UK visit visa - warnings

[rasg]

1 hour ago, darren1971 said:

Would be interested in seeing a poll on that... Not sure I have ever met anyone who has said that, even my wealthy Thai friends in Bangkok.

Just asked the gf if she found the process straightforward or not

 

With help of people on here and another forum, as you know, I found no real difficulty getting four different visas for my wife. The first is always a bit daunting like doing anything in this life for the first time. For her Settlement visa I found it a lot easier than the two visit visas as I had 90% of the information close to hand. I just don't like the cost...

 

Rewording your sponsor letter was sufficient to get your girlfriend a visit visa... I don't think we changed anything else.

 

For my wife's first visit visa there was no difficulty and a letter for her employer was a good one, in English, and it did its job. I didn’t go crazy asking for six months, just asked for one month and it was through in ten days or so.

 

43 minutes ago, darren1971 said:

think you are over simplifying it based on personal experience. Reason to return is completely subjective, fine if you meet the profile often unfair if you don't. I'm guessing Yingluck who is now in London wasn't quizzed about her reason to return to Thailand.

If the story is true she came here as an asylum seeker which is very different...

 

Reason to return is not that subjective. You have seen the mistakes on here by people sponsoring their girlfriends to come to the UK. Many get their girlfriend to supply information that is simply wrong or directly contradicts what the sponsor has said in their letter.

 

I hope you don't the Spain route. It will involve you living and working in Spain for a while. It would be a real bummer if you went to all that trouble getting your girlfriend Spanish residency only to find that she needs a visa to come here after Brexit...

 

From my readings the Spanish break all sorts of EU rules over Schengen visas and can be really difficult. The Danish Embassy sorted a Schengen visa out for the missus for Iceland while we waited...

Edited October 3, 2017 by rasg

[darren1971]

8 minutes ago, rasg said:

 

With help of people on here and another forum, as you know, I found no real difficulty getting four different visas for my wife. The first is always a bit daunting like doing anything in this life for the first time. For her Settlement visa I found it a lot easier than the two visit visas as I had 90% of the information close to hand. I just don't like the cost...

 

Rewording your sponsor letter was sufficient to get your girlfriend a visit visa... I don't think we changed anything else.

 

For my wife's first visit visa there was no difficulty and a letter for her employer was a good one, in English, and it did its job. I didn’t go crazy asking for six months, just asked for one month and it was through in ten days or so.

 

If the story is true she came here as an asylum seeker which is very different...

 

Reason to return is not that subjective. You have seen the mistakes on here by people sponsoring their girlfriends to come to the UK. Many get their girlfriend to supply information that is simply wrong or directly contradicts what the sponsor has said in their letter.

 

I hope you don't the Spain route. It will involve you living and working in Spain for a while. It would be a real bummer if you went to all that trouble getting your girlfriend Spanish residency only to find that she needs a visa to come here after Brexit...

 

From my readings the Spanish break all sorts of EU rules over Schengen visas and can be really difficult. The Danish Embassy sorted a Schengen visa out for the missus for Iceland while we waited...

 

Definitely the help on here is first class now and was in the past for my applications. The rewording you helped me with certainly did the trick, but that is also the point, the circumstances are exactly the same but one was a no and one was a yes. Just over emphasising future plans to marry got us a refusal, when considering that fact it is fairly complex. I wouldn't say it is very hard to get a UK visit visa but I would not say it is straightforward either (although with the right circumstances it can be.)

 

What we rarely hear on this forum is the applicants views of the process, usually only the sponsors. My future plans are open at the moment, I will wait and see how my GF feels at the end of her visit, the cost is definitely an issue, I have had to switch from self employed to employed already at an extra cost of £2500 a year plus accountants fees. I'm picturing future issues with the settlement application when they realise I have gone from business owner to employed by the same business, perfectly legal of course and as a result of the bizarre income rules for self employed... Hopefully not a problem!

