UK Spouse Vìsa for Thai wife.

[stefan2519]

Hi all,

Has anyone applied recently?
I've read lots on the gov website and also some of the agent websites.
Obviously is an agent worth it?
Depending on the price and running back and forth from bkk I'm guessing it would be?

If that's the case which are some of the better agents if anyone has used some?

Thanks!

 

[hotandsticky]

So, you are married and want to move your wife to the UK permanently?

 

Are you familiar with the UKVI criteria a Settlement visa? 

If the answers are “yes” then it is unlikely that you will need the services of an agent.

[youreavinalaff]

1 hour ago, stefan2519 said:

Hi all,

Has anyone applied recently?
I've read lots on the gov website and also some of the agent websites.
Obviously is an agent worth it?
Depending on the price and running back and forth from bkk I'm guessing it would be?

If that's the case which are some of the better agents if anyone has used some?

Thanks!

There is no " running back and forth from BKK".

 

One visit to VFS is all it takes. You'll need to find out where to take the English test and TB test. 

 

The UKVI website is very straight forward. Proof of marriage, living together for past 2 years and proof of finances is about it. No need for an agent. 

Edited June 11, 2023 by youreavinalaff

[stefan2519]

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

So, you are married and want to move your wife to the UK permanently?

 

Are you familiar with the UKVI criteria a Settlement visa? 

If the answers are “yes” then it is unlikely that you will need the services of an agent.

Correct.
And for now while our children do secondary school also correct.
Any tips advice?

[stefan2519]

1 hour ago, youreavinalaff said:

There is no " running back and forth from BKK".

 

One visit to VFS is all it takes. You'll need to find out where to take the English test and TB test. 

 

The UKVI website is very straight forward. Proof of marriage, living together for past 2 years and proof of finances is about it. No need for an agent. 

Live in the south and getting the kids their British passports was and has been a total nightmare of trips and waiting extended periods with little to no updates doing it myself.

 

Tips and advice appreciated.

[youreavinalaff]

17 minutes ago, stefan2519 said:

Live in the south and getting the kids their British passports was and has been a total nightmare of trips and waiting extended periods with little to no updates doing it myself.

 

Tips and advice appreciated.

Get online and start the application. Upload the documents yourself.

 

Find out the nearest place for your wife to have a TB test and English test.

 

That's the start. You'll need to book an appointment at VFS too. 

 

If memory serves me well you can upload documents even after you have completed and paid for the application. Therefore, if Bangkok is where the TB and English test need to be taken, you could do these at the same time, make it a 3 day trip, as you are in Bangkok to visit VFS.

 

Note, if you use an agent you still have to go through the same process. All the agent will do is check you have the correct documents. You can do that yourself by downloading the UKVI checklist.

[ian carman]

When I done this about 10 years ago my biggest issue was the English test .All the test centres seemed to only offer tests at a far higher standard then was required and I couldn’t find one that just did the A1 test .Eventually after fairly twice we did the test in the uk ( on tourist visa)

[brewsterbudgen]

4 hours ago, ian carman said:

When I done this about 10 years ago my biggest issue was the English test .All the test centres seemed to only offer tests at a far higher standard then was required and I couldn’t find one that just did the A1 test .Eventually after fairly twice we did the test in the uk ( on tourist visa)

In Thailand you can only do the A1 IELTS Life Skills test at either IDP or The British Council.  Unfortunately, I think both only have UKVI approved Test Centres in Bangkok. 

[Toby1947]

10 hours ago, ian carman said:

When I done this about 10 years ago my biggest issue was the English test .All the test centres seemed to only offer tests at a far higher standard then was required and I couldn’t find one that just did the A1 test .Eventually after fairly twice we did the test in the uk ( on tourist 

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by Toby1947

[theoldgit]

13 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

There is no " running back and forth from BKK".

 

One visit to VFS is all it takes. You'll need to find out where to take the English test and TB test. 

 

The UKVI website is very straight forward. Proof of marriage, living together for past 2 years and proof of finances is about it. No need for an agent. 

Indeed there is no running back and forth to and from Bangkok, though the applicant does need to visit the Visa Application Centre once to have their biometrics captured and deposit their passport, and this is required whether an agent is used or not.

 

A visit to Bangkok may also be required for an English and TB tests, again using an agent doesn’t cancel this requirement.

 

Whilst the use of an agent is certainly not required, basically the applicant qualifies or not, and though the application process isn’t arduous, some applicants prefer the comfort that hand holding by an agent provides.

 

A married couple don’t have to prove they’ve been living together for two years, though an unmarried couple living in a subsisting relationship would need to do so.

[youreavinalaff]

6 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

Indeed there is no running back and forth to and from Bangkok, though the applicant does need to visit the Visa Application Centre once to have their biometrics captured and deposit their passport, and this is required whether an agent is used or not.

 

A visit to Bangkok may also be required for an English and TB tests, again using an agent doesn’t cancel this requirement.

 

Whilst the use of an agent is certainly not required, basically the applicant qualifies or not, and though the application process isn’t arduous, some applicants prefer the comfort that hand holding by an agent provides.

 

A married couple don’t have to prove they’ve been living together for two years, though an unmarried couple living in a subsisting relationship would need to do so.

When my wife applied we were asked for proof of living at same address. Utility bills, bank statements, council tax statements.......

 

She did apply in UK, as she was stuck here on a visitor visa and applied under temporary rules due to Covid19 travel restrictions. 

 

Maybe that made a difference, I don't know.

Edited June 12, 2023 by youreavinalaff

[Chelseafan]

On 6/12/2023 at 9:38 AM, theoldgit said:

A married couple don’t have to prove they’ve been living together for two years, though an unmarried couple living in a subsisting relationship would need to do so.

