Advice On Visitr Visa - Married

[BIGJIMMY]

Hi peeps, I was on here regularly at the beginning of the year with many questions about our 'visit for marriage visa' which we got without complication - many thanks again to all who answered!!

That particular visa will expire in November, we have since been back to the UK, got married etc, all hunky dory, me being a bit of a worrier and a person who likes to prepare, i'm thinking now of next year, you may remember I work offshore and am now on a 6 week on, 6 off rota. Next summer I have 4 family/friends weddings in the UK and we will attend at least 3 of them, I have a few questions, which visit visa do we now apply for ( I have of course searched already but like to get firm answers on here), we were married in the UK, Mon is in the process of registering it and changing her name etc in Thailand and we are having the Thai ceremony in February that is of course a different circumstance from before ALSO when she got the visa she quit working in the hotel bar that she had been at for nearly 2 years, the only reason she started working there was for the visa, the place being a proper company and they were great with letters and payslips etc, they also knew the score.

When we go to apply for a new visa in February can we apply for a year visit visa instead of 6 months, will the fact that she isn't now working make a massive difference, she spent 2 x 1 month on the last 6 month visa in the UK, the plan is to do 2 maybe 3 triops back to the UK for the weddings and maybe Christmas depending if i'm off, we still intend on living in Thailand and have recently put down a deposit on a new build-off plan house, when i'm away she goes home for a few weeks then comes back down when i'm there??

What do you think folks, i'm sure that there are many wives etc out there who don't officially work and continue to get visit visas.

Speak to me!!

Jimmy

Edited September 18, 2007 by BIGJIMMY

[Mahout Angrit]

Jimmy

Your case is a little bit special and your reasoning about your wife needing a few short visits in a year makes sense (to me!) but I dont make the visa decision!

I think you should demonstrate that your life is offshore (with official work schedules etc) and state that you spend half of your periods off in Thailand and half of them in the UK and now you are married you would like your wife to join you on these.

Proof that you do spend time off in Thailand, that you are otherwise offshore and that you are married should show that your wife will return to Thailand when you leave the UK (After all she has done that twice already. Also mention the house you are building.

Bearing that in mind I would be inclined to suggest that you apply for a 2 year visit visa but some poster on here has suggested that you need to have had 2 x6months first before you apply but I dont believe that there is any such regulation (no doubt someone will put me right!).

If you do apply for a 2 year and they knock it back to another 6 month visa you wont get a refund so there is a risk

As you have time to prepare I would suggest you contact the British embassy by phone or email and ask them direct, I'm sure you'll get a definitive response from them

[BIGJIMMY]

Thanks Mahout, I actually live full-time in Thailand, it's just the past few months that we have been back to get married, meet the folks etc, I normally only return for 2 weeks at some point in the year and maybe Christmas if i'm not working.

I will mail the embassy now and see what they say.

I have a friend who is also married to a Thai lady, she was previously in the UK on a settlement but returned to Thailand then went back to the UK about a year later, they applied for a 2 year visit visa and that was declined and a 6 month visa was finally obtained.

Thanks

Jimmy