Uk Tourist Visa For My Girlfriend

[pej]

Hi everyone,

Im looking for some advice on visas to the UK for my Thai girlfriend we have only been together 4 weeks but im going back to see her in April and was hoping she could come visit me in England july/august time, do we need a visa if she visits me for 2 weeks and if so what visa. Tourist?? I heard that if you get tourist visa you have to wait another 6 months before you apply for tourist visa again is this true? Do you have to wait 6 months to apply for any type of visa after you have had tourist visa?

If things continue to go well between us i would like my girlfriend to come live with me in the UK what visa do i need to apply for? My girlfriend also has a child from a previous relationship and would like him to come to the UK too does this mean we have to apply for a family visa? We are keeping phone records,photos and hotel reciepts to proove we are in relationship is there anything else we should be doing?

Many thanks. :-)

[Ch23]

i suggest you use the search function to look for the answers of all of your questions. For any type of visit to the UK, regardless of length a thai person would need a visa. For a 2 week holiday she would need (and her son if you decide to bring him) a tourist visa. so just search that and you will find all of the information you need. Also a good starting point is to read through the application process at http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/ and see what questions you have and if you cant search the answer there are loads of people on here who will be able to help you out.

i might be wrong but as for the son (as i understand it) he would have to apply, via a seperate application form/seperate fee/seperate passport (you would hand in all the documentation his supporting evidence and his mothers at the same time so that his visa would be considered upon the sucess of hers). both would be tourist visas. I think there is somewhere on the application form that talks about depants and if you are travelling as part of a group. so look into that...

hope thats some use..

[7by7]

To obtain a visit visa she basically needs to satisfy three criteria:-

1) This is a genuine visit for a genuine purpose.

You should write a sponsors letter outlining the history of your relationship: where and when you met, how many times you have visited her in Thailand, how often you keep in touch with evidence such as phone bills and e-mail headers, the reason for her visit at this time and what your future plans are together. This will also help with point 3.

Although given the short period of time you have known her, this may not carry much weight, but your visit in April; will help; see below.

2) She will be accommodated and supported in the UK without working or claiming public funds.

If she is staying with you, then you should provide evidence that you can provide such accommodation; either evidence that you own, such as a mortgage statement, or if you rent a letter from your landlord confirming that she can stay in the property. If she will be staying with someone else, e.g. your family, then they will need to provide such evidence as well as a letter inviting her to stay.

Finances for the visit can come from her own resources, those of a sponsor or a combination of both. Whoever is providing the finances needs to provide bank statements and pay slips (at least for the last 3 months) to show that the funds are available. There is no need to put money into her account as the funds can come from you. Indeed, sudden, large, unexplained deposits into an applicant's bank can cause suspicions in the Entry Clearance Officer's mind!

3) She will leave the UK when, or before, her visa expires (reason to return).

A job will help, and if she has one then she should get a letter from her employer confirming that she has been granted leave and her job will be kept open for her. However, having a job is not a prerequisite to obtaining a UK visit visa. Indeed, if an applicant supplies an employers letter saying they are being given 6 months holiday it is extremely unlikely that the ECO will believe it!

Having a child will not be counted as a reason to return. Many Thais leave their children with relatives while they travel long distances, often abroad, for work.

Many couples have obtained a visit visa when the Thai partner has not had a concrete reason to return based purely on the strength of the relationship. If the ECO feels that the relationship is long term and may lead to marriage then s/he will feel that the applicant would not want to jeapordise any future settlement application by overstaying or otherwise breaching the conditions of a visit visa.

However, I don't really see this happening on the strength of a 4 week relationship, although the time you spend with her in April will help. During that visit, gather as much evidence as you can of your time together, e.g. photos of you together. Also start keeping your phone and e-mail etc. records to show how often you contact each other while apart.

If her child is coming too, then he will need to submit a separate application and pay the same fee. Where is the boy's father? Unless your girlfriend has legal sole custody, or the father is dead, and can prove it then you will need a letter of consent from the father. See Special Visitor: Child visitors.

There is no minimum time limit between visit visa applications. However, visitors can usually only spend a maximum of 6 months in the UK on any one visit and a maximum of 6 months out of any 12 in total in the UK. Any application made where it appears these limits would be exceeded will probably be refused.

See also Guidance - Visitors (INF 2) and Guidance - Sponsors (INF 3).