So on that note. I've been married for 3 and a half years and will retire in about 5 years to Thailand. We registered with the Amphur and did the affirmation at the British Embassy in Bangkok.

 

I live in the UK and visit Thailand twice a year and my wife lives in Thailand and travels to UK for 5-6 months a year on a 2 year visa. We've done this visa twice now. This setup works for us as she still has family in Thailand including a 7 year old daughter and wasn't really committed to living in the UK (who can blame her!) mainly because of the weather!

 

After serious consideration, we've discussed whether we should go through the spouse visa route which will allow her to stay in the UK for 5 years with a indefinte right to remain at the end however we still want the flexibility of her being able to spend time in Thailand through the year and visit me in the UK for longer periods of time. The visa will also allow her to pickup causal work and for me, the added bonus is that we don't have to keep applying for visas every two years

 

Am I right in saying that she only has to spend more than 180 days in the UK in any given year and will we be penalised if we play the system like this?

 

Secondly, we cannot prove we have been living together other than the 5-6 months a year she is in the UK, will that go against us ?

 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2023 by Chelseafan

[theoldgit]

@chelsea fanmy point was made to clarify the point made by another poster who stated that a married couple applying for a Spouse Visa would need to demonstrate that they’d been living together for two years, as well as being married, that wasn’t correct, many successfully apply for spouse visas when one lives overseas and the other in the UK.

l think that your wife has been pretty lucky that she has in effect been living in the UK for almost half of the year when entering as a visitor, Border Force Officers are supposed to ensure that a visitor is not living the UK using “regular and successive visits” and whilst there is no set time frame for this, she has been lucky, has she ever been challenged?

The Spouse, aka Settlement, Visa is certainly an option, albeit an expensive one.

it would cost thousands of pounds for the initial application, which would allow her to remain in the UK for thirty months, and a similar amount to apply for FLR after 30 months to allow her to remain for the remainder of the five years.

l’m not sure if the time spent out of the UK during the initial thirty months would be an issue during her FLR application, l think that’s more for the ILR application, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

You mentioned the affirmation at the UK Embassy, that was only required to allow you to marry in Thailand, it’s not used for a Settlement application, though you do need to provide details and evidence of any previous marriages with the settlement application.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[hotandsticky]

6 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

@chelsea fanmy point was made to clarify the point made by another poster who stated that a married couple applying for a Spouse Visa would need to demonstrate that they’d been living together for two years, as well as being married, that wasn’t correct, many successfully apply for spouse visas when one lives overseas and the other in the UK.

l think that your wife has been pretty lucky that she has in effect been living in the UK for almost half of the year when entering as a visitor, Border Force Officers are supposed to ensure that a visitor is not living the UK using “regular and successive visits” and whilst there is no set time frame for this, she has been lucky, has she ever been challenged?

The Spouse, aka Settlement, Visa is certainly an option, albeit an expensive one.

it would cost thousands of pounds for the initial application, which would allow her to remain in the UK for thirty months, and a similar amount to apply for FLR after 30 months to allow her to remain for the remainder of the five years.

l’m not sure if the time spent out of the UK during the initial thirty months would be an issue during her FLR application, l think that’s more for the ILR application, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

You mentioned the affirmation at the UK Embassy, that was only required to allow you to marry in Thailand, it’s not used for a Settlement application, though you do need to provide details and evidence of any previous marriages with the settlement application.

Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

I agree with all the above.

 

However, I find it slightly incongruous that UKVI issue standard visitor visas for a 6 month period (and state a maximum stay period of 180 days) then harangue Thai ladies traveling alone for making ‘regular and successive visits’.

 

I have a friend who has chosen to educate his Thai son in the U.K. but is not in a financial position to settle his Thai wife. She stays for approximately 5 months each year so she can spend time with her husband and son. He visits Thailand for approximately 2 months each year. That way ‘the family’ are able to spend 7/8 months together.

 

I don’t see anything wrong with that.

 

Another friend spends 6 months in Thailand and May to October in the UK; his wife stays with him all the time……I really don’t see why 180/185 days UK/Thailand should be an issue.

[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

I really don’t see why 180/185 days UK/Thailand should be an issue.

I agree with you wholeheartedly, and l doubt if in the two instances you refer to the Border Force Officer, and their manager, would deny entry, but they might.

l think this is the problem that the “one size fits all” range of visas generates.

[isnakebite]

On 6/11/2023 at 10:42 PM, ian carman said:

When I done this about 10 years ago my biggest issue was the English test .All the test centres seemed to only offer tests at a far higher standard then was required and I couldn’t find one that just did the A1 test .Eventually after fairly twice we did the test in the uk ( on tourist visa)

We did the exact same thing. My wife failed the A1 test in the Landmark Hotel in BKK. I told a friend and he said that his wife had the very same problem at the same hotel a year before so he flew her over and take the test on a holiday visa. I made the point to have my wife do the same when she came over for the first time for a holiday, meet the family etc and she passed quite significantly.

 

Then Covid 19 happened. When we came to reapply she took the test again at the Landmark. She failed again but they didn't explain why. I complained informing that that she had passed in the UK 2 years before and was told that they don't have to, to which I replied, what is the point of having the section for "feedback" on the form? The London test centre gave feedback but I couldn't find it as evidence to strengthen my argument for a free retest. My wife then flew over the next month, passed the test with distinction.

 

It's almost like the people at the Landmark are out of touch but the people in London have a better perception of what is actually required in the UK. Though writing that my mum tells me her local Tesco store is currently full of Tesco employees who tell her they "don't speak English" when she wants to ask them something so she's miffed that her daughter in law has to go through so much trouble.

 

It's annoying but taking the A1 test in the UK, or at the very least avoiding the Landmark Hotel is worth considering for spouse visas.

Edited July 23, 2023 by isnakebite