Uk Thai Wife Threatened With Deportation

[Aujuba]

I wonder about the kids. Do they have UK passports. Can the kid get the heart op for free? If the kid is not a British citizen can he still get the heart op? This is the part of the story that popped out when I read it. Just curious about this.

As for the mom its all about the law. The truth will be found and justice will be served according to the law.

[samran]

I've just had a go at the test questions.

i'm a fifty year old male, not"brain of Britain", but don't consider myself stupid.

I only got 58%. Will i be allowed back in the country?

What on earth is the relevance of those questions?

Cause there was a conservative scare campaign at the last election about 'immigrants'. The Labour party were forced to come up with tough looking 'me too' policies to get all the Sun and Daily Mail readers on board.

The result? This mess of course. The problem in the UK is that the 'immigration debate' is that is lumps against totally legal and law abiding migrants - sposues, work permit holders, HSMP holders and EU nationals and genuine refugees (the majority), with the illegals - Non-EU Europeans, suspect refugee applicants and the people who arrive on a tourist visa and never leave. Add a layer of 'all migrants live in Ghettos' and you have a wave of anti-migrant feeling to tap at election time.

But, it seemed when I was there during the election (voted Labour by the way), neither party wanted to seperate the genuine legit migrants from the non-legit one. As such, these stupid rules were applied to everyone.

[Amir]

Its crazy. They kick out a traditional Thai wife and let Muslims run around bombing us !

Breaks your heart that what you have said is 100% true.

Surely it should be an British persons right to marry and bring back anyone they want.

Could you please replace "Muslims run around bombing us" with terrorist from arabic countries... would be less globalising all muslim as bad muslim which is not true!!!!!

Thanks

Why should he replace the word Muslim? He was stating a undeniable fact that Muslims were responsible for the the most recent of terrorist incidents. They weren't terrorists from arabic countries, they were muslim terrorists.. sorry if it offends, but at the end of the day if it were the catholics that had done it you would have not requested the poster to change the words used...

Why Not??? Why generalising catholics as catholic terrorists. Ok maybe the good thing would be to say "Muslim terrorist" instead of "muslim run around dropping bombs". I have muslim friends and i am muslim and we run around and are not dropping bombs.

I agree that the mostviolent terrosrist and the one you see on TV are muslims (claim being muslims) but this is not representative of a muslim and surely don't represent ALL muslims in the world nor a quarter nor 5%.

So yes it can offend if the PO says: "let Muslims run around bombing us". because this means muslims in general which is not true.

Edited July 13, 2007 by Amir

[TAWP]

From reading the test it's clear the question has very little real value and only done to force the applicants into reading some arbitrarly facts and answer them. So while the facts are easy to remember if you have had the booklet the questions are worthless and an indication that the immigration-policy in the UK has some real issues.

In the US they atleast try to have a point with the test...

[Scott]

People want a standard set for immigration etc. to keep the people out. Then when the standard is applied across the board there is an uproar.

[yorkieb]

Did anyone see the BBC1 Breakfast nes today about the Thai lady threatened with deportation. This couple (English guy Thai girl) married 2 years ago now with 2 children and living a normal life in the UK. The wife applied to the Home Office to extend her stay but failed some english test and now faces deportation.

Well I have spent 43 year in the Uk and have a first class degree and I failed the stupid online test.

So now our faceless mean spirited Home Office are preparing to rip this family apart, even though one of the kids is awaiting a heart surgery.

The Home office should be distuusted in itself and it make me ashamed of my country. That woman who has just taken over has an uphill struggle. However reading some of the day by day incompitant injustices our wonderfull Home Offie dish out .......... I don't think she has a cat in hel_l's chance.

Mr Brown you need a wake up call.....I disgusted in what your govenmant stands for.

Wait a minute, somethings wrong here.

"The wife applied to the Home Office to extend her stay but failed some english test and now faces deportation."

So this inplies she does not have the correct spouse visa? 2 years is too long for fiance visa?

You say you failed that online test? my god man....an eight yeasr old could pass it. What degree do you hold?

2 years and she never bothered to learn English?

I think there is more to this story. It just doesn't add up. If they are married 2 years, why no spouse visa?

Who said anything about Fiancee, They married 2 years ago. So she is on a spouse visa. And after 2 years in the Uk doesnt she have to apply to extend her stay and sit the naturalisation test.

And the Degree was a BA(hons) and I had a great time thanks

Sorry if my post upset you yorkieb,

Further reading of this thread I now understand the rules have changed since April.

But really, I've read a sample of this test too and with just a bit of study this test is not difficult

Sure just sitting the test cold, there are a couple of curly questions in the there but mate, if one's English levels are just at a basic level and with a bit of prep it's not hard to pass.

No offence taken.......after all you are in exile

And in essence you are correct about the test, my girlfriend did it last night and got 10 out of 24. She can speak 3 languages including english fluently and with prep would breeze it no problem.

