Uk Holiday/visit Visa For Gf

[tuktukracer]

Hi All.

I've been living in Thailand for nearly 7 years. The last 4 of which I have spent living with my current girlfriend.

I would like to take her back for a 2 holiday in August and I just wanted to see if I have enough in my visa application portfolio.

Here's what I have so far:

1. GF's Kasikorn bank statements for past 6 months showing regular money going into her account from my Thai Kasikorn bank.

2. My UK bank statements for the past 6 months showing regular money being deposited and also 6 months of Thai bank statements. Statements show that I have enough money to fund the trip for us both.

3. A letter from my mother stating that she will be providing board and accommodation whilst we stay in the UK. In the letter she also references her trip to Thailand in 2005 when she met my GF. She's also included photos with the letter and a copy of her passport.

4. A letter from my previous landlord, written last year, confirming that they'd known us as boyfriend-girfriend for a period of 2.5 years.

5. Copy of rental contract for the house we currently live in which is in both our names.

6. Copy of green book for motorbike and finance papers for car. Finance papers for the car are in my GF's name and the motorbike is mine but I thought it was worth including as it shows that the owners (my GF and I) both live in the same address.

7. Copy of my and GF's passport showing matching stamps in and out of Cambodia during times when she accompanied me on visa runs.

That's it.

My only concern is that I have next to no photos of the two of us together, other than ones my Mum has supplied. Crazy I know, given that we've been together for 4 years but the truth is I hate having my photo taken.

Do you think my application is lacking in any areas or do you think it should be fairly straightforward to sort out.

Many thanks in advance!

Simon

Edited May 28, 2009 by tuktukracer

[7by7]

As you have been living together for 4 years this will be treated as if she were your spouse.

As well as the above, you should also supply evidence of your status in Thailand and your employment, if any, and if she is working then evidence of this too.

Plus anything else on Spouse/Partner of British Citizen (Based in Thailand) going to the UK for a visit (family visit) – Check List

[wobblyjohn]

Be prepared for a long wait, my wife applied for a visa 2 weeks ago and we are still waiting, she checks on-line everyday and its still with the embassy, this is her second visa and will be the third time she will have been to England

I need to be in England in July with or without her, its annoying we have to wait this long, last time we used an agency (it was our honeymoon so I wanted everything to go smoothly) but I don't like the idea of paying them 500 quid as we did previously

[tuktukracer]

As you have been living together for 4 years this will be treated as if she were your spouse.

As well as the above, you should also supply evidence of your status in Thailand and your employment, if any, and if she is working then evidence of this too.

Plus anything else on Spouse/Partner of British Citizen (Based in Thailand) going to the UK for a visit (family visit) – Check List

Thanks for the responses.

I have an income from a business in the UK which I have deposited/transferred to my Thai bank. I am here on a non-imm O visa. My girlfriend is not employed.

Based on this and info in my previous post, and I know you aren't issuing the visa's here, but would you say my chances of a)getting a visa issued at all ....and b)getting one it in time for August.... are strong?

Thanks again!

[7by7]

Provide tha documets you have listed, as well as those on the check list, and I cannot see why there should be a problem.

Visa processing times seem to be longer than usual at the moment, so I'd suggest applying about a month in advance.

[thaicbr]

Only extra thing i can think of is reason to return (to Thailand). does your girlfriend own any land ect.

Because your income comes from the UK. so you have no need to return except for your GF and you like Thailand............ just a thought. I'm maybe wrong.

[kjhbigv]

You seem to have covered most things, but as other poster said, I think they like to see 'a reason to return'. Maybe kids here, property, land, money in bank etc.....not trying to worry you as I am sure you will be fine, just covering all bases. I know how you feel, felt the same myself....it's the uncertainty of not knowing what they actually look for!

In my opinion, I reckon you will be just fine! Just be honest, is my advice!

Also, the questions at UK airport are normally down the lines of (directed at your GF) are; 'how long you here for?' 'where you staying?'....nothing more than that and you can also queue in the same line as her (Non-EU) and go to immigration desk together, which makes things easier.

[tuktukracer]

Excellent...sounds like I'm on the right track at least. I know the missus does have some land in Chantaburi, so will make sure we submit copies of the paperwork for that.

One thing: I say I have 6 months bank statements for my UK account - I do but they are online banking print offs. Are they acceptable or should I order proper ones from the bank?

Thanks guys!

Edited May 29, 2009 by tuktukracer

[tuktukracer]

Geez, i've just checked with the missus and the land in Chantaburi that she said was hers is actually in her Mum's name.

So, my concern now is that I have nothing to show why she'd want to come back to Thailand. She is a director on a Thai company that I own but that's dormant so I can't see that's worth mentioning.

[thaicbr]

TUKTUK. If tax has been paid on the company then its worth mentioning. if it is a shell company and has not traded then not worth it. Maybe stress the fact that you do your business from here . also how long is your contract on the house if a yearly contract with at least 6 months remaining then no real problem. As other posters have said you have covered the main criteria.

[tuktukracer]

Cheers for the reply Al/thaicbr :-) The contract actually has less than 6 months remaining on it but I can easily get a new contract drawn up as the person whom we rent the house off is a close friend. Would it help if I were to make the contract 24 months and show a hefty deposit on there? Also, would you recommend having the contract in Thai or English?

The company I referred to in previous post has never traded, so I won't bother mentioning that.

[thaicbr]

I would say everything helps. are you going to stay in the house for 24mths. I have been accused before on this sub-forum of lying. so I will only say that everything helps if it's all above board. Is the person Thai or expat. if Thai probably Thai and English. Hope this helps.

