theoldgit

@nomad2019Thanks very much for your response to my request for clarification, first of all I'm very sorry to learn about your illness, and I wish you well.

The fact that you hold duel nationality is of no benefit to your girlfriend, she's planning on visiting you in the UK, so that's where she should apply for a visa for.

You say she's visited a former partner in Sweden for six months using a visitor visa, Sweden is in the Schengen Area and the maximum stay for a Thai National is 90 days, that could cause her a problem.

You add that she has 700,000 Baht in the bank, is she in employment or is that just savings from over the years, does she use that to live on or does she have an income?

You mention that she has a disabled child who is cared for by an institution in Korat, you go onto say that he has no other carer, your answer may well put doubt in the decision makers mind, either she cares for her child or the institution does. The Entry Clearance officer will be fully aware that some Thai parents have no problem with leaving their children with grandparents whilst they go to find a better life, I'm not suggesting that's her plan, but the ECO will consider it.

As I mentioned before, she needs to detail the duration and the purpose of her visit.

Are you proposing to fund her visit, you mention that you have an income of about £1,000 per month adding that you're in rented accomodation, does that £1,000 cover all your living expenses, including rent, the ECO will need to be satisfied that if you are funding the trip that it's affordable for you to do so. Of course if your girlfriend is funding the trip herself, then the ECO may consider that she has sufficient funds to do so.

The figure you've quoted for an agent is about the right level, as I've mentioned before anybody can call themselves an agent here, it's important that you choose an agent is properly qualified and competent.

Good luck.

Post in breach of forum rules removed.

Cheapest isn’t always best, try and find an agent who is properly qualified, and even better still registered with  IOSC in the UK, whilst that isn’t a legal requirement here in Thailand, where anybody can set themselves up as an agent, be they a lawyer, travel agent or barstool expert, it’s a legal requirement in the UK, and to be registered in the UK, Immigration advisors need to pass an examination to qualify.

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

 

@ThailandRyan must get you to explain Kasikorn "cellular application" at some stage. I only have ATM card. 

https://www.kasikornbank.com/en/personal/digital-banking/kplus/pages/index.aspx

Off topic troll post removed.

13 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

I haven 't asked. He spoke of the need to provide evidence to support the required income criteria and I know his earnings are over £25,000. I think a significant pay rise only happened recently but I am pretty sure he was earning in excess of £18,600 prior to that.

I think it was ignorance of the 'specific' requirement that Tony M referred to regarding 6 months' documentation. I can't help thinking that it would have been rather nice for UKVI to come back and say something like "You have provided x number of payslips and bank statements evidencing compliance with the financial requirements but we require 6 months etc...... You have 14 days to provide this full information or we will have to refuse your application"....... but, then again, I am firmly on the side of the applicant.

So your friend was fully aware of the requirement to prove that he met the the income criteria, but chose not to do so?
The criteria has been shared numerous times on this forum, and it would seem that your friend was fully aware of it.
The ECO can use "evidential flexibility" in certain circumstances, but I'm not sure that your friends error really falls into this category.
Yes of course it would have been nice for the ECO to get back to the applicant and advise her that she's failed to meet the published requirements, but where do they draw the line regarding an incomplete application.
Sadly a lesson learned, and an expensive one.
 

@hotandstickydid your friend say why he didn’t supply the required evidence?

It certainly seems a tad strange if he does meet the requirements that he didn’t supply the evidence required, without that evidence the Entry Clearance Officer had no option but to refuse the application.

As Tony M rightly says, an appeal would fail, and she would need to reapply, a very costly mistake. 

You need to provide a lot more information, the nationality of your son, the nationality of his son,, what does the child’s mother think about his plans?

On 3/8/2021 at 1:30 PM, Globaleyes said:

After browsing this forum, I'm still not 100% sure, but am guessing it is the Affirmation of Residency letter - is that right?

The affirmation is just that, it's not a letter from the Embassy, you fill out the template affirming that you live in Thailand, at a particular address, and the Consular team member will confirm that you've signed it, it costs £50.

This disclaimer is at the bottom of the affidavit "The service provided by the British Embassy, Bangkok on this document should not be taken as to certifying that this document is binding in law (whether under UK law or otherwise). Individuals are advised to seek independent legal advice as to the validity of this document under the relevant law".

It serves no useful purpose whatsoever than to satisfy the bank official that somebody has witnessed your signature on said affidavit.

As others have said, if you haven't done so already, just try another bank, when I opened an account with Bangkok Bank last year all I needed was my passport and 500 Baht, I was in and out in 30 mins or so with my account, Internet Banking access and an ATM card. 

