Girlfriends Uk Tourist Visa

[nelly1977]

Hi just need some advice into if its true that staying the full 6 months is really a problem,iv heard that it could cause problems into the next visit but has anyone had any real evidence of this? 6 months stamp is 6 months stamp! so whats the big deal,or is it that immigration are thinking that thai`s really don`t take holidays for that amount of time and get suspect into the visit?

[7by7]

As you rightly say, a visit visa is valid for 6 months and there is no legal reason why the holder cannot stay the full term.

However, if in the application someone said, for example, that they would only be staying for 2 weeks because that's all the holiday their employer would give them and then stays for 6 months, then they're obviously going to have credibility issues should they ever apply for a UK visa again.

Always tell the truth in an application; if the intention is to stay for 6 months then this is what should be put.

However, plans and circumstances do change, and if one does extend one's stay, then a brief note of explanation in the next application usually covers it; but the explanation should be credible.

[nelly1977]

great thanks for the reply,her letter states she is staying 3 weeks so i think 6 months would def be pushing things!

[passpato]

Remember her six months start from the day the visa is issued not the day she enters the country. You will pay a premium for a flight at short notice if you want the full six months.

[CharlieB]

Remember her six months start from the day the visa is issued not the day she enters the country. You will pay a premium for a flight at short notice if you want the full six months.

You can ask for a visa to start up to 3 months ahead.

[TiggerFish]

My Girlfriend stayed for 6 months on a 6 months tourist visa with no problems but she did declare that intention in her application.

Yes the air fare was expensive, essentially full price tickets.

We also got a bit of a grilling from the IO at LGW airport... "Well what is she going to do all day when you are at work ?" Fortunately I was able to answer with "I work most days from home so she wont be alone"

[ExpatArchie]

UK immigration will have no record of how long your g/f remained in the UK.

Airlines check passports to ensure right of entry to your destination country, nothing more, although there is a watch list asking them to report if they spot someone on the run from the police . There is, from time to time, an immigration attendance at airport departures involving a cursory glance by immigration staff so don't overstay the validity of the visa.

A criticism frequently made is no one knows how many people live in the UK. People are counted in but not counted out.

Edited June 16, 2010 by ExpatArchie

[007cableguy]

UK immigration will have no record of how long your g/f remained in the UK.

Airlines check passports to ensure right of entry to your destination country, nothing more, although there is a watch list asking them to report if they spot someone on the run from the police . There is, from time to time, an immigration attendance at airport departures involving a cursory glance by immigration staff so don't overstay the validity of the visa.

A criticism frequently made is no one knows how many people live in the UK. People are counted in but not counted out.

Dont thais get a stamp on arrival and one on exit ?

[ExpatArchie]

UK immigration will have no record of how long your g/f remained in the UK.

Airlines check passports to ensure right of entry to your destination country, nothing more, although there is a watch list asking them to report if they spot someone on the run from the police . There is, from time to time, an immigration attendance at airport departures involving a cursory glance by immigration staff so don't overstay the validity of the visa.

A criticism frequently made is no one knows how many people live in the UK. People are counted in but not counted out.

Dont thais get a stamp on arrival and one on exit ?

In Bangkok, yes they do. In UK only on entry.

[yeesipha]

UK immigration will have no record of how long your g/f remained in the UK.

Airlines check passports to ensure right of entry to your destination country, nothing more, although there is a watch list asking them to report if they spot someone on the run from the police . There is, from time to time, an immigration attendance at airport departures involving a cursory glance by immigration staff so don't overstay the validity of the visa.

A criticism frequently made is no one knows how many people live in the UK. People are counted in but not counted out.

Dont thais get a stamp on arrival and one on exit ?

When a thai leaves thailand they get stamped out,when they arrive in the uk they get stamped in,when they leave the uk no stamp out,but when they rtn to thailand they get stamped back in.

So if she was to apply for another visa at any time with that same passport the ECO can easily see how long she was in the uk.

[ExpatArchie]

UK immigration will have no record of how long your g/f remained in the UK.

Airlines check passports to ensure right of entry to your destination country, nothing more, although there is a watch list asking them to report if they spot someone on the run from the police . There is, from time to time, an immigration attendance at airport departures involving a cursory glance by immigration staff so don't overstay the validity of the visa.

A criticism frequently made is no one knows how many people live in the UK. People are counted in but not counted out.

Dont thais get a stamp on arrival and one on exit ?

When a thai leaves thailand they get stamped out,when they arrive in the uk they get stamped in,when they leave the uk no stamp out,but when they rtn to thailand they get stamped back in.

So if she was to apply for another visa at any time with that same passport the ECO can easily see how long she was in the uk.

Wondered who would spot the deliberate flaw in my argument

[simba6829]

MY wife has visited the uk for the past three years, staying for 2 months, 3 months, and 6 months last year but we did declare these time scales when makeing application.

She did recive a grilling from past port control when she enterd last time and was told six months was a long time and that she should have applied for a "proper visa". but was allowed in.

IMO if you stated 3 weeks on the application keep the trip arond that length, or you could jepordise future applications.

[Thongkorn]

MY wife has visited the uk for the past three years, staying for 2 months, 3 months, and 6 months last year but we did declare these time scales when makeing application.

She did recive a grilling from past port control when she enterd last time and was told six months was a long time and that she should have applied for a "proper visa". but was allowed in.

IMO if you stated 3 weeks on the application keep the trip arond that length, or you could jepordise future applications.

Use the full 6 months that's why it was granted, 6 months is the minimum, you will not have any problems as long as your lady goes home before the Visa date expires,

[7by7]

6 months is not the minimum, it is the standard length of a visit visa. It is also the maximum time a visitor can (normally) spend in the UK. Those who can show a valid need to travel regularly to the UK may be able to obtain longer term visit visas, but the maximum time they can spend in the UK on any one visit is still 6 months.

As said already, staying for longer than originally stated in the application is not illegal, but may cause credibility problems the next time one applies, unless one has a satisfactory reason for the change of plan; especially if one has used employment as a reason to return.

If one intends to stay for 6 months, then this is what one should say in the application.