magicroundabout

Thanks for the quick response and info - much appreciated

Hi All,

Looking for a bit of help....I'm trying to help a Thai friend to come to the UK.  The situation is her husband has died in an accident and we are trying to get her over for the funeral (which is in a 2 weeks).  I've helped her complete the visa application and we are just about to submit it.  When we come to the payment there is a few choices i.e. super priority service which is a 24he service but is 1024 dollars!!!!  This is a lot of money for her - Given the circumstances can we select the standard service and advise them of the urgency of the visa? 

Many Thanks

Just my opinion but I think its the definition of copies that is confusing....They seem to refer to a copy as a "replacement issued" document. i.e. If you lost an original birth certificate you would get a copy from the issuing office which in essence would be a certified replacement acting as an original. If its in Thai then a translation document would be needed in addition to either the original document or the replacement document.

Although its a pain I've always supplied original documents for both "never a scanned copy" but other may have a different view on this.  

Much to our surprise my wife managed to open a current account with the Nationwide - There was no overdraft but we managed to get one after a year (in order to improve her credit rating).

Hi,

I'm based in Edinburgh and know some of my Thai friends renewed their passports on one of these days (which would have been about 2 years ago as well). I think it was done from the Thai temple in Edinburgh and they stayed for a couple of days .....I'm not sure if they still do them. I'll ask my friends them over the weekend and let you know.

Hi All,

Thanks for your comments as always much appreciated - I've had a chat with the wife and we will look for a shorter time (a month).....Still leaves me the headache of a "Reason to Return"...think I may have to bite the bullet and see an immigration lawyer.

theoldgit - I would like persuade my site to go for ILR/Citzenship as you never know what the future may hold...However, she as always struggled with English as is still really at the A1 stage (not helped in part with working with Thais)....I'll keep working on it thou.

Thanks for the reply johnatong -

I guess it would be difficult for any 9 year old (coming to stay with their mum) difficult to prove a reason for return - The only reasons I can think of are

i) If we attended for her to stay in the UK we would applied at the time my wife came over however we believed it was her in best interest to stay in Thailand.

ii) We have just built a house in Thailand (finished last week) in my wifes name. My wife will be moving back to Thailand in 2 years when her current FLR runs out with me joining them 18 months later.

iii) My wife also has a 12 year son who lives with the grandpartents (along with her Daugther) who will be remaining in Thailand.

Is it likely any of the above could be used as a reason to return?

The school question is a main area of concern - We have spoken to the her school in Thailand who have advised they would give her set work to be carried out whilst she was away and would be available via email for any additional work (naturally we are still be paying the school fees). However,I can see this as an area of concern and perhaps a trip for a period of a school holiday may be more prudent.

Thanks

Hi All,

Looking for a bit of help we are looking to bring my wife daughter who is 9 years old over to the UK next year for extended holiday (5/6 months). I've struggled to find any good guidance on the documentation needed for this. Most of what I find is archived since the Child visa were replaced. Anyone point me in the right direction?

Two area of concern -

Is a visa for this length of time possible?

Do you need to prove a reason for return?

Many Thanks

I used a company called "Thai style UK" in November to get some documents translated for our FLR - You email them your documents and I got a certified copies posted back within 48hours. I cant remember what I paid thou (I opted for the premium service). They were accepted for the application

Hopefully all sorted....just back from the Doctors. I was trying to explain to the receptionists the different types of visa's (and getting blank stares). Luckily, the Practice Manager came over (who seemed very knowledgeable) and said as my wife is on a Spouse visa its not a problem and the overseas form should be ignored - We just need to show her BRP card. We couldn't register today as its Friday but they will register my wife on Monday. Thanks everyone for the advice especially Richard....Although, I think it highlights some of the NHS processes lag behind UK immigration policy.

There is no number on the form (which seems strange from the NHS). Its called an "overseas patients form" the form along the bottom states its issued Practitioner Services - Medical Registration Department, Edinburgh. Its got a list of VISA's which are -<snip>

You should have said you were in Scotland! The UK doesn't exist for health - it's a devolved matter. (It's not clear what has happened to your NHS surcharge payment.)

There are several things wrong here. Firstly, I think the surgery was attempting to record your wife as a 'temporary resident' whereas in terms of registration, she is a 'permanent resident'. That's right - she's a temporary resident (English NHS term at least) who should be registered as a permanent resident for registration purposes, like you or me. Explain to the receptionist how long she'll be living at your current home. She's authorised to live in Scotland for at least 30 months - see BRP! The most up to date guide I can find for thrusting under the receptionist's nose is Overseas Visitors' Liability to Pay Charges for NHS Care and Services. It's several years out of date. I would hope that your wife would qualify under that document as 'ordinarily resident' (it's old enough that when it was written she was 'ordinarily resident' in English terms.) If that failed, she should have qualified as a 'family member of a person exempt from NHS charges'.

I couldn't find the form you mentioned - I strongly suspect it's been withdrawn.

