What Evidence For Uk Fiancee Visa ?

[Richard W]

she is going to return because I refuse to apply for a fiancee visa as I want her to see the U.K. for a holiday first. I know people over here in the U.K. who are married to Thai people and they do miss their homeland it is for that reason I want her to come over for a holiday first, moving to another country is a huge step for anyone more so I think for people like Sudawan. Doesn't my word mean anything ?

Unfortunately, you can't control your girlfriend (or will you keep her on a leash?), so your word, or even a financial bond, counts for nothing.

You'll have to use the fiancée visa to find out how she takes to England.

I cant believe I am hearing all of this, its a bloody holiday visa for gods sake ! arn't people who come from a poorer background entitled to holidays too ?

Holiday makers are welcome because they bring money into the country. Sudawan won't be bringing money in, though her being here might stop some of your money being spent in Thailand.

I guess the only hope is for better policing of the immigration laws within the country. How are your grandparents going to quickly prove they're here legally?

Look on the bright side. At least people doing secret work for the government aren't sacked when their wives are refused permission to join them here.

[Mocksy]

Thanks Richard,

We will still try and go for the tourist visa as I am going over there now and it would be a real shame just not to have a go. If it does turn out to be as bad as I am hearing, I may just be leaving this sorry arsed country myself. I have been to other countries where people are accepted for who they are and not branded or catagorised just for the amount of money they have.

I may just stay over there....

[dfwbkk]

If this fails i'll invite you to the wedding !!!

where did you get married btw ?

Thanks Mocksy!

We were married and had the party at her mothers house up in Chiang Rai. Registrered in the Amphur in Mae Sai. Luckily her family had relocated from another village further away from the city not too long before and hadn't befriended evryone yet (so only about 50 ppl showed up for the weeding vs the 1500 - everyone!- my wife claimed would typically show up back in the original village...)

/// DFW

[dfwbkk]

that should of course read: wedding...

[chonabot]

Mocksy , I have been through the Visa process with gf ( now wife) 2 times , posted elsewhere. One point I will make is that it is near impossible to be interviewed with your gf. Quite simply the opportunity will not arise.

I tried to go into the interview room with my gf, got asked to leave, they don't want to hear yor side of the story. We were refused twice, appealed and won the appeal. Good luck though, remember only listen to advice from those who have been through the process.

[Mocksy]

Thanks chonabot,

Just going in with a clear head, and being honest and of course hoping it still counts for something these days

I have warned her that we may not get a visa though so she is prepared for the worst the same as me. I still can't believe a holiday visa is so much of a problem. I was wanting to hear good stories of people that just went in, came out with no problems that were in a similar situation to me i.e. their GF's dont have a great deal of money.

I still cannot understand the difficulties of obtaining a tourist visa. Like previous posts on this thread, Richard quite rightly points out that they are trying to protect U.K. citizens from being ripped off and fair enough, I can see that. But if the only way people are going to see if it works out is to get a fiancee visa, they will go that route and then there is a greater risk that if something does go wrong they are in a better position to stay in the U.K. completely Bananas !!!!

Thanks to you all on the good luck messages. it is completely ironic that Sudawan is completely relaxed and just looking forward to seeing me again even if it does go all wrong and we are only together for a week where as I'm a complete gibbering wreck right now. Westerners eh ?

[viviana]

Hi Mocksy...

First of all good luck to you (and the others) in obtaining the visa you need...

I read ur thread out of curiosity and thought I could add my two cents worth.. Someone mentionned that it must be certain your gf will come back to LOS for work, study and so on...

How about having her registering for some classes then > Surely she can find something she would be interested in studying and that could help her later on in her life...?

.... Sorry if it is a stupid idea.. I can be pretty naive sometimes... but hey! gotta explore all sides!

Still best of luck in everything!

cheers!

[Mocksy]

Thanks very much viviana,

I want what most people want on this board, and that is just a chance to see how things turn out. I dont know if sudawan will like the U.K. if she doesn't she goes home and we look at me working over there. simple as that really. but to be denied any choice over the matter just because somebody doesn't earn a great deal of money I personally think is wholy unjust.

