Repeat Uk Vaf1 Tourist Visa Time Restrictions & Flight Costs

[Rolanddrums]

hi Guys, this is my first post here. I have had a quick search but couldnt find the answers (im sure they are there somewhere though) to 2 questions i have, so I thought I would post them up:-

Q1.....My thai gf is currently here in the UK with me. We applied for a 6month UK tourist visa in May and she is due to go back in October. I am her sponsor ,I have own buisness own home etc, and getting the Visa was no problem, as I supplied all papers (bank statements...mortgage papers...letter of sponsorship.,,proof of genuine existing relationship etc)

My question is , after she goes back in Oct ,I want her to come back again 4 weeks later for another 6 months . Is there any rules that prevents her coming back again so soon. This would be her 2nd Tourist visa ? Of course I can provide sponsorship documents and letter again outlining that I will be paying for everything . We are looking to marry in the future , which will bring another set of Visa questions, but for now another 6 month bf/gf living together in UK is what we want.

Q2 When she came here before I was horrified at the price diffence between my TG917/TG916 ticket (ie Heathrow to Bkk and back to Heathrow) ticket at about £500, compared to her TG916/TG917 ticket (ie Bkk to Heathrow and back to Bkk) which even after searching around the best we could get this for was nearly £1200!!!!!!! I feel we are tied to buying a return ticket for her, but ecause the outbound flight for her is Bkk to London the prices are just crazy,

We dont 'have' to use Thai Airways ,but we do want no stops, and want to fly together .I will go out to Thailand in Nov for a couple of weeks holiday and hopefully be bringing her back on my return flight to Uk if she gets this 2nd Visa ok....Is there a cheaper option?

Best Regards Roland

[TickTock]

With respect to Q1 Roland the ECO has Visit Visa guidelines. My understanding is that 'normally' a visitor should only be in the UK six months is a 12 month period. From your post your 12 month period started in May when she arrived in the UK and she will have 'used' her 6 months by October.

I had a similar situation last year when my GF came to the UK on a 6 mth visit visa granted in Jan but travelled in April and left the UK in July. I wanted to submit another VV with her travelling back to the UK within six weeks. I was told that this would probably be rejected and it was suggested that I wait approximately 3 months. We did this and GF came back to the UK in November.

With your situation, from the ECO point of view, it looks like you are trying to get here on a pseudo perm basis via Visit Visas - i.e. within a 12 month period your GF will have been in the UK approx 11 months. That is against the spirit of the VV. Providing documentation again is not the issue. Don't forget you can apply for 6mth, 1 year etc 10 year Visit Visas but the ECO guideline still holds that you should only be in the UK 6 months in a given 12 month period.

My personal view is that you are applying for the 2nd VV too early. I'm sure other members will add their comments.

[CharlieB]

hi Guys, this is my first post here. I have had a quick search but couldnt find the answers (im sure they are there somewhere though) to 2 questions i have, so I thought I would post them up:-

Q1.....My thai gf is currently here in the UK with me. We applied for a 6month UK tourist visa in May and she is due to go back in October. I am her sponsor ,I have own buisness own home etc, and getting the Visa was no problem, as I supplied all papers (bank statements...mortgage papers...letter of sponsorship.,,proof of genuine existing relationship etc)

My question is , after she goes back in Oct ,I want her to come back again 4 weeks later for another 6 months . Is there any rules that prevents her coming back again so soon. This would be her 2nd Tourist visa ? Of course I can provide sponsorship documents and letter again outlining that I will be paying for everything . We are looking to marry in the future , which will bring another set of Visa questions, but for now another 6 month bf/gf living together in UK is what we want.

Q2 When she came here before I was horrified at the price diffence between my TG917/TG916 ticket (ie Heathrow to Bkk and back to Heathrow) ticket at about £500, compared to her TG916/TG917 ticket (ie Bkk to Heathrow and back to Bkk) which even after searching around the best we could get this for was nearly £1200!!!!!!! I feel we are tied to buying a return ticket for her, but ecause the outbound flight for her is Bkk to London the prices are just crazy,

We dont 'have' to use Thai Airways ,but we do want no stops, and want to fly together .I will go out to Thailand in Nov for a couple of weeks holiday and hopefully be bringing her back on my return flight to Uk if she gets this 2nd Visa ok....Is there a cheaper option?

