Visitors Visa To The Uk For My Wife And Her Daughter

[Murgatroyd]

I need to obtain Visas for my wife and her daughter ( My daughter in law, aged six), to visit the UK this summer. I have been living with her in Thailand for over one year now, and we were officially married at the local office last september. Both my wife and her daughter have brand new Thai passports, (they have never needed passports before). I am a UK citizen and passport holder.

Can someone please fill me in on the nuts and bolts of how to apply for the visas, the pitfalls involved, and what kind of supporting evidence we will need, ( as well as the actual documentation required for the application).

I assume that they both need a UK visitors visa... we are only going for about two weeks. Will I have to post a financial bond of any kind on their behalf?

Do I have to buy the tickets before applying for the visas? If so, how long does the visa application process take, and how long should I prudently allow for the application process?

My Wife owns her own home here in Thailand, where we live with her mother, (Who won't be coming on the trip).

I want to take my wife and her daughter, (whom I now regard as my daughter), to the UK because my family want to meet them, and my mother is elderly, and wants to meet her new daughter and granddaughter in laws before it is too late...

We will be staying at my sister's address... should I ask her to provide confirmation of this?

I arrived in Thailand from the UK in April 2008 on an O/A visa, which has now expired. However, before it expired I left and re-entered Thailand, and now have a stamp in my passport allowing me to stay until March 2010.

Will it be possible for me to visit the UK, and return to Thailand on the streangth of this, or will I need to start a new visa application for Thailand myself ?

I think that I can apply for a document that gives me Permission to leave Thailand and return, providing that I do this before the stamp in my passport expires... Is this right? If so, what paperwork do I need to show to get this permission to leave and re-enter?

Undoubtedly, many of these questions have been answered somewhere in this forum, but I thought it would be easier to group my questions together...

Murgatroyd

Edited April 27, 2009 by Murgatroyd

[mariner29]

You require a family visit i presume you are returning to Thailand together ?

You will need a letter of invite plus proof of funds etc.

A copy of her house deeds should be inserted.

Tickets should not be purchased until the visa is approved however insert travel plans.

If you require any further help feel free to contact our Pattaya office.

[ubonjoe]

I arrived in Thailand from the UK in April 2008 on an O/A visa, which has now expired. However, before it expired I left and re-entered Thailand, and now have a stamp in my passport allowing me to stay until March 2010.

Will it be possible for me to visit the UK, and return to Thailand on the streangth of this, or will I need to start a new visa application for Thailand myself ?

I think that I can apply for a document that gives me Permission to leave Thailand and return, providing that I do this before the stamp in my passport expires... Is this right? If so, what paperwork do I need to show to get this permission to leave and re-enter?

Murgatroyd

I will answer this part of your post.

You will neet to go to immigration and get a re-entry permit {1000 baht for a single 3800 for a multiple entry). You just need copies of your passport photo page, visa and entry/permit to stay stamps pages, and TM 6 (departure card). One photo and TM8 application form which you can download here.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/pdf/tm8.pdf

The re-entry permit will be valid until March of 2010. You don't need to be accurate on the dates for travel or return. It does not matter.

Also in March 2010 you will need to get an extension of stay at immigration.

The rest I will leave to others.

[Murgatroyd]

Thanks very much mariner29 and ubonjoe,

That's cleared up a couple of points...

Yes, We will all be travelling back to Thailand together. I will ask my sister to write a formal letter of invitation, confirming that we will be staying at her house, and that she will take us to the airport to fly back to Thailand. I can easily produce bank statements to show that I am financially solvent.

But I still need to know about the UK Visitors visa application process itself... There must be someone out there who has done this recently... Any offers of up to date information? It would be greatly appreciated...

If anyone has applied and been turned down, your input would also be very valuable... it would help prevent me from making a flawed application...

Murg

Edited April 27, 2009 by Murgatroyd

[mariner29]

If you do a search on the forum you will find this.

The biggest downfall of most applications is reason to return to your host country however in your case this is not an issue you are living in Thailand with your family.

Good luck

[CharlieB]

I need to obtain Visas for my wife and her daughter ( My daughter in law, aged six), to visit the UK this summer. I have been living with her in Thailand for over one year now, and we were officially married at the local office last september. Both my wife and her daughter have brand new Thai passports, (they have never needed passports before). I am a UK citizen and passport holder.

Can someone please fill me in on the nuts and bolts of how to apply for the visas, the pitfalls involved, and what kind of supporting evidence we will need, ( as well as the actual documentation required for the application).

I assume that they both need a UK visitors visa... we are only going for about two weeks. Will I have to post a financial bond of any kind on their behalf?

Do I have to buy the tickets before applying for the visas? If so, how long does the visa application process take, and how long should I prudently allow for the application process?

My Wife owns her own home here in Thailand, where we live with her mother, (Who won't be coming on the trip).

I want to take my wife and her daughter, (whom I now regard as my daughter), to the UK because my family want to meet them, and my mother is elderly, and wants to meet her new daughter and granddaughter in laws before it is too late...

We will be staying at my sister's address... should I ask her to provide confirmation of this?

I arrived in Thailand from the UK in April 2008 on an O/A visa, which has now expired. However, before it expired I left and re-entered Thailand, and now have a stamp in my passport allowing me to stay until March 2010.

Will it be possible for me to visit the UK, and return to Thailand on the streangth of this, or will I need to start a new visa application for Thailand myself ?

I think that I can apply for a document that gives me Permission to leave Thailand and return, providing that I do this before the stamp in my passport expires... Is this right? If so, what paperwork do I need to show to get this permission to leave and re-enter?

Undoubtedly, many of these questions have been answered somewhere in this forum, but I thought it would be easier to group my questions together...

Murgatroyd

You'll need to apply for 2 visitors visas (VAF1 forms). Proof needed will be reason for the visit, accomodation while in the UK, proof of funds available while in the UK, proof of your relationship and reason to return to Thailand (Your wife's house deeds + any other assets/money/jobs/close family will do). BTW I believe the term for your wife's daughter is step-daughter, not daughter-in-law.

You might want to read around the subject on the following two sites:

VFS Centre Bangkok - This is where your applications will be submitted, not at the embassy.

UK Visas website - Good source of info to point you in the right direction. (Forms and guidance are here)

Search on here for information on visitor visas. Requests such as yours come up all the time and it might be better if you read some of these rather than rely on the same info being posted on your thread.

[mariner29]

Vaf 1 b is the correct form as you are visiting your family and they are offering accommodation for you.

You can apply for the visas together but use a separate form for each applicant.

A definition of a family visit is your sister under the rules.

[Murgatroyd]

Thank you for all the good advice.

I have printed off the relevant application forms (VAF 1B) and the guidence notes for filling in these forms.

I note that whilst having the Air tickets doesn't seem to be required for the application, I must give the Dates of travel to the UK... I had intended to find the cheapest available flights after obtaining the visas for my wife and step daughter, as the exact dates of our family visit are flexible.

If I must specify exact dates of travel, this will restrict my options for buying the cheapest air tickets.

Do the given travel dates have to be exact?

I also note that when searching for air tickets on the internet, all the cheapest deals seem to be available for travellers coming from the UK to Thailand and then returning to the UK. Can anyone recommend a reliable website or travel agency that offers or specialises in return flights origionating in Thailand?

[7by7]

If I must specify exact dates of travel, this will restrict my options for buying the cheapest air tickets.

Do the given travel dates have to be exact?

You can change the dates of travel once the visa is issued. But, of course, one cannot enter the UK before the start date of the visa nor stay beyond the expiry date.

Can't help on the travel agent question.