[7by7]

Obviously, the longer the rental contract on your house the better, but make sure you tell only the truth. Thaicbr has been accussed of lying (by me) before becuase he openly admits to lying on a visa application and has previously advised others to do the same!

TTR, you are a long term resident in Thailand, and can prove it. You and your girlfriend have been living together for a long time, and can prove it. You are her reason to return. I cannot see why there would be any problem with her application.

[jonb]

Hi

Been waiting now for a visit visa for my wife and step-daughter for over 4 weeks. Have flights booked for the 12th May as was told it would only take a max of 2 weeks. Been emailing and phoning with no joy.

My problem with this whole situation is that we also have a baby daughter that holds a british passport. She can come and go as she pleases to the uk but cannot take her mother without all this crap. They need to revise the system to take into account things like this.

Jon

[theoldgit]

Yes it's pretty scandalous, for a procedure that only takes a few minutes and last year was only taking a couple of days, a week at the most.

I presume it's a knock on effect of the even more disgraceful "service" being provided for settlement visas. I suspect it's combination of more applications and a reduction in staff, and it of course follows on from the latest increase in processing fees.

I note you have your flights booked for the 12th May I hope you mean the 12th June, they advise you not to purchase flight tickets before the visa is granted, they are not in the real world are they? Of course anyone also wanting a Schengen Visa needs to provide flight and accommodation details which they say they will check.

Hang in there, as if you can do anything else.

[7by7]

Yes it's pretty scandalous, for a procedure that only takes a few minutes and last year was only taking a couple of days, a week at the most.

I presume it's a knock on effect of the even more disgraceful "service" being provided for settlement visas. I suspect it's combination of more applications and a reduction in staff, and it of course follows on from the latest increase in processing fees.

Scandalous? Not sure about that. Frustrating, definitely, but scandalous? It is not the embassy's fault that at some times of the year visa demand is low enough for them to process applications within a few days while at other times it is so high that the process takes several weeks.

I'm not sure if staffing levels have been reduced, but if so then again this is not the embassy's fault; they do not set staffing levels.

I know that I sometimes come across as an apologist for the embassy, but what I am attempting to do is make sure people place the blame not on the people at the sharp end, the embassy staff, but where it really belongs; this government. It is they who set staffing levels, it is they who determine the immigration rules, it is they who set the criteria for a visa and it is they who have raised application fees, both in the UK and out, from their pre 1998 reasonable levels to the now extortionate amounts. This milking of visa applicants, especially settlement, is scandalous.

I would like to say that a change of government would reduce these levels to a fairer level, but I doubt it. I think that at best the rate of increase would be slowed.

they advise you not to purchase flight tickets before the visa is granted, they are not in the real world are they?

I disagree. To me it makes sense not to purchase tickets until one knows one has the visa, and when. Yes, it may make the ticket more expensive, but not as expensive as having to cancel the ticket because the visa has not yet been issued, or even refused. It is an individual applicant's choice whether they follow this advice or not; but if they ignore it and do not get the visa in time for the booked flight then, to be blunt, they only have themselves to blame.

Of course anyone also wanting a Schengen Visa needs to provide flight and accommodation details which they say they will check.

Schengen rules are different, but as the UK is not in the Schengen area, how is this relevant?

[jonb]

Got a call today to say the passports have been returned to VFS and ready for collection. That was just over 4 weeks for the application to be processed. Will find out later if successful as got a friend up in Bangkok collecting them for us.

[thaimiller]

Geez, i've just checked with the missus and the land in Chantaburi that she said was hers is actually in her Mum's name.

So, my concern now is that I have nothing to show why she'd want to come back to Thailand. She is a director on a Thai company that I own but that's dormant so I can't see that's worth mentioning.

A quick easy way for a reason to return is put say 200k thb into a fixed term savings account under her name, make sure the withdrawal date is after you have left for the UK. Not sure about the other banks, we used Kasikorn and they have 3,6,12,24 month fixed term accounts. We have done this every time we visited Europe and it has always been accepted as a reason to return.

[tuktukracer]

Thanks for all the advice. I think I have everything now but my UK bank statements are just print offs of my online statements (I receive paper free statements from Halifax and therefore nothing comes through the post). Will this be accepted?

[7by7]

A quick easy way for a reason to return is put say 200k thb into a fixed term savings account under her name, make sure the withdrawal date is after you have left for the UK. Not sure about the other banks, we used Kasikorn and they have 3,6,12,24 month fixed term accounts. We have done this every time we visited Europe and it has always been accepted as a reason to return.

I don't know about other European countries, but as far as the UK is concerned;

1) Having money in the bank is not necessarily a reason to return. Ever heard of ATMs or international bank transfers? The ECOs have.

2) Large unexplained deposits into an applicant's bank can, and often do, raise questions in the ECO's mind. Questions that can delay the decision and even result in a refusal.

I have said this before, but it bears repeating.

If the ECO is satisfied that the applicant is a genuine visitor with a genuine reason to visit then reason to return is not that important. Especially so when the applicant is in a serious relationship with their UK resident sponsor; a relationship that could result in a future settlement application.

If an applicant has a job, land, is a full time student etc. then obviously they should show this. However many people have been granted visit visas when they have no concrete reason to return; based purely on the strength of the relationship with their sponsor.

TTR, the ECOs prefer originals or certified copies of bank statements, for obvious reasons. If you cannot obtain hard copies from the Halifax then maybe your local branch will certify that the printouts are genuine.