Visa For Child

[skytraining]

Hi

Would appreciate any help with this question...

My wife is Thai and also a British citizen. We are effective, but not legal, guardians of her brother's two children (the mother is dead, and the father is remarried with a new family to focus on). We would like to send the children to the UK to finish their schooling, where my mother would then be looking after them. She has the funds and housing in place to do this, and is willing to do so. Can anyone suggest what the best visa strategy is? If we become full legal guardians, as UK citizens does that then give the kids the right to UK settlement visas or UK passports? Or is another strategy better (i.e., education visa for UK)?

Thanks in advance for any helpful replies!

Edited November 8, 2009 by skytraining

[7by7]

I feel a bit out of my depth on this, but will give you my thoughts.

Firstly, unless you obtain legal guardianship of the children then I think it is a non starter. I have no idea of the procedure for this in Thailand and suggest that your best course of action would be to consult a Thai lawyer.

From what you say it seems that you want the children to come to the UK while you stay in Thailand. This is not possible under the settlement rules.

You don't say how old they are, but if they are between 4 and 16 then you could apply for a Tier 4 (Child) Student visa so that they can study at an independent, fee paying school in the UK. If over 16 then a general student visa.

See:-

Settlement; Children

Tier4 General & Child Student (INF 29)

Those are my thoughts; hopefully someone with more knowledge on this subject will be able to advise.

[the scouser]

That's the impression I get, too: that the OP and wife are in Thailand, looking to send the kids to the UK for schooling whilst they, "the parents", remain in Thailand, in which case the visa applications would be governed by Tier 4.

Scouse.

Edited November 9, 2009 by the scouser