Thai Rumors....facts Please!

[Stonecutter35777]

My girlfriend (Thai) and I just received news that she has been rejected for a visitor visa to the UK. We're both pretty devastated at the moment especially because there is a 6 month wait time to re-apply. It wouldn't be SO bad except that the chances are very good I will be ordered to Afghanistan in about 6-7 months. My girlfriend was speaking to her boss about it and how sad she was. Her boss mentioned that if I were to fly to Thailand and re-apply in person with her at the embassy that the 6 month wait time does not apply. Now I have noticed that sometimes Thai's will tend to exaggerate their expertise in an area sometimes. Her boss is an assistant manager in a 5 star hotel........not an immigration officer. Is there anyone out there that could clear this up for me? It sounds too good to be true, so that's most likely the case. But I need to find out the truth on this just in case. My girlfriend said she'd call the embassy to ask them tomorrow but I'm impatient, ha ha. Because if this is the truth......I will be in BKK within 2 weeks to take care of this. Any help out there?

[louialive]

You haven't said what reasons were given for not getting the visa. This is important for people to know to be able to advise you more

[Stonecutter35777]

I asked her the same thing. She said that she just received 3 papers back along with the ones she submitted that basically said she was denied. She called the embassy but they could not give her a reason. We have no idea why she was denied.

[Stonecutter35777]

I must apologize, I stand corrected. When you posted that I asked my gf to re-read the rejection papers very carefully. I actually am chatting to her on webcam right now. She read more carefully and found the reason given. It is "I have refused your visa application on this occasion because i am not satisfied on the balance of probabilities". The rest of it is aggrivating because the ECO obviously did not read my letter of invitation. He said that a 4 month leave from her job seems unrealistic. Well, she and I both stated in our letters that she would quit her job if the visa is accepted and she would start school once she returned. She paid about $1650 USD deposit to go to this school. Not something she would lightly skip out on. The ECO said that she had no proved she was going to actually go to school......but she sent the letter of acceptance and the class start date in her package. I'm at a complete loss now because we specifically gave the things the ECO said he wasn't convinced of. So my question has now changed.....is it possibeo to submit new evidence in her case? Maybe we could get ANOTHER letter from the admissions office of her school to sumbit for reconsideration. If we have to wait 6 months then it's all for nothing as I will be in Afghanistan and she will have already started her full time school...

[kennkate]

OP They will have given her the reason for refusal. The standard one is "Reason To return"

It sounds like your lady has a job that in itself is a plus. However if she has not got a house and land in her name.

She can apply again but if she does not satisfy the Officer in charge that she Has a solid reason to return to Thailand then it would be refused again

I think others will say much the same

Good Luck and Take care I take it you are in the forces ?

[RAZZELL]

As far as i'm aware there is no "six months wait".

You can re-apply as quickly as you want, but you have to address the reason for refusal.

RAZZ

[Stonecutter35777]

The reason for her to return is a bunch of money that will be kept by the school if she is there or not! It just blows me away because she has spent 4 months in the USA before and returned without issue. She has a bachelors degree. Enrolled in an expensive school that starts in July. I just don't know what else she or I could possibly do. Yes I'm in the forces but I am US forces stationed in the UK. I guess I'll have to wait until I go back to the USA next year so she can visit me. Funny she can get into the USA but not the UK and her creditials are actually BETTER now than they were when she went to the USA. It won't be so bad though if we can just address the issues stated and reapply. But 6 months? Really?

Edited January 15, 2010 by Stonecutter35777

[Nio]

She currently does not have a good enough reason that the ECO thinks she will come back to Thailand.

School is not a good enough reason because of the high number of people skip out and never attend.

Can her parents put her on their house book (title)?

By showing she has a house or property is a solid reason she would return to Thailand and this should pass the approval

Without that it is going to be a hard row for approval

If her parents approve of you and her together, they should be able to do this

If her parents don't own anything at all, I would give this whole idea some more thought

Edited January 15, 2010 by Nio

[theoldgit]

First of all I'm sorry your girlfriend was refused, but whilst the good news is that she doesn't need to wait six months before she can re-apply, and that is is a fact, she needs to address the reasons for the refusal.

If the ECO has stated that a four month break seems unrealistic, which you will have to admit it does, she needs to address that.

A future application, which can be made immediately, needs to satisfy the ECO that she wants to go on a genuine visit, and I have to say I have never managed a four month holiday, and that there are compelling reasons for her return. Kennkate is absolutely right, if she doesn't address the reason for return, she will be refused again. But whilst it does seem that he/she has not read all the evidence a future application needs to push the point of her going to college.

Property would be a plus, but not essential, she really needs to convince the ECO that it's a genuine visit and that she has a compelling reason to return. I have to say that if I was an ECO I would take some convincing that the length of the visit was genuine, so that's what she needs to do.

It would seem that her boss has hidden skills and there may be an opening for him in the future, as he is certainly correct.

Feel free to ask more questions prior to a fresh application is submitted there is a wealth of knowledge on this site, even if the posters are not Immigration Officers - well not all of them.

Edited January 15, 2010 by theoldgit

[RAZZELL]

Yes I'm in the forces but I am US forces stationed in the UK.

