Immigration Language Problems

[jackmuu]

Any ideas or experiences out there?

How does a Thai speaker get on at immigration in the UK if they know no (or little) English. If you are travelling with them as a UK citizen can you queue with them to assist in translation?

[teacup]

Many moons ago, I was on my way “alone” to the US for my study for the first time, and traveling with the Thai Airways. Once landed, I got help from one of the lovely thai flight attendants throughout the immigration process – from filling out the arrival card to getting through the immigration gate and dealing with the immigration officer.

Try asking them for assistance and I'm sure they will be gladly to help your wife/gf out

[Mahout Angrit]

If you are travelling with them as a UK citizen can you queue with them to assist in translation?

Yes , and I guess you wont be able to send them to do the shopping either

Good luck

[the scouser]

The Borders and Immigration Agency encourages its staff to learn foreign languages and, as an incentive, pays a language allowance if the member of staff passes an exam set by the Institute of Linguists. They even paid for me to go and learn Thai at SOAS for three years. It is possible, therefore, that there might be a Thai-speaking immigration officer on duty. If not, the language barrier will only become an issue if there is a problem, and, in this eventuality, an interpreter will be provided by the BIA.

I once had a rather surly bloke come up to me at immigration at Gatwick, accompanying his Thai wife who was arriving in the UK for the first time. Sneeringly he said that there's no point me asking her any questions as she only spoke Thai, at which point I rattled off a few questions in Thai, stamped the passport and enquired what she was doing with a lumpen oaf, which made her giggle. The British oik was none the wiser. The lesson being, don't assume that no UK immigration officer is able to speak Thai.

Scouse.