Can You Have 2 Sponsors + Other Questions

[kimamey]

I'm hoping to bring my Thai gf to the UK in May next year for a couple of weeks so we will need a visa for her. My wife died in 2005 and I live in a house with my daughter that I own with no mortgage. For reasons I won't go into but which aren't illegal my daughter has a large amount of money in her accounts that I have access to so Iwas wondering if we can both sposer my gf either individually or together? I do have savings of a few thousand but it hasn't been in my account for long. I also have a few thousand in an ISA which although I probably don't have statements to show how long the money has been there it would take a few years to build this amount up due to the restrictions on the ammount you can deposit in each year. This account allows immediate access so the money is available if I were to need it. Does anyone know if money in an ISA would count?

One other thing. I want to get the visa sorted as soon as possible so I can book the flights and I know you can post date the start of the visa for 3 months. My question is can I apply using the 3 months post date but not bring her over until near the end of the visa thus allowing me to apply about 8 months in advance?

Many thanks

[CharlieB]

I'm hoping to bring my Thai gf to the UK in May next year for a couple of weeks so we will need a visa for her. My wife died in 2005 and I live in a house with my daughter that I own with no mortgage. For reasons I won't go into but which aren't illegal my daughter has a large amount of money in her accounts that I have access to so Iwas wondering if we can both sposer my gf either individually or together? I do have savings of a few thousand but it hasn't been in my account for long. I also have a few thousand in an ISA which although I probably don't have statements to show how long the money has been there it would take a few years to build this amount up due to the restrictions on the ammount you can deposit in each year. This account allows immediate access so the money is available if I were to need it. Does anyone know if money in an ISA would count?

One other thing. I want to get the visa sorted as soon as possible so I can book the flights and I know you can post date the start of the visa for 3 months. My question is can I apply using the 3 months post date but not bring her over until near the end of the visa thus allowing me to apply about 8 months in advance?

Many thanks

There is nothing to stop you applying so far ahead if you only intend her to come for a few weeks towards the end of the visa. A word of caution, sometimes the embassy can make mistakes and may not post-date your visa correctly, which would mean your fiance would have to come in February. Personally, I'd apply closer to the date.

Any money that you can immediately access will be fine, so your ISA will be ok as long as your provide evidence of the amount and the fact it allows instant access.

[7by7]

Are you talking about a visit or settlement?

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Explain which visa you require.

[paully]

Does anyone know if money in an ISA would count?

Yes, why not? Most ISAs have at least a component which you can get instant access to - you just lose interest payments if you do.

[kimamey]

Are you talking about a visit or settlement?

Sorry my mistake I should have said a general visitor visa.

[CharlieB]

Are you talking about a visit or settlement?

He did say that he's bringing his girlfriend over for a couple of weeks. That rules out any kind of settlement visa in my books.

[7by7]

As it's a visit visa there's no reason why financial support cannot be provided by both you and your daughter.

You will be the sponsor, in the sense that you are the one supporting her application, but you daughter should also write a supporting letter explaining why she is offering financial support.

As you say, the start of the visa can be post dated for up to three months. However, although she can use it at anytime after the start date, she must leave the UK on or before the expiry date. This will be 6 months from the start date, not 6 months from when she first enters the UK.

Therefore, applying 8 months in advance means that she will have a maximum of one month in the UK. As pointed out by CharlieB, you did say, and I missed, a couple of weeks, but are you sure you want to limit her stay in this way? What if you and she decide that she'd like to stay longer?

I'd advise applying closer to her actual travel date as it'll give you more flexibility, but it's your choice.

Edited October 6, 2009 by 7by7

[kimamey]

As it's a visit visa there's no reason why financial support cannot be provided by both you and your daughter.

You will be the sponsor, in the sense that you are the one supporting her application, but you daughter should also write a supporting letter explaining why she is offering financial support.

As you say, the start of the visa can be post dated for up to three months. However, although she can use it at anytime after the start date, she must leave the UK on or before the expiry date. This will be 6 months from the start date, not 6 months from when she first enters the UK.

Therefore, applying 8 months in advance means that she will have a maximum of one month in the UK. As pointed out by CharlieB, you did say, and I missed, a couple of weeks, but are you sure you want to limit her stay in this way? What if you and she decide that she'd like to stay longer?

I'd advise applying closer to her actual travel date as it'll give you more flexibility, but it's your choice.

Thanks for all the help. There's not much chance of her staying longer as she only has so much holiday entitlement. She works for the Ministry of Employment so that should help regarding her intention to return to Thailand. Of course given the choice I'd love her to stay longer but maybe next time. Hopefully by then I will be living there and we can visit together.

