Uk Settlement Visa

[shadyacres29]

Hello all and thanks for taking the time to read this post.

I have gathered numerous information over the last 2 years we have been together and now we feel we are ready and will have the funds also in the next 3 or 4 months to finally appply for her visa.

we have knwn eachother for 2 years had numerous visits 100s of emails.photos,some ncluding my mum visiting my g/fs family in hometown also when we had our engagement last week.I feel confident we have everything we need for a successfull application.

My problem is that i have to move from my home where i have lived for 4 years as the restaurant i work for is opening another site in Reading ,as the Sous chef need to be involved in this,i will live above the restaurant for 3 months to save money as will be rent free,and in october i will look for a small self contained flat for me and my wife when she arrives here hopefully.

I understand that we have to have a self contained flat and this is not a problem,im just thinking that as i would have only been in the property for 1 month is this enough to satisfy the embassy that my intentions are good?obviously i will have the tenancy agreement and numerous references from people and payslips also.Just have some concern over this? Hopfully i need not too?

And secondly my situation is we are engaged and will marry legally in Bkk when i arrive to apply for the visa with her in october time,then in february we willl return to thailand to have the traditional wedding in the village with sinsot and the rest of it,We already have the gold as we engaged with this...6 baht. I will respect her mums decision for allowing her to be with me before the traditional wedding as i know this is not normal procedure but respect her for this as its the culture.

Just worried what the embassy will think as we will only just have married (legally) and not married in the village when we apply for the visa?I have photos of my family there with me meeting her family which im hoping should show the seriousness of our commitment.

We have planned for a long long time for this and i just wish everything to be smooth for us as there is alot of time effort and money in the whole process.

Please please give me your knowledgable opinions on this matter and i look forward to reading some positive (hopefully) replies

Many thanks once again.

[sumrit]

I understand that we have to have a self contained flat and this is not a problem,im just thinking that as i would have only been in the property for 1 month is this enough to satisfy the embassy that my intentions are good?obviously i will have the tenancy agreement and numerous references from people and payslips also.Just have some concern over this? Hopfully i need not too?

You don't need a self contained flat, you just need to show that where you are going to live has at least one (bed)room available for your own use. If you are living in a flat above the restaurant and you have your own room(s) that could well be adequate. And you don't have to have lived there for a minimum length of time, you just have to show you have adequate accommodation available for when your wife arrives in the UK.

Just worried what the embassy will think as we will only just have married (legally) and not married in the village when we apply for the visa?I have photos of my family there with me meeting her family which im hoping should show the seriousness of our commitment.

The Embassy will only be interested in your legal marriage, they'll have no interest in whether you've had a village wedding or not. A lot of people never have a traditional village 'wedding', it's certainly not a requirement for a visa, and even the Thai government don't recognize it.

[7by7]

If you are both going to be living above the restaurant, then I suggest that you get a letter from your employer confirming that you will be living rent free in the flat, who else, if anyone, will be living there, that there is at least one room for the exclusive use of you and your wife and that they have no objections to her living there with you.

If you have moved into your own place by the time of her application, then a copy of the tenancy agreement and a letter from your landlord confirming that she can live there if you rent; or proof of ownership, e.g. a mortgage statement, if you own.

As Sumrit says, it is the registration at the ampur that is the legal marriage in Thailand, and so it is this which is recognised as the legal wedding by the UK.

[shadyacres29]

If you are both going to be living above the restaurant, then I suggest that you get a letter from your employer confirming that you will be living rent free in the flat, who else, if anyone, will be living there, that there is at least one room for the exclusive use of you and your wife and that they have no objections to her living there with you.

If you have moved into your own place by the time of her application, then a copy of the tenancy agreement and a letter from your landlord confirming that she can live there if you rent; or proof of ownership, e.g. a mortgage statement, if you own.

As Sumrit says, it is the registration at the ampur that is the legal marriage in Thailand, and so it is this which is recognised as the legal wedding by the UK.

Thanks for replying..

we will only become legally married a few days before we submit the application,her passport and ID card will still be in her family name and not yey changed into my name,is this going to cause any issues also? Should we use my surname in the application or hers..im guessing hers as that is what will still be on her passport and id? Sorry for so many questions just want get it right first time.

Thanks once again for your replies.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

The application should match her passport.

[7by7]

There is no obligation under UK law for a wife to take her husband's surname on marriage; so this will not be a problem.

[shadyacres29]

There is no obligation under UK law for a wife to take her husband's surname on marriage; so this will not be a problem.

Please can you explain fully about the name chabging as,little confused.After we marry wont it say on our marriage certificate Mrs Davies instead of her family name?

Then if we apply for the visa with her family name the same as it is in her passport will this pose any problems?

Thanks for having the patience to reply.

[sumrit]

There is no obligation under UK law for a wife to take her husband's surname on marriage; so this will not be a problem.

Please can you explain fully about the name chabging as,little confused.After we marry wont it say on our marriage certificate Mrs Davies instead of her family name?

Then if we apply for the visa with her family name the same as it is in her passport will this pose any problems?

Thanks for having the patience to reply.

There is no requirement in either English or Thai law for the wife to take her husbands name. She can choose to use whichever name she wants to.

She can also keep her Thai name but use your name for 'everyday' life when she's in the UK, IF SHE WANTS TO.

If she wants to use your surname and change her documents as well then, after you're married, she must first change her ID card into your surname, then change her passport afterwards.

Remember, whichever name is in her passport is the one she must use in the visa application, and for the subsequent flight tickets.

I have attached a blank copy of a marriage certificate in Thai;

and translated into English;

As you can see it just confirms two people (using their pre-married names) have registered a marriage. There's no reference to 'Mrs *******'.