Visa Uk

[steveweaver99]

Hi people

Looking at applying for a UK Tourist Visa for my Thai GF, not using an agency.

Is it more difficult to obtain a 12 month Visa as opposed to a 6 month Visa?

Is their additional criteria that must be met.

Also Thanks in advance.

Edited May 25, 2009 by steveweaver99

[7by7]

Although it is possible to obtain a visa for 12 months or more, up to 10 years in fact, this does not mean that the holder can spend longer than 6 months in the UK.

Even with a long term visit visa, the longest a visitor can normally spend in the UK is 6 months, and if a visitor arrives in the UK and immigration suspect that the visitor will be spending more than 6 months out any 12 in the UK then they will probably be refused entry.

Long term visit visas are issued to regular travellers with a legitimate reason for making regular visits to the UK; e.g the spouse of a British citizen resident in Thailand. One first needs to build up a history of regular travel to the UK before applying for one.

If this is her first application then she will not get more than 6 months.

[steveweaver99]

Excellent response

Is a 6 month Visa the minimum/norm the UK Immigration usually grant? For example if an applicants duration in the UK was 3 weeks, would a 6 month Visa be issued in any case.

Edited May 25, 2009 by steveweaver99

[kennkate]

Her visit visa will be valid for 6 months

The Fee is non refundable so you need to address reasons for posible Refusal

The main reason it will fail is that her commitment to Thailand is questionable

Has She got a Good Well Paid Job ?? Has she got Land and House ??Good amount in her Thai bank account??

She is more likely to have a positive outcome if she has at least 2 of the above

if she cannot convince the UK Embassy she has a very good reasons to return to Thailand it is doubtfull she would get A Visa to Visit.

Best of luck

[ThaiVisaExpress]

I would not even attempt a 1 year visa i would simply apply for a 6 month entry clearance application.

[steveweaver99]

Her visit visa will be valid for 6 months

The Fee is non refundable so you need to address reasons for posible Refusal

The main reason it will fail is that her commitment to Thailand is questionable

Has She got a Good Well Paid Job ?? Has she got Land and House ??Good amount in her Thai bank account??

She is more likely to have a positive outcome if she has at least 2 of the above

if she cannot convince the UK Embassy she has a very good reasons to return to Thailand it is doubtfull she would get A Visa to Visit.

Best of luck

Not too worried about losing the fee.

However your points above, if this is the case most Thai GF's would be refused would they not??

She does have a son, is that not a good reason for wanting to return?

Are you an agency by the way?

Edited May 25, 2009 by steveweaver99

[steveweaver99]

I would not even attempt a 1 year visa i would simply apply for a 6 month entry clearance application.

Thanks for the advice, I will apply for a 6 month.

[beano2274]

having a son is not a reason to come back, most of the women at the Embassy will know that, as they are Thai. Some women leave their Kids here, go abroad and later get their kids sent to them, the Embassy is well aware of such practices.

Try as others have stated to get more proof of her return, also use the search function to get more information

Edited May 25, 2009 by beano2274

[steveweaver99]

Thankyou for your comments.

It appears very hard to prove return if this is the case. How about returning to her job, though its not necessarily a well paid one (I dont know what the definition of a well paid job is) and also returning to her rented accommodation, I guess the tenancy agreement can be shown? And perhaps a return ticket to Thailand with me accompanying her? I guess she would need to open a new bank account with savings?

[Lite Beer]

Agree . Many Thai Mothers leave their kids with Aunts, Grandmothers etc.

Reasons to return.

Does she have land, property , a job with permission from her employer to holiday and return.

What is her relationship with you? Do you have E Mail copies, phone bills . letters showing contact.

A letter from the person in UK offering accommodation for her trip. Does she have enough finances for the trip? Bank accounts yours and hers. Your Passport.

If you live in Thailand a good reason for her to return would be to live with you. If so give details of your Immigration Status.

[steveweaver99]

Agree . Many Thai Mothers leave their kids with Aunts, Grandmothers etc.

