Uk Spouse Settlement Visa

[bookay]

Guys

I have some concern over my bank statements for my wife's UK settlement visa.

Has anyone been refused a visa because only 3 months statements were submitted and not 6?

Basically, If I were to submit 6 months, some fof the transactions were done using my overdraft facilty.

To sum up, my statements will be as follows:

March 5th - April 5th = Overdrawn transactions and negative (i.e. more going out than coming in) WILL NOT SUBMIT

April 5th - May 5th = Some overdrawn transactions but positive (more in than out)

May 5th - June 5th = Some overdrawn transactions but positive.

June 5th - July 5th = Will have first 4 entries as overdrawn then rest will be in the black (Now have rental income also from my flat). Hopefully positive

July 5th - August 5th = Will not be OD (hopefully) and will be positive.

Aug 5th - Sept 5th = Not OD and positive

I want to get my wife over ASAP but obviously because this is a one chance affair we are prepared to sit it out for a few more months if need be.

Any advice on how many statements to use. Might not see her till Christmas 2010 now Gonna be a long wait.

Personally I was going to submit the last 3 above (i.e. last statement from the 5th September)

Another thing, is it acceptable to then send my cash for the visa after the last statement or will the ECO like to see I have already sent my payments for the visa?

Any advice will be much appeciated.

Thanks

Bookay

[ExpatArchie]

Ask yourself, can you honestly support your wife on your sole NET income? If yes, don't worry. Submit bank a/c details as required. Going overdrawn is a fact of life and will not count against you.

[sumrit]

Being overdrawn at times is not a problem in itself as long as you can show you have enough income/savings to support your wife without her having recourse to public funds. But if you do supply statements showing you have been/are overdrawn you MUST also include a letter from your bank confirming both your agreed overdraft facility and the limit. If you don't the ECO will assume it's an unauthorized overdraft and question your ability to support your wife. I remember one self employed person who had an authorized overdraft (for cash flow purposes) but didn't supply confirmation from his bank and his wife's visa was refused because of insufficient funds. This particular case was overturned when he supplied the details, but the ECO can only make a decision based on the paperwork actually supplied.

[ExpatArchie]

Being overdrawn at times is not a problem in itself as long as you can show you have enough income/savings to support your wife without her having recourse to public funds. But if you do supply statements showing you have been/are overdrawn you MUST also include a letter from your bank confirming both your agreed overdraft facility and the limit. If you don't the ECO will assume it's an unauthorized overdraft and question your ability to support your wife. I remember one self employed person who had an authorized overdraft (for cash flow purposes) but didn't supply confirmation from his bank and his wife's visa was refused because of insufficient funds. This particular case was overturned when he supplied the details, but the ECO can only make a decision based on the paperwork actually supplied.

This must have been a long time ago. All personal UK bank a/c statements must now clearly show authorised available funds. Time marches on.

[bookay]

OK. Thankyou very much for your advice. It has been very useful and eased some of my worries.

My bank accounts at the moment are not a true reflection of what would be my normal circumstances. Currently I reside with my parents. I rent out my flat which will be available to move back into in November 2010.

I have included in the application a spreadsheet which outlines all my outgoings if I were living in the flat e.g. mortgage, food, utilities and compared this to my montlhy income which shows I will be able to support myself and my wife i.e. there will be significantly more coming in than is going out Will this be sufficient do you think to attain a visa or will the ECO like to see accounts from when I am actually living in the flat? Obviously this will add further time to the appication process as I can not start collecting bank statements until December 2010. I can also provide proof of the tenancy period etc stating when I can move back into my property.

Also, my wife is working but receives no payslips. Do I declare this on the appication i.e. will the ECO take a dim view that she is avoiding tax. She says the manager of the business pays the tax as she earns under the threshold (she only earns 140B a day) Obviously if she shows a willingness to work this may strenghen the application. Any views much appreciated for this.

Hope you can help.

Bookay

[7by7]

You should put your current situation and provide evidence of your current situation. You can put the details of your future plans in your sponsor's letter.

She must complete the application form truthfully; including her employment and pay details. The ECO will be aware that many Thais are paid cash in hand, so this wont be a problem.

[kevozman1]

Just sponsored my girl for Uk visa. They only requested my last 3 months bank statements.

Do not worry too much with documents I panicked myself about them but there

is no need. You only have to satisfy their requirements which are not too strict when

it comes to earnings/savings. You may find it harder to satisfy the requirements of showing

and proving and real relationship. I do think showing a bank statement that is

overdrawn is not a good idea though.

[sumrit]

Being overdrawn at times is not a problem in itself as long as you can show you have enough income/savings to support your wife without her having recourse to public funds. But if you do supply statements showing you have been/are overdrawn you MUST also include a letter from your bank confirming both your agreed overdraft facility and the limit. If you don't the ECO will assume it's an unauthorized overdraft and question your ability to support your wife. I remember one self employed person who had an authorized overdraft (for cash flow purposes) but didn't supply confirmation from his bank and his wife's visa was refused because of insufficient funds. This particular case was overturned when he supplied the details, but the ECO can only make a decision based on the paperwork actually supplied.

