Relocation to UK advice

[Nickthegreek]

27 minutes ago, allanos said:

To the OP - other than the bureaucratic hoops you are going to have to jump through, employment and accommodation considerations, after 13 years, be prepared for a culture shock.  

Thanks, noted. 

[Aussieroaming]

6 hours ago, RAZZELL said:

Would it not be easier to spend the money on a half decent private school in Thailand?

 

Would save a lot of upheaval.

 

RAZZ

Or send the children to Boarding School

[brianthainess]

On 10/14/2019 at 9:20 AM, Nickthegreek said:

Yes, I have, well it's filed by the wife. I know it's not easy these days to get Uk visas for a Thai spouse. 

We are keeping our house here just in case it all goes south. 

sorry if i am wrong but you are both given one .

i presume you have a UK bank account ?

Edited October 15, 2019 by brianthainess

[zhorik]

your wide will need to prove your knowledge of English by passing an approved English language test with at least a CEFR level A1 in speaking and listening. as your child is under 13 years of age you will need an income of £22400  a year.  if self employed  you will need to show 6 months of  proof.They do take into account savings but they have to last 5 years as that is the time your wife will be without state support.

You can use savings or investments  that must have been in your account for six months. It  has to be above 16000.  although then you would have to have earned income. if the money has cme from property sale then a different rule applies.   A detailed explaination is given here

https://crossborderlegal.co.uk/using-cash-saving-meet-income-threshold-uk-spouse-visa/

for a spouse the saving is 62500, a spouse and 1 child you need 72000. spouse and 2 children 84000.

if you do not have this then you will need to earn form another source. to calculate the amount of you do not have this

simply subttract 16000 and divide the savings by 2.5 . thus if you had 60,000 it would be thus  (60,000-16000) /2.5 =17.600

Now subtract that figure from the sum needed . in this case 22400 so we get 22400-17600 =4800. Thus you need an income of 

4800 a year. you will also need to have your accomodation approved . i had to have the local council check over and confirm that it would not cause overcrowding and that the place was fit for habitation. You will also need to provide documents , ihad to have my chinese marriage book, translated and the translation notarised. your wife will need to provide the following

You’ll need to provide:

• all your names
• your date of birth
• your current passport or other valid travel ID
• copies of the photo page and any visa or entry stamps in your previous passports
• a copy of your biometric residence permit, if you have one
• details of any previous immigration applications you’ve made
• details of any criminal convictions
• your national insurance number, if you have one
• your parents’ date of birth and nationality if you’re applying from outside the UK
• your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a country where you have to take the test
• a certified translation of any document that is not in English or Welsh

You’ll need to have a blank page in your passport on which to put the visa if you’re applying outside the UK.

You’ll need an email address to make an online application.

You’ll also need to give proof of:

• your finances
• how well you speak and understand English

You may need to provide additional documents depending on your circumstances - for example a sponsorship form from your family member in the UK.

You’ll be told how to provide your documents when you apply.

Your partner’s details

If you have a partner, you’ll be asked about their:

• name
• date of birth
• nationality
• passport
• right to be in the UK, for example they’re a British citizen

You’ll also need to give details of:

• any people your partner was previously married to, in a civil partnership with or had children with
• evidence of marriages ending, for example a divorce certificate
• anyone your partner supports with money, for example their parents

Proof of relationship

If you’re applying as a spouse or partner, you’ll be asked about:

• your relationship with your partner, for example how you met and how often you see each other
• how long you’ve lived together - you’ll need to provide proof like council tax bills
• things you pay for together
• whether you’re your partner’s carer

Your previous partners

You’ll need to include details of anyone you previously married or had children with. Include evidence of marriages ending, for example a divorce certificate.

Children

You’ll need to give details of your children (and your partner’s children if you have one). You’ll be asked about all children, even if they’re not applying.

You’ll need to give details of:

• their name
• their nationality
• their date of birth
• their passport details
• who the child normally lives with
• any other people with parental responsibility for your child, for example your step children’s other parents
• how you’re involved in their day to day life
• arrangements you have to see the child - for example the courts have granted you access
• the child’s extended family
• any countries your child has visited or lived in

Your life outside the UK

You’ll need to give details of:

• countries outside the UK you’ve lived in and visited
• family and friends in the countries where you were born or have nationality

 

[globalThailand]

To the OP - it does seem like a massive hurdle, plenty of bureaucracy and hoops to jump but it can be done!  I relocated a nearly 3 years back, takes a little research but got plenty of advice and help of the good people on this forum. 

 

Sounds like we have very similar circumstances.  I'd been in Thailand 13 years, our son was around 2.5yo, mother was getting on, so we decided to make the move.  Sure you can get a decent education in Thailand but you have to pay for it - even the nurseries we looked at were surprisingly pricey.  But for me the fact that education in the UK, while not the best in the world, is regulated gave me some peace of mind.  As for culture shock, I think I was ready to make the move so I didn't really feel it.  Certainly a few things I miss from LOS but I don't regret the move back at all.