[Jonmarleesco]

9 hours ago, darren1971 said:

My Thai gf is now with me in the UK on a visit visa, as previously just getting the visa is not the only hurdle to overcome. There are other issues to consider that might undermine your plans. Firstly your Thai gf will be expected to fill out an immigration arrival card on the plane in English (although there are plans to do away with these they are still in place right now). She will be quizzed on what is written on the arrival card and the person quizzing her/him will not have read your visa application. This is fine but you need to remember your partner will have just got off a 12 hour flight, may not have perfect English and possibly be nervous, I prepared my Thai gf for this but she still needed to fill out the card and the man questioning her at Heathrow immigration made her very uncomfortable and unwelcome. She was detained for nearly 2 hours and forced to answer more questions on issues that were already covered in the visa application. If you the sponsor happen to be self employed and your home address that you and your gf will be staying in happens to be a business then it will instantly be presumed she is here to work illegally. Before my gf was released through immigration I had to call Border force where I was questioned by a woman called Jan whose assumption was that as I had employment it was unlikely that me and my gf's intention was to holiday together - "you have to work, so what will your gf be doing when you're working" - bizarre, sponsors are expected to show means to support the visa applicant but are not expected to work. The last issue was the return flight booking. My gf plans to stay for 1 month and I am planning to return to Thailand with her at the end of the visit, as we are unsure of the exact dates (my parents are coming from Spain to meet her but they do not know dates yet and we did not know how quickly the visa would be granted) I booked a flexible ticket to return WITHIN the visa term - allowing a bit of flexibility in the travel plans again will be a red flag to immigration, in their minds this can mean only one thing, your gf will not return to Thailand. I explained the reason for the slight bit of flexibility to Jan but the only reply she kept giving me was "So she will not be returning to Thailand?".

When my gf finally made it through immigration she was in tears and said "I want to go home to Thailand now", it took a few hours to calm her down and personally I can understand how she was feeling.

So in summary, just getting the visa is not the end of the ordeal. What annoys me the most is that all of these issues are covered in the original visa application process. Upon arriving in the UK if the person has a valid visa and the correct travel documents they should only be detained for further questioning if something is glaringly wrong.

I think many of us are well aware of the visa process, pre- and post-.

 

I'm unsure where you got the idea that the arrival card will be disappearing; I suspect you are getting confused with Thais needing to complete one when leaving and entering LoS; that is rumoured to be about to change.

[darren1971]

10 minutes ago, Jonmarleesco said:

I think many of us are well aware of the visa process, pre- and post-.

 

I'm unsure where you got the idea that the arrival card will be disappearing; I suspect you are getting confused with Thais needing to complete one when leaving and entering LoS; that is rumoured to be about to change.

 

'Outdated’ landing cards to be withdrawn as part of digital border transformation

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/outdated-landing-cards-to-be-withdrawn-as-part-of-digital-border-transformation

Edited October 3, 2017 by darren1971

[rasg]

16 minutes ago, darren1971 said:

What we rarely hear on this forum is the applicants views of the process, usually only the sponsors. My future plans are open at the moment, I will wait and see how my GF feels at the end of her visit, the cost is definitely an issue, I have had to switch from self employed to employed already at an extra cost of £2500 a year plus accountants fees. I'm picturing future issues with the settlement application when they realise I have gone from business owner to employed by the same business, perfectly legal of course and as a result of the bizarre income rules for self employed... Hopefully not a problem!

 

The process from start to finish over just over five years is currently about £7000.

 

I can't remember why you had to become employed, rather than self employed just for a visit visa? All you need to show is that you have sufficient funds to pay for trip. I can tell you now that being employed is much easier to apply for Settlement as long as you have a salary of £18,600 as a minimum.

 

Most of the Thai applicants don't have a clue about the process for getting a visit visa for this country. So many rely on talking to their mates and stuffing money into a bank account to make them look richer is usually the suggestion to guarantee a visa. As we know it has the opposite effect. I don't think you would find out anything useful from a poll like it.

 

Presumably you now have a limited company now? Why on earth did that cost £2500?

 

I bet she is worth it though!

 

[darren1971]

2 minutes ago, rasg said:

 

The process from start to finish over just over five years is currently about £7000.

 

I can't remember why you had to become employed, rather than self employed just for a visit visa? All you need to show is that you have sufficient funds to pay for trip. I can tell you now that being employed is much easier to apply for Settlement as long as you have a salary of £18,600 as a minimum.

