Tourist Visa For Student

[ace]

Hello Visa experts and thanks in advance for your informed opinions and help. I've read thru the forum and have found a lot of great info, but do have a couple of specific questions regarding my case:

I would like to bring a Thai friend over to the UK.

We'd prefer a tourist Visa.

She is half way thru a B.Sc. in HR management in Bangkok and naturally wants to complete the course, but would like to take time-out in the UK, stay with me and study English too.

We are currently only friends but this could change in the future to something more serious.

She has previousley visited her aunt who lives in Holland on a tourist visa. That is when I met her (used to live in Holland). I am still in touch with her family there who can offer supporting info as required.

She is not rich but has no "history" and is from a good family.

No kids.

I have a good job, house-owner, single no kids.

Given this background summary, would a tourist visa application be appropriate in your opinions?

Would the university course be sufficient reason to return?

Should we tell the visa people about potential relationship or will this confuse matters?

If a tourist visa is not possible, a student visa would be a possibility but none of us can afford £7000 p/a undergrad costs, does anyone know of cheaper (TOEFL?) options?

Cheers,

Ace.

[GU22]

Firstly, forget about trying for a student visa. As I said here:-

From Guidance - Students (INF 5)

How do I qualify to travel to the UK as a student?

You must be able to show that you have been accepted on a course of study at an educational establishment that is on the UK's Department for Education and Skills (DfES) Register of Education and Training Providers.

It is not as simple as turning up to the embassy and saying you want to go to the UK to study English! The government is well aware that many people have in the past said they are "coming to the UK to study English" when they have had no intention of actually studying, and that many unscrupulous 'English schools' have cashed in on this to get people visas. Hence the introduction of the register. She will also have to show why she needs to improve her English and why she cannot find a suitable course in Thailand.

So I think that a visit visa is the way to go here.

As she is a full time student half way through a degree course at university in Thailand (presumanly) she should be able to satisfy the "reason to return" criteria. My step son successfully applied for a visit visa last summer. He provided the embassy with a letter from his university confirming that he was a full time student there and when he was expected to return to his studies.

The fact that she has had a previous visit visa to another EU country and complied with the conditions of that visa (presumably) will be a great help as well.

If you've not already done so, read through the following links for more details of visit visas and how to sponsor a visitor.

Guidance - Visitors (INF 2)

Guidance - Sponsors (INF 3)

Edited July 19, 2005 by GU22

[ace]

Hi,

<I>"The fact that she has had a previous visit visa to another EU country and complied with the conditions of that visa (presumably) will be a great help as well."</I>

Well...now you come to mention it......she may have stayed a tiny bit more than was strictly allowed Only a few weeks but....

I was assuming that this wouldn't be communicated to the Brit authorities. <BR>Anyway, thanks for the advice.

[Rinrada]

We have a number of Thai friends/students that we have helped ...read assisted with visas,courses,selection etc in London and the one thing that they all tend to have in common is that mummy and daddy tend to be...............loaded...lots of Moola.....dosh heavy.

Nice little earner for all concerned of curse when you consider that most Uni fees over here are approx ..give or take the odd Sov around £10k ayear with the likes of Hi-so "skools"...no names but well know being £20k per annum.

Add to that the cost of living,buy/rent flats and a bit "kin cow" and you are looking at easily £20k per body.

I know 2 kids are at the LSE and then want do a MBA (at the mo £ 22,000 for the year)but no prob with accomodation since Mater/Pater bought them a couple of flats in Docklands .....reversal of the old u have money 2 much....

When you are in this league student Visas are suddenly ...NO problem

[GU22]

Well...now you come to mention it......she may have stayed a tiny bit more than was strictly allowed Only a few weeks but....

I was assuming that this wouldn't be communicated to the Brit authorities.

Although not fully signed up to the Schengen agreement, the UK is a member of the Schengen Information System (SIS). (See The Schengen acquis and its integration into the Union) This means that the visa section in the Bangkok embassy can access the Dutch immigration records and so discover the overstay, if it's recorded there. I doubt that they check every applicant, but would not be surprised to discover that they check some.

The UK does not stamp passports on exit, but I think the Netherlands do. Even if they don't the entry stamp into Thailand will show that she arrived back in Thailand some time after she was due to leave the Netherlands.

My advice is to always be honest! If she admits to the overstay and has a reasonable explanation for it then the ECO may look kindly upon it and so still issue her a UK visa. If she lies about it, or tries to hide it, and is found out (which she most probably will be) then it is highly unlikely that she will get a visa.

The only way to find out is to apply. Good luck.