Can anyone advise on the easiest and cheapest way to get a uk settlement visa for my Thai step son in less than 30 days?? (He is 6 years old)

The problem i have is that i cannot get a passport for him until i travel to Thailand in February 07 with my Thai wife as she is the only person who can get this done! Which can take about 5 days to process or so i'm lead to believe? Then i have to submit the settlement application along the usual documentation which then takes up to 12 weeks to process! Which means either another trip back to Thai in 12 weeks or unless there is a fast track solution which these dodgy agency firms seem to promise! Help!

Your step-son will evidently need a passport, but you can prepare his application before submission to the visa application centre and then the embassy. As far as possible, the embassy undertakes to assess applications on papers only, so, in general terms, a decision can be reasonably expected within a week of the application being submitted.

The application form can be downloaded and printed from here and there are various other threads on the forum which detail the criteria which need to be satisfied.

Cheers,

Scouse.

Thanks for the advise! I hope this can be achieved? I have spoken to a couple of people from the UK Visa's here in England and i keep getting the same answers! Basically follow the information given on there web site which indicates this 12-13 week process time for a settlement visa once the application has been submitted! Not very helpful........

However i know the UK Embasssy in Thailand, things can happen if you go to the right place with the right info at the right time! Without the aid of those exspensive agencies!

I've been told that i can get his passport within 3 days..... Do you know if this is correct? And if so do you have to pay extra for a quick turn around?

Finally i'm still a little uncertain about the new T.B certificate required with all settlement applications? As some people are telling me he has to have this to submit his application, however i have read that children under the age of 11 years are excluded from this? Any idea for sure?

Cheers

Nongnut

3 working days is the normal processing time for a Thai passport at the Head Passport Office. The application has to be done in person with the required documents. All children aged under 11 years are exempt from the TB testing requirement. See also Bringing Step Daughter To Uk.

I've been told that i can get his passport within 3 days..... Do you know if this is correct? And if so do you have to pay extra for a quick turn around?

The normal application time is about 3 days or 5 days if you have the passport sent back to you by courier (you only pay the cost of courier no special extra to pay). Your wife will however have to show she has sole responsibilty for her son otherwise the childs father will have to sign to say he consents to the passport application.

No agents needed