Uk Settlement

[sumrit]

Thanks Simiuk

Always up for early doors ..........and late closing

how are you guys flying your missus' over? some of the airlines have issues booking tickets online for a third party and require production of the card at check in (Qatar, Eva)...

If you book the tickets through a travel agent you don't have to produce the credit/debit card at check in. You only have to do that if you book direct with the airline.

Try looking at somebody like http://www.expedia.co.uk/default.aspx?eapid=737-3,%20737-3 They're usually at least as cheap as the airlines themselves whenever I've booked, and I'm sure over posters will tell you their favourite travel agent if you ask

[enquirer]

Trailfinders! Not the cheapest, but very efficient and helpful. I booked 3 of us to Bangkok in early December to visit my daughter-in-law (applied for sttlement 19th August this year), and was very upset when PAD blockaded the airports so we couldn't go. FULL refund from Trailfinders and no argument.

Just got return to Singapore from them for £488, and even if you tell me it is cheaper elsewhere, I would not risk it.

[Bukseeda]

Congratulations to everyone who got their visas!

[tjthai]

Thanks Simiuk

Always up for early doors ..........and late closing

how are you guys flying your missus' over? some of the airlines have issues booking tickets online for a third party and require production of the card at check in (Qatar, Eva)...

I am in Hua Hin so the three of us (applying for Wife and Stepdaughter) will fly together. I have flights booked (changeable) with Singapore Airlines. Thanks for the tips though.

[dowman73]

I want to take the wife when she arrives on a weekend break to europe, when she was here before on a stident visa I had to apply for a schengen visa does anyone know if we still have to do this now that she has a spouse visa. I wanted it to be a surprise but the fun is taken out of it when you have to apply and wait for a visa. does anyone have any experience in this.

[7by7]

Yes, she will need a Schengen visa. Holding a UK settlement visa wont change that, I'm afraid

[Hawkinschris]

I want to take the wife when she arrives on a weekend break to europe, when she was here before on a stident visa I had to apply for a schengen visa does anyone know if we still have to do this now that she has a spouse visa. I wanted it to be a surprise but the fun is taken out of it when you have to apply and wait for a visa. does anyone have any experience in this.

Family members of an European Union citizen (excepting French national)

The foreign spouse of a EU national (except French national) may enter France without visa if they are holding:

a valid travel document;

a valid UK residence permit with the endorsement "family member of EEA national" (this endorsment is compulsory to be visa exempted) ;

and if they are joining or travelling with the EU national.

However if you do not satisfy the above conditions, you will need to apply for a visa to travel to France (for instance if your residency is not explicit or if you are travelling to France for business).

Note that children and parents of EU Nationals still require visas to travel to France. It’s also the case for the spouses of British citizens as their residence permit does not bear the endorsment " family member of EEA national" as required by the art 10 of the European Council/Parliament Directive 2004/38 CE.

http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/Family-member...n-European.html

[Hawkinschris]

I want to take the wife when she arrives on a weekend break to europe, when she was here before on a stident visa I had to apply for a schengen visa does anyone know if we still have to do this now that she has a spouse visa. I wanted it to be a surprise but the fun is taken out of it when you have to apply and wait for a visa. does anyone have any experience in this.

Family members of an European Union citizen (excepting French national)

The foreign spouse of a EU national (except French national) may enter France without visa if they are holding:

a valid travel document;

a valid UK residence permit with the endorsement "family member of EEA national" (this endorsment is compulsory to be visa exempted) ;

and if they are joining or travelling with the EU national.

However if you do not satisfy the above conditions, you will need to apply for a visa to travel to France (for instance if your residency is not explicit or if you are travelling to France for business).

Note that children and parents of EU Nationals still require visas to travel to France. It's also the case for the spouses of British citizens as their residence permit does not bear the endorsment " family member of EEA national" as required by the art 10 of the European Council/Parliament Directive 2004/38 CE.

http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/Family-member...n-European.html

[dowman73]

I want to take the wife when she arrives on a weekend break to europe, when she was here before on a stident visa I had to apply for a schengen visa does anyone know if we still have to do this now that she has a spouse visa. I wanted it to be a surprise but the fun is taken out of it when you have to apply and wait for a visa. does anyone have any experience in this.

