Only Fools and Horses star reveals heartbreak as Thai wife banned from the UK

[abrahamzvi]

21 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

it is wrong when u see all the illegals in the uk getting everything.he wants his wife and child  with him legal.but he can not,that is wrong

The whole regulation is WRONG!!! What happens if a poor (money wise) man (or for that matter a woman) meets the love of his(her) life in South Africa, Kenya, Laos or Thailand. They get married and the UK government tells him(her) you can marry whoever you want, but you can't establish a family in your own country. Is this correct? May be for the upper class (Elites) but not for the often talked about "man in the street". This is no more than a DISGRACE and has nothing to do with a correctly regulated immigration policy!

[nongsangcity]

20 hours ago, MickTurator said:

Only if they were married before the birth.

I fell foul of that law and it has plagued me and my daughter for the rest of our lives.

sorry to hear that about you and your family....i have a number of English friends who have been able to get british passports for their kids who arnt married to their Thai Partner ?

[Alphy]

Pathectic rules and regs created by morons disguised as MP's elected to serve the people. Always bleating about human rights outside of the UK and yet we behave without an ounce of care consideration or compassion. We are being governed by an evil group of so say the "Educated Elite" who simply have no f**king idea about normality!

 

 

[Wanderlust]

10 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Oh that's exactly what I want, is a kid at over 60yrs of age! Actually really sad for the kid, but the real reason for non admittance should be for stupidity on his part. she was just looking for her payday and doing what most Thai chicks try to do; get pregnant and lock him down. No sympathy here. Thailand is more hard and we should be able to become citizens or residents so much easier if those of the elite weren't so racist and snobs.

Racism and snobbery is exactly what you are displaying in your post - racism by believing that the Thai woman in this case was after his money; you know absolutely nothing about the couple; and snobbery because he is 'stupid' to have a child in his fifties. While I suffer because of Thailand's rules regarding citizenship, or rather, enabling long term life with my Thai family, it is down to me to try to meet their conditions; the only thing that bugs me is how often these are changed and how difficult it can be to get a straight answer from the people making the decisions, but that is the nature of having more flexible rules, as well as being a by product of corruption.

[Raymonddiaz]

2 hours ago, JAG said:

Multiple entry non immigrant type O issued because you are married....

border run every 5 months .

[Jip99]

20 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Oh that's exactly what I want, is a kid at over 60yrs of age! Actually really sad for the kid, but the real reason for non admittance should be for stupidity on his part. she was just looking for her payday and doing what most Thai chicks try to do; get pregnant and lock him down. No sympathy here. Thailand is more hard and we should be able to become citizens or residents so much easier if those of the elite weren't so racist and snobs.

 

 

 

I would consider changing your name to "holier-than-thou cow cm".

 

 

W

 

 

[Jonathan Swift]

21 hours ago, isco said:

she'd get in alright if she was muslim

Well, right up to your ignorant remark it had had been a while since I'd seen anything so obnoxiously bigoted here, I guess that's a good thing. Surely you know that you look and sound like a right moron saying that, right? It's an attention getting thing - your mum wouldn't give you any attention when you were little, right? OK, we heard you, now leave the table, bed without supper

[bipper]

Makes me glad to be dealing with Thai immigration (never had a problem with them). Be nice to get a few positives going from the warriors always blasting them.

[sammieuk1]

1 hour ago, claffey said:

You are not BARRED from your own country. Your wife doesn't meet the visa regulations. You can return whenever you want. Don't sensationalise it. The visa regulations are unfair but no need for hyperbole...

The OP means he is finance barred rather than physically barred like a lot of us without a crystal ball for Tory immigration changes .

[tryasimight]

3 hours ago, Mickmouse1 said:

Your comment reflects how narrow minded you are let alone the racist remark.No wonder you ended up in LOS and Muslims in the UK???

Where is the racist remark?

[claffey]

1 hour ago, JAG said:

Where he met her, what drove the relationship and why they married is frankly irrelevant. It is simply their business, and certainly not that of the home office.
What do you suggest - that a team be sent to take notes, check whether they cuddle whilst asleep, record the frequency and intensity of any arguments?

Actually It is their business. You usually are required to explain how you met and write down a 'history' of your relationship which may or may not include private emails, photos etc. Its up to the applicant to 'prove' their relationship to the authorities. The more details and evidence you use the better..