One of the reasons for this apart from wanting to get her flight booked as soon as possible is that I will be in Bangkok at the end of this month to meet her so that would be a good time to deal with her application as she lives near Mahasarakham in Isaan so it's a long way for her to travel.

[7by7]

One further point.

Don't rely on the ECO spotting her date of travel on the application form; this is often missed/ignored and the visa dated as normal, i.e. the date of issue. Make sure that you specifically request the start date required in your supporting letter as well, and a brief explanation of why she wants it postponed for so long wont hurt.

Unfortunately, this request can also be missed/ignored!

So as soon as she collects her passport she must immediately check the start date of the visa before she leaves the VAC. If it is incorrect then she must, again immediately, request that it be changed. Mistakes on the visa dates, even if the embassy's fault, cannot be rectified later.

[kimamey]

One further point.

Don't rely on the ECO spotting her date of travel on the application form; this is often missed/ignored and the visa dated as normal, i.e. the date of issue. Make sure that you specifically request the start date required in your supporting letter as well, and a brief explanation of why she wants it postponed for so long wont hurt.

Unfortunately, this request can also be missed/ignored!

So as soon as she collects her passport she must immediately check the start date of the visa before she leaves the VAC. If it is incorrect then she must, again immediately, request that it be changed. Mistakes on the visa dates, even if the embassy's fault, cannot be rectified later.

Thanks for that I'll make sure she does that.

I've just noticed something else. Is it necessary for the Thai supporting documents to be translated? On this page Uk Visa FAQ in section 5 it says documents should be translated but under section 4 if you click supporting documents and download the PDF it says there is no requirement for translation.

I'm pretty certain that passports or ID cards should be ok and probably bank statements as I can understand them. I've seen what I think are a death certificate for her husband and something else, possibly land docs or marriage certifcate. One of them didn't even have number I could understand so those might need to be done. Any thoughts or perhaps experience of this?

Sorry for all the questions but whilst I can hold a normal conversation with my gf, when it comes to things like this it can take a while to express ourselves so the other can understand and even then you suddenly realise one of you has completely misunderstood. With all this stress I'll probably have a heart attack making it all pointless anyway.

[kimamey]

I've just been told that on another forum someone said any money sent over to help finance a trip has to be there for 28 days. My girlfriend doesn't have much money herself although she has land which if she sold it would certainly be enough so although I will be paying for her trip I was going to send over some money s that she then has finance whatever happens between us. I would have thought so long as she has it that should be enough. Of course she could spend it all on shoes but that would be the case anyway. Again any experience of this would be helpful.

[7by7]

For a visit there is no need for her to have any money in her bank; you can provide the funding from yours. Obviously you need to provide evidence of your ability to do so.

There is no need to have documents translated as the embassy have Thai members of staff who can do this. Section 5 of the FAQs advises that they be translated as it can help the ECO make a decision if they are.

In my opinion, it can help speed up the application if all documents are translated as it means that the ECO doesn't have to wait for a Thai member of staff to become available to confirm their contents.

Edited October 10, 2009 by 7by7

[kimamey]

For a visit there is no need for her to have any money in her bank; you can provide the funding from yours. Obviously you need to provide evidence of your ability to do so.

There is no need to have documents translated as the embassy have Thai members of staff who can do this. Section 5 of the FAQs advises that they be translated as it can help the ECO make a decision if they are.

In my opinion, it can help speed up the application if all documents are translated as it means that the ECO doesn't have to wait for a Thai member of staff to become available to confirm their contents.

Thanks, that sort of confirms what I was thinking but it helps to have someone else's input. I realised I should have searched for translation before I posted that question but to be honest my mind is in a mess with all this, plus I'm flying through Abu Dhabi on 23/24 of this month and I'm trying to make sure my medication doesn't get me into jail for 4 years. Ironically the medication is mostly for high blood pressure.

Oh well thanks again and here's hoping for an easy stay in LOS.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I've just been told that on another forum someone said any money sent over to help finance a trip has to be there for 28 days. My girlfriend doesn't have much money herself although she has land which if she sold it would certainly be enough so although I will be paying for her trip I was going to send over some money s that she then has finance whatever happens between us. I would have thought so long as she has it that should be enough. Of course she could spend it all on shoes but that would be the case anyway. Again any experience of this would be helpful.

A letter from her employer confirming her government employment, and her ongoing employment there on her return to Thailand, should be included in her application.