theoldgit

Well for a start 7by7 where people are being accosted by touts hanging around outside their office they could at least have some uniformed staff around, clearly ID'd to lessen the chance of being misled. They get enough out of the visa fees to employ a few extra people where the touts are plying their trade. I saw no uniformed VFS staff either in the lkobby or the waiting area. They could also increase signage and make it far clearer. It is not rocket science and can be tackled reasonably inexpensively. I believe they have a duty to do that.

I can only comment on what I have seen, there was certainly a large sign indicating where the office is when I have entered Regent House, and I certainly noticed uniformed VFS and their uniformed staff outside of their office, I personally thought they were pretty visible, though I have still noticed people walking past them and the entrance to VFS to go into the touts office.

I was in a restaurant when i over heard a conversation regarding UK/Vac. I got talking to an English guy he came up in the lift at Regent house and was greeted by the chubby girl who works for this company. Then he followed her into the office with his completed file paid her 20,000 baht plus the visa fee until i had spoken to him he was not aware he had been scammed !

I don't doubt what you say for a minute but I find it quite incredible that the chap you describe, who I would have thought would have researched the requirements, apparently meekly follows someone into a room and hands over an extra 20,000 Baht, not an insignificant sum of money.

What was his response when you told him, I presume you went back to the office with him.

Technically it wouldn't be an overstay unless the IO at the port of entry admitted her for only four weeks, which is unlikely, and she stayed for six.

Peoples travel plans change and the UKBA realise this.

I have never has a problem using them, I think they might check them against your pay slips.

Whadya mean, "ROBINSON"S" is gone........???????

Was there on my last trip Dec 08.

Yes it's closed as Robinson's, though the building itself is open selling older stock from various companies.

Of course the strong Baht, coupled with the weakness of other currencies as well as closure of the airports, old news but people remember, internationally publicised airport scams, police corruption and a general belief that Thailand is not what it once was, I think there are many reasons that tourists are not coming in the previous numbers, but people are not travelling as much, full stop.

I believe this is standard protocol for all visa apps, even UK settlement visas.

I dont think that this is true, How can you buy i ticket when you dont know if you will be granted a visa

,and when . if this is true then i have dipped out because i have submited my wifes File for a settlement visa without a ticket , all i put was if and when the visa is granted i will buy a ticket.

You are correct, it isn't true.

The French, for a Schengen ask for details of your proposed travel plans to be submitted with the application and advise that you will need to show them confirmed return flights when you collect the visa, though they didn't ask my girlfriend for her tickets when she collected her visa a couple of weeks ago.

UK Visas specifically advise against purchasing a ticket before any visa is issued, though they again ask you supply a proposed itinerary if available.

I suppose at the end of the day if you don't have a ticket you will not make the trip, if you don't have a return ticket you could be denied entry at the proposed destination or possibly even denied boarding at the point of departure.

I am very suprised that the Irish officials have decided to implement this policy.

The case does not seem that complex and would be well within the compass of any Level 2 qualified practitioner.

Hence the recomendation that I made in a pm.

Sorry assumed you were in Bangkok also, in which case you can just walk into the consular section and ask them. You could try calling the consular section on 0-2305-2505 perhaps, but they might just fluff you off to speak with VFS again.

Just be aware that the Consular Section, downstairs, do not process the visa applications, it would be the Visa Section which is upstairs in The Embassy.

For Schengen Area countries, of which Ireland is not a member, they ask for flight details but the original tickets only need to be shown when picking up a visa that has been granted.

The Irish Government's Immigration website certainly doesn't list confirmed flight reservations in the list of required documents, though it does say that certain offices might impose extra requirements. http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Visit_Holiday_Visa

I would agree that getting married just to get a visa is not a good idea, I'm pretty sure that UK Visas would certainly be suspicious that you and your boyfriend were trying to circumnavigate the system.

I think that if he is still keen to go to the UK he should re-apply after addressing the concerns of the ECO in the notice of refusal, it would help get advice if you could post the wording in the refusal letter on this forum.

Proving you lived together can be done, were you in rented accomodation if so was there a lease in both of your names or maybe get a letter from the landlord or agent, did you have tv, internet or anything else in your names or even letters addressed to you both. Have you travelled around, you could supply photos of you together, hotel reservation or even better trips out of the country.

Convincing the ECO that a person would return is always the biggest hurdle and once that is done you are almost there, he may not have property but does he have a job or studying, if so provide details and get a letter from his employers or school outlining the work or studies to date and indicating that the studies are ongoing and/or the job will be open on his return.

Anyway, don't give up hope, post the details of the refusal, there are experts [or certainly people with a wealth of experience] waiting in the wings as we speak.

