Visa For Thai Girlfriend

[60minuteman]

hi , i need some help for my girlfriends 2 month visit visa to the uk.

I have a girlfriend in thailoand, we have known each other for 9 months.

we met on a thai chat site. i have visited her 3 times, once for 10 days, once for 2 weeks and once for a month.

we have talked everyday on msn and skype for 9 months.

i have my own business with accomodation above and have plenty of oney in the bank to finance her visit.

we have stacks of photos and evidence of our time together.

so no problem proving we have a relationship and that i can sponsor her visit to the uk.

the only patchy part is her finances and return to thailand.

she is 35, divorced and has 1 child who she is the main carer for. she lives with her mom and owns a car. she has done some part time work in an office but from what i can understand it was kind of cash in hand and hard to prove. i have sent her a little money by transfer also.

she has also travelled twice to santiago in chile to work for a friend doing some sort of i.t work, again this is kind of on a cash in hand basis and she hasnt declared it to the thai authorities. obviously when she shows her passport they will see the immigration exit stamps to chile. this is good in respect that she has left the country and returned but im concerned what tact to take with regards her reason to travel to santiago.should she say she went to work but the employer gave her no real evidence that she was employed? any help would be greatly appreciated.

i have attached my accompanying info that i will submit with her visa app. in pdf form

Edited February 16, 2010 by 7by7
pdf document removed; see post below.

[7by7]

Remember that this is an open forum and anyone can read posts here, member or not.

For that reason I have removed your attached file as you had not edited out your personal details, name and address etc., and so were laying yourself open to potential problems from spammers and other weirdos.

I suggest that you edit out any info that could identify you or your girlfriend before attaching the file again.

The comments I have to make on your evidence are that you should

• Include your personal bank account statements as well as the business accounts.
  
• Include your latest SA assessment.
  
• Describe the private accommodation available to you and she to show that there is at least one room available for your exclusive use.
  

Obviously describe her situation in Thailand and that she effectively does temporary work so cannot provide an employers letter, so her main reason to return is her relationship with you. You have described the history of your relationship, and stress that your future plans mean that she would not want to jeopardise any possible future settlement application by overstaying this visit.

Unfortunately her child will not be considered a reason to return as many Thais travel abroad to work leaving their children with relatives.

Tell the truth about the reasons for her visits to Chile, and stress that she is aware that she cannot work whilst in the UK as a visitor. I assume that she had the appropriate Chilean visa allowing her to work.

[60minuteman]

thanks for the reply and thankyou for protecting my identity, being a bit naive there....

im guessing that she doesnt have the right work visa's but i will have to check.... its not looking great really,

thanks again and i will see what more i can do

[ThaiVisaExpress]

You can Download chat logs which are becoming more acceptable with applications.

As she has Immigration history this may work in your favour also, we have done lots of applications for clients with partners who have no assets or real ties to her host country.

The ECO will look at the application as a whole including the strength of your relationship which can help.

If you require professional help feel free to contact me via my website.

[60minuteman]

ok, here's an update on my tourist visa app to the uk for my gf for 2 month visit.....

1. sponsor: well i run a pub with a business partner, we turn over about 240,000 a year and have nice 3 bed accomodatiion above. got money in personal bank account and credit cards, and have sent about 1000 to my gf by way of western union. got evidence for all, so im thinking this bit is all sorted.

2. reason to return:

1.gf rents house with mom, was her dads before he died, got a letter from mother saying so. also has lots of family in thailand, including 9 year old son.

2.done part time work in thailand and has email from employer and some bank evidence, but left job so could spend time together when i visited.

3. got an email from thai internet company saying can have job interview on return from uk, no job guarantee

4. travelled to chile 2 times to work for it company, limited proof, some evidence of money through western union, email from colleagues with regards work there....but im thinking, has travelled abroad twice and always returned. got exit stamps in passport for visits and evidence of flights paid for by employer.

5. we may well get married and live in thailand but i will need to return to the uk to manage the business for lengthy periods and i would want to bring her with me, so have no intention of jeopradizing future apps.

