Uk Visa For My Thai Boyfriend

[thongnaipan]

Hello

I am new on this site. My name is Ellie and i have been with my boyfriend for 1 1/2 years.

I am just here really for advice and opinions on how to get a visa for him to come to england. I have read alot of the topics on this site already but i wanted some opinions my own situation.

I dont really mind if its a holiday visa or a residency visa as i wouldnt mind to bring him for a holiday first to see if he actually likes it here! but the long term plan would be to move here.

Its just the problem is, we both are living in thailand at the moment and dont have any savings. all we have is what he earns, so would that mean i have to return to england first to make more money? And i heard i have to have had a proper job for at least 3 months?

Also, we have been together for 1 1/2 years, as i said, but i dont really have much proof of this, but i dont know what kind of proof counts. i have photos (but not dated) from the beginning, and i made phonecalls and text messages when i was home in england last summer, so would i be able to get the phone company to send proof?

Im just worried as my boyfriend told me not to worry about all this and that he would sort it out, whereas i know its mainly going to have to be down to me! And i want to have more of an idea of how to do it properly the first time without having to appeal.

Well, any help would be great as ive heard it takes a long time to go through the whole process and would like to get started.

Thanks

Ellie xxx

[thongnaipan]

Sorry, i have just noticed you ask for my age and nationality. Well, i am English and only 21, so could my age be a probem too? my boyfriend is 22. Thanks again xxx

[highchol]

Hello

I am new on this site. My name is Ellie and i have been with my boyfriend for 1 1/2 years.

I am just here really for advice and opinions on how to get a visa for him to come to england. I have read alot of the topics on this site already but i wanted some opinions my own situation.

I dont really mind if its a holiday visa or a residency visa as i wouldnt mind to bring him for a holiday first to see if he actually likes it here! but the long term plan would be to move here.

Its just the problem is, we both are living in thailand at the moment and dont have any savings. all we have is what he earns, so would that mean i have to return to england first to make more money? And i heard i have to have had a proper job for at least 3 months?

Also, we have been together for 1 1/2 years, as i said, but i dont really have much proof of this, but i dont know what kind of proof counts. i have photos (but not dated) from the beginning, and i made phonecalls and text messages when i was home in england last summer, so would i be able to get the phone company to send proof?

Im just worried as my boyfriend told me not to worry about all this and that he would sort it out, whereas i know its mainly going to have to be down to me! And i want to have more of an idea of how to do it properly the first time without having to appeal.

Well, any help would be great as ive heard it takes a long time to go through the whole process and would like to get started.

Thanks

Ellie xxx

Its a few years since i went through the visa hurdle and from what I can remember of it and your circumstances as you describe , then it dosnt look promising.

You have no job, no money and you dont know how long you want to go for.

I dont believe your age would be an issue though. It comes down to money and intent. You dont have a compelling reason why your boyfriend would want to return to thailand. In fact the opposite you would ultimately want to settle in UK. How would you intend to support yourselves with no money?

[the scouser]

Can you please clarify where you are? You state that you are currently in Thailand but your IP number resolves to the U.K.

Scouse.

[Mahout Angrit]

Hi Ellie

First you must decide whether your boyfriend wants to visit UK with you, visit you in UK or he wants to settle in the UK with you.

Visiting UK you will need to research a tourist /visitors visa

For Settling in UK you will need to research a settlement visa (however settling in the UK will be difficult (but not impossible) if you are not married besides some of the other specific points you mention)

You can first step your way through this site and this site

You can then use the search function in this forum and search on the words 'visitor' , 'tourist' and if you decide on it 'settlement' and you will find lots of tips, requirements and potential pitfalls.

Then come back here and ask your specific questions

Happy searching

[thongnaipan]

The reason i am only just looking into this is because i returned to england 2 weeks ago as unfortunatly my mother has been ill and i have come home to help look after her.

Before this i was living with my boyfriend since we have been together (jan 2006) except for when i came home last summer to work for 2 months for some extra cash. I have a ticket to go back to thailand for the 16th June and then i will be living with him again.

We havnt commited to any long term plans. Before i left we were both happy about staying in thailand for now and making long term plans when we needed to. Then my mother fell ill and it made me look at things differently as i didnt want to stay away from england indefinatly.

We have spoken about getting a holiday visa so he could come and meet my family and also check out england. I also thought this option sounds less complicated which i thought is quite important as i know nothing on this subect!

He has a job in Thailand, and has been working with his boss for the last 6 years. he also does tattoos but doesnt have his own shop but does them in the bar he works in. I doubt this is enough to prove he will return but i am unsure of how much proof is needed.

Recently we have spoken about trying to get a residency visa, as i may have to look after my mum in the future, and now i am basically trying to find out as much as i can. If this is the path we choose to take then i would obviously get a job here to start saving but i wanted to know the chances of getting the visa, as obviously i dont want to be away from him for very long periods of time. I am just looking for basic information on how to go about it because i am pretty clueless!!

Thanks, let me know if you need to know more :0)

Ellie xxx

[thongnaipan]

Basically, i am trying to decide between a settlement visa or a holiday visa.

I personally thought he should come for a holiday first to meet my family, and also if we did decide to move here it would be good as proof of our relationship (i would fly from bkk to england with him). But if he came here and we decided we didnt want to move here then we would live in thailand and (hopefully be able to afford to) visit england for holidays now and then.

I know i have no saving as i write but also my family could help out with some funds.

But speaking to my boyfriend recently, he wants me to look into a settlement visa as he thinks getting a holiday visa would be a waste of money if we do eventually move here.

