Just looked on the VFS website and it's showing a Settlement Visa as 37,500....I thought last week it was 32,200?

http://www.vfs-uk-th.com/visafees.aspx

Have the prices gone up or are they using a new exchange rate? Confused

RAZZ

Edited November 22, 201015 yr by RAZZELL

The exchange rate is the same, 50 baht to the pound, which was displayed earlier this month when we made our visa application and the amount payable was 32,200, though the actual form had a slightly higher amount on it, which I presumed was simply from their not updating their systems. That amount was not 37,500 but perhaps around 34,000.

I don't know if the GBP figures have gone up but would not be surprised if they had.

The actual amount shown on the form was THB 33,488 though the price was THB 32,200.

Edited November 22, 201015 yr by SGD

The exchange rate is the same, 50 baht to the pound, which was displayed earlier this month when we made our visa application and the amount payable was 32,200, though the actual form had a slightly higher amount on it, which I presumed was simply from their not updating their systems. That amount was not 37,500 but perhaps around 34,000.

I don't know if the GBP figures have gone up but would not be surprised if they had.

The actual amount shown on the form was THB 33,488 though the price was THB 32,200.

Just "googled"...the new fees came into force on the 22nd November (today) S/V from £644 to £750

If you send money by Western Union that's going to cost the best part of £817+£47 to send....ouch!

RAZZ

Add in the (from another thread) minimum cost of Bt6000 for this language thing and associated ancillary costs, say bringing this up to around £200, then the total fees have jumped from around £650 to £950 !

What next ? VAT on the fees ? At UK rates (20%) ?

Complete rip off.

Add in the (from another thread) minimum cost of Bt6000 for this language thing and associated ancillary costs, say bringing this up to around £200, then the total fees have jumped from around £650 to £950 !

What next ? VAT on the fees ? At UK rates (20%) ?

Complete rip off.

Agreed. Somewhere on the internet there's a document which show's the "true cost" of processing a visa - it's something like £120.

The cost is the same for V/V and S/V....so the UKBA is making a profit on Visa applications (if you look at it simply)

RAZZ

Add in the (from another thread) minimum cost of Bt6000 for this language thing and associated ancillary costs, say bringing this up to around £200, then the total fees have jumped from around £650 to £950 !

What next ? VAT on the fees ? At UK rates (20%) ?

Complete rip off.

I agree, the fees are getting out of hand. But what can be done about it ? The British government and UKBA both know that if you want to take your foreign spouse to UK to live, then you have no choice but to pay up. Maybe we should lobby our MPs ?

I don't want to get into any debates about the rights and wrongs, pros and cons, etc of using agents in visa applications, as it is certainly another added major cost. But, I would advise, since the actual visa costs are so high now, using the free initial interviews offered by us, and by most other agents. You may be saving yourself a lot of money. After the initial free consultation you can decide for yourself if you want to go ahead with an application, and whether you want or need the services of an agent. If you do decide to use an agent, then I would further suggest that you shop around for value. Some ( Visas Plus included ) show their fees on their websites, but not all agents do this.

If you do decide to use an agent, then I would further suggest that you shop around for value. Some ( Visas Plus included ) show their fees on their websites, but not all agents do this.

Fair play if you do as most do not and many are downright obtrusive when you ask. No-one expects people to work for nothing but a wet finger in the air approach to seeing just how much they can get a mug punter to pay out is hardly a professional approach.

When you consider the total costs, above flights and so forth, you have TB tests, this new English test, visa fees, KoL studies and tests and then the ILR rip off or more fees for extensions. This is now many thousands of pounds. Add in subsistence for weeks and months and the total figure is far higher. At Bt28,000 or roughly £600 it could be argued that some people may benefit from professional assistance. I still think that is quite a lot for a business in Thailand to charge but where do you draw the line ? What sort of advice and hand holding would you get for Bt10,000 ? However, when viewed overall, at the Visa Plus charging level, it is perhaps not that great an "extra" in the overall scheme of things.

The British government and UKBA both know that if you want to take your foreign spouse to UK to live, then you have no choice but to pay up. Maybe we should lobby our MPs ?

When Blair and Brown first introduced all these extra fees and then the regular above inflation increases my local MP (Tory) lobbied very hard against them.

Now that the Tories are in power they also see an easy way to cover the cost of running the UKBA (and paying for all those EU permits they have to issue for free!) that effects very few voters.

Let's be honest, how many Brits dos this effect? Very few. How many Brits would say that immigrants should pay for the right to live in the UK? Most, I reckon.

I should add that I believe applicants should pay a fair price for the processing of their application; a price which reflects the cost. However, as already mentioned, this is not the case; the fee for most applications is way above the cost of processing.

It would be interesting to see how UK fees compare with those for Australia, the US etc. Anyone know?