This must have been a long time ago. All personal UK bank a/c statements must now clearly show authorised available funds. Time marches on.

Just last year actually.

In another application I can think of, also from last year, I helped a friend with his wife and stepdaughters visa applications. I can't remember the name of the account he had but it was one where his mortgage was included so when he paid large amounts into it the balance came off his mortgage which meant the interest he paid for that month was then sometimes lower. If he needed to withdraw money at any time he could, up to his agreed mortgage limit. His overdraft averaged over £50,000 and there was nothing on his statement that explained the situation. So he got a letter from his bank confirming how the account worked and I highlighted all his deposits and regular monthly payments on the statements. They got their visas without any problems and the Embassy didn't query anything at all about his finances.

[bookay]

Hey guys, thanks very much for the info. It's putiing my mind at rest a lot and helping me get some sleep.

OK, my plan now is to submit 3 months statements. This will mean sending the application to my wife on the 5th of September (I can download the final statement as a pdf file online on the 5th of Septemember then go straight to the post-office). Say it takes a week to get the visa applicationto her this means my wife will be able to travel to bangkok on the 12th September for her TB test and biometrics test. So your looking at mid-September to have the visa submitted.

What date would you recommend for her to travel to the UK bearing in mind the above information? I was going to put 1 month later, say 15 October which gives 4 weeks for a descision. Is this enough time?

Also, the first question on the form is 'What is the main purpose of your application to come to the UK?'

Are there any good and bad answers for this question? Her answer will be 'To settle with spouse'. Is this OK?

Hope you can help,

Bookay

[kevozman1]

You will be very lucky to get a result in 4 weeks. I would probably discount that idea.

If you submit in September by the time you get a verdict, get ready and book flights

I think late November early December will be more realistic.

[sumrit]

Hey guys, thanks very much for the info. It's putiing my mind at rest a lot and helping me get some sleep.

OK, my plan now is to submit 3 months statements. This will mean sending the application to my wife on the 5th of September (I can download the final statement as a pdf file online on the 5th of Septemember then go straight to the post-office). Say it takes a week to get the visa applicationto her this means my wife will be able to travel to bangkok on the 12th September for her TB test and biometrics test. So your looking at mid-September to have the visa submitted.

What date would you recommend for her to travel to the UK bearing in mind the above information? I was going to put 1 month later, say 15 October which gives 4 weeks for a descision. Is this enough time?

Also, the first question on the form is 'What is the main purpose of your application to come to the UK?'

Are there any good and bad answers for this question? Her answer will be 'To settle with spouse'. Is this OK?

Hope you can help,

Bookay

Bookay, your post suggests you're planning for your wife to have both her TB test and her biometrics done on the 12th September. She can't. Her biometrics are taken when she hands in her visa application at the VFS centre but her TB certificate must be part of that application so she must be tested before then.

[7by7]

What date would you recommend for her to travel to the UK bearing in mind the above information? I was going to put 1 month later, say 15 October which gives 4 weeks for a descision. Is this enough time?

How long it takes to process an application depends mainly on how busy the visa section is. I've known settlement applications to be turned around in 5 working days; but I've also known them to take 3 months! If they can process the application and issue the visa before the date you put on the form, then they will use this date as the start date of the visa (I say will, often they just use the date it's issued!). If it takes longer, then the start date will be the date the visa is issued.

Also, the first question on the form is 'What is the main purpose of your application to come to the UK?'

Are there any good and bad answers for this question? Her answer will be 'To settle with spouse'. Is this OK?

I'd make it more personal; e.g. "To live with my husband."

[bookay]

OK Guys. Great feedback.

I will keep asking questions as long as you keep answering as I have many.

I am living with my parents and have a flat which I plan to move into with my wife hopefully, in November. However I intend to bring my wife to the UK before the tenancy ends. This will mean us both living at my parents house for a few weeks or months.

I have included a copy of the Shorthold tenancy agreement amd mortgage documents etc.I have also included a letter from my father stating his permission for myself and my wife to live at his house until we can move into my property. Also included are photos and details of my fathers property. Will this be enough to satisfy an ECO? What other documents can you think of that would support this part of my application? The rent to my father is on my bank statements as it goes out by standing order. I also receive income for my flat which is also on my bank statements. My father has paid off the mortgage for his house so I can not provide copies of any transactions but will state this somewhere in the application. Oh yes, I also have some documents that use my name and are addressed to my father's house as proof of residnecy there.

Many thanks for the help

Bookay

[7by7]

Living with parents is not a problem; many of us have done so at first; myself, wife and step-daughter included.

