theoldgit

4 hours ago, ipeterrobinson17 said:

I presume visitors who already have a visa don't need to pay this, is that right?

 Yes, as clarified in the original post this is for visitors who do not require a visa.

Forget the London Eye, this viewpoint in the city is probably the highest in London and free. https://horizon22.co.uk/visit/
 

Maybe not for you BB, but others may find it interesting.

As the post is in respect of a visa for Thailand, I’ll move the post to the appropriate forum.

This forum is for visas and migration to other countries, as you were born in the UK and, l assume, a UK Passport holder, this forum isn’t the  right place for your question as you wouldn’t be subject to Immigration Controls.

I’ll move your post to the UK Forum where someone may be able to help, or at least point you in the right direction.

Good luck 

Retired UK Civil Servants can sign these forms as can some other retired expats, like bank managers, no stamping is necessary.

Most expats know people who fit into these categories and who would be only too happy to assist.

23 hours ago, simon43 said:

Actually I provided the link in a post some months ago.  I'll try to dig out the link.  The Thai government requested an agreement similar to that which the Philippines has and their request was ignored by the UK government at the time.....

I understand, from British friends living in Canada, that the Canadian Government also sought a similar agreement but were given short shrift by the last Conservative Government.

11 hours ago, nomad22 said:

 

You don't need to apply for a visa through the member state where you first enter.  If you plan to travel to multiple member states, you can apply through the country where you plan to stay the longest, even if it's not the country where you will enter.

 

Yes, l’m fully aware of that, thank you.

On 2/17/2025 at 3:41 PM, theoldgit said:

When your girlfriend applied for her visa she was no doubt aware that the rules are that she must apply via the consulate with jurisdiction for the Member State of her main destination, or if she was visiting an equal amount of time in two or more Member States then she should apply via the Consulate with jurisdiction for the Member State where she's spending the longest time, with evidence to support her application, so in her case she rightly applied via Austria. 

37 minutes ago, nomad22 said:

 

How would the airline know?  The visa doesn't indicate a port of entry.

But the Visa would show which Member State Issued to Visa, which is the important part.

Of course this only applies for the first visit using the visa, subsequent entries can enter via any Member State as long of the length of stay and previous stays meet the length of stay requirements. 

When your girlfriend applied for her visa she was no doubt aware that the rules are that she must apply via the consulate with juristiction for the Member State of her main destination, or if she was visiting an equal amount of time in two or more Member States then she should apply via the Consulate with juristiction for the Member State where she's spending the longest time, with evidence to support her application, so in her case she rightly applied via the Austrian Consulate.

You have now changed your plans and want to enter via Paris, plans can and do change and in all liklihood she would have no problems either boarding her flight or entering via a different country to the one she supplied evidence to support her appliction for, but she could do.

Some years ago my wife was refused a Schengen Visa because the French Visa Section had worked out that whilst we were entering via GDG we were spending a few hours longer in Italy than in France, so they regarded Italy as our main destination and refused her visa.

I don't know if we were just unlucky, she might be ok but she could have a problem. 

@Keith5588

only one person can travel per contactless card.

”You can pay for someone else's travel with your contactless card or device if they're travelling with you. You need to pay for your own travel with a different card or device”

5 hours ago, superal said:

The 18,600 is for a married couple . A single mans state pension would be about 11,000 . So no chance of sponsoring a partner . Also am I correct that " The Old Git " said that the state pension is classed as a benefit and was not admissible as income ?  

You can use the State Pension as income to meet the income requirements, the benefit issue is the clause that says that beneficaries of some benefits are exempt from the minimum income requirements, the State Pension is not one of those benefits.

3 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Correct. In fact, the advice is not to do so.

And to add to this, the UKVI go further by advising that copies of flight tickets shouldn’t be included with the supporting evidence.

5 hours ago, sandyf said:

The benefits you quote for exclusion are welfare benefits as opposed to rebranded NI benefits.

I don't disagree with your point, however my quote is a direct lift from the guidance that details what benefits spouses can be in receipt of not to need to comply with the financial requirements, which was the point I was making.

On 1/29/2025 at 8:17 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

Anyone used Green Motion or Drivalia car rental??  

I’d certainly agree that Green Motion is to be avoided, I’ve always found Enterprise to be pretty good, l don’t know Drivalia, l think they’re fairly new.

I used to use online excess insurers, they’re are a lot cheaper than pay at the desk, but I’m not sure if they cover non UK residents any longer.

11 hours ago, sandyf said:

anyone on state pension would be excluded by the income requirements.

Sadly not, whilst the state pension is regarded as a benefit and those receiving some benefits are excluded from the income requirements, l understand it’s only certain benefits and the state pension is not one of them.

I would love to be proved wrong.

If your partner is getting disability or carer’s benefits

You do not need to meet a minimum income requirement if your partner gets one of the following benefits:

Disability Living Allowance

Severe Disablement Allowance

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

Attendance Allowance

Carer’s Allowance

Personal Independence Payment

Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme

Police Injury Pension

Child Disability Payment

Adult Disability Payment

6 hours ago, superal said:

Sad emoji because UK pensioners are supposed to exist on less than half of that . Sorry to gatecrash the topic but who comes up with these required income levels ? Love to see their workings . Best bet is to go to France and board a rubber dingy . Zero monetary requirements , passport / visa not needed and free accommodation , food   etc .

Another case of the government not taking care of their own first , assuming you are from N.I.

The required income level is roughly linked to the average earnings, the latest Median gross average earnings as published by the ONS is in the region of £39K.

The basic state pension levels is another issue, as is illegal migration, and nothing to do with this topic.

My first ever car was a 1952 Triumph Renown, similar to this one, three gears and very comfortable, l loved it but it literally ate fuel, l reluctantly sold it and went back to a Vespa.

22 minutes ago, topt said:

Most income that arises in the UK is taxed by the UK after the £12,570 single persons allowance.

So you would pay tax on pension income over that figure, interest on cash, dividends, bond coupons etc.

However if officially non-resident for tax you don't pay any capital gains other than on property so profit from share sales for example are not taxed.

 

If you have income offshore and are non resident then that income is not taxable by HMRC.

Just to add that HMRC reduce the Personal Allowance by the amount of the State Pension to ensure that any further income, private pensions for instance, are fully taxed.

It’s surprising just how many people are being dragged into the 40% tax band by the fiscal drag caused by the freezing of the PA bands.

27 minutes ago, 503726 said:

Before I try it and find out, does anyone reading this had tax levied all of their pension payments from the UK including the 25% expected to tax free & often paid as a lump sum?   It'd be harsh and be as galling as the State Pension freeze must be.

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.

8 hours ago, damo1967 said:

100% right on.  As sad as it is... His travel insurance should cover him..  But if he was drinking... not having a licence... no helmet... even some drugs in his system... he gets ZERO baht from me to his GoFundMe.  I do not help idiots.  I am sure this GoFundMe app was not set up to help absolute idiots.

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.

On 11/16/2024 at 10:19 AM, D2Pipes said:

Please allow me to add my ha'penny worth:-

 

From my experience it is imperative that @sidjameson registers the divorce with the UK authorities otherwise a visa application would be a non-starter.

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”.