If there is one thing you can be sure of it is that any teenager will pick up the language pretty quickly. State schools do have systems and funding in place to help those with English as a second language.

That said the examinations system is so different between the two countries that it may be a big challenge.

Kids are amazingly resilient! 

Wow - October 2017 I started this thread. 

 

Well, it's been an interesting journey and for those that requested a final update, we received spouse and child visas for my wife and step-daughter yesterday. ????

 

My daughter will not be attending a school. Instead I have a place for her at a college and from there she will go on to study at undergraduate level in her chosen uni.

 

In the end we went with the work option for satisfying the visa requirements. If anyone remembers, I work rotations of 28 days away from home at a time. I am not classed as UK tax resident and do not have a job offer back in the UK. 

 

That final part I feel is extremely valuable information to those who also work away and find the application confusing. I basically left the part of "having a job offer" blank. 

 

But I feel our application was strong which may/may not have also be a factor in the decision they reached. I had already been and talked with the college for my daughter and had emails backing it all up. My wife has previously held 2 visitor visas and a spouse visa which may have also contributed towards their decision.

 

In any case, best of luck to those either going through the process or about to embark on it. If anyone would like some more in-depth explanation if they are also a rotational worker, feel free to PM me. I'll be happy to talk anyone through the application. 

 

We fly to London on 23rd May. To say my wife and daughter are over the moon is an understatement. I on the other hand have to park my Thai-lifestyle for 5 years till they get a passport. However we will return to Thailand twice a year for 4 weeks at a time to visit friends and family, so not all bad. ????

2 hours ago, DDBKK said:

Wow - October 2017 I started this thread. 

 

Well, it's been an interesting journey and for those that requested a final update, we received spouse and child visas for my wife and step-daughter yesterday. ????

 

My daughter will not be attending a school. Instead I have a place for her at a college and from there she will go on to study at undergraduate level in her chosen uni.

 

In the end we went with the work option for satisfying the visa requirements. If anyone remembers, I work rotations of 28 days away from home at a time. I am not classed as UK tax resident and do not have a job offer back in the UK. 

 

That final part I feel is extremely valuable information to those who also work away and find the application confusing. I basically left the part of "having a job offer" blank. 

 

But I feel our application was strong which may/may not have also be a factor in the decision they reached. I had already been and talked with the college for my daughter and had emails backing it all up. My wife has previously held 2 visitor visas and a spouse visa which may have also contributed towards their decision.

 

In any case, best of luck to those either going through the process or about to embark on it. If anyone would like some more in-depth explanation if they are also a rotational worker, feel free to PM me. I'll be happy to talk anyone through the application. 

 

We fly to London on 23rd May. To say my wife and daughter are over the moon is an understatement. I on the other hand have to park my Thai-lifestyle for 5 years till they get a passport. However we will return to Thailand twice a year for 4 weeks at a time to visit friends and family, so not all bad. ????

Best wishes and good luck to you and your family.

 

And of course, Bon Voyage.

On ‎4‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 8:48 AM, DDBKK said:

<snip>

In the end we went with the work option for satisfying the visa requirements. If anyone remembers, I work rotations of 28 days away from home at a time. I am not classed as UK tax resident and do not have a job offer back in the UK. 

 

That final part I feel is extremely valuable information to those who also work away and find the application confusing. I basically left the part of "having a job offer" blank. 

 

But I feel our application was strong which may/may not have also be a factor in the decision they reached.

 If the financial requirement is not met then it does not matter how strong the rest of the application is, it will be refused!

 

It may help others in a similar position if you could post brief details of what category you used, what you did put on the form and where and what evidence you supplied to show that the requirement was met. 

 

Keeping it all anonymous, of course.