Advice On Thai Girlfriend Coming To Uk

[age9000]

Hi to all,

Just joined this forum, and am busy looking at all the posts

can someone give some advice on the following for me, I appologise

if its been covered before on forum ( i will find it eventually !)

I want my thai g/f to come to the uk next year sometime, possibly to

marry here in UK at some stage. I understand that I will need to supply

details of my financial status. Here lies the problem (I think), after a bad divorce

some time ago I am currently on benefits due to me having custody of the children

however I do own my own house (mortgaged).

Can someone tell me what I need to be looking out for or what I can do to help

my g/f get a visa to the uk ? ie if I show I have some funds in a bank account

will they be happy ? if so how much would be best to have in there ? or can a friend

of mine be a "sponsor" for her (he has own business)

I understand that she would not be able to claim any benefits, and that is not a problem.

I only get help for the mortgage from the government as I get too much each week to get income support

but I dont get enough money to cover the mortgage so they help me with some of the mortgage (approx 2/3rds)

I have to pay the rest.

I hope someone can help !

Thanks in advance

Age

[Mossfinn]

I have a couple of answers but not all.

Just joined this forum, and am busy looking at all the posts

Do a search for Visit Visa and then Settlement Visa.

I understand that I will need to supply

details of my financial status. Here lies the problem (I think), after a bad divorce

some time ago I am currently on benefits due to me having custody of the children

however I do own my own house (mortgaged).

You need to provide evidence that you can support both of you without recourse to Public Funds, if you generate enough income that suits this requirement, that is all that they ask for, for this hurdle.

Suitable accom, it appears you qualify here.

Can someone tell me what I need to be looking out for or what I can do to help

my g/f get a visa to the uk ?

Providing evidence of having met, correspondence between the two of you all helps.

Evidence that you can support her visit as the sponsor, she will need a reason to return, if on a Visit visa, sometimes difficult to provide sufficient evidence.

ie if I show I have some funds in a bank account

will they be happy ? if so how much would be best to have in there ?

Showing funds is O.K but don't put in a bundle just before the application, it looks a little sus.

There is no specific amount stated for reasons that everybody's situation is different.

or can a friend

of mine be a "sponsor" for her (he has own business)

Don't know, but I think it is an option, again he would have to provide evidence of sponsorship details, better wait for others on that one.

Just one other thing, do not get suckered into using an Agent, just because you think it is difficult, however if you feel it is getting on top of you and feel you want to, then only use an OISC registered Agent.

Hope that little bit helps, but not an answer in entirety, I am afraid.

Good luck

Moss

[vinny]

See also Husbands, wives and partners (INF 4) and 13.4 - Fiancé(e)s/proposed civil partners and how they qualify and, regarding third party support, Visa For Thai Partner For Long Term Stay In Uk, Any advice please help!

[Mahout Angrit]

I want my thai g/f to come to the uk next year sometime, possibly to

marry here in UK at some stage.

Ideally you will need to decide before she applies for the visa whether you want her to visit you in UK and return to Thailand or whether you intend to marry her in UK and for her to remain there with you. The visa and requirements are different.

If you decide you want to marry in UK and her to settle with you in UK you will have to get married in UK within 6 months of the visa being issued ("at some stage" is not good enough!).

You could get married while she was visiting UK but she would have to return to Thailand to apply for a settlement visa to remain long term.

Edited November 4, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[age9000]

Firstly may I say a big thanks to all that have replied

it has all been helpfull.

I am still going through all the forum, reading posts.

If I get stuck again, I hope you wont mind me posting

some more questions (probably silly ones!).

The plan is to marry as soon as she gets to the uk

certainly within 2 months of getting here.

thanks again

age

ps are asian girls the best !

[mrbojangles]

The plan is to marry as soon as she gets to the uk

certainly within 2 months of getting here.

Age, why don't you marry in Thailand, it is the cheaper option.

[age9000]

Hi m8

I thought about marrying in uk as Ive got three kids and would save them going to thailand for a

wedding !! I dont really mind where I get married.

I guess if we got married in Thailand and they then refused a visa I could possibly appeal

on "human rights" as they would be keeping our family apart.

and thoughts on this ??

cheers

age

[mrbojangles]

Age,

If you marry in Thailand, you will only have to pay for the Settlement Visa and a marriage at the Amphur is very cheap.

If you marry in the UK. You will have to pay for a Fiance Visa AND after 6 months pay again for a Settlement Visa. Marriages in the Uk, even at the registrar office are more expensive.

Also, as you point out, if you are married and they refuse the visa, you will have a right to appeal.

Other people i know, who have got married in Thailand, had a blessing in the UK so the relatives could go. I didn't

[age9000]

Thanks for the info m8

really appreciate it.

I think my fiance would probably like to marry in thailand anyway, she did say she did not mind

but you know what women are like ! Think I will say to her to marry in thailand and arrange

a blessing when in the UK for my side of the family.

I did hear that I have had to have been divorced for a certain period of time before I got married

is this correct ? and do you know what the time scale is ? my divorce has only recently gone through

but probably wont be getting married for about 10 months or so anyway so hopefully that will be long enough

if there is a time restriction.

cheers

age

[mrbojangles]

I did hear that I have had to have been divorced for a certain period of time before I got married

is this correct ? and do you know what the time scale is ? my divorce has only recently gone through

but probably wont be getting married for about 10 months or so anyway so hopefully that will be long enough

if there is a time restriction.

