Fiance Or Settlement Visa For Uk?

[daveread]

Hi all,

My Thai girlfriend recently spent five weeks with me here in the UK on a visiting visa and loved it. She's back in Thailand now finishing her studies and back to work and unfortunately I'm stuck at work in the UK. So, now we are looking to the next step. I've been reading through loads of useful info thanks for all the contributors of this forum but slightly unclear which way to go about things next.

My girlfriend would like stay here in the UK for a few years and work and hopefully eventually we will both retire in Thailand. So, it's looks like marriage is on the cards otherwise visas will be rather difficult . From what I can tell we can either get married in Thailand then apply for a settlement visa OR apply for a Fiance visa, get married in the UK and hopefully obtain an ILR that way.

Could anyone comment on which root would be best / easiest? Or does it just simply depend our preference as to in which country we'd like to marry.

Any info would be appreciated as I'm a little unclear on how to plan things from here on.

Many thanks

Dave

[the scouser]

The Immigration Rules as they apply to fiancé(e)s and spouses are pretty much the same. Where you get married is therefore essentially a matter of choice. However, marrying in Thailand and obtaining a spousal settlement visa means that the cost of one application within the UK is saved.

Scouse.

[daveread]

Thanks Scouse.

Just one more - If we were to marry at a register office in the Uk and not have a traditional ceremony could this in anyway have a negative impact on a settlement application or ILR?

Dave

[the scouser]

Not at all. Indeed, unless you and your intended are Church of England, you'd have to undergo a civil ceremony.

Scouse.

[daveread]

Thanks for the replies Scouse.

BTW it was reading many of your posts and posts of other contributors of this site that enabled me to get my girlfriends visiting visa so easily for the UK. Hurry for thaivisa.com!

Hopefully early next years she'll be over here on a more permanent basis. Time to cross my fingers and prepare for the next step.

Thanks again

Dave

[dougieboy]

Thanks for the replies Scouse.

BTW it was reading many of your posts and posts of other contributors of this site that enabled me to get my girlfriends visiting visa so easily for the UK. Hurry for thaivisa.com!

Hopefully early next years she'll be over here on a more permanent basis. Time to cross my fingers and prepare for the next step.

Thanks again

Dave

Good luck Dave, we went through similar and without any hiccups, try not to get bogged down in all the negitivity of those who say it so difficult, if you make an effort to put all the paperwork in place and you and your intended are genuine you should have no difficulties. (not cheap though, someones making alot of money from our visa fees think)

[daveread]

Hey Dougieboy!

Thanks for the encouragement. It is sometimes difficult not to feel a bit down with all the negativity you hear about. However, we certainly are geniune and will certainly do our best to get all the docs in order. As it happens I think we'll be marrying in Thailand as that is want she wants and I guess it's important for her family too. The only thing that worries me is if we get married in Thai but don't get the settlement visa - we'll already be married but stuck a few thousand miles apart!

Well our intentions are pure so fingers crossed!

[Janner]

Dave

Keep surfing on the Scouse's wisdom and logic. I did and now my wife (from Thailand) is over here in the not so sunny UK we now have a beautiful daughter my wife is now applying for citizenship.

There is light at the end of the tunnel and we are most fortunate to have the like of The Scouse in our corner.

I wish you both well

Janner