VISA APPLICATION - Single Entry Spousal Visa from UK Embassy London

[KruAlastair]

Sorry if this has been asked before.  I emailed them 3 days ago and am yet to receive a response. I am new to the process of applying for a visa in my own country, usually I do it in one of the neighboring countries of Thailand.  Truth is I'm only in the UK visiting for a couple of months.  I am actually a resident in Thailand and I plan to extend this by 12 months when I'm there.  Just some questions about some of the docs they need, as I am not a resident of UK.  

 

• Document indicating current location
  I understand that utility bills (such as electricity, gas, or mobile phone) showing my name and address are required. So will a copy of the front and back of my UK  driver's licence card with my address on suffice?  This is actually an old address - I am not currently at the address stated on my UK driver's licence. Will this be an issue?

• Financial evidence showing monthly income So I recieve all my money in Euros through Wise, working for a European company, so I can't really show this, even though it has a UK address on the statement, it wouldn't match the one on my driver's licence.  Would they instead accept the bank balance of my Thai savings account in Thai baht? I have had 400k THB sitting there for a couple of months already ready to show.  How long must it be sitting there for it to be accepted?  And if I show this, do I still have to show UK bank statements showing monthly salaries?

 

Sorry again if this has already been asked. 

[BrandonJT]

49 minutes ago, KruAlastair said:

Sorry if this has been asked before.  I emailed them 3 days ago and am yet to receive a response. I am new to the process of applying for a visa in my own country, usually I do it in one of the neighboring countries of Thailand.  Truth is I'm only in the UK visiting for a couple of months.  I am actually a resident in Thailand and I plan to extend this by 12 months when I'm there.  Just some questions about some of the docs they need, as I am not a resident of UK.  

 

• Document indicating current location
  I understand that utility bills (such as electricity, gas, or mobile phone) showing my name and address are required. So will a copy of the front and back of my UK  driver's licence card with my address on suffice?  This is actually an old address - I am not currently at the address stated on my UK driver's licence. Will this be an issue?

• Financial evidence showing monthly income So I recieve all my money in Euros through Wise, working for a European company, so I can't really show this, even though it has a UK address on the statement, it wouldn't match the one on my driver's licence.  Would they instead accept the bank balance of my Thai savings account in Thai baht? I have had 400k THB sitting there for a couple of months already ready to show.  How long must it be sitting there for it to be accepted?  And if I show this, do I still have to show UK bank statements showing monthly salaries?

 

Sorry again if this has already been asked. 

Your UK drivers license should be acceptable. It's one of the recommended things to use for this if it has an address on it (some country DLs do not have an address).

 

There shouldn't be any issues accepting a bank statement from a Thai bank account showing the required visa funds.

[DrJack54]

OP, correct answer above.

You mention that you have a Thai bank account with 400k baht.

Assume that you are aware that you can enter Thailand visa exempt and obtain a Non O (Thai spouse) at your local immigration office and subsequent 12 month extension. 

 

Obtaining a Non O eVisa in UK also good option. Some do that to enable opening bank account in Thailand, however you already have one so either option no issue. 

[Upnotover]

I used money in my Thai account for a non O last year, no issues.  One thing they asked me for in addition to the things on the website was proof of travel booking from the UK to Thailand, you might want to have that ready in case they ask you the same.

[DrJack54]

OP, you do require proof of flight TO Thailand as indicated by @Upnotover in his first post in attached thread.

Also contains links.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1325310-applying-in-uk-for-non-o/

 

[sandyf]

10 hours ago, KruAlastair said:

Sorry if this has been asked before.  I emailed them 3 days ago and am yet to receive a response. I am new to the process of applying for a visa in my own country, usually I do it in one of the neighboring countries of Thailand.  Truth is I'm only in the UK visiting for a couple of months.  I am actually a resident in Thailand and I plan to extend this by 12 months when I'm there.  Just some questions about some of the docs they need, as I am not a resident of UK.  

 

• Document indicating current location
  I understand that utility bills (such as electricity, gas, or mobile phone) showing my name and address are required. So will a copy of the front and back of my UK  driver's licence card with my address on suffice?  This is actually an old address - I am not currently at the address stated on my UK driver's licence. Will this be an issue?

• Financial evidence showing monthly income So I recieve all my money in Euros through Wise, working for a European company, so I can't really show this, even though it has a UK address on the statement, it wouldn't match the one on my driver's licence.  Would they instead accept the bank balance of my Thai savings account in Thai baht? I have had 400k THB sitting there for a couple of months already ready to show.  How long must it be sitting there for it to be accepted?  And if I show this, do I still have to show UK bank statements showing monthly salaries?

