I Don't Know What Visa My Thai Boyfriend Needs - Can You Help?

[kez]

Hello,

I'm hoping someone can give me some advice. My boyfriend and I have been together for nearly 3 years we met when I lived in Bangkok. However for nearly a year and a half I have been living in England. We applied for a visitor visa so he could come and stay with me but it was refused as we didn't provide any evidence that we were a couple (I didn't realise this was necessary for a visitor visa at the time). We are now engaged and I want him to come and live here with me but the information seems so confusing on the website. I have been told he needs to apply for the correct visa and then after 6 months of being here he needs to apply for a settlement visa. But it is not that general visitor visa as this says that he cannot get this visa if he intends to marry here (we he is). So can anyone tell me what catagory visa initially that he needs to get. I'm a bit worried because it mentions proving we lived together for over 2 years. I only lived with him for a year and a bit (but no proof). Why is this so difficult ahh! Please any advise would be great.

Thanks,

Kez

[sniffdog]

Me thinks wrong section .... this is Thai visas etc etc ....

Perhaps a mod can move it for you or you might try again and find an appropriate section.

[Lite Beer]

Moved to here.

[Boo]

You can't get married on a tourist visa so you need to apply for a fiancee via then within the 6months must be married in UK then he can apply for Further leave to remain. imo this is the expensive & long winded way to do it, is there no way for you to come over to thailand, get married & apply for a settlement visa? You will save money in the long run.

Regarding proof, you can ask your old landlord to write a letter stating you lived together for a period of time also ask any business owners (farang or thai) who know you to write letters attesting that you were together & that they saw you together on a regular basis as a couple. For your time in the UK you need to show you have had communication during this time, either via email or phone records, if you have used skype or cheap call numbers etc then put that in the application, if you have any kind of emails from as far back as you can go then include them just blot out any really private parts. If you have any photos include them too, any flights you have taken together include proof. Also if you have been over in the last 18months then copy the pages of your passport with the immigration stamps etc.

Has any of your friends or family met him? If yes, ask them to write letters stating this & how they are looking forward to him moving to the UK. Show them proof of your place of residence, job, salary, write a cover letter stating what your plans for the future are, will he be goign to school, getting a job, will you be having kids, if yes, state you want to have them in the UK etc?

It is your job to give the embassy as much info as possible, doesn't matter if they don't need it but provide it anyway & this amount of paperwork is the same for a fiancee visa or a settlement visa. The difference with FV is that he wont be able to work until he gets FLR whereas on an SV he can work straight away.

[7by7]

I'm a bit worried because it mentions proving we lived together for over 2 years.

This is only required if he were to apply for an unmarried partner's visa. It is not necessary for a fiance or spouse visa.

However, you will need to provide proof of the relationship and contact; photos, phone bills etc.

You basically have two choices; a fiance visa or a spouse visa.

Personally, unless you have strong reasons for marrying in the UK, I would advise marrying in Thailand; it's cheaper!

A spouse visa costs £515 (payable in THB at whatever exchange rate the embassy is using.) This is valid two years after which he applies for Indefinite Leave to Remain, current cost £750 by post (£950 in person).

Total cost:- £1250 (£1450 if applying for ILR in person.)

A fiance visa also costs £515 (payable in THB as above). After the marriage, which must take place within 6 months, he will need to apply for Further Leave to Remain, at a current cost of £395 by post (£595 in person). This lasts two years at the end of which he applies for ILR as above.

Total cost:- £1645 (£2045 if you apply for both FLR and ILR in person.)

The actual application for spouse or fiance is made using the same form and the criteria to be met are identical, with one exception. For a fiance visa you need to show that you intend to marry once in the UK and within the 6 month life of the visa whereas with a spouse visa you need to show that you are already married.