IMHO it is far too early to start thinking about marriage and settlement. When the time comes post again and we can then give you advice on settlement.

[trevorg]

pej

Don't listen to the people knocking your decision to want to be with your new girlfriend, follow 7by7's guidelines completely and if your girlfriend and your sponsorship of her meets the criteria then you have a good chance of being successful!

I met my Thai girlfriend (now wife) when I was on a 2 week holiday in Thailand (meeting up 'halfway' with family and friends who live in Australia) on May 20th 2008, she landed at Heathrow with a 6 month visitor Visa (as most are - regardless whether she was staying 2 weeks or 6 months) on July 25th 2008, so about 7 weeks after I met her! She stayed in the UK for the full 180 days and we returned to Thailand in Jan 2009, me for a two week holiday to sort a few things out and I then moved to Thailand 'permanently' (if there is such a thing) in April 2009!

My wife does have 2 kids, but she didn't bring them for her 6 month visit, they were being well looked after by her parents here in Thailand!

Good luck! But if you follow all the rules and can satisfy all the criteria, luck does not come into it!

And by the way, at the time my girlfriend did not have access to a computer and was not computer literate, though she can read/ write/ speak English so I did most of the work on the application and just told her what she needed to copy etc to support the application, she declared my assistance on the form, as it is allowed (as long as you're not being paid for it!) So the 7 weeks included posting documentation from the UK to Thailand and her 2 visits to VFS in Bangkok (we live 240 miles away and therefore multiple bus rides for her at the time)!

She has since been granted another UK visitors visa for July/ August 2009 and visitors visas for both Australia and New Zealand for Dec 2009/ Jan 2010!

Tell the officials the truth, and let us know how you get on!

[wileycoyote]

Follow the rules ,& it will be Ok

[Foxman888]

pej

Don't listen to the people knocking your decision to want to be with your new girlfriend, follow 7by7's guidelines completely and if your girlfriend and your sponsorship of her meets the criteria then you have a good chance of being successful!

I met my Thai girlfriend (now wife) when I was on a 2 week holiday in Thailand (meeting up 'halfway' with family and friends who live in Australia) on May 20th 2008, she landed at Heathrow with a 6 month visitor Visa (as most are - regardless whether she was staying 2 weeks or 6 months) on July 25th 2008, so about 7 weeks after I met her! She stayed in the UK for the full 180 days and we returned to Thailand in Jan 2009, me for a two week holiday to sort a few things out and I then moved to Thailand 'permanently' (if there is such a thing) in April 2009!

My wife does have 2 kids, but she didn't bring them for her 6 month visit, they were being well looked after by her parents here in Thailand!

Good luck! But if you follow all the rules and can satisfy all the criteria, luck does not come into it!

And by the way, at the time my girlfriend did not have access to a computer and was not computer literate, though she can read/ write/ speak English so I did most of the work on the application and just told her what she needed to copy etc to support the application, she declared my assistance on the form, as it is allowed (as long as you're not being paid for it!) So the 7 weeks included posting documentation from the UK to Thailand and her 2 visits to VFS in Bangkok (we live 240 miles away and therefore multiple bus rides for her at the time)!

She has since been granted another UK visitors visa for July/ August 2009 and visitors visas for both Australia and New Zealand for Dec 2009/ Jan 2010!

Tell the officials the truth, and let us know how you get on!

Trevorg,

Out of interest did your TG have a return flight booked when she landed in the UK for that first 6 months? Just thinking ahead!!

Thanks

[mark515]

I booked my girlfriend a return ticket.

You may find airlines will not allow you on board without a return ticket.

[trevorg]

I booked my girlfriend a return ticket.

You may find airlines will not allow you on board without a return ticket.

You've both raised a very good point! (and tbh something I forgot) For her first visit to the UK, she had a return ticket (booked at 180 days later than the inbound), so no problem! When she returned with me in July 2009, I only bought her a single on the same flight I was returning on! They (Jet Airways) would not let her check in - so I had to buy a full price 800 quid single economy Thai Airways ticket in Suvanabhumi (only place to buy at short notice)from LHR to BKK to enable her to fly with me! As it was full price, I was refunded the money within 3 weeks (less about 70 quid!)

So yes, if applying for a UK visitors visa, ensure you have a flight out booked! Something that I didn't realise the second time!

Until things like this happen, you don't realise the worth of a UK (and a few other countries) passports!