 

Sorry again if this has already been asked. 

I have lived in Thailand since 2008 and have returned many times on a new visa, which in recent years has been an e-visa.

If you have a UK passport that can be used for your first point. The question wording is open to interpretation, probably due to trying to deal with non UK nationals. Indication from other counries would imply that they are looking for proof of legal residence rather than a specific residence.

I have used funds in my Thai account to get the visa without a problem.

I have only ever provided the flight number going into BKK and never been asked for proof of the flight but it would be prudent to have made the booking.

The instructions say all documents should be in English but not the marriage certificate, that needs to be a copy of original.

You will be asked about invitation, if you have not already addressed that the easiest solution is to get your wife to write a note saying she expects you to return on a certain date, note can be in Thai. She can then take a photo and send it to you and you can upload that. You need to upload a response to every question otherwise you cannot move on. If i remember right Q4 and Q10 are both financially related but you need only answer to one and upload a note for the other as a cross reference.

Good luck.

[Bday Prang]

5 hours ago, sandyf said:

I have lived in Thailand since 2008 and have returned many times on a new visa, which in recent years has been an e-visa.

If you have a UK passport that can be used for your first point. The question wording is open to interpretation, probably due to trying to deal with non UK nationals. Indication from other counries would imply that they are looking for proof of legal residence rather than a specific residence.

I have used funds in my Thai account to get the visa without a problem.

I have only ever provided the flight number going into BKK and never been asked for proof of the flight but it would be prudent to have made the booking.

The instructions say all documents should be in English but not the marriage certificate, that needs to be a copy of original.

You will be asked about invitation, if you have not already addressed that the easiest solution is to get your wife to write a note saying she expects you to return on a certain date, note can be in Thai. She can then take a photo and send it to you and you can upload that. You need to upload a response to every question otherwise you cannot move on. If i remember right Q4 and Q10 are both financially related but you need only answer to one and upload a note for the other as a cross reference.

Good luck.

when i applied for mine back in August the invite letter was not required, there was nowhere to upload it either

[Upnotover]

16 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

when i applied for mine back in August the invite letter was not required, there was nowhere to upload it either

If an individual embassy wants anything over what the e-visa website asks for they will tell you by email, and tell you how to submit it. It's not a big deal.

[Liverpool Lou]

15 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

Your UK drivers license should be acceptable. It's one of the recommended things to use for this if it has an address on it (some country DLs do not have an address).

But his licence does not show his address.   

It is illegal to use a licence with an incorrect address in the UK and, at the very least, will be seen as not up-to-date and may be considered invalid.  Do you think that he can safely rely on his out-of-date licence to be acceptable as his only proof of address?

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

 You think that he can rely on his out-of-date licence to be acceptable?

So overstating the issue. It will be acceptable.

In any event as @sandyf correctly stated...a copy of UK pp is sufficient. 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

18 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

 You think that he can rely on his out-of-date licence to be acceptable?

So overstating the issue. It will be acceptable.

I wasn't "overstating" anything, I was asking a question that may have been relevant based on the circumstances the OP laid out.    

[DrJack54]

39 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

But his licence does not show his address. 

It does 

And even if out of date it's irrelevant.

40 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Do you think that he can safely rely on his out-of-date licence to be acceptable as his only proof of address

Does not need to. UK pp ID page will be sufficient. 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

44 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Do you think that he can safely rely on his out-of-date licence to be acceptable as his only proof of address

Does not need to. UK pp ID page will be sufficient. 

Why did you misquote what I posted?   I simply asked a question, indicated by the question mark, that you omitted to include when you quoted my comment.  This was my actual comment...

"Do you think that he can safely rely on his out-of-date licence to be acceptable as his only proof of address?"

[Bday Prang]

2 hours ago, Upnotover said:

If an individual embassy wants anything over what the e-visa website asks for they will tell you by email, and tell you how to submit it. It's not a big deal.

I'm fully aware of that, I was just pointing out that the invitation letter was no longer  a prerequisite 

[KruAlastair]

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, you do require proof of flight TO Thailand as indicated by @Upnotover in his first post in attached thread.

Also contains links.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1325310-applying-in-uk-for-non-o/

 

Thanks for the info, the embassy finally got back to me today to address my query but it was more of a generic reply and it made everything even more confusing.  This information contradicts everything they ask for on their website : https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/page/spouse-and-family-visa

 

All I want to know is if a statement showing the 400k in my thai bank for a couple of months will suffice as well as a driving licence which is still valid but has the wrong address, my wife's ID card and marriage ceritificate.  I can also show proof of travel to Thailand. 
 