Family members of an European Union citizen (excepting French national)

The foreign spouse of a EU national (except French national) may enter France without visa if they are holding:

a valid travel document;

a valid UK residence permit with the endorsement "family member of EEA national" (this endorsment is compulsory to be visa exempted) ;

and if they are joining or travelling with the EU national.

However if you do not satisfy the above conditions, you will need to apply for a visa to travel to France (for instance if your residency is not explicit or if you are travelling to France for business).

Note that children and parents of EU Nationals still require visas to travel to France. It's also the case for the spouses of British citizens as their residence permit does not bear the endorsment " family member of EEA national" as required by the art 10 of the European Council/Parliament Directive 2004/38 CE.

http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/Family-member...n-European.html

thanks for the replies I thought I might have to but was hoping it would not be the case I will have to wait for her to arrive here and plan a trip then.

[dowman73]

I would just like to personally thank Paul and all his staff at ThaiVisaExpress for all his support and advice in helping me and my wife, first get married in bangkok (13/06/0), and secondly and most importantly get a spouse visa (Granted 10 weeks 2 day on the 10/09/09).

I met my wife in london 2 years ago while she was here studying and we moved in together after 6 months when her year visa was almost up we extended it by one more year and on our first anniversary we got engaged at the time she still had over 8 months left on her visa and we planned to apply for a Certificate of Approval (COA).

My fiance had to go back to Thailand as her nan was ill and spent 6 weeks there, we then saved up for the COA and in March sent off all the forms she had 3 months left on her visa and we were told that the COA would take 6 weeks to process, leaving us plenty of time to get married and apply for a spouse visa all from England.

A week after we sent off the forms we came home to find that our application had been sent back to us in the stamped address envelope we had sent, the reason given was that no money was included of course we had put postal orders to the value in and had triple checked everything whilst reading the letter I my asked my fiance where all the contents were as I could not see our passports etc then I noticed that the evelope had been resealed by the post office saying that it had been found open and resealed by them. This was the start of the worst 6 months of my life as the penny dropped that all our information had been stolen in the post, both our passports, my birth certificate and postal orders, my heart stopped as I knew then that all our plans had just been ruined and being a saturday there was no one to phone only the police to report the theft.

I had to wait until monday before phoning the post office and was told I has to fill in a claims form and that they would look into it, I then rang the Thai embassy they told us it would take 8 weeks to get new passport for my fiance meaning that by the time she got it she would have only four weeks left on her visa which was not enough to reapply for a COA or anything the only option was for her to fly back to Thailand and for us to apply for a fiance visa or for me to fly with her and get married something that was not at the time a financial option.

I then started looking on here for information and advice and came across mariner29 (Paul thaivisaexpress) who I was told could help me I spoke with Paul two or three times before deciding to use his service everytime he gave me nothing but great advice and information all for no charge and no agenda, but in the end the fact that he had helped lots of people in my situation and had an office in pattaya with thai speaking staff meant that my wife could speak to them if she had any questions, or help in getting the paperwork together and nothing was lost in translation was the deciding factor.

Both my wifes family and mine helped us out financially I and i flew over to thailand to get married again with Pauls help he sent me lots of usefull information sheets, quetions that she might be asked at the embassy, check list of paperwork we needed, an affirmation form to fill in for the marriage, directions to embassies etc. We got married at the local ampur and then had a wonderful ceremony at the Monks Hospital in bangkok (£400 for ceromony and food for 50 guests) BRILLIANT!!

Paul was in pattaya while I was there and I drove down with the inlaws to drop off our wedding certificate and other paperwork to his office and and when we met him and his staff we both felt more relaxed and reasured that we had made the right choice. I flew back home a week later and the wife met one of the girls in the office and was taken to get her chest xrays and to the Regent House to put in the application something that I am sure she could have done alone but having someone else with her made us both feel better.

Then the horrible 3 month wait, all the time I was on this great forum page and speaking to Paul who calmed me down when I was stressed and worried he always reasured me that everything would work out ok but like everyone else just to wait which I did and was blessed when we were granted our visa yesterday.

I know a lot of people on here have applied on there own and got the same results but I cannot recommend Paul and his staff highly enough, the best money I have spent this year apart from the wedding not only a great service but a lovey guy.