As well as what you have mentioned, ask your father to write a letter confirming that he owns it, briefly describing the property to show that there is at least one room for the exclusive use of you and your wife and inviting you both to live there for as long as necessary.

If you can obtain a copy of your father's deeds or some other proof of ownership, great; but if not then don't worry.

[silverdales]

I am going throught a very similair situation as the original poster except I have now also got a 15year old stepdaughter! The application forms do not really seem relevant for her is their a joint application for spouse and daughter?and also if visa granted for 2 years can she attend schooling?

Thanks in advance for your help - its all so helpful and supportive on here.

Cheers

[7by7]

She will need to complete a separate VAF4A form, and pay another fee. Complete part 7 of the form and in part 8.1.1 tick "As the child of someone settled, or going to settle, in the UK" She will also need a TB certificate. The applications can be submitted together with the same supporting documents.

Local education authorities in the UK have a legal obligation to provide a school place for all children in their area who are between the ages of 5 and 16, regardless of their nationality or immigration status. So yes, she will be able to attend a state school. There would, of course, be no problem with her attending a private school either.

[sumrit]

Living with parents is not a problem; many of us have done so at first; myself, wife and step-daughter included.

As well as what you have mentioned, ask your father to write a letter confirming that he owns it, briefly describing the property to show that there is at least one room for the exclusive use of you and your wife and inviting you both to live there for as long as necessary.

If you can obtain a copy of your father's deeds or some other proof of ownership, great; but if not then don't worry.

And if possible add a copy of your fathers council tax bill (or at least a recent utility bill) to show your parents are living there.

I remember reading about a case a few years ago (was actually somebody from India, nothing to do with Thailand) where the sponsor said they were going to live with parents. It turned out the parents did own the house but it was derelict. They were just trying to use it as an address for the application because their own home was overcrowded. Don't know how the Embassy found out but they must sometimes check details.

[ExpatArchie]

She will need to complete a separate VAF4A form, and pay another fee. Complete part 7 of the form and in part 8.1.1 tick "As the child of someone settled, or going to settle, in the UK" She will also need a TB certificate. The applications can be submitted together with the same supporting documents.

Local education authorities in the UK have a legal obligation to provide a school place for all children in their area who are between the ages of 5 and 16, regardless of their nationality or immigration status. So yes, she will be able to attend a state school. There would, of course, be no problem with her attending a private school either.

Between 5 and 19. However school attendance is only currently compulsory until 16 (or 15 for a lucky few).

Edited for spelling. Obviously I left school too early

Edited June 16, 2010 by ExpatArchie

[7by7]

Every piece of information that I can find says that the duty is to provide education during compulsory school age, currently 5 to 16. For example, from Surrey CC

We are responsible, by law, for making sure that registered pupils of compulsory school age within the County attend school regularly.

However, if you can provide a link to show that this is wrong and it is indeed 19, I will of course accept that my information is out of date.

BTW, you are again reminded of the forum rules

30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording.

[bookay]

Anyone know the issuing authority for a Thai passport from Chiang Mai passport office?

[silverdales]

I am under the impression that the visa will cost £600 - presumably this is really Thai Baht, is the fee for my stepdaughter any cheaper and what is exactly the fee? cheers

[7by7]

The fee for all settlement applications is £644; except for adult dependents, where it is a whopping £1680! Thanks to Tony and Gordon for that; although I doubt the new lot will lower them.

The current exchange rate used by the embassy means this is 32200 baht; see fees.

Bookay, the passport issuing authority is on the personal details page, to the lower right of the photo.

[bookay]

OK Thanks everyone.

Does my wife write her bankers draft out in £ or B? She has an account with Krung Thai bank.

I was expecting the 32200 fee to be more due the poor strenghth of the £ (I would be pleased to get 48B per pound now at an exchange). This works out at £670. Is there an exchange in the visa centre? I dont understand. (The visa website says the consular exchange rate is 50Bto 1 GBP).

Any help would be great.

Thanks

Bookay.

[sumrit]

OK Thanks everyone.

Does my wife write her bankers draft out in £ or B? She has an account with Krung Thai bank.

I was expecting the 32200 fee to be more due the poor strenghth of the £ (I would be pleased to get 48B per pound now at an exchange). This works out at £670. Is there an exchange in the visa centre? I dont understand. (The visa website says the consular exchange rate is 50Bto 1 GBP).

Any help would be great.

Thanks

Bookay.

There's a bank on the ground floor, to the right, as you enter Regents house and your wife can get the bank draft there. It must be paid in Thai Baht.

The Embassy use there own exchange rate (which is currently 50 baht/£) not the daily bank rate, hence the cost of 32200 baht. If they used the daily bank rate they would have to check with each individual application as the rate can change hourly. They review their rate regularly and it's just been reduced from 52 to 50 baht/£. Unfortunately, as their rate is about 2 baht higher at the moment it will cost you more in GBP than the £644 it should, but if the £ should strenghen to more than 50 baht you'd save money.