A New Newbie

[a man with a plan]

First of all I apologize if this just covers question answered a million times over. Secondly, wow scouse you just seem to be on fire in these forums, so I hope you read this.

Okay, here is the situation - I'm a young guy (25), worked as a teacher near Bangkok for two years. I'm not rich, and don't have a company of my own back in blighty. I have been with my girlfriend for two and a half years, she just works in the mall nearby, she finished college but does not have a degree under her belt.

I haven't been back to England for over a year and it's time I got back there to start getting myself better off finacially and... I want to take her with me, I'm willing to marry her to do it. How do I get her there? I don't have millions in the bank to show the embassy, how hard will the visa be to get? How difficult is it to pass the interview (I read about the girl who hasn't passed again a minute ago)?

Help anyone?

[Monsterman]

First of all I apologize if this just covers question answered a million times over.  Secondly, wow scouse you just seem to be on fire in these forums, so I hope you read this.

  Okay, here is the situation - I'm a young guy (25), worked as a teacher near Bangkok for two years.  I'm not rich, and don't have a company of my own back in blighty.  I have been with my girlfriend for two and a half years, she just works in the mall nearby, she finished college but does not have a degree under her belt.

  I haven't been back to England for over a year and it's time I got back there to start getting myself better off finacially and... I want to take her with me, I'm willing to marry her to do it.  How do I get her there?  I don't have millions in the bank to show the embassy, how hard will the visa be to get?  How difficult is it to pass the interview (I read about the girl who hasn't passed again a minute ago)?

  Help anyone?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is it to visit or live there??

[Explorer]

First of all I apologize if this just covers question answered a million times over.  Secondly, wow scouse you just seem to be on fire in these forums, so I hope you read this.

  Okay, here is the situation - I'm a young guy (25), worked as a teacher near Bangkok for two years.  I'm not rich, and don't have a company of my own back in blighty.  I have been with my girlfriend for two and a half years, she just works in the mall nearby, she finished college but does not have a degree under her belt.

  I haven't been back to England for over a year and it's time I got back there to start getting myself better off finacially and... I want to take her with me, I'm willing to marry her to do it.  How do I get her there?  I don't have millions in the bank to show the embassy, how hard will the visa be to get?  How difficult is it to pass the interview (I read about the girl who hasn't passed again a minute ago)?

  Help anyone?

Is it to visit or live there??

I think he meant "living there"

Explorer

[Monsterman]

First of all I apologize if this just covers question answered a million times over.  Secondly, wow scouse you just seem to be on fire in these forums, so I hope you read this.

  Okay, here is the situation - I'm a young guy (25), worked as a teacher near Bangkok for two years.  I'm not rich, and don't have a company of my own back in blighty.  I have been with my girlfriend for two and a half years, she just works in the mall nearby, she finished college but does not have a degree under her belt.

  I haven't been back to England for over a year and it's time I got back there to start getting myself better off finacially and... I want to take her with me, I'm willing to marry her to do it.  How do I get her there?  I don't have millions in the bank to show the embassy, how hard will the visa be to get?  How difficult is it to pass the interview (I read about the girl who hasn't passed again a minute ago)?

  Help anyone?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is it to visit or live there??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think he meant "living there"

Explorer

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ohhh Sorry Sir Explorer

[a man with a plan]

Yes, I meant to live. Actually I can line up a job for her there aswell.

[Monsterman]

Yes, I meant to live.  Actually I can line up a job for her there aswell.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am not so sure about your country's regulation on immigration. But do not marry just to bring her over. Do you think it's wise?? I know US regulations and Yes it help's to marry but not good idea to marry for that reason. Just to bring her over.

I think maybe other member's here can help better that I.

[a man with a plan]

I do love her and I am serious about the relationship so it's not a case of marrying as means to an end.

[Monsterman]

I do love and I am serious about the relationship so it's not a case of marrying as means to an end.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is good for you Sir, I just give advice that's all.

[a man with a plan]

Well then could you give me some advice on how to get her back to the uk with me?

[Darknight]

Ask Dr PP , he'll know more about your plan, man

And search the forum about UK immigration , a lot of threads already.

[the scouser]

Hi there,

Firstly you can either marry in Thailand and your g/f then apply for a visa on that basis or she can apply as a fiancée and then marry in the UK. I would recommend the former as it works out cheaper in the long run. Whichever option you choose it's the same application form.