THANKYOU THAIVISAEXPRESS

[lee808]

I would just like to personally thank Paul and all his staff at ThaiVisaExpress for all his support and advice in helping me and my wife, first get married in bangkok (13/06/0), and secondly and most importantly get a spouse visa (Granted 10 weeks 2 day on the 10/09/09).

I met my wife in london 2 years ago while she was here studying and we moved in together after 6 months when her year visa was almost up we extended it by one more year and on our first anniversary we got engaged at the time she still had over 8 months left on her visa and we planned to apply for a Certificate of Approval (COA).

My fiance had to go back to Thailand as her nan was ill and spent 6 weeks there, we then saved up for the COA and in March sent off all the forms she had 3 months left on her visa and we were told that the COA would take 6 weeks to process, leaving us plenty of time to get married and apply for a spouse visa all from England.

A week after we sent off the forms we came home to find that our application had been sent back to us in the stamped address envelope we had sent, the reason given was that no money was included of course we had put postal orders to the value in and had triple checked everything whilst reading the letter I my asked my fiance where all the contents were as I could not see our passports etc then I noticed that the evelope had been resealed by the post office saying that it had been found open and resealed by them. This was the start of the worst 6 months of my life as the penny dropped that all our information had been stolen in the post, both our passports, my birth certificate and postal orders, my heart stopped as I knew then that all our plans had just been ruined and being a saturday there was no one to phone only the police to report the theft.

I had to wait until monday before phoning the post office and was told I has to fill in a claims form and that they would look into it, I then rang the Thai embassy they told us it would take 8 weeks to get new passport for my fiance meaning that by the time she got it she would have only four weeks left on her visa which was not enough to reapply for a COA or anything the only option was for her to fly back to Thailand and for us to apply for a fiance visa or for me to fly with her and get married something that was not at the time a financial option.

I then started looking on here for information and advice and came across mariner29 (Paul thaivisaexpress) who I was told could help me I spoke with Paul two or three times before deciding to use his service everytime he gave me nothing but great advice and information all for no charge and no agenda, but in the end the fact that he had helped lots of people in my situation and had an office in pattaya with thai speaking staff meant that my wife could speak to them if she had any questions, or help in getting the paperwork together and nothing was lost in translation was the deciding factor.

Both my wifes family and mine helped us out financially I and i flew over to thailand to get married again with Pauls help he sent me lots of usefull information sheets, quetions that she might be asked at the embassy, check list of paperwork we needed, an affirmation form to fill in for the marriage, directions to embassies etc. We got married at the local ampur and then had a wonderful ceremony at the Monks Hospital in bangkok (£400 for ceromony and food for 50 guests) BRILLIANT!!

Paul was in pattaya while I was there and I drove down with the inlaws to drop off our wedding certificate and other paperwork to his office and and when we met him and his staff we both felt more relaxed and reasured that we had made the right choice. I flew back home a week later and the wife met one of the girls in the office and was taken to get her chest xrays and to the Regent House to put in the application something that I am sure she could have done alone but having someone else with her made us both feel better.

Then the horrible 3 month wait, all the time I was on this great forum page and speaking to Paul who calmed me down when I was stressed and worried he always reasured me that everything would work out ok but like everyone else just to wait which I did and was blessed when we were granted our visa yesterday.

I know a lot of people on here have applied on there own and got the same results but I cannot recommend Paul and his staff highly enough, the best money I have spent this year apart from the wedding not only a great service but a lovey guy.

THANKYOU THAIVISAEXPRESS

Nice advert !!!

[theoldgit]

I would just like to personally thank Paul and all his staff at ThaiVisaExpress for all his support and advice in helping me and my wife, first get married in bangkok (13/06/0), and secondly and most importantly get a spouse visa (Granted 10 weeks 2 day on the 10/09/09).

THANKYOU THAIVISAEXPRESS

Nice advert !!!

Yes, but credit where it's due.

[true blue]

nice to no there is a exceptional service out there if you really need it.

[simiUK]

I want to take the wife when she arrives on a weekend break to europe, when she was here before on a stident visa I had to apply for a schengen visa does anyone know if we still have to do this now that she has a spouse visa. I wanted it to be a surprise but the fun is taken out of it when you have to apply and wait for a visa. does anyone have any experience in this.

