Sufficient Funds

[nong38]

At some point in the future I would like to take my thai gf to the UK for a couple of months, maybe 3 months, I see she will have to have sufficient funds to travel so as not to be a burden on public funds, so what are deemed to be sufficient funds? We have a joint account is that acceptable? I have tried emailing but no one is answering so I hope someone can give me a guide, I was thinking 800 gbp a month would be ok.

Thanks for any thoughts and guidance.

[theoldgit]

I don't think there is a right and wrong answer, it all depends on what sort of trip you are planning, are you going to be travelling, are you staying at your home, with friends, cheap or top notch hotels or a combination of all.

The burden on public funds is a bit of a red herring because as a tourist your girlfriend wouldn't have access to public funds anyway.

You need to prove that the trip is realistic and affordable, I think what you guys need to do is sit down, plan and cost an itinerary of your travel plans as well as food, entertainment and attraction entry costs. The costs of such a trip are a very personal thing and will depend on the factors I have outlined but £800 a month is only about £26 a day.

You state you want to take your gf to the UK, does that mean you are in Thailand or do you mean bring your gf to the UK?

Don't forget that the affordability of the trip itself is only half of the battle, your gf needs to convince the ECO that she will return home at the conclusion of the trip. Does she work, if so how can she have a three month holiday?

Basically when applying your girlfriend needs to outline the trip and the reasons, that the trip is affordable, if you are paying the reasons you are doing so giving details and proof of your relationship. Then she needs to convince the ECO that she will return at the end of the trip.

Good luck, and come back if you have any more questions, someone will try and help you.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

As already said reason to return to her host country has she assets or ties etc to encourage her to return ?

Edited August 27, 2010 by ThaiVisaExpress

[nong38]

Hello and thank you for your reply. Firstly yes I am in Thailand and thinking to the future. G/F would not be working it would be touring and site seeing, no hotels, staying with friends. What is the ECO? Did you mean FCO, Foreign and Commonwealth Office? As far as justifying a return, a return air ticket is not sufficient then? Geniune trip see where I come from, nothing but what you see. Would we have to show bank statements?

Thanks

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Entry clearance officer.

[theoldgit]

Hello and thank you for your reply. Firstly yes I am in Thailand and thinking to the future. G/F would not be working it would be touring and site seeing, no hotels, staying with friends. What is the ECO? Did you mean FCO, Foreign and Commonwealth Office? As far as justifying a return, a return air ticket is not sufficient then? Geniune trip see where I come from, nothing but what you see. Would we have to show bank statements?

Thanks

Sorry the ECO is the Entry Clearance Officer, that's the UKBA person based in the Visa Section at the Embassy who will decide on your girlfriends application.

If you are living together in Thailand and can prove it that can help application particularly if you have been living together for some time, as it could help towards proving a reason to return, especially if you have ties or commitments to Thailand.

Unfortunately a return ticket is not considered a reason to return, a flexible ticket can be cashed in and a cheapo ticket could just be not used, in any case the UKBA advise not to book flights until a visa is granted.

It seems like you are looking a little far into the future, but if you and your girlfriend are living in Thailand and at some stage wish to tour the UK, and then return together the there should not be too much of a problem. As indicated before you will need to prove that the trip is affordable, yes bank statements are fine and are actually on the list. You say you have a joint account, again that's fine as it could be used as part of the proof that you are in a subsisting relationship, are you both working in Thailand?

Again it's difficult to give an indicitive figure for the required funds and to be fair it's not the job of the UKBA to advise on this, you just need to do your homework, cost your planned trip and then prove it's affordable.

[Mercury]

My thoughts are that the easier you make it for them to decide then the more chance you have. Thus, if you have your own house, paid for, and therefore have no accommodation costs, that part of the equation is sorted. If you are intending to stay in mid range hotels around the country, then £50 to £100 a night simply for accommodation costs could be in order. Intending to stay with a multitude of friends over many weeks with limited funds would possibly raise their eyebrows and even if you had evidence that all these friends would let you stay free, it makes for a messy application and I think that introduces doubt.

To travel to the UK from Thailand needs about £1000 for airfares and even without accommodation costs, another £200 plus a week just for basic sustenance. Add other bits and pieces and you soon rack up quite a cost, a cost you have to prove you can pay.

As you are in Thailand and she has no job (that I can see) the burden would be purely on you. However, as noted above, you do need to show a valid reason for her to return, irrespective of your decision. A life together, your job or business in Thailand, cash in the bank, income proof and if available something which would show her need or desire to return would go a long way to proving your bona fides.

[the scouser]

Just to clarify, the Immigration Rules do not require that the visa applicant demonstrates an intention to return to the home country, but that s/he intends to leave the UK at the end of the proposed visit.

There is a difference, albeit subtle.

Scouse.

[nong38]

Thanks for all your thoughts, invaluable. To answer your questions, one always leads to another. We will look to buy a house in about 12-18 months time so that should tick a few boxes, she also has a shop where she sells fruit and I have a house in the UK where my children live,so, would be there most of the time with maybe a swary down to Cornwall and Dorset to see and stay with friends, no hotels envisaged. So I will look at the site requirements in due course and see what documents we will need then its off to the ECO who we need to satisfy we will be back( in my best ARNIE} and that should be OK. Just need to do the costings.

Again, thanks for your time and efforts it is most appreciated:D

[Mercury]

Thanks for all your thoughts, invaluable. To answer your questions, one always leads to another. We will look to buy a house in about 12-18 months time so that should tick a few boxes, she also has a shop where she sells fruit and I have a house in the UK where my children live,so, would be there most of the time with maybe a swary down to Cornwall and Dorset to see and stay with friends, no hotels envisaged. So I will look at the site requirements in due course and see what documents we will need then its off to the ECO who we need to satisfy we will be back( in my best ARNIE} and that should be OK. Just need to do the costings.

Again, thanks for your time and efforts it is most appreciated:D

Any intention to do something which could help has to be largely if not wholly disregarded. I could say that I was going to inherit a gazillion dollars in a month but it would have no merit. Showing the funds with which you would be able to buy a house would have merit but only as a value of assets, not as suitable accommodation.

She may well have a shop where she sells fruit but unless she has a company, a lease, audited accounts etc. then I could also say I have a shop selling fruit.

I understand your points on accommodation but I am guessing you will possibly need to furnish proof, such as letters from these friends, outlining dates perhaps but certainly offering you accommodation.

Airfares from Thailand vary a lot and indirect is nearly always cheaper. A good resource online for indicative rates, updated weekly is http://www.massictravel.net/promofares/?EUROPE The current cheapest seems to be Jet Airways (also check their website) at around Bt21k plus taxes so about Bt28k all in I suspect. OK, not the best, but fine.

Another thing I might consider would be to be economical with the truth, to a minor degree and without her knowledge (as she would be the one interviewed). If you are challenged financially a little, then saying you are going for 2 weeks when you are really going for a month would reduce any funds required once in the UK. I do say not to tell her, at all, and as you would not book your tickets until you receive the visa, you could simply have changed your mind. I would not stay 6 months, but a week or two on an original 2 week stay or a month extra on an intended 3 month stay would hardly matter. No-one but you would ever know.

I don't have all the answers and you may not require a cast iron application to succeed, but if you have a more complete and thought out application, it cannot do anything but assist your chances.