New start back in UK with GF and her daughter.

[rocky123]

Hello helpful friends,

I have lived in Pattaya for 16 years, but now feel its time to leave. I have been with my  girlfriend for 11 years, and we have been bringing up her/our daughter (12yo) in all that time. They have been back with me on holiday to the uk, where I have a home also.

We are not married and the daughter is not my biological child. We have lived together, for 11 years. How can I bring them back permanently ?

 

Many thanks for any positive advice.

 

 

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

Marriage.

[theoldgit]

No real problem with your girlfriend obtaining a settlement visa as I assume you can provide evidence that you’ve been living together in a relationship akin to marriage for the specified period, and can meet the financial and accommodation requirements, and she can pass an English test and show she’s clear of TB.

 

Marriage is really up to you both, it wouldn’t harm her application if you were not married, or enhance it if you were.

 

Her daughter would face more of a problem, it’s not impossible but can be more difficult, I’m sure people who’ve attempted this route will share their experiences.

[rocky123]

2 hours ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

Marriage.

In all these years I havent divorced my UK wife. Always thought I,d just live forever here, without having to re marry. Still would have, but I need a change, Pattaya is not the mecca I loved 16 years ago. Especially at this time. 

[worgeordie]

18 minutes ago, rocky123 said:

In all these years I havent divorced my UK wife. Always thought I,d just live forever here, without having to re marry. Still would have, but I need a change, Pattaya is not the mecca I loved 16 years ago. Especially at this time. 

There are many other places much better than Pattaya  in Thailand, and

I would take any of them ,over than going back to the UK .....

regards worgeordie

[theoldgit]

Off topic post removed.

[Pravda]

I'm pretty sure you need to divorce first. Sure like 100%

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

28 minutes ago, rocky123 said:

In all these years I havent divorced my UK wife. Always thought I,d just live forever here, without having to re marry. Still would have, but I need a change, Pattaya is not the mecca I loved 16 years ago. Especially at this time. 

consider Phuket.

consider Daughter Adoption as next best UK PR route.

consider getting UK PR from UK as family base.

consider initially repeating UK Tourist route.

consider UK Immigration Lawyer advice once back in UK.

[BritManToo]

16 minutes ago, WhiteBuffaloATM said:

consider Daughter Adoption as next best UK PR route.

I don't believe the UK recognises Thai adoption.

(I may be remembering that wrong)

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

Supplemental : 

recommending OP explores with lawyers all UKPR options once back with his ladies in UK as tourists.

until then do nothing to change his family status here in thailand.

suppose for case & personal simplification / rest easy reasons, he perhaps really ought also to Divorce while he’s there too…… revisit the” leave thailand” position at any time too………

[chickenslegs]

36 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I don't believe the UK recognises Thai adoption.

(I may be remembering that wrong)

That was true some years ago. Now Thailand has two types of adoption, one is "local" - recognised in Thailand only, the other is "international" - under the Hague Convention, and recognised in any of the Hague Convention signatory countries (UK and most Western countries and Thailand + others).

 

Not sure that the adoption authorities would approve without the OP being formally divorced from his previous wife, plus many other conditions.

 

 

[bigyin]

I did this 6 years ago but I was married to my Thai partner and bringing them both back wasn’t a problem at all. I have subsequently adopted my daughter and they are both now British citizens. I do suspect that the easiest way to do this would be to get a divorce in the UK and then marry your partner. Everything else will then flow from that very easily. I am not sure how easy it would be if you were not married.

[Tony M]

With respect to previous posters, there is a fair amount of wrong infomation so far.

 

The OP does not have to be divorced if he can evidence that he and his partner have been living together (as stated by theoldgit) in a relationship akin to a marriage for two years.  This is termed as an "unmarried partner".  The evidence required to establish the unmarried partner relationship for at least two years must be provided, as the UKVI is aware of how easy it would be for people just to be able to say that they have been living together for two years.

 

The OP doesn't have to adopt his partner's daughter.  But, the onus will be on the child's mother to evidence that she has had "sole responsibility" for her daughter,and that can be another tricky area in this category of applicaton.

 

The UK does recognise Thailand Hague Convention adoptions, but such adoptions can be complicated and lengthy.  If the OP, his partner and her daughter have been living together for 11 years (etc, etc, for establishing sole responsibility), then there is no reason to even consider adoption at the initial entry clearance stage as the child is applying as a depensdant of her mother. If they wish (as bigyin did) to adopt later, in the UK, then they can.

 

Regarding chickenlegs post, there are also de facto adoptions, which are recognised by the UK, but not strictly applicable in this instance. 

[Robin]

I had a UK friend who married Thai girl with daughter.  They lived in UK for some years.  Daughter went to UK and lived with them.

Friends wife then left him , but daughter stayed on with him.  When friend retired he sold up and moved to Thailand, and later died there.  Daughter stayed on in UK. ( she was at school/college there) and AFIK is till in UK.  I do not know any legal details but thsi shows that it can be done

[The Hammer2021]

12 hours ago, Tony M said:

With respect to previous posters, there is a fair amount of wrong infomation so far.

 

The OP does not have to be divorced if he can evidence that he and his partner have been living together (as stated by theoldgit) in a relationship akin to a marriage for two years.  This is termed as an "unmarried partner".  The evidence required to establish the unmarried partner relationship for at least two years must be provided, as the UKVI is aware of how easy it would be for people just to be able to say that they have been living together for two years.

 

The OP doesn't have to adopt his partner's daughter.  But, the onus will be on the child's mother to evidence that she has had "sole responsibility" for her daughter,and that can be another tricky area in this category of applicaton.

 

The UK does recognise Thailand Hague Convention adoptions, but such adoptions can be complicated and lengthy.  If the OP, his partner and her daughter have been living together for 11 years (etc, etc, for establishing sole responsibility), then there is no reason to even consider adoption at the initial entry clearance stage as the child is applying as a depensdant of her mother. If they wish (as bigyin did) to adopt later, in the UK, then they can.

 

Regarding chickenlegs post, there are also de facto adoptions, which are recognised by the UK, but not strictly applicable in this instance. 

He has to get divorced before he can remarry!

[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, The Hammer2021 said:

He has to get divorced before he can remarry!

 

Nobody has said otherwise.

 

The OP hasn't said that he wants to marry his girlfriend, and as has has been correctly pointed out by a couple of posters, not being married would not prevent the OP's girlfriends from obtaining her visa, and nether would the fact the OP is already married, but seperated.