Is Applying for Thai Girlfriend to stay in UK for 6 months Risky?

[Paul UK]

Hi - I've visited my girlfriend in Thailand three times between July 2019 and March 2020.  She successfully got a Uk visa March 2020 and flew back to Uk with me.  Due to Covid, she lost her job and ended up staying in Uk for 7 months - got exceptional assurance granted for the extra time on top of the 6 month visa.

 

I had hoped to visit Thailand this Spring, but Uk lockdown prevented this.  Now, as I have UK commitments for some of rest of 2021, planning to apply for my girlfriend to come to Uk in July 2021 for 6 months, in the hope that by January, things may be better in Thailand re quarantine, vaccinations etc.

 

I understand that they don't like people taking extended periods of time in UK, but wanted advise as to whether planning a 6 month second  visit is wise, or whether 6 months is too long and likely to be rejected.  I plan to include about future plans to visit Schengen countries (her sister is in Switzerland), and my hope to return with her to Thailand in January (I will include my previous passport stamps to show my regular travel to Thailand.

 

Thanks for any advice - much appreciated!

[theoldgit]

It's not that "they don't like people taking extended periods of time in the UK" it's that by doing so your girlfriend may have difficulty in convincing the decision maker that she's a genuine tourist and that she has strong ties to Thailand

 

Certainly the Entry Clearance Officer will take into account the disproportionate amount of time she intends spending in the UK when she makes her application, as will the Border Force Officer if and when she makes it to the UK Border.

 

Both will need to assess whether she intends to make the UK her home throught frequent and suceesive visits, it's really up to her to prove otherwise. Whilst decision makers are well aware of the loss of income and employment prospects as a result of the pandemic, Thailand isn't alone in that, they will certainly need convincing that she's a genuine visitor, I don't know many visitors who are planning a six month holiday, especially those seeking employment.

 

I really don't think there's a right and wrong answer to your question.

[Paul UK]

Hi, thanks very much for your thoughts on this issue - I was thinking along the same lines, so will do my best to get across that she is not aiming to live in UK via the visas.

 

Keep safe,

 

Paul

[Brierley]

I'm not sure it's necessary to state that her visit is for six months. The visa is fixed length so she could elect to stay for two weeks or six months and it wouldn't change matters except the ECO might view a two week visit more favorably. In the past I have said that my wife will visit for a few weeks, had she stayed for a few months I doubt that would be held against her when she next applied for a visa. Perhaps you might consider saying that she will visit for a few months rather than the maximum time she is allowed to stay.

[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, Brierley said:

I'm not sure it's necessary to state that her visit is for six months. The visa is fixed length so she could elect to stay for two weeks or six months and it wouldn't change matters except the ECO might view a two week visit more favorably. In the past I have said that my wife will visit for a few weeks, had she stayed for a few months I doubt that would be held against her when she next applied for a visa. Perhaps you might consider saying that she will visit for a few months rather than the maximum time she is allowed to stay.

 

The questions at the begining on the application form include "How long do you intend to stay in the UK", "On what date do you wish to travel to the UK" and "on what date will you leave the UK".

 

The ECO will use this information along with the ties to the applicants home country as part of their assessment as to they believe that, on the balance of probablities, the applicant will leave the UK as planned.

 

Yes you're correct in saying that basic UK Visas are routinely issued with a six month validity, but they are not a fixed length, if when assessing the evidence supplied by the applicant the ECO believes a shorter length is more appropriate, they can grant entry clearance for the duration of the proposed visit the applicant has declared.

 

Whilst this is not common, it can, and does happen, and whilst your wife has stated that she would be staying for a few weeks, and was granted entry clearance, that's not always the case.

 

The other thing to bare in mind is that if an applicant stated in their application that they intended to stay in the UK for a few weeks and then stayed for the full six month validity of the visa, whilst they wouldn't be in breach of Immigration Rules, it may well cause the ECO to doubt the validity of the reasons to return in any future application, this is why it's advisable to give the reason for any "overstay" during a previous visit in any subsequent application.