The fact that you're not a UK citizen makes it somewhat tricky.

RAZZ

[Stonecutter35777]

First of all I'm sorry your girlfriend was refused, but whilst the good news is that she doesn't need to wait six months before she can re-apply, and that is is a fact, she needs to address the reasons for the refusal.

If the ECO has stated that a four month break seems unrealistic, which you will have to admit it does, she needs to address that.

A future application, which can be made immediately, needs to satisfy the ECO that she wants to go on a genuine visit, and I have to say I have never managed a four month holiday, and that there are compelling reasons for her return. Kennkate is absolutely right, if she doesn't address the reason for return, she will be refused again. But whilst it does seem that he/she has not read all the evidence a future application needs to push the point of her going to college.

Property would be a plus, but not essential, she really needs to convince the ECO that it's a genuine visit and that she has a compelling reason to return. I have to say that if I was an ECO I would take some convincing that the length of the visit was genuine, so that's what she needs to do.

It would seem that her boss has hidden skills and there may be an opening for him in the future, as he is certainly correct.

Feel free to ask more questions prior to a fresh application is submitted there is a wealth of knowledge on this site, even if the posters are not Immigration Officers - well not all of them.

Thanks for a great post! We were truthful and stated in our application that is was a vacation of sorts but mostly to visit me. That's why I was saying above how I was confused by the ECO response. Maybe we shouldn't be so truthful? Ask for a 2 week visa instead? I know that no matter what, a 6 month visa is what's issued.

Whoa whoa whoa, so you're saying her boss is correct? That I can in fact just show up to the embassy with her and that will somehow help her visa application? I'm very happy to hear that we can re-apply anytime. Thank you all for that, really lifted my spirits! I'm ready and willing to go to BKK and show up at the embassy if it will help her application somehow......is that what you were saying?

[RAZZELL]

Thanks for a great post! We were truthful and stated in our application that is was a vacation of sorts but mostly to visit me. That's why I was saying above how I was confused by the ECO response. Maybe we shouldn't be so truthful? Ask for a 2 week visa instead? I know that no matter what, a 6 month visa is what's issued.

Whoa whoa whoa, so you're saying her boss is correct? That I can in fact just show up to the embassy with her and that will somehow help her visa application? I'm very happy to hear that we can re-apply anytime. Thank you all for that, really lifted my spirits! I'm ready and willing to go to BKK and show up at the embassy if it will help her application somehow......is that what you were saying?

Personally, I don't think it'll make any difference if you go to Bangkok.

I have two friends who are ECO'S.

They freely admit they're "box tickers"...get the paperwork in order and you can't be refused.

RAZZ

[kennkate]

Stonecutter Razz is correct it will not make any difference to the outcome if you go back to Thailand ,

She as submit the application you will not be able to go into VFS with her to submit.

And if it comes down to a interview at the Embassy again you will not be allowed in with her.

Up to You if you want to be with her for support Bt be aware that you will only be giving her support outside

[Stonecutter35777]

Thanks RAZZ. I'll probably get down there anyways because I just miss her so much. Wish I could see the table and points system they use to help guide their determination. Anyone have any ideas how we could prove to an ECO that she has a vested interest in returning to go to her school or else she misses out on a LOT of money (even by my standards)? She's thinking maybe she could pre-pay for the first semester so she could get a student ID card and also we'd show the ECO all of the reciepts (it'll be about 2,500 pounds). That money would be totally lost if she didn't come back. Heck I don't really know what to do other than that. Not gonna buy her a house to visit me. Her parents have 3 houses so maybe we could work something out there...

[theoldgit]

Whoa whoa whoa, so you're saying her boss is correct? That I can in fact just show up to the embassy with her and that will somehow help her visa application? I'm very happy to hear that we can re-apply anytime. Thank you all for that, really lifted my spirits! I'm ready and willing to go to BKK and show up at the embassy if it will help her application somehow......is that what you were saying?

Not quite, he was correct in saying that she can apply staight away but you cannot just pitch up at The Embassy, the application is exactly the same as before and has to be submitted the same way.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

You may re apply immediately.

[7by7]

As said already, she can re-apply immediately, but she will only be refused again unless she satisfactorily addresses each and every one of the ECO's concerns.

One that springs immediately to my mind is the apparent contradiction over her schooling; you say "Well, she and I both stated in our letters that she would quit her job if the visa is accepted and she would start school once she returned." If she got the visa, which implies that if she didn't then she would not be going to school, which doesn't show much commitment attending the school! OK, you probably mean that she would be quitting her job eventually to start school, even if she doesn't get the visa, but did you explain this properly in the application? Did you submit proof that the fees had already been paid?

Having said that, I am somewhat baffled by this refusal. You are a US serviceman stationed in the UK. The likelihood of her attempting to remain in the UK with you is slim, as you wont be remaining in the UK yourself; unless they don't believe in the relationship and feel that she is using you to gain entry to the UK before disappearing.

However, all the the above is pure conjecture on my part.

It may help us advice you on preparing the second application if you can post exactly what the refusal notice says; deleting any names and other identifying features.