But this is what they asked for in their email which doesn't clearly state whether or not I can just use my Thai bank account to show proof of income or do I have to show funds in a UK account as well?

 

Their reply:

Required Document

 

1. Biodata page of Passport or Travel Document.  

 

2. Declaration.     

 

           - Visa declaration must be downloaded and signed. Illegible youth declaration form can be signed by their parents/ guardians.            

 

3. Financial evidence, e.g. bank statements, proof of earnings, proof of sponsorship from a third party

 

 -Your recent official UK/Ireland bank statement shows your name, address, and a minimum

 

closing balance of £500 (for individual single entry) £1,000 (for family single entry) proof of earnings (payslips) or sponsorship letter from your sponsor with official ID and their Bank Statements. (Do not send the screenshot)                                   

 

4. Photograph *taken within the last six months. If the photograph does not reflect your current appearance you may be refused to enter the Kingdom of Thailand.        

 

       - If the photograph is inappropriate, and does not reflect your current appearance your visa may be rejected to enter the Kingdom of Thailand.       

 

5. Personal details of a family in Thailand, e.g. ID card, Passport and the visa page or stay permit in Thailand .

 

         - Applicants who are spouses and children of person working in Thailand are required to submit a confirmation letter from the employer of their family members working in Thailand mentioning all applicant names, visa page/ work permit of their family members.

 

6. Proof of accommodation in Thailand, e.g. Accommodation bookings, and invitation letters from family/friends in Thailand.         

 

           -  Invitation letters from family/friends must be submitted with their respective official photo ID. 

 

           -  Accommodation booking must have details of applicant name/ date (check in and check out)/ address and contact no. of your accommodation.                                   

 

7. Proof of relationship to a family in Thailand, e.g. A copy of marriage certificate/birth certificate/certificate of adoption.

 

       - Copy of original document (Documents in foreign languages must be translated into English and the translation must be certified by the relevant embassies in London.).                                                    

 

8. Residence permit in a country in which the visa application is submitted (In case the applicant is not a national of the country in which the visa application is submitted.).

 

       - In the case of non-UK / non-Irish national applicants, a copy of the BRP card / Ireland residence card or letter from UKVI(UK visa) settlement status must be provided. UK nationals can provide a UK Driving license (for UK/Ireland nationals) or any UK ID to fulfill the requirement of the application.                                                                        

 

9. The letter from your spouse indicated that you both are still married and he/she acknowledges of your visit.                                           

 

10. All travel records for the past 12 months (1 year) since the last international trip.

 

       - International travel record over the past 12 months from the application date.            

 

11. Document that can verify applicant's current residency (Applicant must apply for e-Visa via a specific Embassy/Consulate conforming with his/her consular jurisdiction and residency.).            

 

           - Applicants are requested to submit their local utility bills eg. electricity bills/ gas / mobile phone / rental agreements.                   

 

12. Bank statement, showing GBP10,000 minimum, with name & visible

[Upnotover]

9 hours ago, KruAlastair said:

All I want to know is if a statement showing the 400k in my thai bank for a couple of months will suffice as well as a driving licence which is still valid but has the wrong address, my wife's ID card and marriage ceritificate.  I can also show proof of travel to Thailand.

The list they sent you ought to show they don't have a clue.  Personally I'd apply with what you have available, a Thai Bank statement was fine for me last year. They'll let you know soon enough if they want anything else.  And as said already, you can do the whole thing in Thailand if the UK application fails.

[sandyf]

13 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

when i applied for mine back in August the invite letter was not required, there was nowhere to upload it either

Used to be Q 9, maybe been removed in last year or so.

"9 . The letter from your spouse indicated that you both are still married and he/she acknowledges of your visit. *"

[sandyf]

13 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

But his licence does not show his address.   

It is illegal to use a licence with an incorrect address in the UK and, at the very least, will be seen as not up-to-date and may be considered invalid.  Do you think that he can safely rely on his out-of-date licence to be acceptable as his only proof of address?

There is a track record of them accepting various documents, how much discretion is allowed is the unknown.

I have only used my passport so an actual address is not a deal breaker. There is a link between driving licence and passport, on renewal I ask to use PP photo on DL so it may well be accepted on the basis the actual address is not that important.

On saying that it would be risky to have documents with 2 different UK addresses so PP would be safer option.