On 3/8/2021 at 5:40 PM, userabcd said:

Doubt you can use the embassy for this. You need to write directly to special branch in Bangkok and apply for the PCC from them.

Some Thai Embassies provide this service, but not all.

@nomad2019It really would be helpful if you would give us a bit more information about your girlfriends intentions and background.
You don't appear to be posting from your claimed location, you mention Sterling & Dollars and that your girlfriend was in Sweden before, though you don't say why, a bit more information would be useful. 

On 3/8/2021 at 8:49 PM, GinBoy2 said:

Doesn't his location say London?

No, hence the question.

You haven’t said which country your girlfriend wants to visit, but as you mentioned £, I’m assuming it’s the UK, that said you also mention $’s.

Your girlfriend need to apply for the visa and satisfy the decision maker that her proposed visit is genuine, affordable and that, on the balance of probabilities, she would return home at the conclusion of her holiday.

if you’re intending to finance her trip then you should say why and that you can do so comfortably, the fact of your illness shouldn’t affect her application.

The biggest hurdle is for her to demonstrate her strong ties to Thailand, and to satisfy the entry clearance that she would leave the UK.

Her application would be considered bu UKVI staff in the UK, not the UK Embassy in Thailand.

They're selling tickets, and whilst that doesn't mean they'll actually operate they have announced in the media that they're increasing their flights

On 3/3/2021 at 3:21 PM, Mister T said:

My wife tried to register and was rejected and told because she had a foreigner last name. She called her sister down south, married to a Norwegian, got the same answer. The rest of her Thai family all got it.

My wife registered and, like Sandyf's wife, has a Western surname, and qualified for her "money from the army", which was loaded onto her phone.
She's been prudent with her spending, cleaning materials and beer from the Mama Papa shop, meat from the butcher and dinner from the night market, she thinks it's a wonderful initiative and well worth the hassle of registering.

On 3/2/2021 at 6:48 PM, 7by7 said:

UK standard visit visas are valid for 6 months from the date of issue, not the date of departure from home nor arrival in the UK.

Whilst that used to be case, visas are more often than not now dated from the intended date or travel contained in the visa application, though the restriction of early application still applies.

3 hours ago, JackSinclair said:

If an application for a UK visitor / tourist visa (for say 3 months) is approved. 
How long is the visa valid before departure from Thailand?
Just asking due to the current incertitude of international travel.
Once again thanks for your guidance.

The visa vingette will have a valid from date on, you can travel from any time after that date, the date the applicant declared in the application is always a good time to travel, but not compulsary.
The visa would typically be valid for six months from either the date of issue or the intended date of travel, normally the later, the visa holder must leave on or befor the expiry date.
If the applicant stays for longer than the length of time requested in the application, but before the expiry date, it would breach immigration rules, but it could well cause problems in any future application.

16 hours ago, internationalism said:

there use to be 2x daily from pattaya to HH through BKK.

I am not sure it still operates.

No, it isn't, but it was one a day in both directions.

There used to be an pretty much hourly service in both directions, they suspended the service but have just started one service a day in both directions, 11.00 from Hua Hin to Suvarnabhumi and 12.30 from Suvarnabhumi to Hua Hin. https://belltravelservice.com/

We normally get a taxi now, I can't remember the price, I think about 1,500 Baht.

Completely off topic post removed.

12 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

Rubbish. There are some very good flight deals to be had from BKK to Phuket. I booked a return with Air Asia last month for a little over 300 baht, yes 300 baht. I have just booked Phuket - BKK return flying next Monday with Bangkok Airways for around 1700 baht each leg.

Thai Smile has availability for 2,000 Baht for return flights between Bangkok and Phuket this month, and of course no extras for checked luggage, seat selection or booking fees with them. 

16 minutes ago, UncleMhee said:

This thread is irrelevant because planes and ferries are off the table on said route; last I heard there's gonna be a bridge so we can all drive to and fro.......

The thread is not irrelevant at all, the original post was about two different routes to Hua Hin, one by sea to Pattaya and the flights to Udon Thani and Chiang Mai, the article is very clear about that.

Some people have become confused and claiming that flights to Pattya are unviable, that's probably true, but flights to Pattaya were not discussed in the original post, which mentioned the two routes that are starting again in April to Udon Thani and Chiang Mai.

I suspect the bridge will never happen, but who knows?

6 minutes ago, skorts said:

Has anyone heard anything official about the route re-starting?

Other than they're now selling tickets to Chiang Mai and Udon Thani until the end of October, no I've not seen anything official.

They are restarting this route from 2 April, at least they're selling tickets until the end of October.