...not many places you can go with a thai national on a UK settlement visa for which you still dont need a visa.. was looking at this too cos i need a holiday after all this stress. best two options look like dominican republic or red sea resorts within sinai... dont want to jump the gun till' the visa's home and hosed cos its tempting fate!... must be great for you now you can make plans like this though

[dowman73]

I want to take the wife when she arrives on a weekend break to europe, when she was here before on a stident visa I had to apply for a schengen visa does anyone know if we still have to do this now that she has a spouse visa. I wanted it to be a surprise but the fun is taken out of it when you have to apply and wait for a visa. does anyone have any experience in this.

...not many places you can go with a thai national on a UK settlement visa for which you still dont need a visa.. was looking at this too cos i need a holiday after all this stress. best two options look like dominican republic or red sea resorts within sinai... dont want to jump the gun till' the visa's home and hosed cos its tempting fate!... must be great for you now you can make plans like this though

its great now that it is all behind us, especially after living together 24/7 in london for the last 18months to be apart for this long (5months) has been horrible, we have been to the South of France last year together to visit my brother but it was a pain having to tell them where we were staying, how long etc in the end i paid nearly £100 for a 7 day visa. So was hoping that might have changed now we had a settlement visa but obviously not.

[Bukseeda]

I want to take the wife when she arrives on a weekend break to europe, when she was here before on a stident visa I had to apply for a schengen visa does anyone know if we still have to do this now that she has a spouse visa. I wanted it to be a surprise but the fun is taken out of it when you have to apply and wait for a visa. does anyone have any experience in this.

...not many places you can go with a thai national on a UK settlement visa for which you still dont need a visa.. was looking at this too cos i need a holiday after all this stress. best two options look like dominican republic or red sea resorts within sinai... dont want to jump the gun till' the visa's home and hosed cos its tempting fate!... must be great for you now you can make plans like this though

its great now that it is all behind us, especially after living together 24/7 in london for the last 18months to be apart for this long (5months) has been horrible, we have been to the South of France last year together to visit my brother but it was a pain having to tell them where we were staying, how long etc in the end i paid nearly £100 for a 7 day visa. So was hoping that might have changed now we had a settlement visa but obviously not.

I'm sure there was a thread on here somewhere saying that's once they're in the UK as the spouse of a UK national the schengen visa is free. Can anyone remember?

[chriswatson]

I want to take the wife when she arrives on a weekend break to europe, when she was here before on a stident visa I had to apply for a schengen visa does anyone know if we still have to do this now that she has a spouse visa. I wanted it to be a surprise but the fun is taken out of it when you have to apply and wait for a visa. does anyone have any experience in this.

...not many places you can go with a thai national on a UK settlement visa for which you still dont need a visa.. was looking at this too cos i need a holiday after all this stress. best two options look like dominican republic or red sea resorts within sinai... dont want to jump the gun till' the visa's home and hosed cos its tempting fate!... must be great for you now you can make plans like this though

Hi, could you give some more insight into how a Thai national on a UK settlement visa can get into Dominican Republic. It's not that I don't believe you, it's just I had no idea this was the case! Would like to take wife abroad myself...

[simiUK]

I want to take the wife when she arrives on a weekend break to europe, when she was here before on a stident visa I had to apply for a schengen visa does anyone know if we still have to do this now that she has a spouse visa. I wanted it to be a surprise but the fun is taken out of it when you have to apply and wait for a visa. does anyone have any experience in this.

...not many places you can go with a thai national on a UK settlement visa for which you still dont need a visa.. was looking at this too cos i need a holiday after all this stress. best two options look like dominican republic or red sea resorts within sinai... dont want to jump the gun till' the visa's home and hosed cos its tempting fate!... must be great for you now you can make plans like this though

Hi, could you give some more insight into how a Thai national on a UK settlement visa can get into Dominican Republic. It's not that I don't believe you, it's just I had no idea this was the case! Would like to take wife abroad myself...

check out www.dominicanrepublic.net (visa requirements) thailand on list of countries not requiring a visa... just issue a tourist card on arrival. am pretty sure this is the only carribean country for which this applies and know other brits have taken thai wives on package holidays from UK... thomson online have good prices on 4/5 star all inclusives first and second week in december

[dowman73]

I want to take the wife when she arrives on a weekend break to europe, when she was here before on a stident visa I had to apply for a schengen visa does anyone know if we still have to do this now that she has a spouse visa. I wanted it to be a surprise but the fun is taken out of it when you have to apply and wait for a visa. does anyone have any experience in this.