[holy cow cm]

13 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

Racism and snobbery is exactly what you are displaying in your post - racism by believing that the Thai woman in this case was after his money; you know absolutely nothing about the couple; and snobbery because he is 'stupid' to have a child in his fifties. While I suffer because of Thailand's rules regarding citizenship, or rather, enabling long term life with my Thai family, it is down to me to try to meet their conditions; the only thing that bugs me is how often these are changed and how difficult it can be to get a straight answer from the people making the decisions, but that is the nature of having more flexible rules, as well as being a by product of corruption.

Nope. My opinion not racist or snobbery. As for Thai women, where have you been? Been over here for over 23+ years (yes with kids and family same as you?) and have seen so all too many times the ideology as; oops I'm pregnant. You are showing a hint of bigotry. But you are entitled to your opinion. I may be harsh in my stamen and observation, but then again call it how it looks.

[Rc2702]

1 hour ago, sjbrownderby said:

The story doesn't say he is a London cabbie. It says he is working nights as an executive driver and he lives in Gravesend, in Kent. 

A full 26.9 miles from London. 

[holy cow cm]

17 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

 

I would consider changing your name to "holier-than-thou cow cm".

 

 

W

 

 

Maybe better for my name change: I have earned my right to voice an opinion since I have been over here so long the cows have came home holy cow cm. I don't have to be patronizing or kind to his situation.

[tryasimight]

3 hours ago, car720 said:

The problem arises, as with all bureaucratic systems, with the fact that there is no discretionary powers.  Anyone that has ever had to deal with the western system of governance understands this.  Certain people in society gravitate to certain positions.  That is why you see so many bully boys in the police force for example.  They are attracted by the power.  Most public servants are attracted to that work because the rules devoid them  of all responsibility for decision making.  Everyone knows that if you get in there and don't make waves then you are set for life.  Politicians would never promise so much if there was nothing in it for them.  Sheer graft, from top to bottom.  Look at Australia now, $7,000 for a visa application which is totally non-refundable.  They used to say that men went overseas to buy a wife but it seems that first you have to buy her from the Australian government.

That's just the application. I had to pay 50 dollars per A4 page for certified translations- maybe a thousand bucks all up. I used an immigration agent....another 3,000 dollars. That got us the prospective spouse visa. Then we got married and applied for the spouse visa and are now going for permanent residency for the bride.  Started all this in 2013. Waiting period for the permanent residency is estimated at 18 months. I reckon I have spent (including air fares for the wife to come to Oz on 3 monthly tourist visas) close to 25,000 aussie dollars. We'll go for citizenship after permanent residency, god knows how long that will take.

 

I'm glad I used an agent as a friend of mine has applied twice now for his missus to come to Oz and been knocked back twice. He is at the appeals stage now. He has been married 7 years with him working in Oz and the bride in BKK. Got to dot the i's and cross the t's when dealing with bureaucrats.

Edited September 18, 2017 by tryasimight

[MyFriend You]

22 hours ago, mommysboy said:

Just to clarify: his daughter is entitled to a British passport I'm sure. 

I suggest a paternity test should be required, child looks nothing like him.   

[MyFriend You]

Sorry, don't have time to sift through all this, but if he is such a "Star" why can't he meet the minimum income requirement for either UK or Thailand??  ex-wife took it all??

[sammieuk1]

Why would he want to bring her to the UK I am in near identical circumstances to the original OP and looked into it a few times and the only benefits I could find are as follows the Pound shop an endless supply of Lucozade original , good heath care but only if you pay for it education the same.

 

My Mrs and boy are very unlikely to ever enter the UK and to be honest I am glad as its turned into shameful tory brexit shambles .

[MyFriend You]

50 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

Well, right up to your ignorant remark it had had been a while since I'd seen anything so obnoxiously bigoted here, I guess that's a good thing. Surely you know that you look and sound like a right moron saying that, right? It's an attention getting thing - your mum wouldn't give you any attention when you were little, right? OK, we heard you, now leave the table, bed without supper

Stick around, there are many many more just like him here...............

[12DrinkMore]

15 minutes ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Sorry, don't have time to sift through all this, but if he is such a "Star" why can't he meet the minimum income requirement for either UK or Thailand??  ex-wife took it all??

 

Another "Has been". It's been 14 years since his main earner ended. That'll deplete savings.

 

Supporting actors don't earn that much, and work can be patchy. 

 

Without savings of 62,000 Quid or an income of 23,000 Quid (presumably last year he earned less than that) and few prospects of getting a lucrative contract, it does make one wonder how he sees the future other than as a pension plus benefit collector, or sending the wife out to work in a Thai restaurant.