Trev

[7by7]

Strictly speaking, visitors to the UK do not need to have a return or onward ticket. However, if questioned by immigration on arrival they may be refused entry if they cannot show that they possess such a ticket or the means to purchase one.

However, as you found out, airlines may refuse to carry a visitor (any visitor, not just a visa national) who does not have a return or onward ticket.

[7by7]

Irrelevant off topic posts and responses to same have been deleted.

Please stick to the topic.

[thomasbill]

I am thinking of taking my girl friend and my 9 month old baby to UK to meet my family in april... I have a few extra questions

I have been with my partner for 2 years and I have been staying in Thailand for about 16 months out of those 2 years.

1) How much does a thai passport cost for my girl friend & how much does a thai passport for my child cost?

2) How long does it take to obtain thai passports

3) How much does a UK holiday visa cost? and how much for a baby?

4) How lake to long does it to obtain a UK holiday visa?

5) How long can I get the UK holiday visa for? - can i get a 2 month one

6) how much cash in THAI and in UK do i have to show?

7) How many trees are cut down per each visa application to support this amount of paper work?

[patong]

7) How many trees are cut down per each visa application to support this amount of paper work?

17 trees are used.

But that is for making 1 tonne of paper.

[7by7]

Q.1 Not sure.

Q.2 When my wife renewed hers in Bangkok last year it took a couple of days. Probably a bit longer for a new one.

Q.3 Currently 3685 baht (£67) each. However, this fluctuates up and down with currency fluctuations. The fees are also due to increase wef 6th April to £68.

However, your child is British as well as Thai and so you can obtain a British passport for him/her. S/he then wont need a visa for the UK (or anywhere else that Brits don't need one). See How to register a birth. The fee for a child's passport (valid for five years) is Baht 4,373. This is more expensive than a visit visa, but of course s/he can then travel to the UK again in the future without a visa, so is worth it in my opinion.

Q.4 The UK visa application centre website says usually 10 working days; but this may be longer or shorter according to demand.

Q.5 The standard UK visit visa is valid for 6 months.

Q.6 How long is a piece of string? You have to show that you have enough to support yourselves during the visit without claiming public funds or your girlfriend working. If staying with friends or family then obviously you will need less than if staying in a hotel.

If you are staying with friends or family then they should write a letter of invitation, showing that there will be at least one room for the exclusive use of you, your girlfriend and the baby. They should also provide a copy of a mortgage statement to prove ownership if they own, or if they rent a landlord's letter granting you permission to stay in the property.

See the my post of 2010-02-10 09:08:36 for links to further information; and for where and how to apply see UK visa application website

[pej]

Hi everyone,

I met my now girlfriend in January when i visited Thailand we spent 2 weeks together and are on the phone everyday for 1 to 3 hours we miss each other and im going back to see her in April for 16 days. I want her to come stay with me in England for 6 months and i will be going back to visit her in Thailand for a month in January. Could the visa application be refused because we have only been together 3 months? If not would it be possible to apply for visa when i go back in April so we could fly back together when my holiday finishes?

I will sponsor my girlfriend have a house,job,money etc We have kept phone records,emails and photos etc

many thanks

pej

[CharlieB]

What reasons to return to Thailand has she got? Has she got a job, if she can just take 6 months off with very little notice? Without a cast iron reason to return and a relationship so short I wouldn't put a lot of money on you getting the visa.

[theoldgit]

Yes, CharlieB is spot on I'm afraid, you have known each other for a couple of months and already she is planning to spend six months with you in the UK.

I think you will have a job convincing an ECO that you have a proper relationship and, as has been pointed out, she will have an uphill struggle to convince the ECO of a reason to return from a six month break. That said, if she is a person of means, and by that I mean that she is rolling in money, has a business that somebody is managing, and from which she could just take six months off, property or other strong and provable ties in Thailand then she could possibly succeed.

I think you both need to lower your expectations.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Example :

You are a single person of working age, you are unemployed with no assets, ties or property which might encourage your presence in your country. I am not satisfied you are economically well settled in your host country , I am also not satisfied that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your stay.

You are a first time visitor to the UK , yet you have failed to provide substantive evidence of your relationship with your sponsor. Whilst you and your sponsor have communicated you have not provided evidence that your relationship has matured over a period of time, you have inserted a few holiday snaps, some money transfers and various phone bills. Insufficient evidence has been provided to show that you are in a subsisting relationship

[7by7]

Duplicate topic; merged.