My girlfriend was granted her Fiancee visa last week, which was post dated until 30.04.2007 which we requested. However she has tied up all her loose ends in Thailand quicker than expected and as you can imagine I want her here with me in the U.K. Her first visa which was a Visit Visa doesnt expire until 14th April, so my question is - can she come back to the U.K on her Visit Visa and return to Thailand before that one expires and then come back the following month on her Fiancee Visa OR will this just open a can of worms with immigration???????

Thanks in advance

Steve

Steve,

There is nothing preventing your fiancée from travelling on her existing visit visa, leaving before it expires, and then re-entering the UK on 30 April using her settlement visa. However, the airline check-in staff will be very conscious of the fact that the UK authorities levy a £2000.00 charge per improperly documented passenger and, if her simultaneous possession of visit and fiancée visas confuses them, they may actually refuse to check-in your fiancée for her flight. Should this happen, she can ask that the airline contacts the British embassy Airline Liaison Officer who should give her the all clear to travel. She might have some explaining to do at immigration in the UK. I don't know how good your fiancée's English is, but if she does return to the UK, I would prepare a letter for presentation to the UK IO, should the need arise, which fully explains the situation.

Scouse.

Steve,

There is nothing preventing your fiancée from travelling on her existing visit visa, leaving before it expires, and then re-entering the UK on 30 April using her settlement visa. However, the airline check-in staff will be very conscious of the fact that the UK authorities levy a £2000.00 charge per improperly documented passenger and, if her simultaneous possession of visit and fiancée visas confuses them, they may actually refuse to check-in your fiancée for her flight. Should this happen, she can ask that the airline contacts the British embassy Airline Liaison Officer who should give her the all clear to travel. She might have some explaining to do at immigration in the UK. I don't know how good your fiancée's English is, but if she does return to the UK, I would prepare a letter for presentation to the UK IO, should the need arise, which fully explains the situation.

Scouse.

Thanks Scouse,

Her English is pretty good.

I would hate to put her application into doubt, considering the difficulty getting the Visa. I know every case is different, but if you were in my shoes what would you do.

Or another angle is asking the Embassy to change the date of the Visa to a more suitable date?????

cheers in advance

Steve

Hi Steve,

Legally speaking, there's no reason why your fiancée shouldn't travel on her existing visit visa, but there may be an element of messing about caused by other parties' confusion.

Yes, she can approach the embassy and ask that her settlement visa start date is altered. However, you would then be reliant upon their good will, unless, of course, you paid again and made a nother application to be valid from the date of issue. There's nothing to be lost in approaching the embassy and explaining that your fiancée's affairs have been cleared up quicker than foreseen, so can they please amend the visas's effective date.

Scouse.