A Rather Rash Decision!?

[jaylord]

I am a dual national of the UK and NZ and last year i moved to NZ and soon after my thai gf joined me on an initial 3mth tourist visa which we later upgraded to a one year work permit. She has now returned to thailand and next week i will return to the UK as i have accepted a good job back home.

I am now wondering what the best option for us is? Should we apply for a 3mth tourist visa for her to come and join me in the UK and then try for a work permit once she is there, or should we try outright for the work permit? I beleive it will be more difficult to get any visa/permits for her than it was for NZ or will the fact that she has already successully applied for similar NZ visa's stand us in good stead?

Appeciate anyones thoughts on this as we are keen to be together again as soon as is possible. Perhaps in hindsight it would have been easier to apply for a UK visa of any sort while she was still in NZ but its too late now she is back in Thailand!

[PhilHarries]

I think the big question everyone will want to know is what do YOU have back in the UK in he form of funds, property, family etc. If she can prove a long term relationship, and it seems she will have no problems there, she'll encounter the same probs other Thai gf's meet. She will probably only qualify for a visitors visa, or fiancee(?), and then will have to provide a reasong to return to Thailand. But you have to demonstrate the you have the wherewithall to support her in the UK.

[jaylord]

Thats the unfortunate thing, in terms of property or funds i have nothing to talk of and neither does she in thailand. All my family are in england so that is one thing but we will struggle to provide any concrete reason for her to return to thailand! I will however, have a good job which comes with an apartment so that is another thing i suppose but otherwise it seems that the fact we have already succefully applied for visas in NZ will count for nothing?

[PhilHarries]

Thats the unfortunate thing, in terms of property or funds i have nothing to talk of and neither does she in thailand. All my family are in england so that is one thing but we will struggle to provide any concrete reason for her to return to thailand! I will however, have a good job which comes with an apartment so that is another thing i suppose but otherwise it seems that the fact we have already succefully applied for visas in NZ will count for nothing?

I'm afraid that will most likely be the case.

You may find you'll have to put up with a few months separation while you set up shop in the UK. Once you have funds in a bank account and a permanent address you stand a better chance but for a visitors visa she'll need evidence of a reason to return.

What work does she do? If she gets herself a job in Thailand and a bit of a bank account, aided by contributions from yourself, that might smooth the way. I believe, but don't quote me, that an employer's letter supporting her visa app and providing evidence of a job kept open for her may be helpful.

[the scouser]

Jaylord,

Does your g/f have a degree, and what job was she doing in NZ?

Scouse.

[jaylord]

She doesnt have a job in thailand just lives up north in the family home! In NZ she had three jobs during her time here - one as a motel cleaner, a waitress in a thai restaurant and finally at a Macdonalds!!! But she did get a reference at Mcd's!! I guess some time apart may be inevitable i just kinda hoped that once she had a succesful visa history things might start to get more easy!

[the scouser]

Jaylord,

You didn't say whether she has a degree. This could be relevant to the ease with which she could get a work permit in the U.K.

However, proceeding on the assumption that she doesn't have a degree, she is going to find it very hard to get a work permit for the U.K. Certainly, she wouldn't get one to fulfil the jobs she's been undertaking in New Zealand. If, however, you have been living together either in Thailand, New Zealand, or both, for two years or more, she may qualify for entry to the U.K. as your unmarried partner, in which case she could work without having to have a specific work permit.

Scouse.