Length Of Stay In Uk

[sheila3]

Can somone tell me,

If a UK resident marries a Thai, can she only apply for a standard visitors visa to UK for 6 months

or, can the Thai apply for a visitors visa for 1 year?

Can the visa be granted when only married for a month,

[farangmal]

Can somone tell me,

If a UK resident marries a Thai, can she only apply for a standard visitors visa to UK for 6 months

or, can the Thai apply for a visitors visa for 1 year?

Can the visa be granted when only married for a month,

Depends on the Visa.

I believe a holiday visa is 6 Months max but FLR further leave to remain is two years.

Not easy getting a visa, even when Married. They have to apply to the British Embassy in Bangkok and they will want absolute proof about the time they have known each other and the British persons ability to fund the Thai Wifes stay if need be.

Lots of bank statements, accomodation and relationship proof needed before a visa will be granted.

I believe a holiday visa is tougher to get than a settlement because the onus is on the sponsor in the settlement application.

[sheila3]

Can somone tell me,

If a UK resident marries a Thai, can she only apply for a standard visitors visa to UK for 6 months

or, can the Thai apply for a visitors visa for 1 year?

Can the visa be granted when only married for a month,

Depends on the Visa.

I believe a holiday visa is 6 Months max but FLR further leave to remain is two years.

Not easy getting a visa, even when Married. They have to apply to the British Embassy in Bangkok and they will want absolute proof about the time they have known each other and the British persons ability to fund the Thai Wifes stay if need be.

Lots of bank statements, accomodation and relationship proof needed before a visa will be granted.

I believe a holiday visa is tougher to get than a settlement because the onus is on the sponsor in the settlement application.

[sheila3]

Well, here'se the data.

Man meets Thai girl Nov 06. Man visits Thailand for a total of 13 weeks, in which he marries Thai girl in the last visit. Brings Thai girl back to UK a few weeks after marriage in Thailand on last visit. How can the correct and required documents and proof of requirements be accurate to establish a Visa for Thai 'now wife' be correct to obtain Visa? Looking at another forum, the paperwork and proof of time in relationship is very strict. I know an 'agent' has been payed to produce the required information, even so, surely the Officers at the Embassy should check details and of course Passports to show UK man's visit's to Thailand?

[the scouser]

The longest that a visitor can stay in the UK is six months in relation to any one visit. Although there is nothing prohibiting a visitor, in theory, doing six months and then coming back the next day for another six, in practice this is unlikely. Are you sure the woman in question has a visit visa and not a settlement visa, which if she is married would be valid for two years?

Moved to the visas for other countries sub-forum.

Scouse.

[LivinginKata]

The longest that a visitor can stay in the UK is six months in relation to any one visit. Although there is nothing prohibiting a visitor, in theory, doing six months and then coming back the next day for another six, in practice this is unlikely. Are you sure the woman in question has a visit visa and not a settlement visa, which if she is married would be valid for two years?

Is this a recent change to the rules, as my then g/f (some years ago) was issued a 6 month visa on first time application and a 2 years visa on the next application (a year later). She also left the UK (after a month) and then re-entered the UK (2 weeks later) using the same visa. As far as I know the visa started on initial entry to UK, is then valid for the 6 months, and is good for muliple entries. I'm interested to know the answer as we plan to visit the UK next year (2008) and I had assumed the same rules as our previous visits to UK.

[vinny]

See also 10.2 - Requirements for a visitor under the Rules (Frequency and duration of Visits)

[sheila3]

The longest that a visitor can stay in the UK is six months in relation to any one visit. Although there is nothing prohibiting a visitor, in theory, doing six months and then coming back the next day for another six, in practice this is unlikely. Are you sure the woman in question has a visit visa and not a settlement visa, which if she is married would be valid for two years?

Moved to the visas for other countries sub-forum.

Scouse.

I doubt if she could get a settlement visa seeing as she only married Uk man in a few weeks ago! she could never have the correct and needed docs to do so.

I have now been told she will still be in the Uk June/July!

[Mahout Angrit]

I doubt if she could get a settlement visa seeing as she only married Uk man in a few weeks ago! she could never have the correct and needed docs to do so.

I have now been told she will still be in the Uk June/July!

She doesn't need much in the way of documents, identification proof and a certificate to prove she is free of TB

Provided the sponsor (her husband) submitted proof of suitable accomodation for her, enough funds or income to support her, proof that the relationship is genuine and it has been ongoing (even if not married), then there is every chance she will be granted a settlement visa.

Many visas are granted to women who meet their husbands on the internet or on holiday and spend very little time physically together prior to the application but remain in contact and can prove it.

There are also many on this forum who have married in Thailand and been in UK with their new wife two weeks later.

That you have been told "she will still be in the UK in June/July" means that she probably has a settlement visa as it will give her an initial 2 years which will be extendable, if she had a visitors visa (especially as it's the first one) it would be valid for 6 months only

Edited November 6, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[the scouser]

She also left the UK (after a month) and then re-entered the UK (2 weeks later) using the same visa. As far as I know the visa started on initial entry to UK, is then valid for the 6 months, and is good for muliple entries.

Visit visas are now all multiple-entry and the holder may stay for a maximum of six months from the date of each entry to the UK providing the visa remains valid. Your girlfriend doesn't have to stay for six months and can make as many entries as she wishes within the validity of the visa.

I don't know exactly how long ago your girlfriend previously visited, but prior to approximately 2000 a visa was valid for presentation for a given period of time and an immigration officer would then endorse the length of stay in the passport. However, now it is the visa which confers permission to enter and the immigration officer simply date stamps the passport to indicate that the holder arrived in the UK.

Scouse.