Reasons to return.

Does she have land, property , a job with permission from her employer to holiday and return.

No land or property Yes

What is her relationship with you? Do you have E Mail copies, phone bills . letters showing contact.

Partner SMS only and some emails

A letter from the person in UK offering accommodation for her trip.

Yes

Does she have enough finances for the trip? Bank accounts yours and hers. Your Passport.

She has no bank account, salry paid in cash. I will sponsor her

If you live in Thailand a good reason for her to return would be to live with you. If so give details of your Immigration Status.

I live in the UK

[cuddleypete]

I would do a six month visa if i was you

[Divine]

Although it is possible to obtain a visa for 12 months or more, up to 10 years in fact, this does not mean that the holder can spend longer than 6 months in the UK.

Even with a long term visit visa, the longest a visitor can normally spend in the UK is 6 months, and if a visitor arrives in the UK and immigration suspect that the visitor will be spending more than 6 months out any 12 in the UK then they will probably be refused entry.

Long term visit visas are issued to regular travellers with a legitimate reason for making regular visits to the UK; e.g the spouse of a British citizen resident in Thailand. One first needs to build up a history of regular travel to the UK before applying for one.

If this is her first application then she will not get more than 6 months.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

The usual problem is reason to return on most applications.

Children are not a reason to return as Thai families take care of them in most cases.

However my experience is the strength of the relationship can in itself be a reason to return.

[steveweaver99]

The usual problem is reason to return on most applications.

Children are not a reason to return as Thai families take care of them in most cases.

However my experience is the strength of the relationship can in itself be a reason to return.

Sorry you mean the strength of the relationship between mother and son?

I guess a letter from her employer stating a one month holiday authorisation might be useful along with a currently running tenancy agreement?

Are these usually sufficent for non refusal?

[mrbojangles]

if this is the case most Thai GF's would be refused would they not??

A he11 of a lot of them are refused. And one of the main reasons is proving that she has reason to return.

How long have you known your G/F ? Do you have a full history of your relationship? Including pictures and telephone and / or e-mail contact between you?

I also concur with the other posters, that you will not get longer than a 6 month visa. Good luck with your application.

Edited May 26, 2009 by mrbojangles

[steveweaver99]

if this is the case most Thai GF's would be refused would they not??

A he11 of a lot of them are refused. And one of the main reasons is proving that she has reason to return.

How long have you known your G/F ? Do you have a full history of your relationship? Including pictures and telephone and / or e-mail contact between you?

I also concur with the other posters, that you will not get longer than a 6 month visa. Good luck with your application.

Ive known her for 6 months, have pictures and SMS messages, not sure how I can use the latter as proof? Unless I can dump the SMS log into a CD or something?

[mrbojangles]

if this is the case most Thai GF's would be refused would they not??

A he11 of a lot of them are refused. And one of the main reasons is proving that she has reason to return.

How long have you known your G/F ? Do you have a full history of your relationship? Including pictures and telephone and / or e-mail contact between you?

I also concur with the other posters, that you will not get longer than a 6 month visa. Good luck with your application.

Ive known her for 6 months, have pictures and SMS messages, not sure how I can use the latter as proof? Unless I can dump the SMS log into a CD or something?

If you've only known her for 6 months, I'm afraid your chances of getting a visa are very slim, at best.

[Lite Beer]

If you've only known her for 6 months, I'm afraid your chances of getting a visa are very slim, at best.

Agree with this but not impossible.

All you can do is be honest and provide everything you can think of that may be relevant and hope for the best. You will lose the application money if unsuccessful.

To be honest. 6 month relationship, she lives in Thailand, you live in UK. Not looking good.

If you can aford to loose the money there is no harm in trying. They will give a reason for refusal if that is the case. You will then have some idea on what to work on for future applications.

[weescotsguy66]

I take it as a given that your only going for a 6 months visa.

First visas are always the worst.

