

The EU has postponed indefinitely the launch of the "entry-exit system" (EES) which had been due to begin at every frontier on 10 November, and would have required advance registration and fingerprint capturing. Instead, a gradual roll-out will take place. No official indication of timing of the commencement of the rollout but late 2025 seems likely.

There are a number of rules that apply to all Member States that have been correctly quoted by other forum members, but whether they are uniformly applied is another issue. There is certainly a rule that applicants must apply via the Consulate with jurisdiction for the main destination, if the applicant intends to spend an equal amount of time in more than one Member State then they should apply via the Consulate with jurisdiction for the point of entry into the Schengen Area. l have certainly come access instances of this being rigorously applied at the application stage, and am aware that some Consulates have clamped down on so call “visa shopping” whereby applicants try to apply via Consulates who are deemed to be more relaxed with applications. I have no experience of how this is applied at borders. There used to be a rule that if applicants were traveling on to a non Schengen Country after their proposed Schengen visit, then they should apply for that visa first, and provide details of travel. During a look this morning l couldn’t find the rule, that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Regarding the cash requirement, l don’t think that it has to be in the sole name of the applicant, in the case of Visa Nationals, if it did how would married couples prove it if one was a stay at home spouse. In recent applications to The Netherlands and Denmark, my wife’s visas were granted after only my financial details being supplied. The OP might want to bare in mind the new electronic entry system being rolled out for non EU travellers in the near future.

The UKVI are aware that it’s not unusual for couples in your position, ie when one partner living overseas makes regular payments to their Thai partner, for the Thai partner, or many other nationalities, to travel to a Western country on a visit visa and remain there with their benefactor. Whilst you guys may not fall into this category, in future applications she must satisfy the ECO as to her true intentions, that can be challenging.

A couple of nonsense posts removed.