So Confused About Settlement Visa

[wolfy66]

Hi there, I'm completely naive about all this, i have been in contact with my Thai lady since April this year. we plan to marry when i visit her at the end of July. Now with regards to the settlement visa i dont know what to do, everyone seems to give u different advice!! We want to apply on our own to keep the costs down, but when i speak to independent visa agents they try to tell me its almost impossible to apply for visa on our own because of new legislation! Some companys say u cant apply for settlement visa until you have known each other 6 months then it only takes 7 days to get after applying? Embassy website doesnt mention anything about waiting until you have known each other 6 months, however settlement visa can take up to 3 months to get after applying? my Thai lady has no 'baggage' she is single, never married, no kids, no debts, lives with parents, and has good job as teacher.

Then also everyone has different views on what u need to support the application! Please can someone shed some light on all this for me? What exact stuff do i need to put the application in ourselves and how long does it take? and do i really need to pay £600 for an agency to apply for us? I want to Marry in July apply for visa and hope its through by Oct for her to come live with me in UK, is this possible??

Many thx, Rog

[Mahout Angrit]

Have you met her yet?

You can start by using the search function on this forum on the word "settlement" then ask specific questions.

[wolfy66]

Thx I will! No I plan 1st visit at the end of this month.

[Jersey_UK]

wolfy66

I sympathise with your first post!

I will post a few words of encouragement in the absence of any specific questions that are beyond my expertise to give advise on.

Note that I have not actually done a SV application yet, but been reading this site on and off for 18 months (never been one to rush into things me!)...........from what I have gathered the process is fairly straightforward, it is just that the details are "complicated" by being based on each of the applicants and sponsors circumstances.....and off course no 2 couples circumstances are 100% identical so it is not possible to produce 100% completed documents and just change the names of the applicants..........but in the sticky posts above their are documents are a good place to start.........most people seem to have a crack at putting stuff together, and then posting specific questions.

One of the keys seems to be for the SV application to contain evidence of what is claimed (fair enuf I suppose) - and I suggest that you get a good handle on the SV requirements as soon as you can so can start collecting or creating proof as part of your normal relationship.......e.g neither of us are actually that interested in writing or receiving letters nor on taking photos, nor on having much to do with family - but we have made the effort for SV purposes.........to write, have photos taken of us and for me to meet family (and get some photos).......but we didn't go so far as to invite them to the wedding

With regard to using agencies, I would LOVE to dump this accross to an agency or a lawyer (to talk me and the missus through things step by step and hand hold us whilst we provide them with the info and paperwork needed for OUR application) ......but from what I have read here and heard elsewhere down in Thailand they do seem to either be on a learning curve themselves, miss out important information because they did not understand it's importance or can simply make things up to make the SV look better..........the latter in Embassy terms means the applicant is lying and not only will probably (defiantely?) lead to the Visa being rejected but appears also to make further visa applications far more difficult.

The annoying thing is that I am sure their are companies out their who do have a good track record - but I do have trust issues..........and for me far too important to just take a punt.

Any Bon Voyage...........

[wolfy66]

Thanks, appreciate your time, I am learning slowly, yes i think maybe best not to use an agency!