My Thai wife and her daughter and I are visiting the UK in July for a few weeks prior to us all moving to Shanghai (I have a new job there). The Chinese visas are being taken care off by my employer, but what visas do the wife and child need to apply for? We'll be staying for 3 weeks and visiting my parents etc. As for accompanying docs -how do we deal with the "returning to Thailand " issue? We'll be coming back to Thailand at least once a year, but we'll be residents in China from leaving the UK.

Family visit visa, explain the circumstances of the job in China and show proof and your family should not have a problem.

Indeed.

Although we often talk of 'reason to return' it is not a "returning to Thailand " issue but a leaving the UK one; though, obviously, for most applicants they are the same thing.

Thanks for advice.