Your Bank Statements, your contract of employment, your salary details, a commitment from you that she will get travel insurance when she a visa, you will buy her ticket, A possible itenary of where she will be going when in UK eg Visit your family, in Birmingham a letter from your parents seeing how they are looking forward to meeting with her. A trip to London and hotel you will be staying at for your trip.

Where do you stay, and how long have you stayed there.

Photos of you in other locations eg outside Thailand like Singapore or Malaysia KL etc. photos of you in other places like Phuket, Phi Phi island.

Your partner bank Statements

Your partners copies of her Blue Book (where she stays)

Assets she has eg Car, house or rental Agreement how long has she has lived at this address.

Emails even a few would be great. (It is difficult if she doesn't Read English well) my gf was the same.

Telephone bills of both.

You do not have to fall into the trap of putting money into her account to make it (suay) just tell the truth.

Copies of both your passports especially if you have travelled at the same times.

If you are taking care of her then your bank statement would be enough. Trust works both ways you ar paying her flight and travel insurance.

Plan for her children while she is away from your 3 or 4 week holiday what provisions has she got for taking care of the kids both finacially and who is taking care of them.

One benefit now is you do not have to quenue outside the embassy at 4am in the morning to get in now it is more civilised you just go to an office in wireless road again turn up early like 9.30am.

Please let us know how you get on.

[Lite Beer]

Yes. She will have to apply here http://www.vfs-uk-th.com/ Not the Embassy. There is a lot of information on the site.

[steveweaver99]

Thanks guys for all the input

My girlfriend is under the impression its easy to obtain a UK Visa, talking to various Thai people. If only she knew.

I dont know where some people get this idea from.

[7by7]

The usual problem is reason to return on most applications.

Children are not a reason to return as Thai families take care of them in most cases.

However my experience is the strength of the relationship can in itself be a reason to return.

Sorry you mean the strength of the relationship between mother and son?

I think he means the strength of the relationship between sponsor and applicant; i.e. between you and her.

Many couples have found that if they show that they are in a genuine relationship then this is enough by itself to satisfy the reason to return. The ECOs thinking being that the couple would not want to put a future settlement application at risk by overstaying a visit.

You should write a sponsor's letter briefly detailing the history of your relationship, the reason for her visit at this time and what your future plans together are.

Obviously, if she has, or can get, concrete evidence of a reason to return, such as a letter from her employer, this will help.

Visit visas are not as difficult to get as some people seem to think. Last year 90% of general visit visa applications in Bangkok were successful (see page 56 of this document.)

In my experience the main reason for a refusal is not that the applicant didn't qualify, but that they failed to show that they did! So prepare thoroughly.

You may find the following helpful:-

Guidance - Visitors (INF 2)

Guidance - Sponsors (INF 3)

VAT2 Visitors: Visiting family; friends; as a tourist

For how and where to apply, fees, supporting documents etc. see the visa application centre.

[RAZZELL]

Thanks guys for all the input

My girlfriend is under the impression its easy to obtain a UK Visa, talking to various Thai people. If only she knew.

I dont know where some people get this idea from.

I think if you actually look at the figures about 90% plus do get a visa. It just requires a bit of effort.

RAZZ

Edited May 27, 2009 by RAZZELL

[steveweaver99]

Im now in the process of gathering the necessary documentation for the Visa. I have asked my GF to obtain a letter of employment slong with holiday authorisation from her Employer. The thing that concerns me is the letter is written in Thai, is this accetable or does it need to be translated and if so whats the process for this

thanks.

[7by7]

The embassy do have Thai staff who can translate documents in Thai. However, I believe that it can save time if you provide translations yourself as the ECO wont have to put your application to one side until a translator becomes available.

There are many translators around both the embassy and the VAC. I would avoid the one on the same floor as the VAC as they are also a visa agent and will try to con you into using their 'services' for the actual application!

The translator should stamp and sign the translation to say that it is a true one, and you submit both the translation and the Thai original with the application.

It's been a while since I've had any translations done, so I'm not sure of current fees, I'm afraid.