3. relationship...

met on chat room, been twice to thailand to visit 10 days and 24 days for her birthday. chat logs from msn and skype, every day for 6 months, stacks of emails, money transfers, flight to chiang mai together, hotel bills and about 100 photos....

also a fairly well put together supporting document that looks like a bit of time and effort has been put into it, what are we saying? strong chance or not????

cheers

[Pakboong]

You can Download chat logs which are becoming more acceptable with applications.

As she has Immigration history this may work in your favour also, we have done lots of applications for clients with partners who have no assets or real ties to her host country.

The ECO will look at the application as a whole including the strength of your relationship which can help.

If you require professional help feel free to contact me via my website.

If she worked illegally during that international travel it could kill the application. Be careful what you say about that particular trip to Chile.

[60minuteman]

You can Download chat logs which are becoming more acceptable with applications.

As she has Immigration history this may work in your favour also, we have done lots of applications for clients with partners who have no assets or real ties to her host country.

The ECO will look at the application as a whole including the strength of your relationship which can help.

If you require professional help feel free to contact me via my website.

If she worked illegally during that international travel it could kill the application. Be careful what you say about that particular trip to Chile.

she seems to think that there is no requirement for thai nationals to have a work visa in chile?

[Pakboong]

You can Download chat logs which are becoming more acceptable with applications.

As she has Immigration history this may work in your favour also, we have done lots of applications for clients with partners who have no assets or real ties to her host country.

The ECO will look at the application as a whole including the strength of your relationship which can help.

If you require professional help feel free to contact me via my website.

If she worked illegally during that international travel it could kill the application. Be careful what you say about that particular trip to Chile.

she seems to think that there is no requirement for thai nationals to have a work visa in chile?

There are very few countries that allow a person to work on a tourist visa. I can't imagine Chile being one of the countries that would allow as such.

[7by7]

Your list looks ok, but remember to include accommodation and finance details in the application.

I'd check on the Chilean situation, were I you. Obviously the ECO will see the visa in her passport, so you should mention the trip. What does the visa say? What reason did she give Chilean immigration for visiting there when she applied for it?

[steveweaver99]

1. sponsor: well i run a pub with a business partner, we turn over about 240,000 a year

Just a thought. Would this raise suspicion with the ECO, particularly as the applicant has worked possibly illegally in Chile?

So far from what you have based on the balance of probability, I would be inclined to think the ECO would reject this application on the criteria for reason to return. But thats my opinion. If I were you I would look at making the reason to return more concrete.

[Pakboong]

Just ran a quick search on a ticket price for Santiago Chile, the cheapest I could find was 115,000 baht. Chile does not permit a foreigner to work on a 30 day entry stamp. Thais do not need a visa to enter Chile but they do need a particular visa to work. A Chilean boyfriend would be a much more tolerable explanation.

[60minuteman]

Just ran a quick search on a ticket price for Santiago Chile, the cheapest I could find was 115,000 baht. Chile does not permit a foreigner to work on a 30 day entry stamp. Thais do not need a visa to enter Chile but they do need a particular visa to work. A Chilean boyfriend would be a much more tolerable explanation.

im thinking saying she had a chilean boyfriend whilst im her boyfriend also would be detrimental to proof of us having a relationship!

[60minuteman]

1. sponsor: well i run a pub with a business partner, we turn over about 240,000 a year

Just a thought. Would this raise suspicion with the ECO, particularly as the applicant has worked possibly illegally in Chile?

So far from what you have based on the balance of probability, I would be inclined to think the ECO would reject this application on the criteria for reason to return. But thats my opinion. If I were you I would look at making the reason to return more concrete.

yeah, got to say i agree with you.... problem is, cant see how i can improve reason to return, short of buying a house in thailand for her, and thats a little excessive for a holiday to the uk for my gf....hey im mad, but not that mad!!!!

also, the chilean thing is a really pain, she has spent 3 months on 1 visit and 3 weeks on the other in chile, how we gonna explain that i dont know?

begining to think would be easier to wait, marry and go for settlement, but to be fair id really like her to come to the uk before we move our relationship to the next level.....

[CharlieB]

1. sponsor: well i run a pub with a business partner, we turn over about 240,000 a year

Just a thought. Would this raise suspicion with the ECO, particularly as the applicant has worked possibly illegally in Chile?