We are already engaged so there is no problem about marriage. If thats what is needed we will happily do it, although i didnt want to rush a marriage for the sake of a visa as i wanted it to be a little more romantic!!

[Mahout Angrit]

Ellie

From your last post (hopefully your mum improves) it looks as though you should first go for the visitors visa.

To put it simply...to apply for a visitors visa he need to show

1) He has enough funds for the trip (both ticket and spending in UK)

2) He has accomodation arranged or the funds for hotels or rent while there

3) He has a reason to return to Thailand

The funds and accomodation can be provided by a sponsor which by the sound of it cannot be you. However if your mum or other family have enough accomodation for you both they can sponsor him, they can also sponsor him financially if they are willing but on both counts will have to prove the means to do so.

The most difficult maybe to prove he will return to Thailand at the end of his visit. A job is a definite help (especially in long term employ). Owning property or having committments also helps. It would also help if you were settled and living permanantly in Thailand as with your relationship another reason to return would be you. However you would need to substantiate and give evidence that you were living in Thailand with either a job, rental agreement etc.

Check it all out and come back with your specific questions. Good Luck

[Mahout Angrit]

Ellie

I can't keep up with your postings and changing circumstances

If you want to settle in UK but dont want get married you can apply as a civil partnership but must be able to prove you have lived together 2 years.

or

As you are engaged you can get a Fiancee visa. A Fiancee visa is a type of settlement visa which allows you to go to the UK with the intention of getting married whilst there and then settling. You must get married within 6 months of arriving in UK then the visa will be changed to Leave to Remain in UK without having to leave UK. If you don't marry within 6 months he must return to Thailand.

Edited May 11, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[thongnaipan]

Sorry to be confusing you! but as im writing posts i think you are too, so i am trying to keep up with questions!

If he came to settle, the fiancee visa sounds like what we need, thanks :0)

Its just a question of me being worried they wont accept the application as im not sure i have enough proof of the relationship (what proof is acceptable?). And obviously, the funds would mean i would have to find a decent job here in england.

About the holiday visa though, does his tattoo job count as a business? And as his job is in a bar, (his boss being his friends to) would the letter from her have to be written up formally as it is her only business and not part of a bigger company.

[Mahout Angrit]

Its just a question of me being worried they wont accept the application as im not sure i have enough proof of the relationship (what proof is acceptable?). And obviously, the funds would mean i would have to find a decent job here in england.

You would need to prove your relationship with photos, travelling together, mail to the same address over the entire period, however you can.

Yes you would need to show that you or both of you can support yourselves in UK without recourse to public funds. So you would need to show you can afford accomodation and all the bills and have some left from your earnings. Your husband will be allowed to work in the UK once you are married (not before on a fiancee visa). A relative can offer you free accomodation but yes, truly you would need a job or have the qualifications which would convince the embassy that will have no trouble getting a suitable job.

About the holiday visa though, does his tattoo job count as a business? And as his job is in a bar, (his boss being his friends to) would the letter from her have to be written up formally as it is her only business and not part of a bigger company.

Any job counts and yes the letter confirming his employment would have to look official and genuine, it can be written in Thai. As I said earlier, for a visitors visa the reason to return is usually the most difficult to produce but do search this forum for tips.

[markr]

Any job counts and yesthe letter confirming his employment would have to look official and genuine, it can be written in Thai. As I said earlier, for a visitors visa the reason to return is usually the most difficult to produce but do search this forum for tips.

Hi ellie,

Its going to be quite difficult for you to satisfy the embassy that your boyfriend will return to thailand after he has visited the uk (if its a visit you go for) The part above that mahout has mentioned is very important as the embassy have been very fussy recently with a few applications regarding this point i.e the employment letter looking genuine.

Also the fact that the letter will be from a bar will make them look very closely at it, check out as much of this site as you can, do a search and read all of the up to date stuff on visa's and get yourself really clued up, then come back with specific points and the guys here will sort it for you!

I wish you the best of luck Ellie and I hope mum gets well soon

Mark

Edited May 11, 2007 by markr

[thongnaipan]

Hi again everybody. Thanks for all the advice!

My boyfriend and I have been talking about it and we think we will go for a holiday visa first. Not planning on it any time this year so hopefully we can gather more info on how to prove he will return!

I just have one more question - How much money, roughly, will i/the sponsor need in the bank account to show we can support him for 2 months? Just for the holiday, and not including the flight prices etc. I just dont know how much the embassy think we would need to live on.

Thanks again!

Ellie xxx

[the scouser]

Ellie,

There's no fixed amount which you need to have in the bank. Basically you need to demonstrate that you have sufficient money coming in to meet your normal obligations and cover the cost of your boyfriend's stay. If you are not working, it is possible for a third party to offer financial sponsorship, but they will need to show their ability to do so.

Scouse.

[Mahout Angrit]

Ellie

If you are in Thailand and you intend to travel to UK together then it is likely that you will be joint sponsor with a UK relative. That relative must invite your b/f to stay, state the size of the house and that there is enough accomodation in the house for you to stay, offer food and transport if they can. The financial sponsor, if that is you, should provide bank statements to show that you have sufficient for the other holiday costs. As Scouse says, there is no defined limit and I really dont want to name a limit but you must know practically you can't do much as a tourists in UK for 2 months on less than £2/3000 and if you are returning to Thailand they wouldn't expect you to return with nothing unless you can show you are returning to work.

Ideally you want to show you are living in Thailand as that will be an additional reason for your b/f to return.

Edited May 14, 2007 by Mahout Angrit