 

As for the how to - my first stop was the forum sticky here which has recently been updated

 

Re. the financial requirements you can look at the government guidance here.  There are a few ways you can fulfil the requirement, earnings of £18 600pa (assuming your daughter is British), cash savings (as noted), or a mix of the two.   For myself I had no cash savings to speak of but managed to get a job offer in the UK - I was earning above the requirement in Thailand so it was fairly painless.  

 

Good luck - and keep the questions coming ????

[sawadee1947]

On 10/14/2019 at 3:57 AM, theoldgit said:

you legally married in Thailand, then you're marriage is legal and recognised by the UK authorities.

I doubt it. 

You have to send your marriage cert to UK embassy for registration! 

Anyway it was the procedure in my case ????

[globalThailand]

2 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

I doubt it. 

You have to send your marriage cert to UK embassy for registration! 

Anyway it was the procedure in my case ????

 

Not sure why you had to do that.  Marriage in Thailand is recognised in the UK

 

https://www.gov.uk/marriage-abroad/y/thailand/opposite_sex

 

However, if you want to use your documents for anything official (ie, settlement visa) you will need to get the marriage certificate / licence translated into English (and we had our translations officially certified by the MFA - Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand)

[Nickthegreek]

On 10/14/2019 at 10:27 AM, RichardColeman said:

You do know you can combi on income and savings ? Right ? So if you have a large chunk of dosh then you could take a lower paying job and still meet the criteria.

 

 

I didn't know this, thanks for the heads up 

[Jip99]

6 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

I doubt it. 

You have to send your marriage cert to UK embassy for registration! 

Anyway it was the procedure in my case ????

 

 

That is unnecessary.

 

There is no requirement for the pointless registration at a British embassy.

 

For UK visa applications a translated copy plus a certified copy of the original marriage certificate has been acceptable for several of my friends.

[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, Jip99 said:

There is no requirement for the pointless registration at a British embassy.

It never has been a requirement, though some people wanted to do so, the BE stopped the "service" some time ago.

 

I agree, and I've mentioned before, that it's a good idea to get the marriage certificates translated here as it's far cheaper, though some organisations insist on getting it done themselves, at the applicants expense.

[evadgib]

Good luck to the OP; I will keep any eye on this thread.

 

Does anyone know if there is any additional help (housing?) available to veterans in such circumstances?

[puchooay]

On 10/15/2019 at 6:10 AM, Jip99 said:

 

 

Good luck.

 

Depends on your circumstances but you may wish to consider taking your wife to the UK on a 6 month standard visa. 

 

Gets experience of the visa process and VfS under your belts. It gives her a taste of the UK as well ahead of any subsequent Settlement application.

This is a good point.

 

A quick rundown of my circumstances......Arrived in Thailand at 28. I am now 49. My daughter is nearing 18. After some consideration of my own I decided to ask my wife and daughter a simple question. "Would you like to go and live in England for (unspecified time right now)? The overwhelming response was "YES". So I had to get the ball rolling. 

 

Move on 6 months......I have now been in UK for a month. We have some savings here in UK and I am fortunate that I can live at my parents home for a couple of months. I applied for some jobs in the first week. Not great jobs, in comparison to what I did previously, but jobs that meet the salary criteria for a visa application none the less. After a couple of weeks of reacquainting myself with my old mate " Guinness", I was offered and accepted a job and am now in full time employment.

 

My wife applied for and was successful in getting a visitor visa for UK. The reasons why we applied for this was to get her more experience of UK as she has only previously been here for a 2 week stay. Experience such as weather, the fact that it is not a holiday this time and I will be working and we will not have quite so much disposable income as when we were here last year. She is likely in for a shock with the weather as she will be here for the winter months. If she can handle November, December, January and February here then she can handle anything. ???? 

 

If, after 5 months here, she is still keen on the move we will get the settlement visa application rolling.

 

During those 5 months our daughter will remain in Thailand and complete M6 (grade 12) and graduate from high school. She is happy with these arrangements as she will be with grandmother, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. She has a British passport so no worries for her to move here. In May next year it is planned that she will travel with me to UK as I will be returning to Thailand with my wife, at the end of her visa, for a short holiday and to assist in submitting her settlement visa application. Myself and my daughter will then wait here in UK for my wife to hopefully return with a settlement visa.

 

Things all seem a lot more difficult when trying to plan things ahead of the transition. I found that, although the internet can be a wonderful thing and a source of information, there is nothing quite like being here in UK to get the feel for things.

 

I took the plunge and so far so good. Parts 1,2 and 3 of a 5 part plan successful.

 

To the OP and anyone else thinking of making the move; don't stress, be patient and take things step by step. The temptation is to try and get everything done yesterday. It's not possible and so why think about it. I have put a time scale of 1 year to 18 months to get everything done and for us, as a family, to be living and working here together in UK. 

 

I hope my input can be of assistance to others contemplating a return to UK.

 

GOOD LUCK.

Edited October 16, 2019 by puchooay

[Janner1]

Best advice I can give is do not make a visa application for the wife until you have everything in place and 100% compliant, ie job, money medical certs home, and anything else you think you may need, and then talk with people who have been successful with there own visa application because there is a big stumbling block just waiting for you to miss it or put the wrong info on the forms.