 

Most of the Thai applicants don't have a clue about the process for getting a visit visa for this country. So many rely on talking to their mates and stuffing money into a bank account to make them look richer is usually the suggestion to guarantee a visa. As we know it has the opposite effect. I don't think you would find out anything useful from a poll like it.

 

Presumably you now have a limited company now? Why on earth did that cost £2500?

 

I bet she is worth it though!

 

 

Sorry wasn't clear, I switched to employed from a self employed partnership for the settlement visa not the visit visa. I did this now to get the 6 months of employed payslips to meet the financial requirement. The current system for self employed takes no account of outgoings and mine were pretty much zero as my job covered all of the basic outgoings, rent, council tax, utilities, car, food, drink etc etc.

 

Definitely worth it! 

[jamie2009]

I had heard all the stories about passing through Heathrow  Immigration, we arrived, went too Immigration, only question do you have the travel intenery, yes showed him it, he read it, ok enjoy your stay, only took a couple minutes too get through.

[darren1971]

3 minutes ago, jamie2009 said:

I had heard all the stories about passing through Heathrow  Immigration, we arrived, went too Immigration, only question do you have the travel intenery, yes showed him it, he read it, ok enjoy your stay, only took a couple minutes too get through.

 

Sounds like you were travelling together, if I ever do a visit visa again I think I will consider it.

[cookieqw]

9 hours ago, darren1971 said:

 

I did prepare the landing card for her and when questioned my gf was on the mark as to what we were doing and all in line with the visa application, just feel they overdid it with questioning/detaining her for 2 hours, her flight landing at 18:20 and we left Heathrow at 21:00.

so you left before you got your baggage then 555

[rasg]

1 hour ago, darren1971 said:

Sorry wasn't clear, I switched to employed from a self employed partnership for the settlement visa not the visit visa. I did this now to get the 6 months of employed payslips to meet the financial requirement. The current system for self employed takes no account of outgoings and mine were pretty much zero as my job covered all of the basic outgoings, rent, council tax, utilities, car, food, drink etc etc.

 

Definitely worth it! 

I remember now. You probably could have left it a while though but at least it's done if and when you do go for the Settlement visa. Bear in mind that they are taking weeks and weeks now they are being decided in Sheffield. We only spent three weeks apart while my wife's visa was going through. Too much faffing around living and working in a different country and all the other hassle just to get a visa, for me.

 

It was simply circumstances, and cost, that meant that Mon came here three times on her own. The first time she was a bit daunted as we'd only flown within Thailand a couple of times together. She was an old hand by time she had finished and she was helpng other people.

Edited October 3, 2017 by rasg

[darren1971]

1 minute ago, rasg said:

I remember now. You probably could have left it a while though but at least it's done if and when you do go for the Settlement visa. Bear in mind that they are taking weeks and weeks now they are being decided in Sheffield. We only spent three weeks apart while her visa was going through. Too much faffing around living and working in a different country and all the other hassle just to get a visa, for me.

 

Yep I see the wait times are crazy right now, we will have a month in Thailand relaxing after the application goes in, I had considered another visit visa whilst waiting for the decision but Im unsure wether that will go against us - Reason to return would of course be to collect the settlement visa but what if the settlement visa is refused, that may be seen as a reason not to return... it get's complicated!

 

[rasg]

Sorry I was adding to my last post...

 

It depends how long she is staying and your timeline I guess. Presumably the VV runs until March or April? Early in the year worked for us each time with a quick turnaround but VV number 2 was put in, in October and was also pretty quick.

[7by7]

18 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

surely a fourth reason; the applicant lies or provides misleading, inaccurate or contradictory information

 

I'd put lying and providing false information under the first and providing misleading or contradictory information under the second; but I take your point.

 

18 hours ago, darren1971 said:

 

after Brexit there will be a 5th, the Tories need to show immigration figures falling to get re-elected

 As visit visas are not included in the net migration figures, and never have been; hardly!

 

EEA migrants are included, and account for approximately half. So, unless the government agrees to remain bound by the freedom of movement directive in a similar way to the Swiss, then there will be a dramatic drop in the figures post Brexit.