...not many places you can go with a thai national on a UK settlement visa for which you still dont need a visa.. was looking at this too cos i need a holiday after all this stress. best two options look like dominican republic or red sea resorts within sinai... dont want to jump the gun till' the visa's home and hosed cos its tempting fate!... must be great for you now you can make plans like this though

its great now that it is all behind us, especially after living together 24/7 in london for the last 18months to be apart for this long (5months) has been horrible, we have been to the South of France last year together to visit my brother but it was a pain having to tell them where we were staying, how long etc in the end i paid nearly £100 for a 7 day visa. So was hoping that might have changed now we had a settlement visa but obviously not.

I'm sure there was a thread on here somewhere saying that's once they're in the UK as the spouse of a UK national the schengen visa is free. Can anyone remember?

really can anyone else confirm this that you just have to apply but there is no charge.

[Buzby]

really can anyone else confirm this that you just have to apply but there is no charge.

Yes, Its free if you are the spouse of a EU citizen (and I have read on this forum free to non EU family members ).

We are applying tomorrow at the Italian Embassy in London and are not expecting to pay a bean and we have Thai friends (married to UK citizens) in UK who have had Schengen visas issued here with no charge.

Do a search on this forum for 'schengen'. There is plenty of info

[uaelaelil]

uaelaelil how is it going with you? I hope you are preparing an appeal? I wish you the best of luck and please, keep us posted

Well after about a week of being angry with the whole process and the ECO's decision, Went backtracking through all our documents supplied just to confirm to myself that we Have supplied enough evidence and covered all of the requirements for a settlement visa.

Then have sort advise from a immigration adviser to help with our appeal and supplied more documents etc more statements from my family and people we knew. Also went to see my MP and he wrote a letter of support which has been added to her appeal papers.

The ECO wanted proof that my wife had stopped working when she moved in with me, which we can only take our word for as she had overstayed and worked illegally.

Our Appeal went in on the 4th of September with a letter to the ECM to be reconsidered as it seems that the ECO had been bias against due to my wifes overstay and working. These should not have been considered as we had plenty of evidence to show our relationship for almost 2 years.

So am now back to a waiting game =/

[tjthai]

Welcome back to the waiting game uaelaelil

All the very best of luck with the appeal.

Please keep us posted

[TheFiend]

Good luck with the appeal uaelaelil.

[bobrussell]

Just joined today so hopefully posting in the correct way!

My wife and daughter (Thai) applied 13/07/09 in Bangkok for settlement visa after very rocky entry for visit back in May.

MP has been on the case right through but he is getting rather 'upset' by the fact that none of his letters (nor mine!) have even been acknowledged by UKBA in UK or by the Home Office.

I cannot believe how low a priority families are given. We have been seperated since the start of July and daughter is missing school!!

What a cr*p system we have!

[tjthai]

bobrussell family welcome to the mad house

The very best of luck to you.

It's stressfull, but my Wife and Daughter hope to be hearing very soon!

[bobrussell]

Thanks - I just cannot believe the arrogance of the UKBA. They clearly do not even look at applications until they have been sitting round for the regulation 12 weeks.

[tjthai]

Seems to have gone quiet again

simiuk it can't be long..........

[simiUK]

Seems to have gone quiet again

simiuk it can't be long..........

got to be imminent for you buddy 11 weeks 1 day?? looks like we were right about the surge to get all junes apps' out of the way by rights if they did dowmans last thursday (submitted 30/6) you should have heard something already this week. they should be updating the "guide to processing times" today/tomorrow for august statistics; will be interesting to see how many settlement apps they processed last month (they did 329 in july)... fingers crossed mate you hear something tomorrrow or friday latest

[tjthai]

For once, I hate being right

Everything is crossed. If it stops raining (you know what this Thai weather is like) we gonna go out for a beer

Will keep you posted

Edited September 16, 2009 by tjthai

[learningcurve]

Things must really be slowwing down as this thread as now slipped onto page 2 of the forum.

Anyone have any good news?