However my issue here is (and I know rules are rules and our boarders should and must be protected) that there should be a total overhaul of the Home Office and a move toward delivering a quality service that as tax payer we deserve

[seonai]

Sgunn65 and Amir - keep it on topic please

[Cobalt60]

The problem, as far as I can see, is that of a faceless machine churning out its rule based decisions. No common sense employed or human interaction.

I saw this family interviewed on local television news last night. As far as I could see a normal, nice family, two good looking young children, living their lives and upseting no one.

So why cant the government machine rely on someone local having a quick check and saying, no problem ? Instead they treat everyone as a potential threat and ruin nice peoples lives and burden them with financial and emotional worry.

This government is moving more and more towards a big brother, cctv state by the day.

[Jimjim]

What percentage do you need to pass? I got 64% on that practice test and I'm not British and have only lived there one year of my life. I'm quite happy with my result considering my position.

[yorkieb]

What percentage do you need to pass? I got 64% on that practice test and I'm not British and have only lived there one year of my life. I'm quite happy with my result considering my position.

Jimjim - Sorry mate you crashed and burned........time to head for the airport I am afraid.

[yorkieb]

The problem, as far as I can see, is that of a faceless machine churning out its rule based decisions. No common sense employed or human interaction.

I saw this family interviewed on local television news last night. As far as I could see a normal, nice family, two good looking young children, living their lives and upseting no one.

So why cant the government machine rely on someone local having a quick check and saying, no problem ? Instead they treat everyone as a potential threat and ruin nice peoples lives and burden them with financial and emotional worry.

This government is moving more and more towards a big brother, cctv state by the day.

Cobalt60 my friend I think your post puts this whole thread in a nutshell.

Concisely put and maybe time to close.

Yorkie

[Jimjim]

What percentage do you need to pass? I got 64% on that practice test and I'm not British and have only lived there one year of my life. I'm quite happy with my result considering my position.

Jimjim - Sorry mate you crashed and burned........time to head for the airport I am afraid.

No need. I'm not trying to get citizenship in the U.K. But what's the minimum needed to pass?

[Eastender]

I've previously spent a bit of time researching this subject. My wife recently took and passed the test and I've had a few conversations with the Home Office about it. I'd like to confirm and deny some of the previous posts.

I missed the TV prog, but failing the test does not mean one will be deported, despite what they say on the TV. But well done to those people for bringing it to national attenton. The test is needed for ILR and citizenship, those wanting to extend their spouse visa can apply for an extension, just as they always could. The Home Office are vague about how long extensions are given for so I assume they vary from case to case. Of course, taking and passing the test is the cheapest and most convenient route in the long term.

Secondly the test is hard. I copied and gave out tests (first edition) to a number of people in my office, one out of about five passed - I didn't. My wife studied and passed despite having fairly basic English. She's just very determined but also just associated words with answers. So she may be able to tell you which countires in the UK have proportional representation but she doesn't know what it is. She took the first edition test. It's since been revised and in my opinion the second test has simpler English and covers more relevant subjects.

The pass mark is 75% and stats show that 60 something percent of people pass. While I was in a test centre there were various nationalities, some passed some failed, but most had better English that my wife.

There are a few exceptions to those who need to take the test. A female Thai friend in the UK recently lost her husband while she was on a spouse visa. Surprisingly she is excempt from the test and has applied for ILR.

BUT remember, there is a different option to sitting this test, and that is studying 'English with Citizenship', courses available at many colleges.

If this seems like a lot of work to be able to stay in one country remember how hard it is for most foreigners to stay in Thailand. I'm working full time but also studying a degree course from home (with the UK Open University) so I'm able to live and teach in Thailand in the future. This will take about four years of hard study.

As someone previously said, if your partner is in the UK on a spouse visa, start studying now. I'm presently setting up a website to give advice on the test, among other things. It's in it's very early stages but if you want a link please pm me.

[mellow1]

It is extremely sad that a family is being separated over the outcome of this test.It seems keeping families together, for the benefit of society, or the individuals of concern, is not of great interest for many governments.There seems to be a certain humanitarian factor missing with many of these rules.

When my wife joined me in the US.(after waiting 4 months for approval),she got a green card right away,we never saw an immigration person ever again, for the 7 years we lived there together,prior to moving here.Unfortunately now that we live in the LOS,I see them quite a lot.Not that I don't like them,many of these people are nice enough,but it is at times inconvenient,and after awhile does become a drag.But the rules are the rules,and we all have to accept that fact.A few years ago, I asked the immigration officer, what would happen to a farang with a wife and children,if for some reason he could not meet the monetary requirements for his visa(could of had to pay out money for a child's surgery for example).I was told that when we came,we signed a letter saying we understand the rules(something to that effect).Then I asked,what about the wife and children.The officer couldn't answer that.They seemed sympathetic about such a scenario,but of course they didn't write up the rules.Such a person would have to leave the country .

It is nice to see an outpouring of sympathy for this Thai lady and the situation her family is facing.

It does however make me wonder why,on an earlier thread where a young man wrote a story about his Thai Citizenship Application,he got almost no sympathy at all,and for the most part,very rough treatment.

I suppose its because we are all so chivalrous towards the ladies,and maybe not as caring about a similar plight in a man.