theoldgit

I had a dream last night, it was wonderful, they had just introduced online 90 day reporting and everyone was happy, oh I also dreamt I had won the lottery

Yep 2000 Baht, happened to me last year after the Immigration Officer who processed the extension of my leave to remain, incorrectly, told me that counted as a report. The work experience girl who spotted it couldn't contain her excitment.

I think the reporting slip actually says a maximum of 5000 Baht, but I don't think that is ever imposed.

Hi, can you tell me how does a 10 year visa work if the passport is only valid for 5 years? can it be transferred onto the next passport issued?

You can travel with both passports as the visa remains valid in the expired passport.

You can transfer the visa if you wish, but that costs about 3900 Baht, if you should lose the old passport you would need to make a fresh application and pay a new fee.

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/faqs/5167621/19352809

I would have been happy to donate, I'm O Rh Neg, but Thailand will not accept donors over the age of 60, so I presume they don't need it that badly, in the UK the maximum age is 65.

Some airlines have said that they are pricing their flights out of the market for this month so they can repatriate people back to their home countries. They say they cannot simply withdraw the flights from their system, this probably accounts for the £5,000 flight on Emirates this week.

Prices certainly seem to be up now, I think the days of cheap flights are gone forever, and of course there is the old chestnut of flights being more expensive out of Bangkok.

You might consider holding out for flights to come down, but maybe the football World Cup will have an impact on prices, obviously not for the direct flights but for those using the middle east hubs.

Just for fun I looked up a couple of direct and indirect flights, BA and Eva came in at 40,050 and 47,500 respectively, yes BA was cheaper than Eva, and Qatar and Emirates coming in at 37,000 and 43,000, certainly not what I would want to be paying.

What sort of prices are you being quoted?

You dont send your passport to HK - only a photocopy

That is indeed correct, and it's been covered on this forum a couple of times already.

A reminder for those about to renew

http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for...ssport-renewals

Of course with a lost passport you still have to go to the embassy, the treatment "macanallo" received is indeed good news.

Though it's not a legal requirement to have travel insurance in the UK she would be unwise to travel without it.

Whilst it's true that a visitor to the UK can get treatment on the NHS, it's only for emergency treatment and they can and do charge for any follow up treatment, also they will decide what is an emergency and what isn't.

I have personally used World Nomads unsurance, it can be purchsed online and is very cost effective http://www.worldnomads.com/?gclid=CNWVnviNnaECFcRS6wodc1PVwA

The forum sponsors Thaivisa insurance are also worth a look.

I Belgian national could get a visa on arrival but the Thai national must get a visa in advance

http://www.mfa.gov.eg/MFA_Portal/Templates...INT=Guest#Visas

Don't know if you can do make a visa application from up country and others my advise on agents, you could call or email them I suppose.

Colinas Building 42nd Floor 6

Sukhumvit 21

Bangkok 10110

Thailand

Phone local: (02) 661.7184

international: +66.2.661.7184

Fax local: (02) 262.0235

international: +66.2.262.0235

Email [email protected]

Web site http://www.egypt-emb.or.th/

1. Him not her. When you get rejected like that for no reason, you don't just take it as a no. You go back and present your case, asking to talk to actual british consular staff, not some thai front-desk people who think they are gods for landing their job on deciding what they'll pass on and what they won't.

I said her because the OP spoke about his girlfriend, so she is the applicant and it is her who would want the decision overturned if there was a right of appeal. If she thought the wrong decision had been made on the evidence given in the application then of course she should try and speak to the Entry Clearance Manager and ask them to look at the case again but, trust me, there is no point in demanding to speak to a consular official. The Thai people at the desk, and by those I presume you mean in the application centre, are no more than messengers, they do no more than put all the papers provided into an envelope and pass it onto visa section at the embassy, they certainly do not decide what they will pass on and what they will not.

2. I got that from a friend that works inside British embassy. US and Australian embassies apparently do the same when they are not sure. Reapplying person is taken into more consideration if a case by the sponsor is made. Another point which I forgot to mention before - not only should he submit the letter from his father but also his own "invitation" letter, explaining what the trip is about. That is requirement from other EU embassies that I deal with quite frequently.

Clearly I don't know your friend in the British embassy but I maintain that they, or any other embassy, don't routinely refuse all first time applicants, if the application is sound with the applicant able to prove that the trip is affordable and genuine and on the balance of probabilities they will return to their home country, then entry clearance will be given, be it the 1st or 50th application.

The number of Thai people applying for visas to western countries, when there is an obvious intent of not returning to Thailand once visa is over is enormous. Hope this fits better than "several"

If this is the case, and as I don't have the benefit of the information provided by your friend working inside the embassy I really don't know, then this is why so many applications fail, and genuine applicants seemingly have such a hard time.

3. Maybe. I guess embassy staff are full of crap then.

I doubt it very much.

Demand to talk to british staff in visa section. Challenge their decision. Reapply.

Well which one, she cannot demand to talk to anybody in visa section, the application was for a tourist visa which has no right of appeal. You are of course correct in suggesting the applicant re-applies, but ensuring that the reasons in the refusal are properly addressed.

Many times the western embassies will flatly deny the first time visa seeker, then wait to see whether they reapply.

Utter rubbish, where did you get that fact from?