 

Maybe not immediately if the approx. 1.5 million British ex pats exercising a treaty right in another EEA state decide to all return home!

Edited October 4, 2017 by 7by7

[7by7]

15 hours ago, darren1971 said:

 

Yep I see the wait times are crazy right now, we will have a month in Thailand relaxing after the application goes in, I had considered another visit visa whilst waiting for the decision but Im unsure wether that will go against us - Reason to return would of course be to collect the settlement visa but what if the settlement visa is refused, that may be seen as a reason not to return... it get's complicated!

 

 

Sorry, but travel outside of Thailand for her will be impossible while her settlement application is being processed because, as with her visit application, she has to submit her passport with the application and wont get it back until she gets the decision. Hopefully when her passport is returned it will have her settlement visa vignette stuck inside.

 

It is sometimes possible for a UK visa applicant to have their passport returned temporarily if they have an urgent, compassionate need to travel abroad. But I doubt spending time with you in the UK while her settlement application is being processed would be considered such.

[darren1971]

10 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

 

Sorry, but travel outside of Thailand for her will be impossible while her settlement application is being processed because, as with her visit application, she has to submit her passport with the application and wont get it back until she gets the decision. Hopefully when her passport is returned it will have her settlement visa vignette stuck inside.

 

It is sometimes possible for a UK visa applicant to have their passport returned temporarily if they have an urgent, compassionate need to travel abroad. But I doubt spending time with you in the UK while her settlement application is being processed would be considered such.

 

ah ok thanks, so that option is off the books

[theoldgit]

15 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

 

Sorry, but travel outside of Thailand for her will be impossible while her settlement application is being processed because, as with her visit application, she has to submit her passport with the application and wont get it back until she gets the decision. Hopefully when her passport is returned it will have her settlement visa vignette stuck inside.

 

It is sometimes possible for a UK visa applicant to have their passport returned temporarily if they have an urgent, compassionate need to travel abroad. But I doubt spending time with you in the UK while her settlement application is being processed would be considered such.

 

That advice is out of date I'm afraid, applicants can now retain their passports whilst awaiting a decision for all visa application categories, the urgent or compassionate needs now only amount to being able to stump up 2,346 Baht, though you can only retain the passport for four weeks.

 

Look under user_pay_services

[7by7]

19 hours ago, darren1971 said:

I'm guessing Yingluck who is now in London wasn't quizzed about her reason to return to Thailand.

 

I have no idea what type of visa she used to enter the UK, where she applied for it nor when.

 

I also have no idea what evidence she may or may not have given in any such application.

 

Of course, as an ex Prime Minister, she may be exempt from requiring a visa anyway!

[darren1971]

1 minute ago, theoldgit said:

 

That advice is out of date I'm afraid, applicants can now retain their passports whilst awaiting a decision for all visa application categories, the urgent or compassionate needs now only amount to being able to stump up 2,346 Baht.

 

Look under user_pay_services

 

oh, so she can retain her passport for B2.4k? ... still are they likely to issue a visit visa whilst waiting for the settlement decision?

[7by7]

2 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

That advice is out of date I'm afraid, applicants can now retain their passports whilst awaiting a decision for all visa application categories, the urgent or compassionate needs now only amount to being able to stump up 2,346 Baht, though you can only retain the passport for four weeks.

 

Look under user_pay_services

 

Thanks for the update, og.

 

Duly noted.

[7by7]

Just now, darren1971 said:

 

oh, so she can retain her passport for B2.4k? ... still are they likely to issue a visit visa whilst waiting for the settlement decision?

No idea; but would it be worth it anyway?

 

She'd only have her passport for four weeks, which means by the time she gets it back after her visit visa application has been (hopefully) approved she would not have much time to spend in the UK.

[darren1971]

1 minute ago, 7by7 said:

No idea; but would it be worth it anyway?

 

She'd only have her passport for four weeks, which means by the time she gets it back after her visit visa application has been (hopefully) approved she would not have much time to spend in the UK.

