theoldgit

I certainly used my Kasikorn ATM in Bali late last year and got a good rate of exchange, one restaurant wanted to charge me 3% when using it to pay for dinner, so I popped along to an ATM.

I did note that the exchange if I wanted to exchange Baht varied considerable, as much as 50%, my gf wanted to change some cash but in the end didn't bother.

Your girlfriend should certainly disclose the fact that she was refused a Schengen Visa, they do have ways and means of checking such things though I don't know how often they do. Failing to declare an earlier refusal could cause her problems, it might be worth her mentioning the details of the failed application in her covering letter.

Reasons to return are probably the most important part of her application, as she has already found out to her cost, does she have a job or studies from which she taking approved leave of absence or any other strong ties.

You state that you have previously sponsored another girlfriend, albeit 5 years ago, that may well indicate that you know the ins and out of the rules but remember it's not your application it's your girlfriends and it's for her to convince the ECO that the visit is genuine and that, on the balance of probabilities, she is likely to return. That said you might want to disclose the fact that have previously sponsored somebody as there is a central database that records the details of all sponsors, I am not however sure if it is routinely checked.

Try Thai Visa free classifieds. Here.

Yep, I did this and sold a sofa in a few hours.

As you are a Belgian national did you mean The Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was previously The Belgian Congo, or the neighboring Republic of the Congo?

I am not sure which was would be regarded as "Congolsese" and whilst their visa requirements seem to be the same I am not sure about their diplomatic missions.

What nationality are you?

Came across these power cables on fire yesterday, often wondered about the safety of them, the guys from the MEA seemed pretty used to dealing with them and it didn't even cause the police any problem, they continued to shake down motorcyclists just up the road.

Why don't you ask for advice on here in the first instance?

A couple of qualified advisers offer some pro bono advice on this forum and would, I'm sure, point you in the right direction if further support were needed.

Presume your girlfriend will still have to go through the visa procedure though?

Not sure why you want to go to the embassy, but if it is to get a visa, forget about it. they will be charging you an arm and leg as compare to when you arrive in Egypt.

Excellent advice - unless of course you are Thai national as you cannot get a visa on arrival, you must apply for a visa in Bangkok.

As above, I have a bog standard Kasikorn Savings account, no WP or anything else needed apart from passport for ID, receive regular payments into account from overseas and have never had a problem. I think they deduct a nominal fee, about 100 THB, as wire transfer receiving fee.

Got the yellow fever vaccination yesterday at the nakorn ping 2 hospital on sridonchai road in chiang mai. Thanks for the help everyone.

Does anyone have any suggestions for Travel insurance? I would need only 10days cover but Ive never got insurance for anything before in Thailand so dont really know where to go and what to get. Any advice welcome.

I use this company, very easy and you can do everything online. If you enter the Promotional Code WNJUN10 they knock off 10%, though I suspect you can alter the code to reflect the month of application.

World Nomads - World Nomads Travel Insurance. Recommended by Lonely Planet

If it helps I am still legally married to a Thai woman, though she still lives in Thailand, she made two successful visa applications to the UK when we were together. When our marriage broke down her visa was still valid so I emailed the visa section in Bangkok and explained that the relationship was no more, I didn't go into details, but added that she would need to satisfy an IO at the port of entry of her ability to finance any stay in the UK.

When my new partner and I wished to visit the UK I mentioned the previous relationship in my sponsors letter, I was aware that details of sponsors are recorded on a central database though I don't know if this database is routinely checked, her visa was granted at the first attempt.

Edited for typo

Which is what he didn't. He went through the EEA channel and then wandered back down to the non EEA channel. Nonetheless you make a fair point.

OK one each there.

When entering the UK through LHR my gf and I have always gone through the UK/EU Channel and have never been turned away.

Op asks:

Hi quick question, my gf has just received a 6 month visit visa to the UK. Does a return ticket need to be purchased or can she fly with me and our son on a one way ticket? then i purchase a return once we are in the UK amd know an exact return date.