The following may be of use to you:-

SETTLEMENT FORM (VAF4 OCT 2007)

Settlement form guidance notes

Chapter 9 - The maintenance and accommodation requirements

Chapter 13 - Settlement : Fiance(e)s, proposed civil partners, spouses, civil partners, unmarried and same-sex partners

Guidance - Husbands, wives and partners (INF 4)

Requirement for Tuberculosis testing for applicants visiting the UK for longer than 6 months

and for how to apply, see the UK Visa Application Centre

For how to marry in Thailand see Guidance for British nationals wishing to marry in Thailand

[Livinginexile]

Hello,

I'm hoping someone can give me some advice. My boyfriend and I have been together for nearly 3 years we met when I lived in Bangkok. However for nearly a year and a half I have been living in England. We applied for a visitor visa so he could come and stay with me but it was refused as we didn't provide any evidence that we were a couple (I didn't realise this was necessary for a visitor visa at the time). We are now engaged and I want him to come and live here with me but the information seems so confusing on the website. I have been told he needs to apply for the correct visa and then after 6 months of being here he needs to apply for a settlement visa. But it is not that general visitor visa as this says that he cannot get this visa if he intends to marry here (we he is). So can anyone tell me what catagory visa initially that he needs to get. I'm a bit worried because it mentions proving we lived together for over 2 years. I only lived with him for a year and a bit (but no proof). Why is this so difficult ahh! Please any advise would be great.

Thanks,

Kez

Hi Kez

Be carefull...you are about to enter a world of constant paying.

I tell you...If this guy really loves you he will help pay all these costs. Ask him to pay for some of the expenses involved with the visa. Just a little bit.

If he refuses....he is after ur money.

a bit of free advice

Be very carefull

[Boo]

Hmm, do you know this guy then livinginexile? My husband didn't pay for his visa, we have been married for 5 years, lived for the past 4 & half in UK & have been together for 8 years. Is he after my money? Hey maybe but it's funny, I don't actually have any money, my husband works every day, pays half our costs & is a wonderful father & husband so it is highly unlikley. But yeah, he's a thai man, so is a just a user. Right!!!

I have also deleted a stupid post asking why take a Thai man to the UK. Keep your issues off this forum ozinthailand.

[mariner29]

You can marry on a tourist visa if you gain a COA from the home office. You have a few choices here you can enter Thailand and get married and apply for a 2 year settlement visa. Another choice is you apply for a fiancee visa which gives you licence to marry in the UK within a 6 month window and then you apply for settlement whilst in the UK.

If you require any help with the application feel free to pm me.

[7by7]

You can marry on a tourist visa if you gain a COA from the home office.

True, but he could not convert a visit visa to settlement in the UK. Once married he would then have to return to Thailand to apply for settlement.

Better to go either the fiance or spouse route IMHO.

[mariner29]

Better to go either the fiance or spouse route IMHO.

Totally the best option.

[kp86]

On the topic of COA's - anyone know how a Thai national already in the Uk can acquire evidence that they are free to marry? I rang the Thai Embassy in London and was told this can only be obtained in Thailand - is this the case??

Thanks

[brianb1944]

Hmm, do you know this guy then livinginexile? My husband didn't pay for his visa, we have been married for 5 years, lived for the past 4 & half in UK & have been together for 8 years. Is he after my money? Hey maybe but it's funny, I don't actually have any money, my husband works every day, pays half our costs & is a wonderful father & husband so it is highly unlikley. But yeah, he's a thai man, so is a just a user. Right!!!

I have also deleted a stupid post asking why take a Thai man to the UK. Keep your issues off this forum ozinthailand.

Good on ya Boo, I am from Oz and happily living in Thailand with thai partner, and seeing your comment and the poster name made me sqirm with embarrassment. Making judgements with no information is the worst kind of prejudice

[bobrussell]

This part of the forum is aimed at helping people get visa advice in a friendly way. I have been with my Thai g/f now wife for years and no regrets - meeting her was the best thing that happened to me!

It is hardly our place (or anyone elses for that matter) to make moral judgements on other peoples choices.

As always be warned a marriage visit visa is totally different to a fiance(e) settlement visa. This seems obvious to most people here but we fell foul of this - the UKBA website was and probably still is not clear for the unwary!!