There follow the criteria which your g/f would have to satisfy in order to get her visa. I have provided those for a spouse but the fiancé(e) ones only slightly differ:-

"Requirements for leave to enter the United Kingdom with a view to settlement as the spouse of a person present and settled in the United Kingdom or being admitted on the same occasion for settlement

281. The requirements to be met by a person seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom with a view to settlement as the spouse of a person present and settled in the United Kingdom or who is on the same occasion being admitted for settlement are that:

(i) (a) the applicant is married to a person present and settled in the United Kingdom or who is on the same occasion being admitted for settlement; or

( the applicant is married to a person who has a right of abode in the United Kingdom or indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom and is on the same occasion seeking admission to the United Kingdom for the purposes of settlement and the parties were married at least 4 years ago, since which time they have been living together outside the United Kingdom; and

(ii) the parties to the marriage have met; and

(iii) each of the parties intends to live permanently with the other as his or her spouse and the marriage is subsisting; and

(iv) there will be adequate accommodation for the parties and any dependants without recourse to public funds in accommodation which they own or occupy exclusively; and

(v) the parties will be able to maintain themselves and any dependants adequately without recourse to public funds"

In order to satisfy the rules about maintenance, you will have to provide your last 6 months' bank statements and 3 months' wage slips. These can be Thai, or British or both. You will also need to show that you will be able to financially support your g/f once in the UK. If you don't have a job lined up then you will need sufficient funds of your own or a guarantee from a 3rd party that they will provide for you both plus evidence of their ability to do so. However, the visa officer is not seeking to establish that you are super-wealthy but that you have sufficent funds at your disposal to take care of your g/f.

With regard to the accommodation aspect you should adduce evidence of your ownership of a property, or proof of an ongoing rental agreement with at least 6 months to run. If you intend to live with friends/family in the UK then they will need to provide a letter confirming their willingness to do this, stating how many bedrooms the property has, how many are occupied and that 1 will be for the exclusive use of you and your g/f.

The visa officer has to be satisfied that you intend to permanently live together. This can best be proven by submitting photos of the 2 of you, greetings cards you've exchanged and letters addressed to either of you at the same address. As you currently live together it will not be possible to supply e-mails you've sent to each other or phone bills of calls you made to each other. In your letter covering the application you should highlight that you do, in fact, already cohabit and state for how long you've done so; the implication being that the visa officer can't doubt that you intend to live together once in the UK when you've already done so for x amount of time in Thailand. The visa officer will derive the ultimate proof of your intentions to stay together from the interview conducted with your g/f. Depending upon how busy the visa section is there can be a lengthy wait between the submission of the application and the interview.

In the preceding paragraph I mentioned a covering letter. You should submit one that briefly outlines your relationship with your g/f and which highlights your intentions for life in the UK. The visa officer will also need to see your passport, divorce certificate if either of you has previously been married, your Thai marriage certificate (if you do marry in Thailand), the birth certificates of any children your wife may have.

The fee is £260.00 payable in local currency which is non-refundable. However, should the visa be refused a right of appeal exists.

Best of luck,

Scouse.

[a man with a plan]

Wow, thanks a lot scouse. That was a really good concise guide to the basic of the whole thing. Maybe the webmasters should stick that somewhere at the top for people to read so they don't have to ask again. So provided I can fufill all the little requirments you gave me, should it then be pretty easy - I'm just a little worried about the interview part - not that sghe would say the wrong thiongs but more because in my time I've spent here I've met a lot of officials who just like to be an ass for no reason - the power gives them a hard on or something.

I know there was another very recent thread on 'the interview' but what kind of questions do they ask? Why are you going to England with him? What will you do there? What will he do there? Why has he decided to bring you? is it stuff like that?

What are peoples opinions on those services which say they can guarantee success? Cause, lets face it tagging another 6oo quid onto the total isn't fun.

[the scouser]

Despite the character flaws which some visa officers possess their decisions still have to be founded in law so they can't refuse applications on a whim otherwise they'd be hauled over the coals.

Providing that your g/f satisfies the straightforward requirements of the rules the sole potential stumbling block is the visa officer's assessment of her intention to live with you permanently. This criterion cannot be proven other than after the fact and its interpretation is purely subjective. However, as I said in my previous post the fact that you already cohabit augurs well for your g/f's application.

It is the above-mentioned rule that the visa officer will concentrate upon at the interview. He/she will expect your g/f to have a thorough knowledge of you, your family, and your circumstances. The depth of the interview will depend upon the impression of your g/f's application that the visa officer forms prior to the interview. It is impossible to exactly say what questions will be asked because some answers which your g/f gives will generate additional, unforeseen questions. However, as a starting point, the visa officer will ask when, where and how you met; how much time you've actually spent together; what do you like doing together (shagging is not a valid response ); what your interests are; what you will do in the UK; why you've decided to go to the UK now; what the names of your friends are; and about your family - brothers, sisters, mother, father etc.

With regard to the advice bureaux which offer a guarantee, I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole. It's is simply impossible to guarantee that a visa will be issued and, with the various strictures that are in place within a visa section, I don't see how they could have a corrupt insider. Even if they did the staff are rotated every 3-4 years and as a result they would have to recruit a new mole. The application process is one that you can conduct yourself but if you do want to pay for representation then go to a bureau with a good track record which has personnel who actually know something of UK immigration law. So many of them just fill in the form for you and file the application, considering this to be immigration advice.

Cheers,

Scouse.