theoldgit

“Please note that the HMPO address will continue to be at the Trendy Office Building until further notice.” Edit: VFS have subsequently announced that passport applications will also move to the new location.

TB tests are only required if individual stays can exceed six months at a time, the Standard Visit Visas of any length to not do not allow individual visits of more than six months, so no TB test is required.

Maybe, but the applicant will still have to provide evidence of their employment, along with pay slips and corresponding bank evidence, the evidence that their job is available on their return is an add on. UKVI decision makers may, and often do, make phone calls to the employer to clarify the evidence they have provided to the applicant. The dodgy paid for letters you seem to be familiar with is only half of it.

You might find useful, those receiving emergency treatment are exempt from the charge, but ongoing treatment is usually chargeable, as the previous poster eluded to Doctors don’t see themselves as tax collectors or Border Force officials, they are far too busy saving lives. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-cost-recovery-overseas-visitors it used to be that expat state pensioners were exempt from NHS charges if taken ill whilst visiting the UK, that was changed during the Cameron/Clegg Coalition.

Yje UKVI have updated their guidance for supporting documents fro Visit Visa Applications Visitor visa guide to supporting documents/visiting The UK

In theory, yes you would have thought that the visa fees charged were supposed to cover the cost of processing the application, for a six month Standard Visit Visa the fee is not much more than the unit cost of processing, for longer term visas there's quite a substantial premium, I've attached the transparency detail where the UKVI disclose the actual cost of processing the application, the premium may shock some, the cost of processing a ten year visa is ten times the actual cost. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65983ae4614fa2000df3a97e/table_of_Fees_and_Unit_costs_31.01.2024.ods Up until maybe fifteen years ago the visit visa application fees were the same for an appliction for a visa for six months, two, five or ten years, the UKBA figured out that they could make a lot of money by increaing the fees for longer term visas, I seem to recall at the time that they claimed it was of benefit to "customers".

If an applicant has their own business it can be useful, but it’s imperative that cover arrangements are explained whilst the applicant is on their trip. Evidence of dependent children are often disregarded as decision makers will be aware that it’s not uncommon for children to be left with relatives whilst the mother goes to the promised land to make their fortune. Evidence of employment can be useful provided the employer confirms the leave of absence has been approved for the duration of the proposed trip, along with evidence of income from the employer for a reasonable period of time.

Off topic posts removed

Bickering posts removed.

I submitted an application last year and used a downloaded statement, which of course then needed to then be uploaded onto the UKVI application site. There were no questions asked and the application was successful. I don’t know if downloaded statements are routinely accepted, but they worked just fine for me.

The new fees are effective from today 31 Jan 2024 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table

I’m not sure that I’m qualified to answer that question, assuming that it’s not a joke. I suppose that if a Philippine bank was prepared to open a bank account when you’re non resident, and you were prepared to try and convince the DWP that you ere resident there, you’d of course need a local address, then it would be possible, but is it really worth the risk? You’d of course need to factor in another currency fluctuation and the ATM fee in Thailand.

Moved to the correct form.

I've removed a number of posts to clean up the the thread. The OP has been understandably upset by some of the comments, sadly the position he finds himself in is all too common, and it often ends in tears. @andychif this really is your dream you have an ubhill struggle to achieve it, or to get anywhere close. I personally would slow things down, she's an unknown quantity but the debts you refer to may be indicitive of har "escape plan", possibly at your expense. Visa fees, NHS Surcharges and income levels are already pretty expensive, and about to increase substantially. My advice, if you're really serious, to pay for the services of a qualified Immigration Advisor, one registered with OISC will give you meaningful advice and would, in all probability only assist if there's a realistic chance of success. They more cost more than a back street agent in Thailand but they would be cheaper in the long run as they probably would waste your cash on an application that has little, or no chance of success.

The post was originally posted in the forum seeking assistance for visas to countries from Thailand, probably not the right forum to assist the op.

???

Your post has nothing to do with visas from Thailand, I’ll move it to the Thailand visa section, where somebody may be able to assist. Shipping personal goods to Thailand can be a very complicated and expensive, I’ve used these in the past https://www.sevenseasworldwide.com, other members may be able assist.

Offensive post and response removed.

Countries in the Schengen Area have different levels of the daily amount, €50 is by no means the highest. We’re visiting the Netherlands in March for four nights, their subsistence level is €55, my wife’s visa was issued in less than a week and had a validity of five years, which means she’s good for numerous future visits. https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-application-requirements/means-subsistence/

As the post is about Thailand Visas, I’ll move it to the correct forum.

I haven’t seen an update from the UKVI yet, but this is in the House of Commons Library, and seems to clarify some of the concerns. https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9920/#:~:text=The minimum income normally required,overseas graduates of British universities.

I’ve used the income method in Hua Hin for more than a decade, apart from the reams of paperwork, it’s never been a problem. That said the fact that the OP has transferred 65k for a few months may not resolve their issue, I’m led to believe that when transitioning from the deposit to income methods the income has to be for twelve consecutive months. I suspect that an agent splitting their fee with a corrupt IO may well be the best way forward for the OP.

Phil Douglas is actually the DG of the Border Force, so a tad senior than a Senior Officer (CIO old speak) But yes if anyone seeking asylum left the UK before a decision was made on their application, then they should forfeit their application. Mr Douglas didn’t explain how they would be able to board a flight back to the UK, as far as I’m aware the UKBA don’t issue re-entry permits.

The officer being interviewed actually stated that Asylum Seekers were being prevented from leaving the country whilst their asylum claim was still active. I understand that if they did actually leave the UK then their claim was withdrawn.

@sharksy I thought I'd take the time to address your concerns along with some of the other comments in your thread. When you agreed to be a Sponsor for your previous girlfrinends Standard Visit Visa application, you did so only fot financial and initial accomodation resons, the Entry Clearance Officer deciding on the application would have need to be satisfied that it was reasonable for you to do so, and affordable. The Border Force Officer on her arrival would need to have been satisfied that she was a genuine visitor, with somewhere to stay on her arrival, had sufficient funds for the duaration of her stay and that, on the balance of probabilities, she would leave the UK at the the conclusion of her her visit, and had the means to do so, a return ticket or the access to funds. You would not have been responsable for her leaving the UK or anything she got up to during her visit, there are no enforcalbe laws within the various Immigration Acts to make you accountable. You say that she had a multi entry visa, which the vast majority are, you don't say what the validity was, initial visitors would normally be for six monthe which would allow the holder to travel to the UK Border a number of time during the validity of that visa. Other visas can be issued for twh, five or ten years, and are normally issued to visitors who can demonstrate a genuine need to travel to the UK on a regular basis, but on each entry they will be required to satisfy the Border Force Officer that they remain genuine visitors, and can afford the trip, they may be asked for details of where they intend staying, you as the original sponsor and not being part of her life would't be a deal breaker. One poster mentioned refusals for a "material change" whilst a material change can lead to a refusal, what you describe is unlikeley to fall into this category. It's highly unlikely that there would have been any terms applied to her initial visa, so there would be nothing for her to adhere to.