There are several thais that just want to move out of the country, not really caring as to where. So they'd just apply once.

"There are several thais that just want to move out of the country", again where did you pick up that little gem? several?

If someone is serious, they believe, that person will come back and apply again. Only then they take applicant seriously.

Again, utter rubbish.

OP, you will get a lot of helpful advice on this forum, then you will get posts like this, I'm afraid you will need to sort out the wheat from the chaff.

Electronic statements are acceptable, I think they have ways of checking their authenticity.

But you do need to prove that you are financially able to act as a sponsor.

I could be wrong but I would have thought it would have little to do with her immigration status and more about her lack of UK driving experience and the fact it does not seem that she has a UK licence, in the same way a UK youngster might have a problem getting insurance, or maybe the underwriters have had experience driving on Thai roads.

I think she really needs to get a UK licence first and then spend a while as a named driver on your car before you think about trying to get insurance for her in her own right. Others of course may have other views.

What about trying for an Amex Thai Airways credit card? I received a mail shot asking me to apply for one as I was a Thai Airways Gold Card holder, I sent off the application in fun, I am retired and do not have or need a work permit, knowing I would be refused.

My credit card with a 310,000 Baht credit limit was couriered to me a couple of weeks later, I was not asked for a security deposit. I don't really need a credit card, but it's really handy for booking flights, hotels and hire cars.

ECO's are to be VERY judgemental. It is their job!

No it's not, their job is to make a judgement on the facts provided in the application, not to be judgemental, there is a subtle difference.

^^^^

I really think this is an over simplification, for sure they will look at the relationship, I'm no expert but they will not only want to be satisfied that the sponsor can afford to pay for the trip, if that's actually what is being proposed, but that it's reasonable to do so.

But you have left out the most important thing, the reason to return, after all that's the real reason that many visa applications fail, and is the reason that visas are required.

2.5 months NO CHANCE!

you say no chance but can you you tell me what the time frame is as of yet no one has given me a concrete answer

Because nobody can give you a concrete answer.

If somebody sponsors an applicant they have only known for a very short period, like yours, it's going to be very difficult to get a visa, everything is stacked against her. This lady has two children yet she can drop everything and swan off to the UK for a six month holiday. On the other hand if she is a successful, land owning, business woman who needs to return to Thailand to meets the needs of her business, but can still afford to take a six month holiday, then she might have a chance as she wouldn't need a sponsor.

You mention in your earlier post about a "Visa checking service", is this a service that VFS provide, if so I doubt if it's any more than checking the papers submitted, they certainly are not competent to say if entry clearance will be given.

One of there favourite reason for turning down visa's is

THE BALANCE OF ALL PROBABILITES IS THAT THE RELATIONSHIP WILL NOT LAST.

Goodluck

And whilst that may be true ECO's are not meant to be judgemental, though it is up to you guys to convince the ECO that the relationship is sound, very difficult after such a short period.

Her reasons to return are strong family ties, family land, young daugthers and the desire to return to Thailand and get married in November

I have submitted a sponsers portfolio containing 75 itemsed pages. I have also booked a flight toThailand for the 30th of May.

I just can not find a box to tick for the length of relationship question, because there isnt one. So when is a relationship too short or just right??

Strong family ties are ok, but I don't think ECO's put a lot of credence in the fact that your gf has two daughters, though I'm sure she does, remember a lot of Thai women leave their youngsters with family while they try and find a "better life" in the west. Is the family land in her name, she will need to convince the ECO the land is so much of a tie that she is likely to return because of it.

Whilst a sponsorship letter is an important part of the application I really think 75 pages is way over the top, again put yourself in the ECO's position, do you honestly think they are going to read 75 pages?

I don't want you to think that she has no chance, I am just trying to temper your expectations, I and other posters are on your side and we just play devils advocate, which is easier to do when we are not personally involved.

Obviously imported food is going to cost you more here than it its country of origin. Isn't that basic commonsense?

I agree, but with the Baht increasing in value against western currencies shouldn't imported foods be showing a small decrease in price, not an increase?

You cannot pay online in Bangkok, there are some countries that provide this facility but sadly Thailand isn't one of them.

You have to pay by 'Cashiers Cheque' or 'Bankers Draft' when the hard copy copy of the application is submitted and the biometric process undertaken.

Look it from the ECO's perspective, the applicant has known you for a couple of months and now wants to join you in the UK for a six month holiday.

You obviously realise that it's going to be virtually impossible for you both to prove a sustaining relationship, but can she prove strong ties to her home country and thus a reason to return? I suspect that given the fact she wants to go on a six month holiday she doesn't have a proper job. Does she own property or have other ties?

I really think you know the answer to the question, put yourself in the ECO's shoes, what decision would you make?

That said there are no hard and fast rules about the length of a relationship but I think with the circumstances you describe, you are setting yourselves up for a disappointment.

I left Pattaya this morning at 06.00, traffic ok until I got to Bangkok, normal Rama IX hold ups.

What did suprise me was the water throwing that was happening at that time of the morning on Beach Road, they seemed to have been there all night.

She applies at the VFS Visa Application Centre in Regent House, all the details are here http://www.vfs-uk-th.com/

With the greatest of respect she should have already read the basics like this if she "in the middle of applying for a visitor visa to the Uk".

Good luck

Try again

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&sour...009602&z=17