Once your girlfriend makes her application online the VFS website points her to the area that allows her to make the appointment to hand in the hard copy of the form together with the supporting documents, she will have her biometric details taken at this time.

I would take the advice given by another poster yesterday to ensure that she has a robust application, the majority of applications are successful providing you do your homework.

Just be aware that because you may be in the south-east of the UK, doesn't mean that you have to pay south-eastern rates.

Castor83

I would strongly advise that you telephone the firm whose details I sent you by pm, I am pretty sure that you will get far better advice than one of your local experts.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

I have had no signal via my True Visions cable system since first thing this morning, their service centre said that there is a problem in the Ekkamai Thonglor area and they are working on it, anyone else have no True Visions cable tv in this area, just wondered if they spinning me a line.

I am sorry I hadn't read your previous posts, but 7by7 is correct that the killer is the four years spent in the UK using someone else's visa.

It will not be impossible for her to get a visa but it's going to be an uphill struggle, I think the fact she has come clean could go in her favour. The facts of her earlier removal will play into the equation, was she deported or removed, there is a difference, or did she simply go home of her own will without coming to the attention of the authorities.

As others have said you really need some professional advice from an expert in this field, not all lawyers are experienced in Immigration Law and whilst lawyers are not required to be registered with OISC I would strongly advise that you do use one that is, I have sent you a pm with some suggestions.

Good luck

Really sorry to hear that.

What she will have got is a letter from the ECO explaining reasons for the refusal, though I doubt very much if it would have been ten pages, unless she has a right of appeal.

It's the reasons for the refusal that needs to be fully addressed in any future application.

Dont forget to sort out your re-entry for Thailand before you go though, dont do what I did.

Bet you don't do again though

What a pain in the rear end eh?

Congratulations my friend, now put this behind you and enjoy your new life together.

All the best for the future.

She is gonna ring them in the morning anyway... fingers, toes, arms, legs and testicles crossed

Unfortunately ringing them, and I presume you mean VFS, will not do any good, they don't know the answer, the decision has been made by UK Visas, the passport will be in a sealed envelope and she will not know the result until the envelope is opened.

Anyway I wish you all the best, I suspect this will be a long few hours for you both.

I wasn't a passenger, she was traveling with our son.

I realise that, that's what you implied, I was just pointing out the rules as advice to the OP, you are proof that Thai, and probably other airlines, don't consistently apply their own rules - but they might.

Last week we stayed at The River Bridge Kwai Resort, hadn't booked in advance but it looked nice, we payed, or even paid, 1500 for a beautiful air conditioned bungalow including a buffet breakfast, I suspect we could have got it for a tad less.

It has beautiful landscaped gardens and a reasonably priced restaurant on the river with view of the bridge, would certainly recommend and will go again.

She would need a Schengen Visa and no she cannot get a visa on arrival.

It's always best to get one from your country of residence and in theory she should get one from from the Schengen Area country she is visiting first, so apply to the Spainish Visa Section in Bangkok. Whilst she will still have to supply all the required evidence it's a lot easier with a UK Visa in her passort and evidence of previous travel.

Enjoy the trip, Barcelona is indeed a great city.

There are regular buses which I think take in the region of an hour.

You can drive your car, again about an hour, then leave it at one of the myriad at parking facilities and get a taxi from from the Laos side of the bridge.

A very painless experience.

PS - Believe there might also be a train link now.

Thai airways don't require the holder of the credit card to be one of the travellers, I know as my wife recently flew to BKK from the UK and I booked it online with my credit card and she wasn't asked to produce the credit card at check in.

I don't doubt this for a moment but there are restrictions with Thai if the CC holder is not a passenger,

http://www.thaiair.com/booking/non_pax_traveler.html

As always in Thailand the rules differ with each member of staff you deal with, I have booked a number of flights for other people with Thai and each time this rule has been strictly applied.

That's indeed an intersting perspective from flightcrew.

A couple of friends of mine travel reularly by Thai to Hong Kong, both Gold Card holders, have actually noticed that one of them often rings the other saying that they are at Swampy, and suprise suprise we seem to be flying today.

Have you written to the Entry Clearance Manager? Do so again, with a copy to Phil Woolas, Minister of State for borders and immigration, as well as your MP.

Phil Woolas Minister of State (Borders and Immigration)

2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF

Email: [email protected]

Chewy i would agree that it is time to start asking for answers.

You could also send an email to Lin Homer the CEO of the UKBA, [email protected] if you are lucky the email will get to her as she does take things seriously. If an email should get as far as her staff officer, Jon Payne, you might get a reply, Jon used to be part of the Visa Section for the Americas based in New York, and will have an idea of the problems you guys are facing, that's if it's the Jon Payne I am think of.