Thai Gf And Daughter To Visit The Uk

[the gent]

Mahout

I rather think it's policy dictated by Ukvisas. Establish a history of compliance and one is rewarded.

Doubtless, KitKat will have a view.

[paully]

By the way nobody is outside the immigration rules. Nobody is outside the law

So no-one's 'illegal' then and the term is meaningless

[iainiain101]

Well I logged on expecting one or two replies!!

Reading through it, I think that what you are saying is that a 6 month VV would be the most sensible one to apply for at the moment. Reasons being that it should be easier to achieve, it will also show a second compliant visit, it will also lengthen time spent together in relationship, even though it is not the most cost effective method.

I will let you know the outcome when I can

Now to wait for the Visa office to re open, and convince her to travel to Bangkok for finger prints and photo!!

Thanks to you all.

Iain

[Mahout Angrit]

Reading through it, I think that what you are saying is that a 6 month VV would be the most sensible one to apply for at the moment. Reasons being that it should be easier to achieve, it will also show a second compliant visit, it will also lengthen time spent together in relationship, even though it is not the most cost effective method.

Hi Iain

Just a bit more than you bargained for eh!

Actually if you only intend visiting UK once a year then the 6 month VV is the most cost effective way however a longer visa would save the extra trip to Bangkok (however much that costs)

Good luck.

[iainiain101]

Thanks Mahout.

Just one other thing. I was under the impression that the biometric photo and finger printing only need be done once and would then be stored for a number of years and could be used for future applications.

Is this not the case?

Iain

[Koratcat1]

Thanks Mahout.

Just one other thing. I was under the impression that the biometric photo and finger printing only need be done once and would then be stored for a number of years and could be used for future applications.

Is this not the case?

Iain

My wife very recently obtained a visit visa. She was not required to be finger-printed or photographed. I stand to be corrected but I believe that, at the moment, this is only for British passport renewals.

Sorry your thread has been hijacked but some interesting issues have been thrown up.

[Koratcat1]

By the way nobody is outside the immigration rules. Nobody is outside the law

So no-one's 'illegal' then and the term is meaningless

Not at all. The term outside the law applies to those who believe the law does not apply to them. Illegal means to contravene or break the law. Semantics again.

[markr]

Thanks Mahout.

Just one other thing. I was under the impression that the biometric photo and finger printing only need be done once and would then be stored for a number of years and could be used for future applications.

Is this not the case?

Iain

My wife very recently obtained a visit visa. She was not required to be finger-printed or photographed. I stand to be corrected but I believe that, at the moment, this is only for British passport renewals.

Sorry your thread has been hijacked but some interesting issues have been thrown up.

Thought you would have know about that one!

When the Application center reopens on the 21st of june fingerprints will be required

Mark

Edit due to the fact of the application center currently being closed (got me dates wrong)

Edited June 18, 2007 by markr

[Mahout Angrit]

Just one other thing. I was under the impression that the biometric photo and finger printing only need be done once and would then be stored for a number of years and could be used for future applications.

Is this not the case?

It doesn't say that on the VAC site but you will be one of the first. I suspect though, that you will have to submit to photo and fingerprint on every application otherwise the system would not be foolproof again.

Certainly courier and EMS applications have been withdrawn so the applicant will have to present themselves to VAC Bangkok anyway. The passport still can be returned by courier if you wish

EDIT// Additional information added

Edited June 18, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[markr]

Biometric data collection for visa applicants (15/03/07)

The Government’s five-year Strategy for Asylum and Immigration entitled ‘Controlling our borders: making migration work for Britain’ published on 7 February 2005 announced that UKvisas will be collecting biometrics data from all visa applicants, irrespective of nationality. In the forward to the strategy the Prime Minister wrote:

“We will fingerprint visitors who need visas, and those planning longer stays, before they arrive”

By the end of 2007 all applicants, with few exceptions (Heads of State for example), will be required to supply 10 digit fingerscans and a digital photograph when applying for a UK visa.

Why?

We live in a constantly changing world. More travellers, greater mobility, new security threats and new technologies mean we must find new ways of working which keep us all secure but which also benefit customers.

Identity theft is a major and growing problem globally. It helps terrorism and organised crime, and undermines national economies. To protect the integrity of the visa system and to protect our customers, we want to ask every visa applicant around the world to enrol their fingerprints digitally, and to have a digital photograph taken, when they make a visa application.

We are not alone in doing this. Biometrics are becoming the industry standard for identity management. Very soon, we will be able to withdraw money from our bank accounts using fingerscans or iris scans. Increasingly, all passports will have a unique biometric identifier, whether this is fingerscans or an iris scan or a digital photograph. All EU countries are introducing fingerscan biometrics into their visas.

Biometrics is the next natural step in a progression of identifiers from signatures to photographs.

What does it mean for visa applicants?

Biometrics will bring lots of benefits. The immediate impact is that, whereas applicants were previously able to apply for a visa by post or through a travel agent without having to come to a visa section, we will be asking them to come once to the offices of the nearest British mission overseas to enrol their biometric; we will ask on-line applicants to do the same.

It will be simple and quick

Enrolment will simply mean presenting fingers on a glass screen, plus having a digital photograph taken; no ink, no mess; it will take a minute or so.

It will be discreet

We are extremely aware of the need to protect the dignity, privacy and modesty of our applicants; there will be special arrangements for our lady customers where required.

It will not delay your visa application

We guarantee that biometric enrolment will not slow down visa applications; it will add about two minutes to the length of processing time. There will be no additional delay, and no extra security procedures.

We will not require personal interviews of all visa applicants.

What will you do with the information?

The biometric data will be stored on a central government database in the UK and checked against UK government records. It will be handled in accordance with the UK's strict data protection laws.

What are the benefits to visa applicants?

It helps protect applicants and their family from identity theft.

It helps keep visa applicants and their family safe from crime and terrorism through ensuring that we can make travelling to, and being in the UK more secure;

Visa applicants won't be accidentally mistaken for another person with the same or similar name.

In the longer term, applicants’ biometric data will be used to facilitate fast passage through automatic gates of entry at UK ports and airports.

Where are we doing it?

UKvisas has been collecting biometric data (2-fingerscans) from visa applicants in certain countries since 2003. We will be introducing biometric data collection (10-fingerscan and a digital photograph) globally over the next year. It will be introduced gradually with the system going live in a country as soon as it is installed rather than have one global start date.

[Koratcat1]

Using different words, all three agree that there is a risk of being refused entry.

As I said, I do not know a thing about visas to the UK and am reading this only for its amusement value.

The way I see it the thread progressed quite civilly until Koratcat1 introduced himself into it with some aggressive language such as “You were wrong this time - accept it” and “I'm surprised you didn't know this being the expert an' all”. How about cooling it a bit, Koratcat1?

--

Maestro

Point taken.

We weren't agreeing, and still don't.

Whatever. If anyone gives a hoot all the legislation, policy, and most guidance to ECOs, ECMs and IOs is accessible though UK visas and UK Borders and Immigration websites and links therefrom. My area of expertise before retiring.

[paully]

Not at all. The term outside the law applies to those who believe the law does not apply to them. Illegal means to contravene or break the law. Semantics again.

You're a laugh a minute, korat