 

Depends on how long they take to give a decision on the settlement visa and how long she can have her passport back for (is it a 4 week limit?).... I read some guy has been waiting 5 months to get a decision (partly due to a request for more information). My GF does not want to stay in Thailand alone and is adamant she does not want to come through UK immigration on her own again, I can stay for 1 month in Thailand when we put the settlement application in but after that I need to return to work. Another option would be get married in Thailand, get a visit visa, return to England together and then apply from England... if it is possible to submit the settlement visa from England (pretty sure it has to be Thailand again)

[rasg]

When does your GF go back to Thailand and when do you plan submitting the Settlement visa? My wife went back to Thailand with her Settlement visa application in her bag and went for the TB test the next day and went to VFS the following day. If you go back with her for a couple of weeks, go to the Amphur and get married and submit the visa application while you are there. It would minimise the time that you are apart. Just a thought but it depends on when you plan on getting married etc.

[rasg]

If she did come back here in her own, I don't think she would have the same problem. My wife didn't although she had  a grilling on her first trip here.

 

They need her passport for the duration of the Settlement visa application to stick the visa in so that's a non starter. And you can't submit a settlement visa in the UK.

 

Don't forget that you specified in your sponsor letter that she needed the visit visa to sample the UK to see what it's like. Would she get a second that quickly? It's possible but do you really need it?

 

Also don't forget that her existing visit visa will allow her to go home and come back. It does last for six months.

 

 

[rasg]

Just read the info about retaining your passport while a visa is going through. I would be concerned that it would slow things up. The timings on settlement are slow enough already...

[7by7]

28 minutes ago, darren1971 said:

Depends on how long they take to give a decision on the settlement visa and how long she can have her passport back for (is it a 4 week limit?)....

 Yes, read theoldgit's link and she can have it back for a maximum of 4 weeks.

 

29 minutes ago, darren1971 said:

Another option would be get married in Thailand, get a visit visa, return to England together and then apply from England... if it is possible to submit the settlement visa from England (pretty sure it has to be Thailand again)

 No; standard visit visas cannot be converted to settlement inside the UK. She would have to return to Thailand to apply for settlement.

[darren1971]

Thanks guys,great advice as always, that has narrowed the options.

 

Seems the best plan is return to Thailand at the end of this visit, stay in Bangkok 3 days to go to the Amphur and TB test, (language test will be done here on this visit) submit the application, sit on the beach for 4 weeks, return to England alone and await settlement decision. The GF will have to go back to the farm in Chonburi and wait it out.

 

 

[rasg]

Hopefully Sheffield will get their act together and catch up when it goes quieter. When are you planning to submit?

[darren1971]

8 minutes ago, rasg said:

Hopefully Sheffield will get their act together and catch up when it goes quieter. When are you planning to submit?

 

Think I will submit in April - there or thereabouts...

[7by7]

1 hour ago, rasg said:

Hopefully Sheffield will get their act together and catch up when it goes quieter. When are you planning to submit?

 

Anyone know of the current times? Maybe someone here who has recently applied?

 

I know we had a report from one member about a lengthy delay; but he is atypical as he did not submit the correct documentation for the financial requirement with his wife's application so UKVI asked him for it; which presumably put his wife's application back to the end of the queue.

[sandyf]

On 10/3/2017 at 3:51 PM, rasg said:

Sorry your girlfriend had to go through that. My wife was questioned for 45 minutes the first time she came here and had me very worried too waiting i the other side of the screen. It's a lot easier next time.

 

About the same as what happened to my wife on her first visit. Very frustrating when you are stood outside not knowing what is going on. I needed to be in the UK longer than the 10 days she could get off work and had to come ahead. The immigration asked why we had not travelled together and despite being told I had business to see to kept coming back to the same point. He then asked why she could only come for 10 days and when she explained that she was a financial manager and there was only a short window between monthly accounts the interrogation came to an end. All information that was detailed in the visa application.

If supporting documentation is required, such as an employer's letter, for visa holders to gain entry to the UK then it should be made clear during the visa application, not when it becomes a problem.

 

It is certainly easier if you are there. We have been in and out of the UK many times since and the first time I was there the IO started asking a lot of questions and when I said I lived in Thailand he said why had I not said that before and stamped my wife's passport. Now it is very straight forward, I say straight away that I live in Thailand, they check my passport, ask where we are going and say enjoy the trip.