Spouse Visa Vs Fiance Visa

[lovednb]

UK VISA

Hi

I am retruning to Thailand in Novemebr to Visit my Fiance. It will have been 3 months since he left the UK on his 2nd Tourist Visa. This is the third and hopefully last time that we have spent 3-4 months apart in the 3 years that we have been together.

We have been engaged for sometime but tossing up whether to Marry in Thailand or the UK. Can someone please advise:

• How long does it take to organise to marry in Thailand (not a big cerimony as we would have one when we returned to the UK). I only have a month there, is this long enought to organise the wedding and get everthing together to make the Spouse Visa application?
  
• Once we have married in Thailand and submitted all the paperwork how long does it usually take to get the visa 'yes' or 'no' decision.
  
• I keep reading something about TB and X-Rays for a settlement visa. What is this?
  
• If we decided to marry in the UK, how long does it usuallly take to get the visa desision once the application has been submitted.
  

We have all the other evidence of our relationship that we submitted for his last 2 successful Tourist Visa applications. Am I missing anything?

I know that in the long run the fiance visa, FLR Visa then ILV works out as more expensive.

Any advice will be really gratefully received.

Edited October 7, 2009 by lovednb

[CharlieB]

UK VISA

Hi

I am retruning to Thailand in Novemebr to Visit my Fiance. It will have been 3 months since he left the UK on his 2nd Tourist Visa. This is the third and hopefully last time that we have spent 3-4 months apart in the 3 years that we have been together.

We have been engaged for sometime but tossing up whether to Marry in Thailand or the UK. Can someone please advise:

• How long does it take to organise to marry in Thailand (not a big cerimony as we would have one when we returned to the UK). I only have a month there, is this long enought to organise the wedding and get everthing together to make the Spouse Visa application?
  
• Once we have married in Thailand and submitted all the paperwork how long does it usually take to get the visa 'yes' or 'no' decision.
  
• I keep reading something about TB and X-Rays for a settlement visa. What is this?
  
• If we decided to marry in the UK, how long does it usuallly take to get the visa desision once the application has been submitted.
  

We have all the other evidence of our relationship that we submitted for his last 2 successful Tourist Visa applications. Am I missing anything?

I know that in the long run the fiance visa, FLR Visa then ILV works out as more expensive.

Any advice will be really gratefully received.

For a simple registration of a marriage in Thailand it takes about 2 or 3 days to get everything through. It depends if you do it yourself or get an agency to get the documents stamped by the ministry and whether you pay the extra money to get a same-day service.

Visa processing times vary. 18 months ago it was taking less than a week. This year it's a minimum of 8 and possibly 12+ weeks. The applicant must get a clear TB x-ray and certificate as part of the visa application. Search on here and there are posts on it. Fiance application is the same processing time as a spouse application.

[mazimus]

I will do my best on this for you,it only takes about 10 mins to get officially married in Thailand,i did it with my wife,we went to a kind of government office in her home town,filled in the paperwork,as we had both been divorced we had to produce supporting documentation,i had to get my divorce papers translated at the British embassy.To actually get married is easy,once you have been to the local govt office the length of the ceremony is up to you.I remember coming out of the govt office and saying to my wife "is that it official"to which she replied "yes now were married"

She did not apply for a visa untill about 1 year later,she only applied for 6 month holiday visa and it took about 3 days.

The x-ray thing is true,it is on the visa4u website,it is to ensure that anyone coming into the UK does not have TB or any related disease.

I hope this has been of some help to you-good luck.

[7by7]

As said above, a legal registration of a marriage takes 2 to 3 days at most. For the procedure, see Guidance for British nationals wishing to marry in Thailand

A fiance visa and a spouse visa are both types of settlement visa, so the processing time will be the same. It appears from posts in another thread that this is currently around 8 weeks.

Anyone applying in Thailand to come to the UK for more than 6 months needs to provide a certificate showing they are free from TB. See Requirement for Tuberculosis testing for applicants visiting the UK for longer than 6 months.

That they have issued previous visit visas means that they are happy that the relationship is real, simply up date everything.

The other requirements for a settlement visa are not exactly the same as for a visit, so have a read through Maintenance and accommodation and either Settlement; Fiancé(e)s or Settlement; Spouses, whichever is appropriate.

Edited October 7, 2009 by 7by7

[lovednb]

Hi

Thank you all for your advice.

Does anyone know how much it costs toget married in Thailand , Im talking simple registration type affair, we can party when we get back to the UK. Also, do I then need to get the certificate etc translated into english? if so (& I imagine it will be the case) is this a lengthy/expensive process?

I hope you know how much people who view/use this forum appreciate that you take the time to read and answer our post/questions. You must all have some good karma heading your way.

Thanks again

[ThaiVisaExpress]

We send applicants to a marriage agency they charge between 8-10,000 baht however you can DIY for 5000 baht including taxis etc.

[paully]

Also, do I then need to get the certificate etc translated into english? if so (& I imagine it will be the case) is this a lengthy/expensive process?

Yes - the Thai marriage certificate looks rather like a school merit certificate for swimming and is, of course, in Thai, so you'll need it translated in order to make use of it in the UK or for, eg, Schengen visas to Europe for your wife. Translation shouldn't be too expensive, there are a number of agencies around in Bangkok, I don't know that one is necessarily better than another.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

400 baht per translation average price.