UK tourist visa

[BLACKJACK2]

I want to apply for a visa for my wife for the middle of next year, fingers crossed that travel is back to some normality. Bearing in mind I am in the UK, my wife in Thailand and has zero computer skills, is an agent my best option. Any constructive advice welcome.

[theoldgit]

The use of an agent can be reassuring for some applicants, though you can do most of the donkey work from the UK if you wished.

 

If she does use an agent pick a reputable one, preferably one that’s registered with OISC in the UK, whilst that’s not a legal requirement here in Thailand, there are a lot of cowboys claiming to be reputable agents.

[BLACKJACK2]

I thought it was all done online now. The only thing I can really provide from this side is a sponsorship letter.

[BLACKJACK2]

I have just been looking at an agency Facebook page and theirs a post about 2-5-10yr visa, is it as easy to get a 10yr as the 1yr, would save a lot of hassle to go that route.

[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, BLACKJACK2 said:

I thought it was all done online now. The only thing I can really provide from this side is a sponsorship letter.

 

Yes, applications are submitted online, but there's really nothing to prevent you assiting your wife by submitting the forms on her behalf, the application would still be hers and she would be responsible for its content, and of course know what the content is, and she would need to attend the Visa Application Centre.

Supporting docs can be uploaded from anywhere.

A reputable agent would certainly be a good option.

[theoldgit]

Off topic post removed, this isn't the place to vent your anger.

 

I've also needed to remove a couple of helpful posts, my apologies TM. 

[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, BLACKJACK2 said:

I have just been looking at an agency Facebook page and theirs a post about 2-5-10yr visa, is it as easy to get a 10yr as the 1yr, would save a lot of hassle to go that route.

 

A Standard Visit Visa is valid for six months, longer term visas are available to those who can demonstrate a valid and compelling reason to visit the UK regularly, even to visit.

Entry Clearance Officers will be looking at an applicants travel history, whilst it's certainly a better option, though probably not cost effective, your wife will have needed a few visits under her belt before a longer term visa is issued.

Be aware that if your wife applies, and pays, for a longer term visa, the ECO can decide to issue a shorter term visa, in which case there's no refund of the extra, quite considerable, cost.
It can be more difficult for an applicant living in Thailand, or any other visa Nationals country, where the spouse lives in the UK to satisfy the ECO that they will return to their home country at the conclusion of their visit.

[BLACKJACK2]

Thanks theoldgit I know you give a lot of sound advice. The reason for the 10yr visa is really in case my wife needed to get to the UK in a hurry. A little bit of background. I have been with my wife 20yrs and we have an 18yr old son. When you applied at the embassy we had 5 visas. They then outsourced to Regents House, 2007 I think we applied and got rejected, the whole experience was terrible and I said I would never apply again. Since then my parents have been travelling to Thailand. Our son has just started college in UK and my parents flying days are over, both in there late eighties. My wife will now have to start going to the UK again. Will we need the details of previous applications, not sure if we have any old paperwork.

[theoldgit]

14 hours ago, BLACKJACK2 said:

......... The reason for the 10yr visa is really in case my wife needed to get to the UK in a hurry. A little bit of background. I have been with my wife 20yrs and we have an 18yr old son. When you applied at the embassy we had 5 visas. They then outsourced to Regents House, 2007 I think we applied and got rejected, the whole experience was terrible and I said I would never apply again.............

 

Just to be clear the outsourcing at Regent and subsequently at Trendy was/is only for the receiving of supporting evidence and now just the biometric capture, the actual decision making is carried out by UKVI staff, either in India or the UK.

 

My wife has a longer term visa, it's not very cost effective, especially with the difficulties of the last couple of years, but we took the same view as you that it gave us the peace of mind, should we need to travel to the UK in a hurry.

 

We live in Thailand so it might be easier to satisfy the decision maker that my wife would return to our home here, rather than you guys who live in different parts of the world, there will always be an element of doubt in the decision makers eyes, that doesn't mean that an application would fail, but it's a risk.

 

You will not need the previous paper work, her application will be based of her current circumstances, she will would need to submit the relevant pages of her previous pages though.