 

Young (ish) wife and small kid to provide for. I would also be surprised if she does not have a couple of other kids in the background. Can't say I've met many Thai women of 30 plus without at least 2 lurking around.

 

Add in say 10,000/ month to support her family and keep the buffalos from dying. Plus trips to Thailand as the wife gets homesick.

 

Good luck to him, but it ain't gonna be easy. 

 

And I personally do not think that the UK taxpayers should be on the hook to support his liabilities.

 

Edited September 18, 2017 by 12DrinkMore

[transam]

13 minutes ago, TunnelRat69 said:

Sorry, don't have time to sift through all this, but if he is such a "Star" why can't he meet the minimum income requirement for either UK or Thailand??  ex-wife took it all??

Seems the guy isn't a London black cab driver but a mini cab driver and a controller at a local mini cab office...

[Happy Days xx]

21 hours ago, MickTurator said:

Only if they were married before the birth.

I fell foul of that law and it has plagued me and my daughter for the rest of our lives.

That's not correct.  My son of 19 months has a GB (&Thai) passport and I am not yet married to his mother.

[MyFriend You]

17 hours ago, KhonJaiYen said:

His wife isn't banned, the family just doesn't meet the financial requirements set by Mrs May when she was home secretary. The irony of this story is that when this ruling was challenged by similar families in similar situations in the European court is was deemed correct and legal. Since Mrs May has now said the EU citizens wanting to stay in the UK after Brexit must also meet this ruling it is now being seen as illegal and totally against the human rights of EU citizens either living or wanting to live in the UK by the same people who were totally supportive of this rule when it only affected Brits. 

If they have this sort of rule in USA it would disqualify 50% of the legal immigrants  -  I won't even get into the "Visa Lottery" program as it is a sham, maybe I'll start another post on that one.

[maxcorrigan]

23 hours ago, champers said:

A rule that is likely to be defunct post Brexit. I feel for him; I hope he can find a solution.

I would have thought that royalties from endless repeats of Only Fools and Horses would keep the money rolling in. Maybe not.

Maybe with the tories andTMay in charge, don't hold your breath, could be worse though with Corbyn in charge!

[JAG]

The non EU immigration into the UK comes mainly from India and Pakistan.   It is very common for an 'anchor relative' that has a visa from these countries to be used to get the rest of the family over to the UK.  A UK citizen who tries to get his/her spouse over to the UK is unfairly caught up in the visa rules intended to curb these abuses.

 

I wonder if your comment is an attempt to smear me as 'Islamophobic'.

Not at all. It was a straight forward comment on the phrase - I suspect it is used all over the place to deny or disguise the fact that the vast majority of such immigration is from Pakistan and Bangladesh, but it is not politically correct or acceptable to say so. In fact having said that probably leaves me open to allegations of racism and islamophobia!

 

I am one who is caught up in the ramifications of these various rules - unable to get my daughter a British passport...

 

[champers]

20 minutes ago, transam said:

Seems the guy isn't a London black cab driver but a mini cab driver and a controller at a local mini cab office...

Hey!! They could make a sitcom and call it Taxi. He could be a star again.

[KiChakayan]

22 hours ago, nausea said:

 

Actually, I suspect this legislation is designed to stop immigrant communities flooding the country with spouses; people like Mr. Murray, and you and me, are collateral damage.

Xenophobia is bound to cause collateral damage...

[JAG]

Hey!! They could make a sitcom and call it Taxi. He could be a star again.

"Roger, Roger"?

[alwaysrainsinUK]

The man needs to move to Thailand cause the UK is the most terrible place to live. We went back to the UK for 6 yrs and its a time we dont want to repeat ever. We dont know a single Thai lady happy living in the UK so if i was him id be gathering up them £s and get the hell out off there and join his sweetheart in Thai.

[JAG]

border run every 5 months .

Yes. And it is a pain I agree.

In my case (living in Chiang Rai) it is as easy to drive to Mai Sai (45 minutes), walk across the bridge, cup of tea, buy a litre of duty free gin and walk back across the bridge; as it is to drive to the immigration office every 3 months. But I'm sure that if you.live in the middle of the country it would be a real pain.
Personally I also enjoy the bimble to Savannakhet every 15 months or so - decent baguettes and smelly cheese! I might try Ho Chi Minh City next year!
My point is that if you don't have a lot of dosh, or are under 50, it is an option.