So far from what you have based on the balance of probability, I would be inclined to think the ECO would reject this application on the criteria for reason to return. But thats my opinion. If I were you I would look at making the reason to return more concrete.

yeah, got to say i agree with you.... problem is, cant see how i can improve reason to return, short of buying a house in thailand for her, and thats a little excessive for a holiday to the uk for my gf....hey im mad, but not that mad!!!!

also, the chilean thing is a really pain, she has spent 3 months on 1 visit and 3 weeks on the other in chile, how we gonna explain that i dont know?

begining to think would be easier to wait, marry and go for settlement, but to be fair id really like her to come to the uk before we move our relationship to the next level.....

You don't need to explain it to them. Is she not allowed to have a friend in Chile that she has been to visita couple of times?

[60minuteman]

1. sponsor: well i run a pub with a business partner, we turn over about 240,000 a year

Just a thought. Would this raise suspicion with the ECO, particularly as the applicant has worked possibly illegally in Chile?

So far from what you have based on the balance of probability, I would be inclined to think the ECO would reject this application on the criteria for reason to return. But thats my opinion. If I were you I would look at making the reason to return more concrete.

yeah, got to say i agree with you.... problem is, cant see how i can improve reason to return, short of buying a house in thailand for her, and thats a little excessive for a holiday to the uk for my gf....hey im mad, but not that mad!!!!

also, the chilean thing is a really pain, she has spent 3 months on 1 visit and 3 weeks on the other in chile, how we gonna explain that i dont know?

begining to think would be easier to wait, marry and go for settlement, but to be fair id really like her to come to the uk before we move our relationship to the next level.....

well if they will just accept that she has travelled to see friends, then excellent.

how do you think they would look at her visiting me to meet my family and spend time together before we marry in thailand later in the year?

You don't need to explain it to them. Is she not allowed to have a friend in Chile that she has been to visita couple of times?

[RAZZELL]

also, the chilean thing is a really pain, she has spent 3 months on 1 visit and 3 weeks on the other in chile, how we gonna explain that i dont know?

Looking at it from an ECO's point of view...

Two trips to Chile are expensive....no job...no income...mmmm

RAZZ

[7by7]

Question 6.2 of the application form asks "Have you travelled outside your country of residence, excluding to the UK, in the last 10 years?" and asks for the purpose of the trip. So she has to mention it.

You ask how you are going to explain her visits to Chile. Simple, just answer the question on the form: When, where, why and how long. It does not require any further explanation than that.

I asked earlier What does the visa say? What reason did she give Chilean immigration for visiting there when she applied for it? To which I'll add, did she have a visa?

Do you know the answers to these questions? If not; find out.

If her three month stay and subsequent three week stay in Chile were legitimate, with the proper entry clearance and no overstay, then there is no reason why it would be a problem. It could even be a benefit as it shows that she has travelled abroad before and complied with her visa requirements.

However, if she did not have a visa that allowed entry to Chile for three months, and so entered on the 30 day exemption Pakboong mentions and overstayed, she must mention this in her UK application and explain the circumstances. The ECO will be able to see from the entry and exit stamps in her passport (Thai and Chilean) how long her stay was. Will the ECO know that she overstayed? Possibly, possibly not. Would the ECO check the Chilean regulations? Possibly, possibly not. I don't know.

What I do know is that if she explains the overstay then there is a chance the ECO will give her the benefit of the doubt. But if she tries to hide it and the ECO discovers it then she will be refused for deception, and probably be banned for applying for another UK visit visa for 10 years.

However, you say "she has spent 3 months on 1 visit and 3 weeks on the other in Chile." This suggests that the second visit was the shorter one. If so, then I would think that the three month stay was quite legitimate. Surely Chilean immigration would not have let her in on the second occasion if she had overstayed on the first!

[60minuteman]

Question 6.2 of the application form asks "Have you travelled outside your country of residence, excluding to the UK, in the last 10 years?" and asks for the purpose of the trip. So she has to mention it.

You ask how you are going to explain her visits to Chile. Simple, just answer the question on the form: When, where, why and how long. It does not require any further explanation than that.

I asked earlier What does the visa say? What reason did she give Chilean immigration for visiting there when she applied for it? To which I'll add, did she have a visa?

Do you know the answers to these questions? If not; find out.

