To Marry Or Not To Marry (that Is The Question)

[KhunDave]

My Partner and I have been together for around ten years, two kids (8 and 6) Thai nationality only, and have lived in Thailand for all of that time. We have never married and neither of us have felt any particular need to do so. Now, as the kids are getting older we have decided that in the next year or two we would like to take them an a holiday to show them where I came from (UK).

My question for the knowlegeable souls inhabiting this forum is: would getting married here in Thailand some time in the next year or two make any appreciable difference in terms of the likelihood of eventual visa applications for Partner and kids succeeding at the British Embassy?

Thanks for any advice.

[bkkperson]

i wouldnt say so but there again im not a knowlegeable soul on this matter, but i would say that the only thing they are interested in is dolla and to make sure that they are going to come back..

One question for you, how come your kids havent got UK citizen, did you not wnt to or just havent got round to it yet?

[KhunDave]

i wouldnt say so but there again im not a knowlegeable soul on this matter, but i would say that the only thing they are interested in is dolla and to make sure that they are going to come back..

One question for you, how come your kids havent got UK citizen, did you not wnt to or just havent got round to it yet?

As they were both born before the law change (2006 I think) which allowed fathers to pass on nationality, and as we are not married, it is FAR from straightforward.

We did try to do it at the local Consulate here, but ran into problems with my not being able to prove domicile in the UK. I am told that it is theoretically possible, and we will most likely try again at some point, but as we have no wish to settle in the UK - not bloody likely! - it's not a current priority.

[vinny]

I don't think that your marital status would make much difference to your Partner's and kids' future visitors or settlement visa applications. However, after marriage, if your place of domicile legitimated your kids, then they may become British by descent.

[torrenova]

You need to look here http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/F...d=1068717512679

British fathers are unable to automatically transmit their nationality to children born outside of marriage before 1 July 2006 (see below). If the parents marry after the child’s birth, it is possible that the child’s birth will be “legitimated” by the parents’ marriage. In order for us to establish whether or not legitimation has taken place, both parents need to sign paternity declarations in person at the Embassy and the father to complete a “domicile questionnaire”. Please ask for the paternity declaration forms.

The purpose of this is to establish whether the father has retained a domicile in the UK (this basically means close connections) and can therefore benefit from the provisions of British nationality law. We will send the completed domicile and documentation to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. Those applying should expect to receive a decision in approximately 8 weeks.

British Fathers, who are not married, can now apply to register children who are born abroad prior to 1 July 2006, with the Home Office. Please note this is discretionary. Those applying should expect to receive a decision in approximately 4 months. The fee for this will be £400 payable in local currency plus a Consular forwarding fee of Baht 4,130. Please ask us for form MN1 or obtain it from the Border and Immigration Agency.

You will require an appointment.

From that it seems like they are saying you can legitimise your kids by marriage. I personally don't know whether they have a leg to stand on saying you have a problem with your kids being born before 2006 as you could I presume have DNA tests. I on the other hand, having a baby after 2006 can just say it is mine if I have my name on the birth certificate. I would not want to go to a court of law to argue that case !

[the scouser]

Being married will have no bearing upon the success of any future settlement application your partner might make. Also, on the assumption that you are British otherwise than by descent and that you are named as the father on your children's birth certifcates, which must have been issued within a year of their birth, you can apply for their registration as British citizens at any time they are minors. The applications are made through the embassy to the BIA in the UK and will cost a total of approx £450.00.

Scouse.

[bkkperson]

450 quid..that is just wrong wrong wrong...dick turpin's

I dont know why they continue to like to rip us off