Best Regards Roland

If your girlfriend returns to Thailand and applies again straight away she will probably get a refusal on the grounds that only 6 out of every 12 months should be spent in the UK. Any more than this and you are supposed to apply for a settlement visa as you are not visiting the UK, you are living in the UK on visit visas.

[7by7]

Correct, visitors can usually only spend a maximum of 6 months out of any 12 in the UK, there are exceptions, e.g. business visitors, but not social visitors.

As for your second questions, my only advice is to shop around. We have usually found EVA to be the cheapest for direct flights. Obviously, a non direct flight will reduce the cost considerably.

[Rolanddrums]

thanks guys. I will try Eva. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to be able to get her back in the UK as soon as possible? We are genuine and will want to marry say 2 years. If we 'have' to wait say 3 months....could we then get a 1 year/2 year visators Visa?

[7by7]

The rule on visitors is no more than 6 months out of any 12 in the UK; whether one holds a two year, five year or longer one.

Unless you marry and she applies for settlement, that is it for the next 6 months, I'm afraid.

Unless she can get a work permit or student visa; but she'd have to find an employer or educational establishment to sponsor her first!

Edited July 31, 2009 by 7by7

[Rolanddrums]

thanks 7by7. I have my own buisness in UK (small but have employees and premises....established 1993). We could certainly use her work and could put her on the payroll no problem, is this viable, and how would we go about it?

Failing that, looking at other threads perhaps we should get married in Thailand on our next visit ....a bit premature but we were planning this for the future anyway. My gf talks of 'register' for marriage .....Im guessing this is 'actual marriage' but without ceremony?

Best Regards Roland

[7by7]

To employ her and get a work permit for her the first thing you would need to show is that it is impossible for you to find anyone from within the EU to do the job.

I don't know what your business is, so I ask you; is that viable?

A ceremonial marriage is not a legal marriage in Thailand and so is not recognised as a legal marriage by the UK.

Registering the marriage at an ampur is a legal marriage in Thailand and so is recognised as a legal marriage by the UK.

[Rolanddrums]

Ok, well I think that rules out work permit. if we 'were' to get registered (married) at amphur in Thailand at my next visit to Thailand (nov) , which visa would we then need to get to UK, and what time limits/rules are attached? thanks.

[7by7]

Firstly, do not get married simply so she can get another visa. Only marry if the two of you are sure that you want to spend the rest of your lives together.

If this is the case, then you have two options; marry in Thailand and she applies as your spouse, or she applies as your fiance and you then marry in the UK.

See this post for more details.

[Rolanddrums]

Thanks for that..very helpful.

One other question , my gf is here(UK) on a 6month tourist visa, is it possible for her to come to France with me for a 2 week holiday, or are Visas to France not possible on while she is only on a 6month tourist visa to uk?

[CharlieB]

Thanks for that..very helpful.

One other question , my gf is here(UK) on a 6month tourist visa, is it possible for her to come to France with me for a 2 week holiday, or are Visas to France not possible on while she is only on a 6month tourist visa to uk?

No, you can go ahead and apply for a French Schengen visa at the French Embassy in London.

[Rolanddrums]

hi, is that a 'yes' she can get a schegen visa to go to france with me even though shes only here on a tourist visa? if so thats great news.

[7by7]

From the French embassy.

For the attention of people visiting the UK:

As from the 17th of November 2008 and as per the decree 2008-1176 of the 13th of November 2008, the French consulate, London, is no longer competent in processing visa applications of holders of ’C-Visit’ visas or of a British visa valid for 6 months or less. People must apply for their Schengen visas before travelling to the UK in their country of residence.

Should you meet an unpredictable and urgent need to travel to France whilst visiting the UK, please send a mail to [email protected] exposing the situation. Please note that in case of an exception, there will be a delay of a few weeks for the processing of your application.

So, it's a "Non!" I'm afraid.

[Thongkorn]

Why not go back with her then marry , and apply for a settlement visa , That will take at least three months,.