Going back to UK with Thai wife - visa?

[Batty]

Hello people.  After 17 years in Thailand I think I am about ready to move back to the UK for various reasons.  I have had a few holidays with my wife in the UK over last few years, and without any pressure from me she is ready to move back there with me.  We have a house in Thailand which we will not sell, so if it does not work out back there or she gets severely homesick, we can return.

 

I have absolutley no clue where to start with visas for this, and was hoping for a little advice on the matter?  

 

The aim is to move back there and start a business.  I am not going to say what that business might be because most of you, rightfluly so, will warn me against the idea and say the chances of failure are quite high.  Which they are.  But I am adamant and want to give it a go.  My problem is having no idea where to start with this.  I would like to know what the usual chanels are in relation to applying for a work permit for my wife - a work permit that will relate to a business I hope to set up.

 

I am under the impression that she first needs to stay in the UK on a tourist visa, as she has done a few times already, and during her stay apply for the work permit/long term visa.  Am I right in thinking that?  Or would she need to apply for the work permit before heading back there, in which case I would need to set up the business and act as the employer before she goes back?

 

I am curious how hard this process actually is?  There are tens of thousand of Thais in the Uk with pretty normal jobs, working in resteraunts and cleaning hotel rooms, or at the other end of the spectrum working in corporate positions for large companies.  Either way, it must be atainable given there are so many back there working?  I mean how hard can it be?

 

Any advice appreciated!  I appreciate I have a ton of research to do but this is a jumping point to that, in order to get a general heads up.

[chickenslegs]

This might help ...

https://www.gov.uk/settle-in-the-uk

 

If your wife enters the UK on a visitor visa she will have to leave after a max of 6 months. During her stay she can not work.

 

If you meet the financial qualifications and your wife gets a "settlement" visa, she will not need a work permit.

 

All the info you need is on the gov.uk website.

[Jip99]

As Chickenslegs has indicated, your wife will need to apply for a Settlement Visa if you want her to live and work there.

 

There is no such thing as a tourist visa; for a tourism related visit she will need to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa. These can be for a period of 6 months, 2 years, 5 years or 10 years..... but she can, typically, only stay for 6 months in any one year - obviously, this does not fit in with your Plans for operating a business.

 

Settlement Visa is the answer - plenty of threads in this Visa section of the forum.

 

 

[theoldgit]

 

[wobblyjohn]

My missus was given a 6 month visa but had to pick-up her biometric resident permit ( which acts as a visa ) within a few of days  of arrival the brp lasts 30 months and will allow her to do any job she wishes 

Using the brp as a visa we have been back twice to Thailand and re-entered the UK without a hitch

The whole visa stuff was handled by a visa agent for about 30k baht and took the hassle out of everything 

[keithcresswell]

18 hours ago, wobblyjohn said:

My missus was given a 6 month visa but had to pick-up her biometric resident permit ( which acts as a visa ) within a few of days  of arrival the brp lasts 30 months and will allow her to do any job she wishes 

Using the brp as a visa we have been back twice to Thailand and re-entered the UK without a hitch

The whole visa stuff was handled by a visa agent for about 30k baht and took the hassle out of everything 

Which visa did your missus initially travel on, and how long were your 2 trips to Thailand? I started to lose the will to live when looking at all the rules and regs involved. I think I would have to bite the bullet and use an agent as well.

Edited January 21, 2020 by keithcresswell

[steve187]

18 hours ago, wobblyjohn said:

My missus was given a 6 month visa but had to pick-up her biometric resident permit ( which acts as a visa ) within a few of days  of arrival the brp lasts 30 months and will allow her to do any job she wishes 

Using the brp as a visa we have been back twice to Thailand and re-entered the UK without a hitch

The whole visa stuff was handled by a visa agent for about 30k baht and took the hassle out of everything 

what were the circumstances, passport held, married,  where the misses from etc.

 

op as you have been living together for a long time you need to apply for a family visa see here - https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse, once she has the visa then she can work straight away, financials are required and the visa is best part of £3,000

good luck

[Batty]

Thanks everyone for the replies, much appreciated.  Old Git's breakdown of the process very extensive, thanks.

[Batty]

On 1/20/2020 at 8:19 PM, theoldgit said:

 

That is a really well put together summary old git.

 

 

[wobblyjohn]

I/we are looking forward to reading the 

Further leave to remain

being redrafted