Uk Visa For Thai Wife

[monkeytunes]

Im thinking about heading back to the Uk with my Thai wife and son, for a couple of years and haven't got a clue about the UK visa process. Im going to check all the the UK immigration websites, but I was wandering if there is anyone that has just gone through the process that maybe could give a brief on the best way to go about it, and maybe some headlines on the rules and regulations. Thanks.

[thaiphoon]

Moving to Visas and migration to other countries forum.

[chickenslegs]

You will find all the information you need on this website:

UK Visa Info

The process has changed since my wife joined me in the UK many years ago, but we have now been back here in Thailand for 5 years and she has recently applied for (and been granted) a 10 year visitors visa under the new system, so that we can visit friends and family.

Your wife will need a Settlement Visa. Assuming your son is a UK passport holder, he won't need one.

You (she) can make the initial application online. The questionnaire is quite easy to follow. Answer in as much detail as possible and if there are questions you (she) can't answer, explain why at the end of the application form or in a covering letter (for example - my wife did not know the dates of birth of her parents or their location of birth. Both died when she was quite young).

Once the application is submitted you (she) then make an appointment to visit the VFS office in Bangkok. The website gives a choice of appointment dates and times and you (she) book one online.

At the appointment (they ask that you don't arrive too early as they don't want people waiting around) you (she) submit any documentation to support the application. There is a full list on the website, but it includes passport, marriage certificate, bank statements etc..

You also need to pay the fee at this stage. Cash is not accepted - go to the bank on the ground floor of the VFS building and get a cashiers cheque (? may be bankers draft - I'm not sure, but the bank teller will know).

People I have spoken to recently say their wife/partner had to have an xray taken for TB clearance. Has to be taken prior to the appointment (at a specified hospital) and submitted at the appointment. My wife wasn't asked for this, but her application was submitted about 12 months ago, so things have probably changed a little.

Your wife will go inside at her appointed time (rarely any delays), submit all the documents and get her biometric details taken (fingerprints and digital photo).You will not be permitted to go in with her. There is no interview - she should only be asked questions to clarify something on the application form or in the other paperwork. If the Embassy want to interview her they will call her in at a later date.

If you read the website thoroughly, follow all the instructions, help her to make sure that the application form is completed fully and take the trouble to write a covering letter for her application, you shouldn't have a problem. After all you are a UK citizen and you are entitled to have your wife and son with you in the UK. The embassy would need a very, very good reason to refuse her application (she didn't burn down Central World, did she?).

Good luck.

[7by7]

Your son presumably has Thai and British citizenship and a British passport, so he wont need a visa.

As you intend to stay in the UK for at least two years the best option for your wife would be a settlement visa as your spouse. This will last for 27 months, and after she has been in the UK for 24 months she can apply for indefinite leave to remain. ILR will allow her to live in the UK indefinitely, but if she were to spend a continuous period of 2 years or more out of the UK then it would lapse and she would need another visa were she wish to return to the UK. It may also be canceled if she was living outside the UK and it became apparent that she was using it just for visits.

However, if your plans are flexible enough to allow you to remain in the UK for 3 years she could then apply for British citizenship. Obviously, this cannot lapse and she enter and leave the UK as often and for as long as she wished; just like any other British citizen. Both the UK and Thailand allow dual citizenship, so doing this would not affect her Thai citizenship in any way.

You may find the following helpful:-

Settlement; Spouse

Maintenance and accommodation

Completing application form SET(M) (Applying for ILR)

Knowledge of language and life in the UK

Requirements for naturalisation if you are married to or the civil partner of a British citizen

All the above are the current situation. Whether the new government will make any changes, I can't say.

[7by7]

People I have spoken to recently say their wife/partner had to have an xray taken for TB clearance. Has to be taken prior to the appointment (at a specified hospital) and submitted at the appointment. My wife wasn't asked for this, but her application was submitted about 12 months ago, so things have probably changed a little.

TB testing is not required for visit applications, but it is mandatory for settlement applicants (and others applying to enter the UK for more than six months).

See Tuberculosis testing for applicants visiting the UK for longer than 6 months

[monkeytunes]

Thanks for all for the very useful and detailed feedback, its very much appreciated. MT

[monkeytunes]

You will find all the information you need on this website:

UK Visa Info

The process has changed since my wife joined me in the UK many years ago, but we have now been back here in Thailand for 5 years and she has recently applied for (and been granted) a 10 year visitors visa under the new system, so that we can visit friends and family.

Your wife will need a Settlement Visa. Assuming your son is a UK passport holder, he won't need one.

You (she) can make the initial application online. The questionnaire is quite easy to follow. Answer in as much detail as possible and if there are questions you (she) can't answer, explain why at the end of the application form or in a covering letter (for example - my wife did not know the dates of birth of her parents or their location of birth. Both died when she was quite young).

Once the application is submitted you (she) then make an appointment to visit the VFS office in Bangkok. The website gives a choice of appointment dates and times and you (she) book one online.

At the appointment (they ask that you don't arrive too early as they don't want people waiting around) you (she) submit any documentation to support the application. There is a full list on the website, but it includes passport, marriage certificate, bank statements etc..

You also need to pay the fee at this stage. Cash is not accepted - go to the bank on the ground floor of the VFS building and get a cashiers cheque (? may be bankers draft - I'm not sure, but the bank teller will know).

People I have spoken to recently say their wife/partner had to have an xray taken for TB clearance. Has to be taken prior to the appointment (at a specified hospital) and submitted at the appointment. My wife wasn't asked for this, but her application was submitted about 12 months ago, so things have probably changed a little.

Your wife will go inside at her appointed time (rarely any delays), submit all the documents and get her biometric details taken (fingerprints and digital photo).You will not be permitted to go in with her. There is no interview - she should only be asked questions to clarify something on the application form or in the other paperwork. If the Embassy want to interview her they will call her in at a later date.

If you read the website thoroughly, follow all the instructions, help her to make sure that the application form is completed fully and take the trouble to write a covering letter for her application, you shouldn't have a problem. After all you are a UK citizen and you are entitled to have your wife and son with you in the UK. The embassy would need a very, very good reason to refuse her application (she didn't burn down Central World, did she?).

Good luck.

Thanks for the very useful info, could I ask, roughly how long does the process take? from applying to getting the (settlement)Visa.

[chickenslegs]

You will find all the information you need on this website:

UK Visa Info

Blah Blah...

Good luck.

Thanks for the very useful info, could I ask, roughly how long does the process take? from applying to getting the (settlement)Visa.

Took about 1 week for the 10 year visitor visa - from date of appointment to receiving the visa in her passport.

A friend of mine is going through the process of getting a settlement visa. He's expecting it will take about 4 weeks (but the trouble in BKK and closing of the Embassy might affect it).

If you take a look at the VFS website I'm pretty sure it give some approximate time scales for the various applications.

[7by7]

It's difficult to comment on processing times at present due to the large backlog that built up while the embassy and VAC were closed during the troubles. See Guide to Processing Times for the normal advice and this topic for some recent experiences.

Note that when one applies is a factor. March, April, May seem to be a busy time for applications, and so the processing time then is longer than at other times.