Ignore the rubbish written here. She does not need a return ticket. Accompany her through the non EEA channel in case the immigration officer has any questions.

Which is what he did, and reported back a couple of days ago, keep up Archie

They say you must provide evidence that you have sufficient funds to adequately support yourself during the stay, so I presume you need to provide evidence, six months bank statements and/or original bank book, that you can afford the trip and would not be arriving with no cash. I suppose you will have to provide costed details of your proposed trip and evidence that it's affordable.

Time will tell. When it does these false profits of doom should be reminded of how much trouble they have caused with a good kick in the butt.

On the other hand...........................

Yes the opening ceremony is over with. This replay is for the sleepy heads.

Like me, who was hoping to watch the opening ceremony tonight, really must pay attention.

As any UK pensioner in Thailand knows his pension is taxed in the UK. Under the Double Taxation agreeement pensions are not exempt from Thai income tax BUT UK Tax Paid must be credited against Thai tax. Refer to HM Revenue & Coustoms Double Taxation Relief Manual. DT18722 - DT: Thailand: double taxation agreement, Article 23: Elimination of double taxation (subsection (3)). Of course you'd have to be an idiot to declare your pension to Thai authorities.

AyG correctly points out there is an exception. UK Governement or local authority pensions are exempt from Thai tax provided the recipient is not a Thai national resident in Thailand. DT18718 - DT: Thailand: double taxation agreement, Article 19: Governmental services.

I am aware that my Civil Service Pension will continued to be taxed in the UK, but does that mean that I can ask for my State Pension, when due, to be paid without deduction of Tax either to Thailand or to my Offshore account in the IOM?

Would there be any benefit given the tax is only about £1000?

There is a catch with this - foreign pensions are classed as income in Thailand and therefore can attract Thai income tax!!!! Recent court case determined this

jeez, I already pay UK tax on the pension income

cheers

And therefore protected by the double taxation agreement between The UK and Thailand.

"To pass the test, applicants will have to be able to speak, read, and write English as well as a seven-year-old at primary school".

Hardly a problem I would have thought!

So which is it? your quote above, or your earlier one

It goes a bit deeper than that........"The measure, due to come in force this Autumn, will apply to all spouses and unmarried couples who are already in Britain as well as overseas applicants. Anyone wishing to come to Britain must first demonstrate that they speak English at the same level required for skilled workers admitted under the points-based scheme".

I do however agree that people wishing to live in The UK should be able to speak and understand English to enable them to fully integrate into their new home, I really don't think this will really be an issue for the majority of Thai people.

Fine by me, if they want.

So that's 1 for then.

If refused, the passenger has the right to remain in the UK for an appeal hearing (albeit sometimes in detention), thus cancellation of visas is not authorised merely on an IO's suspicion.

His experience at the Gare du Nord pretty much confirms that the IO may have had his suspicions, but could muster no real grounds for refusal.

It was my partner and I who had the unpleasant experience at Gare du Nord, not sure that he really had anything to be suspicious about, he was just being obnoxious, you needed to be there to witness it. My girlfriend and I both explained we had confirmed flights back to our home in Bangkok and whilst we didn't have the tickets on us, as they were e-tickets they could have been accessed pretty easily, I am assuming they have POISE or even Internet access there.

It would have been pretty ironic, though pretty embarrassing, if he had thought that detention could be justified for my girlfriend, we were actually staying with a UKBA Manager of a Removal Centre and her IO partner before our return home, now that could have been the topic of conversation at many a dinner party.

I think we would have been more concerned at the attempt to cancel the visa in the unlikely event that he had been able to convince a CIO or HMI that it was justified, as that would need to be declared in any further visa application.

z

Well why bother even reading the post then?

I am a Brit and have been living in Thailand since 1990. Any possibility that I can still claim a UK pension when I retire?

Yes, the current rules allow it, providing you have maintained your National Insurance contributions.

Would we be as delighted if they had that rule in Thailand?