Getting an emergency UK visa

[Mister Fixit]

My almost 101 year old mother has just been admitted to a care home and is fading fast.  We expect her to leave us within this year, maybe in a few months.

 

I have tried to find, without success, a way of applying for an emergency visa, for want to a better term.  Once I have been informed she has gone, or is about to go very soon, I'd like to take my wife back to the UK to see her one last time, and obviously stay for the funeral.  

 

I hope we get some notice, of course, but I want to be able to go to VFS with a hastily prepared application and get an answer next day or certainly the one after.  I have all I need to submit one quickly, and I know I would have to pay extra but I can't find out just how much.  

 

I have looked on the pretty useless VFS website but that doesn't seem to have any definitive information, nor the UK.Gov website.  I just get sent around in circles and get nowhere.

 

Does anyone have any definitive information?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2019 by Mister Fixit

[theoldgit]

The UKVI used to have a system where an applicant could ask for an application to be expedited in unfortunate circumstances like yours simply by advising the staff at the Visa Application Centre who would forward the application to the team in the British Embassy and ask for the application to be expetided.

 

They then changed the system whereby they encouraged applicants to pay for the fast tracked premium service, but offered an alternative method wherby the applicant applied in the normal way but could call the UKVI's, fee charging, call centre and asked for the application to be expedited, but still advised applicants to use the premium service.

 

I can't find that even this route still operates, but I'll keep looking, with only the Priority Visa Services, which they claim puts the application at the front of the queue, that comes with a fee of 10,120 Baht, and will get a decision in five working days.

 

The Super Priority Visa Service which, they say, will get a decision in 24 hours, but that comes with an exorbitant fee of abot 44,000 Baht.

 

None of the above should be used by applicants with a dodgy immigration history.

 

https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/th/en/premium-services/priority-visa

 

https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/th/en/premium-services/super-priority-visa

 

Good luck

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Jeez, if that isn't gouging, what is? Eleven hundred Pounds for an emergency visa! No doubt they can deny the visa and keep the money too. And there was me bitching about Thailand....

[stevenl]

Some years ago I had a similar issue when my mother was dying. I was told visa process would take many more days than available, maximum 4, so had to go home without family.

[KhaoYai]

I think the only way is to apply for a visa now - if its not used within its 6 months validity, apply for another. £95 each.

[rasg]

Or apply for a two year visit visa.

[bluesky3000]

Officers will not deem this as an emergency thats why..