Thai Relation Wants Temporary Stay In The Uk

[simon43]

My Thai partner's younger sister is currently studying for her degree in Bangkok. She has one year of study to complete and it looks like she will graduate successfully.

After completing her studies, she would like to live and work in the UK for about one year, to gain knowledge of the English language, culture and work experience. The plan is for her to return to Thailand after that period and to work with me and my partner in tourism-related business.

I checked into the possible visa options for such a visit, and I could not find anything that seemed to allow this.

She does not want to study in the UK, unless this is the only way to obtain a visa

She does not need to work for a salary - she will be financially supported and volunteer work is just fine.

My elder brother could act as sponsor for her, if this enables a visa to be issued.

Can anyone advise as to the best route/visa option to enable her to gain work and English language experience in the UK?

Thanks

Simon

[7by7]

A visit visa would only allow her a maximum of 6 months in the UK and she would not be allowed to study or work, even volunteer work. She could apply to visit your brother, although I think it probable that the Entry Clearance Officer wold not accept that she had a valid reason for such a long visit to a member of your family who she has never met and would suspect that she was seeking entry to the UK for some other purpose and so refuse her.

She could enroll on an English course in the UK; see Guidance - Points Based System Tier 4: (General) Student and (Child) Student (INF 29) .

Another option is a temporary worker, e.g. to work for a charity or religious organisation. To do this she would need a sponsor. See Guidance - Points Based System Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) (INF 27).

[VisasPlus]

There seem to be very few options for her. A visit has a maximum period of six months, and it will be quite difficult to convince the visa officer that only a visit in intended for that period of time.

The best choice, even though she does not want to study, is a Tier 4 ( General) student visa. That would allow her to take part - time employment legally in the UK and to improve her English whilst studying.

Alternatively, there are plenty of other English speaking countries where she might be able to do exactly as she proposes with less difficult conditions of entry and stay although she won't be able to experience English " culture ".

.

Edited September 12, 2010 by VisasPlus

[Mercury]

So who is going to support her financially ? Why is she reluctant to studying if her real intention is to improve her English ?

Sounds iffy to me as someone prepared to say and do anything just to get the visa. That said, a regular student visa would allow her to work part time and study to improve her English. If she's loaded, then just show a few million in the bank and she'll get her visa. If she's skint then they'll suspect she will be working and the study thing is just a ruse, which it may well be, as you state she would only go down that road if it was necessary to get a visa. Seems she wants to work rather than learn.

If she is legitimate, then the study visa seems the best option. With your business, a course in tourism management would seem ideal. Perhaps look at the new universities. Here's some from Bournemouth.

Post Grad http://onlineservices.bournemouth.ac.uk/courses/Postgraduate.aspx?colID=220&colname=Tourism+Hospitality+and+Events&collection=pg

Under Grad http://onlineservices.bournemouth.ac.uk/courses/Undergraduate.aspx?colID=196&colname=Tourism+and+Hospitality&collection=ug

I doubt cheap but she would probably be able to get some work. Perhaps the university could even help out with that.

I see some of the MSc courses offer placements though the one I looked at was over 2 years.

[simon43]

Hi Mercury, her sister will be supporting her (not me!). So she does not need to be paid a salary if she works in the UK.

She does not want specifically to study because she will have just completed 3 years of her Bachelor degree. But I agree that studying a post-grad course in the UK could be useful for her, although a touch expensive.

7by7's suggestion of working for a charity sounds interesting - I need to check into this further.

Simon