theoldgit

Chang Watthana

As Upnotover has said, there are commercial operators who provide a meet and assistance service but they don't come cheap, probably in the region of £350, in the absence of any freeservices for non English speakers/readers on arrival maybe she should just follow the crowd to Immigration, if she's on a direct flight I'm sure there will be others in her position, or at least someone she can ask. I'm assuming you and you wife will be there to meet her, she should your phone number available in the case the Border Force Officer wants to clarify any points, they do have access to telephone translators, and they do use them. Once through Immigration, again follow the crowds, it's all one way. Downloading a Thai to English app was a good suggestion.

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Yes, you've this in the wrong forum, but as I see you've now also posted in the correct forum, I'll close this thread.

As I said, the THB is weaker against many currencies, but stronger against against Sterling.

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I think the GBP is only that value because the THB is also relatively weak, but it would seem not as weak as Sterling. I think we’re in for a bumpy ride.

I don’t think that’s correct, my understanding is that pensions from the UK are taxed at source, that’s certainly what my pension provider advised what would happen when my wife was eligible for her widows pension. The figure of 200,000 Baht you mentioned equates to less than the Personal Allowance, l don’t think non UK residents who are not British Nationals who are recipients of a pension automatically get the PA, but they may be able to claim the tax back at the end of the tax year. I note that the pension is paid from offshore, does that mean it doesn’t originate from the UK?

Yes, mine is frozen and paid into a UK account in the Isle of Man. It’s where you’re actually resident that decides whether your State Pension is frozen or not.

Yes, you can renew it in the UK, you can even do it online, confirming his current address in the UK. You will need to forward his current passport to the UKPO, remember you should send it from the UK, if you’re currently in possession of it, no problem, but it’s not supposed to be posted internationally. If he holds a Thai Passport, that must also be forwarded to HMPO. Somebody who has known him personally for at least two years will need to confirm his identity as a friend, neighbour or colleague, they must be qualified to do so and they will be personally contacted by HMPO to confirm their statement. I personally agree that it may be safer for him to apply from Thailand, even if long winded and more expensive.

Yes, Civil Service Pensions are uprated anually, in line with the CPI, wherever you live in the world, even Thailand. UK Pensions are taxed at source by MyCSP, your Personal Allowance is reduced by the amount of your State Pension, effectively taxing your State Pension. As your State Pension will be frozen your Civil Service Pension will be increased on the full amount, irrespective of its division between pre and post 88 GMP, I think that has something to do with the contracting out.

A friend of mines wife collected her passport with her UK Standard Visit Visa inside on Friday, it took one month and three days from the date she had her biometric details captured. She didn't pay for the priority service, I think it was a fluke rather than a new norm.

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Does she already have a Schengen Visa, she would need to show a return ticket to apply for a visa? I think it's unlikely that she a carrier would board her with only a one way ticket, due to the possibility that she could possibily be refused entry at the border of the Schengen Area, and they would be resonsible for returning her. Is there a reason she only wants to purchase a one way ticket?

Yes things changed in 2018, from then HMPO no longer added up nine months of validity from passports being renewed. This was one of the benefits of Brexit, as the UK became one the third nationality countries who had to comply with the rule that passports needed to be issued less than ten years previously to enter the EU, the rule didn't apply when the UK was a member of the EU.

I'm glad to learn that the visa has been issued. Whilst I'm certainly not a fan of VFS, I think you'll find that they were doing no more than relaying the advice from the UKVI about processing times, it's they that pocket the Priority fees for the application to be fast tracked, not VFS. Though VFS do pocket the fees for their premium time slots to drop off passports and have the bio details captured.

What exactly was the insurance they wanted you to buy? Bank tellers have been offering this insurance deal for years to allow you to open an account, it’s not official and they get commission on the sale, very often the insurance is next to worthless.

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I'm not sure that VFS in Chiang Mai handle applications for Canada, it could be a glitch in their website https://visa.vfsglobal.com/tha/en/can/attend-centre

@dereko169You've already asked the same question in this forum, so I'll close this one.

@thonglorjimmyI think the numbers of those applying for settlement are probably down hence no replies, either that or they’ve got their visas, and moved on.

I've used these previously https://stasher.com/luggage-storage/

If he and the girlfriend have been living together in a durable relationship for in excess of two years, and can provide compelling evidence of doing so, she could meet the requirements for a Family Visa, though that doesn’t seem to be the case here.

As @hotandstickyhas correctly pointed out your girlfriend cannot extend her visa to Settlement/Family Visa from within the UK, she would need to return to Thailand and apply from there. Unless she can prove that you’ve been living together for in excess of two years, it’s unlikely that she would qualify just as a girlfriend, though she might be able to qualify for a Fiancé Visa if you have evidence of a forthcoming marriage. A visit visa can only be extended in very exceptional circumstances. Without wishing to appear pedantic, you cannot extend anyones visa, it’s your girlfriend that would need to apply and demonstrate that she meets the criteria, though you could assist her.

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