Its a very good point about the student route, again, its another path I have considered and I have looked into. I was really nieve about the whole applications process and didn't think she would have any problems so Sudawan gave me some money (bless her) and I put the rest towards a plane ticket thinking we could get a visa no problem. I know thats a stupid thing to do but I honestly thought a return ticket coupled with the proof of her little job back at the hostel would be enough.... It may still be, I may be harping on about nothing...

I dont really have the time to sort all of that out, I think it takes a while to get an offer etc....

[ghengis]

The UK government is trying to prevent people marrying on Visitor Visas, like this couple in the story below. Those that do are having a hard time.

Reprieve for expelled Thai wife

LOVELORN Ralph Oakes-Garnett was celebrating today after being told that his Thai wife will be allowed to return to Britain.

Ex-nurse Ralph, 52, advanced his marriage to Salisa Yucharoen when they discovered she was having a baby last year.

But he and their now seven-month-old son, Varich, were left in Britain when Salisa was told to return to Bangkok while officials decided whether to grant her a settlement visa.

Now Thai authorities have said she will be allowed back to live with Ralph at Diggle, Saddleworth, Oldham, for at least two years. Ralph hopes she will then be allowed to stay permanently.

He told the M.E.N: "She can come home straight away. I'm so glad it's all been sorted out. We went through h ell."

Ralph, who used to manage an intensive-care unit, was introduced to hairdresser Salisa, 36, by a friend while visiting Thailand in 2001.

They travelled around the country together and she kept in touch after he returned to Britain some months later.

Romance blossomed when he revisited Thailand and Salisa realised she was having a baby when she came to Britain on a short-term visa last year. She had signed an official undertaking not to marry after leaving her home city of Trat.

But the couple decided to advance their marriage, and wed in Oldham last March after a three-year courtship.

Now Ralph is waiting to see if Salisa's two other children, Ice and Meow, will be allowede to join them in Diggle.

A Home Office spokesman said people were given clear advice about which visa to seek before entering Britain.

Dean Kirby

From the Manchester News - 4 Jun 2004

[BIG SPUDS]

Dont worry mate you are not the only one that is a gibbering wreck, cant sleep thinking what can i do to make it happen , all of the time. Im the same, i really want this to work. But after all the negative stories i have heard i dont hold my hopes too high. Just try like me and take it from there. However getting GF to enlist in some studying doesnt sound a bad idea.

[Mocksy]

I understand Big Spuds that you are staying over here yes ?

I'll let you know if it makes any difference going over there in person which is what i'm doing. I want to ask them some questions if they do reject it and just want to be there for Sudawan as I think it may be a frightening experience if they start asking her all sorts of questions.

Only a few weeks to go !

[ghengis]

Getting a Settlement Visa is much easier than a Visitor Visa, especially if the lady comes from a poor family. A very high proportion of Thai women settled in the UK come from Issan and many (perhaps more than half) have worked in bars and similar establishments. If you go to the Thai Temple in Wimbledon for one of their events you will hear more Issan dialect than anything else.

There seems to be differing criteria for Settlement Visas depending on the background of the lady. If she has come from a good middle class family, is well educated and has a good job, then you might expect to get a Settlement Visa after knowing her for 3-6 months - provided you meet all the necessary financial, housing, evidence of contact criteria.

If you met your Thai girlfriend in Pattaya or the Embassy think you may have met her in a bar or similar institution, then the Embassy seems to take more convincing that you are a genuine couple, and some people have to wait 1-2 years before they are allowed a Settlement Visa. If you can’t speak Thai and she cant speak much English then there is a problem convincing the Embassy that you can communicate and have a real relationship.

If the lady is perceived to have worked in a bar, and this is fairly obvious in many cases even if she is not wearing a sexy short skirt at the visa interview, then the likelihood of getting a Visitor Visa is low.

[Mocksy]

We met in a hostel in BKK, she works cooking and just general running of the place i.e. taking bookings etc so were OK as she has a letter to prove that she has employment when she returns which is one good thing and we have a return ticket, I guess I just have to go in there and hope for the best. If all else fails, I guess I've shown evidence that I have gone over to stay with Sudawan twice which looks good if we try and get a fiancee visa later on.

Ah well....we'll see I guess....

[Roger13]

Hi Mocksy

You repeatedly mention about YOU going to the Embassy ...

As has been mentioned - for a Visitor's Visa - you may

never have a chance to speak! Nor even be seen.

I wish you both success - I do hope that Honesty wins the day

Roger