The form your wife should have been asked to fill in is GMSGPR001 or just possible a later version. The link I got to it was at Practitioner Services: Guidance & Forms. The BRP may be better than a passport as evidence of identification - it is linked to the NHS surcharge payment in England.

They gave me the GMSGR001 form as well......I was clear that my wife was a UK resident and had lived in the UK for 3 years and had paid the surcharge but they were adamant she had to complete the overseas application. I've tried to find the form as well on net but cant. I'll take a photo of it tomorrow and post it up - it really doesn't look an official NHS form certainly not a controlled document (It doesn't even have a logo on it or issue date). I could get a letter from her work and supply payslips but to be honest I don't see why I should.

Do you have a number for the form so that we may look at it. The problem is that your wife is not 'ordinarily resident', as she would have been before the hostile environment was instituted, and is highly likely to be covered by a form for those on work or study visas. I'm not having much luck in finding a web site to explain things to the receptionists.

The best I've been able to dig up so far is the Implementation Plan for the new cost recovery system by the NHS, at http://www.healthcarecostrecovery.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/2014-16-NHS_Implentatation_Plan_Phase_3.pdf . In its jargon, your wife is a 'temporary resident' - see p. 69 (ink). Page 10 (ink), i.e. the 14th page in the document, then explains that your wife will be able to use the service because the NHS surcharge has been paid. I suggest you gather together her passport, her BRP, your marriage certificate, your passport, evidence that you have paid the surcharge - the reference number might be good, and front page and pp 10, 52, 57, 58, 69 (ink numbers) of the referenced PDF, and take them with you if you truly don't have the right form. By this stage, the proof of status you need should be just the BRP.

The initial BMA response to the proposed NHS surcharge just referred to certain categories of workers and students, which might be causing confusion.

Thanks Richard very useful........We are going back on Friday to try and register hopefully it will be OK

Do you have a number for the form so that we may look at it. The problem is that your wife is not 'ordinarily resident', as she would have been before the hostile environment was instituted, and is highly likely to be covered by a form for those on work or study visas. I'm not having much luck in finding a web site to explain things to the receptionists.

Hi Richard,

There is no number on the form (which seems strange from the NHS). Its called an "overseas patients form" the form along the bottom states its issued Practitioner Services - Medical Registration Department, Edinburgh. Its got a list of VISA's which are -

Possession of Study Visa

Possession of Student Dependant Visa

Possession of Valid Work Visa

Application for Asylum

Possession of valid visit Visa

There is also a list of evidence that needs to supplied against each category.

Hi All,

Despite recently paying £500 for the NHS surcharge I'm having problems registering my wife at the Doctors - They are telling me my wife needs to complete an overseas patient form....On the form there is nothing about a Spouse Visa (Only Work and Study Visas). They also said we need to supply proof my wife is studying or working here with 6 months evidence. Surely this cant be right - Anyone had similar problems?

Many Thanks

The only difference I could see is the wording the English test - mainly removing the interim arrangements.

Hi all, just wanting to double check in the first section of the Flr M under payment Details(number 4) it asks for date of birth. Does that refer to the applicant or who is paying? I've put my wife's dob but double checking everything tonight I'm not sure.

100% agree no need to apologise...given UKVI staff are still giving out conflicting information. You have to rely on what they tell you.

7BY7 it was the A1 test. On the results paper the have a A-d marking. My wife got a C pass so just scrapped it. They also email you the reference code prior to sending you the certificate so we are good to go.

Hi all have a read of the new FLRm form that's just been issued. It would seem clearer that they would accept an old English test.

Hi all, just a heads up - looks as though a new FLRm form has just been issued today.

Sorry TCA I wasn't that clear my MPs office has emailed them. In all fairness they have been very good about trying to find the correct information. Maybe cos it's SNP lol.

Well just back from testing centre in glasgow with a pass albeit a C pass. Race a against time as I really do with certificate on Wednesday. Anyone know if they tend to come quicker than the 7 days? Update from MPs office can't get a satisfactory answer so have emailed the UKVI.

Hi all,

You couldn't script this - I just phoned UKVI again this morning and they told me that I don't need another English. It can be used for FLR the changes are only for Ilr. the agent told me he has had a few calls about this morning. Given I've already paid for a new test and it's in 3 hours we will go anyway. However it just shows Ukvi are giving out different advice which is appalling.

Yes the children are thai...I'm not sure of reason seems a little unessacary as they aren't part of the application but as suggested maybe it might make a future visit easier. I definitely didn't include them in our initial visa - maybe forgot or its a newish change.

Thanks your right of course I will get them translated. I would never forgive myself if we were rejected on this issue. I think the English test thing got me down a bit but I guess we all go through at some stage in the process. Weve got our test tomorrow so hopefully we will back on track

Hi,

Received my wife's children's Birth certificates today from Thailand. Naturally they are in Thai...I know they should be certified in english but given our recent delay due to the English test I don't think we will have time. High risk strategy??