UK Visa

[Shannoblic]

Firstly - if I have posted this in the wrong forum I apologise but would ask the Administrators to be considerate due to the circumstances.

 

Recently I posted a thread about my friend Alan stuck in the UK on a Retirement extension.  Unfortunately, Alan had an accident last week and despite emergency brain surgery was in a coma.  Last night my wife and I were contacted to say the doctors had removed his life support system as he was brain dead.

 

Alan was a long term resident in Thailand using the retirement extension system but returned to the UK in February for personal business reasons and got stuck with the Thai border closures for returning

 

My question is - is there any way in which I, as a UK citizen, can help his partner to get a visa to go to England for his funeral?  They have been partners for many years [and she has visited England with him three times] but never 'legally' married.  They own properties in Pattaya and Pak Nam.  Money is not really a consideration.

 

If anyone can advise me I would be very grateful at this very sad time.

 

Thank you.

[overherebc]

The biggest problem I reckon would be the return to Thailand.

I do admit I am not sure if VFS are still issuing visas. Calling them in BKK or perhaps the 'embassy' may be a good start.

Sorry to hear about your friend.

 

Edited September 27, 2020 by overherebc

[Shannoblic]

Thank you overherebc.  I can try VFS tomorrow but was wondering if an approach to the Embassy might come better from Alan's son in England rather from me who is just a friend?

[ubonjoe]

I have moved your topic to the visas for other countries forum.

[overherebc]

28 minutes ago, Shannoblic said:

Thank you overherebc.  I can try VFS tomorrow but was wondering if an approach to the Embassy might come better from Alan's son in England rather from me who is just a friend?

Maybe a call with a follow up e mail. It's very likely with the Covid letter for extensions being requested at the moment an email might take some time to generate a response.

His son may have to hang on a bit to go through the press 1 for, press 2 for etc.

Recording the call as well might be useful just to remember the name of the person he spoke to and the department.

[Tony M]

The "official" way to go (if there was an official way) is to submit the application asap online and do biometrics at Trendy, also asap. The applicant must include evidence of death and dates/arrangements for the funeral in the application.  The application must be marked/noted/headed as urgent and compassionate. I was recently assured that such applications would be picked up by the ECO/decision-making centre, and are normally dealt with as a matter of urgency.

 

You could, in addition, send an email to the UKVI Contact Centre (now around 2.75 GBP to send an email) and include the application reference number (the GWF number), and request them to pass it urgently to the UKVI in Delhi for immediate consideration.  It is actually shameful that there is no official means of application in cases of emergency such as this.