 These change from time to time, and it can cause you to be refused everytime you apply because they always look back at the original application.

Just be sure that EVERYTHING is 100% before you post it to UK immigration.

Good luck hope you are successful

[elliss]

On 10/14/2019 at 9:53 AM, Nickthegreek said:

Thanks Jeff, who knows, my daughter is doing well here, but the issue for me has become the amount of extra lessons I need to pay for due to the Thai teachers being either too lazy or busy to teach. 

       Correct , my adopted son , attends a private school , not cheap.

          Yet,  i pay for private lessons , with his teachers ,  for him to have a better education ..?

            Wish i was going home to Britain ,  less corruption .

 

 

Edited October 16, 2019 by elliss

[Tomahawk21]

good luck with that mate, rather you than me.

[puchooay]

Update....I'm having all sorts of trouble renting a property with my wife. There is a "right to rent" requirement and someone in UK on a visitor visa does not qualify. 

 

Investigating online to find a way around this.

 

Anyone else had this issue? 

 

Thanks

[Orton Rd]

Things must have changed, my mate married an illegal immigrant who had managed to get a nice housing assoc flat in London. After she wangled not being deported she collected 16k for moving out and bought somewhere for 43k, now worth 300k. I guess too many doing similar ended up in a crackdown?

[puchooay]

6 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Things must have changed, my mate married an illegal immigrant who had managed to get a nice housing assoc flat in London. After she wangled not being deported she collected 16k for moving out and bought somewhere for 43k, now worth 300k. I guess too many doing similar ended up in a crackdown?

I would think it more likely that there is more to your mates story than you are telling or than he told you. Illegal immigrants get nothing. The clue is in the word "illegal".

[sanemax]

19 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Update....I'm having all sorts of trouble renting a property with my wife. There is a "right to rent" requirement and someone in UK on a visitor visa does not qualify. 

 

Investigating online to find a way around this.

 

Anyone else had this issue? 

 

Thanks

Why cant your rent it out yourself ?

[saengd]

10 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Why cant your rent it out yourself ?

All residents who will live there must be named.

[BritManToo]

36 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Update....I'm having all sorts of trouble renting a property with my wife. There is a "right to rent" requirement and someone in UK on a visitor visa does not qualify. 

 

Investigating online to find a way around this.

 

Anyone else had this issue? 

 

Thanks

Rent directly from the landlord

Offer to pay 6 months rent up front.

The landlord doesn't have to use the silly Estate agent rules.

[BritManToo]

On 10/16/2019 at 4:52 AM, globalThailand said:

 

Not sure why you had to do that.  Marriage in Thailand is recognised in the UK

 

https://www.gov.uk/marriage-abroad/y/thailand/opposite_sex

 

However, if you want to use your documents for anything official (ie, settlement visa) you will need to get the marriage certificate / licence translated into English (and we had our translations officially certified by the MFA - Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand)

They don't allow that any more.

Foreign marriage certificate + translation now.

[puchooay]

18 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Why cant your rent it out yourself ?

Still need to list "permitted occupants". Seems there is a sticking point there too. Don;t want to do anything that could cause problems for a settlement visa application in the future.

 

I have found a couple of things of interest on the internet. I will pop and see the agent this afternoon.

[sanemax]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Rent directly from the landlord

Offer to pay 6 months rent up front.

The landlord doesn't have to use the silly Estate agent rules.

They are UK Government rule , nothing to do with estate agents .

Its the landlords legal requirement to check the tenants are in the UK legally and bypassing estate agents will not bypass that requirement 

[puchooay]

9 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Rent directly from the landlord

Offer to pay 6 months rent up front.

The landlord doesn't have to use the silly Estate agent rules.

Not silly estate agent rules. UK Government rules.

 

I am already offering to pay 6 months in advance as I have no credit rating due to 21 years away from UK.

[sanemax]

4 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Not silly estate agent rules. UK Government rules.

 

I am already offering to pay 6 months in advance as I have no credit rating due to 21 years away from UK.

What area are you looking in ?

[puchooay]

4 minutes ago, sanemax said:

What area are you looking in ?

Do you mean area in UK?

 

West Sussex.

[saengd]

55 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Not silly estate agent rules. UK Government rules.

 

I am already offering to pay 6 months in advance as I have no credit rating due to 21 years away from UK.

Try talking to the Citizens Advice Bureau perhaps, CAB is good at coming up with answers to these sorts of problems. Alternatively, you are allowed to have visitors stay with you for limited duration, that might be a temporary work around.

Edited October 23, 2019 by saengd

[FritsSikkink]

Try to find a job before you move:

 

https://www.indeed.co.uk/jobs-in-England

 

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, puchooay said:

Not silly estate agent rules. UK Government rules.

I am already offering to pay 6 months in advance as I have no credit rating due to 21 years away from UK.

You're right, I'm wrong

Doesn't apply in NI, Wales or Scotland, or the rest of the EU, only us English are totally f%$#@d again by our own government.