[Mahout Angrit]

The longest that a visitor can stay in the UK is six months in relation to any one visit. Although there is nothing prohibiting a visitor, in theory, doing six months and then coming back the next day for another six, in practice this is unlikely. Are you sure the woman in question has a visit visa and not a settlement visa, which if she is married would be valid for two years?

Is this a recent change to the rules, as my then g/f (some years ago) was issued a 6 month visa on first time application and a 2 years visa on the next application (a year later). She also left the UK (after a month) and then re-entered the UK (2 weeks later) using the same visa. As far as I know the visa started on initial entry to UK, is then valid for the 6 months, and is good for muliple entries. I'm interested to know the answer as we plan to visit the UK next year (2008) and I had assumed the same rules as our previous visits to UK.

No change

A six month visitor visa is still valid for multiple entries. It is valid for six months from the date of issue (not the date of entry).

A two year visa is also multiple entry but she shouldn't be looking at spending more that 6 months in any 12 in UK on the visa

Unlike in Thailand she must leave the final time before the expiry date of the visa.

Edited November 6, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[sheila3]

The longest that a visitor can stay in the UK is six months in relation to any one visit. Although there is nothing prohibiting a visitor, in theory, doing six months and then coming back the next day for another six, in practice this is unlikely. Are you sure the woman in question has a visit visa and not a settlement visa, which if she is married would be valid for two years?

Is this a recent change to the rules, as my then g/f (some years ago) was issued a 6 month visa on first time application and a 2 years visa on the next application (a year later). She also left the UK (after a month) and then re-entered the UK (2 weeks later) using the same visa. As far as I know the visa started on initial entry to UK, is then valid for the 6 months, and is good for muliple entries. I'm interested to know the answer as we plan to visit the UK next year (2008) and I had assumed the same rules as our previous visits to UK.

No change

A six month visitor visa is still valid for multiple entries. It is valid for six months from the date of issue (not the date of entry).

A two year visa is also multiple entry but she shouldn't be looking at spending more that 6 months in any 12 in UK on the visa

OK, so now I got it. But, If she intends to overstay her 6 Months Visa, what will happen? If she was found out by Immigration that she had done this stupid act, will she be able to re-aply for another Visa, or would she still be able to use the original multi visit Visa by returning to Thailand.

Unlike in Thailand she must leave the final time before the expiry date of the visa.

[LivinginKata]

A six month visitor visa is still valid for multiple entries. It is valid for six months from the date of issue (not the date of entry).

A two year visa is also multiple entry but she shouldn't be looking at spending more that 6 months in any 12 in UK on the visa

Unlike in Thailand she must leave the final time before the expiry date of the visa.

That's an interesting answer. Last time we entered the UK, the processing officer seemed to quite clearly indicate that the period of the current visa started on the the date of the initial UK entry date and was valid from that date for the time period (not date period from issuing date) of the visa. I quizzed him on this point just to be clear in my mind, so now I'm confused.

[Mahout Angrit]

That's an interesting answer. Last time we entered the UK, the processing officer seemed to quite clearly indicate that the period of the current visa started on the the date of the initial UK entry date and was valid from that date for the time period (not date period from issuing date) of the visa. I quizzed him on this point just to be clear in my mind, so now I'm confused.

When did your wife last go to UK? As you will see from Scouse above things changed in about year 2000 but if it was more recent than that and your wife entered the last time on a 2 year visit visa then on entering UK she would be allowed a stay of 6 months in UK from the date of that entry to UK (provided the visa was valid until the date of intended exit) but the visa validity would have commenced on the date of issue.

Edited November 6, 2007 by Mahout Angrit

[LivinginKata]

Just checked our passports. Last visit was 1999... gosh how time flies by. I guess my thinking/experience is outdated. I'll need to research the Foreign Office web sites. Thanks for all your help.

[sheila3]

This Thai Lady has never been to the Uk before, previuos visa application refused.

So, if.. what I have been informed.. She plans to be very stupid and not return to Thailand after 6 months.

How on earth will the authorities know? Would they know where she could be found? Or.. would she have ruined her chances of ever returning on this visa?

[paully]

^ Yes, that is pretty stupid. 'The authorities' won't be round at her door beating it down to arrest her 1 day after her 6 months is up, it's true. However, eventually, she'll want to leave the country or someone'll want to look at her passport and then, of course, the problems will start. If she ever wants to return to the UK, she'll have to explain exactly why she overstayed and it won't be easy to get another visa. "Me forgot" and a dumb smile won't cut it.

[Mahout Angrit]

This Thai Lady has never been to the Uk before, previuos visa application refused.

So, if.. what I have been informed.. She plans to be very stupid and not return to Thailand after 6 months.

How on earth will the authorities know? Would they know where she could be found? Or.. would she have ruined her chances of ever returning on this visa?

My guess is that she is not on a tourist visa. To obtain a tourist Visa she would have to present a compelling reason to return to Thailand and a job is the best way to do that. Employers are not usually willing to grant holidays of 6 months so if

she is on a tourist visa she would more than likely have told the Embassy she only wanted to visit for a few weeks as 6 months would probably not be granted without confiramtion from an employer.

To go back on her word with the embassy about her expected length of stay is likely to give her problems on a second application alone.

The truth is if she overstays and she is not challenged in the street for some reason (but they wont come looking for her) while in UK she will probably be able to leave UK without the authorties knowing as passports are not checked by immigration on exit. However her arrival date in Thailand will be stamped in her passport and it may be picked up if she makes a second application with the same passport.

However, short of knowing which visa she entered this is all speculation.

[guru]

quote]

she will probably be able to leave UK without the authorties knowing as passports are not checked by immigration on exit.

Leaving LHR T3 last month an immigration officer was checking all passports after clearing security. He had a good look through the wife's passport and checked her visa.