I might be wrong on this, so hopefully someone can confirm but i thought it only applied to women and they have to be divorced for 310 days. However, they can get round this by providing a Doctors Certificate confirming that they are not pregnant. It's the pregnant bit that made me think it only applied to women.

[scotty123456789]

Yes the above is true I believe, it only applies to the women.

Me and the mrs are to marry next month, and she is still awaiting her divorce certificate, which is due any time now.

So for us to marry, she has to get a certificate from the hospital/doctor proving she is not up the duff..

[kennkate]

Hi Just to say that I am in the UK at the moment whith my Thia lady she is here on marrage Visa I applied for a visa in the first instance for her to come to the UK as a visitor This was turned down even though I was prepared to sponser and had all my bank statments in place.

The reasons for refusal were that the UK Embassy did not think that she had a commitment to Thialand That is a way of saying that she would most likely not return.

So with the help of a agency we were advised to apply for a fiance visa that ment Bank Statements Photos of you both in as many different locations as possible an engagement photo the more the better

Also your council tax bill and photos of your house inside and out (all rooms) this is to show that you can accommodate her ect any further Questions you can contact me all the best

Edited November 5, 2007 by the scouser
E-mail address removed.

[Mahout Angrit]

If you marry in Thailand, you will only have to pay for the Settlement Visa and a marriage at the Amphur is very cheap.

If you marry in the UK. You will have to pay for a Fiance Visa AND after 6 months pay again for a Settlement Visa. Marriages in the Uk, even at the registrar office are more expensive.

A Fiancee visa is a settlement visa but is only valid for 6 months which means once married she has to apply for Further leave to Remain to give her another 2 years. FLR is £395 whereas a Settlement visa is £500.

You can save the FLR cost of £395 by marrying in Thailand only if she will apply direct for ILR after 2 years in UK, if she doesn't reach the Standard of English required then she will have to apply for FLR after 2 years to remain in UK even if on a settlement visa granted as a result of being married.

Edited November 5, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[vinny]

See also information on marriages in Thailand, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

[mrbojangles]

A Fiancee visa is a settlement visa but is only valid for 6 months which means once married she has to apply for Further leave to Remain to give her another 2 years. FLR is £395 whereas a Settlement visa is £500.

Indeed you are right Mahout, i should have been more specific, thanks for the clarification

[age9000]

many thanks to all

I will keep you updated on how things go,

age

(still busy reading the forum)

[age9000]

Hi gang

just a quick update for you !

am now going to thailand early january, I am planning to surprise girlfriend by getting married

in thailand as soon as I get there (almost) I can only stay in Thailand for 10 days due to

commitments in UK (have three kids) is it possible to get married, and get settlement visa in this timescale ??

Girlfriend is going to go for TB xray before I get there

and do I need to give original documents for the visa application or are copies ok, I actually have paperless bank account

so I have to print them out myself. also what checks to the visa people do on the paperwork subbmited ? ie do they check to

see what NI and tax contributions I have paid or do they take what I submit ? or do they check any documents ?

also as I am planning to get a settlement visa, would it be worth getting an offer of employment for her, or would it

not add any weight to the application as i want a settlement visa.

thanks for the advise , if I see any of you in BKK I will buy you a drink !!

cheers

age

(edited for typo's)

Edited November 12, 2007 by age9000

[age9000]

forgot to say

we communitate mainly by MSN so I dont have any records of conversations

I have sent several cards and parcels to her though and she has kept envelopes etc

showing when sent etc, Is this ok ?

[the scouser]

..is it possible to get married, and get settlement visa in this timescale ??

Possible but unlikely.

and do I need to give original documents for the visa application or are copies ok

As far as possible, originals should be submitted. However, in this day and age when many people have internet banking, print-outs of accounts should be acceptable.

what checks to the visa people do on the paperwork subbmited ?

They will accept the documents at face value unless they have reason to doubt authenticity.

ie do they check to see what NI and tax contributions I have paid

No. HMRC will not disclose your tax records to anyone, unless in connection with the investigation of a serious crime - not even other government depts. Indeed, for them to do so is against the law.

...would it be worth getting an offer of employment for her

On the basis that it's a genuine offer, then yes.

we communitate mainly by MSN so I dont have any records of conversations. I have sent several cards and parcels to her though and she has kept envelopes etc showing when sent etc, Is this ok ?

You can provide print-outs of the MSN chat history in addition to the envelopes.

Scouse.

[age9000]

Thanks scouse

your help will prove very helpful to us

age

[age9000]

we communitate mainly by MSN so I dont have any records of conversations. I have sent several cards and parcels to her though and she has kept envelopes etc showing when sent etc, Is this ok ?

You can provide print-outs of the MSN chat history in addition to the envelopes.

Scouse.

scouse

just looked at my msn history for the last month, If I print it the chat history it comes to nearly 450 pages !!

as we chat about 2-3 each day ! by the time I get to BKK I will have about 3 or 4 months like that, I dont think

they would like me to give a few thousand pages of msn chat . what would you recomend ?

I guess I could print one or two pages off for each month and perhaps save the whole file as word document on to

a cd, would they accept it on cd, or do they need physical printouts ?

any thoughts.

age

ps scouse, will pm you when I am ready to use your professional services

[the scouser]

You can print off a selection. By all means provide a CD with it all in word, but don't expect them to load it as the government is a bit twitchy of their staff loading CDs on to its computers.

Scouse.