If her three month stay and subsequent three week stay in Chile were legitimate, with the proper entry clearance and no overstay, then there is no reason why it would be a problem. It could even be a benefit as it shows that she has travelled abroad before and complied with her visa requirements.

However, if she did not have a visa that allowed entry to Chile for three months, and so entered on the 30 day exemption Pakboong mentions and overstayed, she must mention this in her UK application and explain the circumstances. The ECO will be able to see from the entry and exit stamps in her passport (Thai and Chilean) how long her stay was. Will the ECO know that she overstayed? Possibly, possibly not. Would the ECO check the Chilean regulations? Possibly, possibly not. I don't know.

What I do know is that if she explains the overstay then there is a chance the ECO will give her the benefit of the doubt. But if she tries to hide it and the ECO discovers it then she will be refused for deception, and probably be banned for applying for another UK visit visa for 10 years.

However, you say "she has spent 3 months on 1 visit and 3 weeks on the other in Chile." This suggests that the second visit was the shorter one. If so, then I would think that the three month stay was quite legitimate. Surely Chilean immigration would not have let her in on the second occasion if she had overstayed on the first!

well im up against a bit of a language barrier with the visa question, regards chile.... im not 100% but i think chile and thai have an agreement allowing 90 day stays without a visa, or should i say visa issued upon arrival. The company she worked for dealt woth the buying of tickets etc and generally thai's that go work for them stay just below the 90 days... i will have to check and see.

so feeling slightly more positive now, sure, she went to chile and returned within the limits of her visa......cool, she has travelled abroad and complied with her visa... can only be good.

now to deal with her part time work in thailand.... again a tricky paperless trail!

still, im not giving up yet!!!!!

[60minuteman]

ok, as always i should trust what my girlfriend tells me......

VISA Information

Thai nationals holding valid Thai ordinary passports are exempted from the visa requirements to enter and stay in Chile for a period not exceeding 90 days.

ok so thats that sorted.....

next!!!!

[7by7]

It sounds like the Chilean 'issue' is not an issue at all! Excellent.

now to deal with her part time work in thailand.... again a tricky paperless trail!

As I said to you earlier: describe her situation in Thailand and that she effectively does temporary work so cannot provide an employer's letter. If she obtains work through an agency a letter from them may help.

Reason to return is not a series of obstacles, each of which must be overcome. Instead it is a judgment by the ECO that, on the balance of probabilities, the applicant will return to Thailand, or at least leave the UK, on time.

If there is one big reason for doing so, great. But most of us here who sponsor visits do not have this, or rather the applicants don't.

In which case lots of little reasons, which by themselves may not be enough, can, and often do, all add up to satisfy the ECO that the applicant will return.

[60minuteman]

anyone got advice on printing chat logs from msn? should i print the lot out, including the conversation back and forth......or just keep the header [such and such started the conversation at 10.34 02/02/10] ??????

same for emails? remove detail?

[60minuteman]

also, am i right it what i read.... my thai girlfriend is supposed to fill in the forms in english.... i am helping her over msn, but as you can imagine its fraught with the possibility of making a mistake that could lead to the application being rejected.... this worries me alot as im not able to get over to thailand until she has submitted the application.

other facts that have come to light: 3 years ago she was refused a visa to australia, she cant remember why, but thinks it was because the australian embassy thought she would outstay her visa..... obviously we have told the truth in the application.... is this a black mark against her... or will it just be seen as not meeting the criteria at that particular time?????

[7by7]

When we applied for my sister-in-law's visa I printed off the form, filled it in and sent it to her to sign, with a note from me to say that I had completed it as she can neither read nor write English.

You've got to send her your supporting documents anyway, so doing this wont delay anything.

Alternatively you can complete the form for her online; see How to apply

All visa applications are judged on their own merits. Obviously previous refusals, even from other countries, may have an effect; but only if the reason for the refusal is pertinent to this application.

[60minuteman]

OK, feel like i have all the info i can get now, would love some of you to look at my attached document to see if i have made any glaring mistakes and what you think my case is looking like? advice needed before we submit please......visas_document_BLANK.pdf

[7by7]

Looks ok, but a bit long!

I suggest seeing if you can trim it a bit, for example cutting out anything that's also on the application form itself.