Few Questions About Visa To The Uk

[annnick]

morning all

ive just had my gf over to the uk for a holiday,she only stayed 12 days due to her work commitments,she was on a 6 month tourist visa

which runs out april 12th 2011

what im hoping someone can help me with is we want her to come stay with me again but it wouldnt be till the thai new year so by then the visa would have expired,could we apply for another

tourist visa now? even though her old one is still valid, i know they say you can stay 6 months then have to return for 6 months but she was only here 12 days so would that count?

also was thinking abt maybe trying apply for a longer visa maybe 2 yr visa as my gf only can visit when she has work holiday,is this as straightforward as a normal tourist visa?

or is there any other visa that would suit us better?

this was our first tourist visa.

thanks and regards

annnick

[NALAK]

if she is coming over for Thai New year that will pressumably be before 12th April cant you just apply for the 3 month extension to the tourist visa. personally i have gone through all the way to ILR and always e mailed Foriegn Office myself, they gace accurate information and you have it in writing, my wife came on one way ticket to UK with tourist visa, was refused boarding at BKK, i showed e mail saying she could travel and they let her on. best route is always i found UK borderer agency i think is there name now.

[annnick]

if she is coming over for Thai New year that will pressumably be before 12th April cant you just apply for the 3 month extension to the tourist visa. personally i have gone through all the way to ILR and always e mailed Foriegn Office myself, they gace accurate information and you have it in writing, my wife came on one way ticket to UK with tourist visa, was refused boarding at BKK, i showed e mail saying she could travel and they let her on. best route is always i found UK borderer agency i think is there name now.

hi nalak

problem is she more than likely wouldnt fly until after the 12th,i didnt know you could get a extension?

[7by7]

She can extend her current visit visa; provided she was in the UK, had not used the full 6 months and the visa had at least 4 weeks left before it expired. See Can I extend my stay as a general visitor?

As she is in Thailand now and the cost of an extension is (currently) £500 by post or £800 in person it would be cheaper to apply for a new visit visa!

She can apply for a new visa before her current one expires, but should explain in the application why she is doing so.

Visit visas can be valid for up to 10 years, although the maximum one can spend in the UK at any one time as a visitor is usually 6 months. See VAT1.4 Visa validity - What period for a multiple entry visit visa?

You ask " is there any other visa that would suit us better?" The answer depends on what you want to achieve. If you simply want your girlfriend to make regular, short term visits (up to 6 months at a time) then a long term visit visa is appropriate. However, if you want her to live in the UK with you then a settlement visa is what she requires.

[annnick]

She can extend her current visit visa; provided she was in the UK, had not used the full 6 months and the visa had at least 4 weeks left before it expired. See Can I extend my stay as a general visitor?

As she is in Thailand now and the cost of an extension is (currently) £500 by post or £800 in person it would be cheaper to apply for a new visit visa!

She can apply for a new visa before her current one expires, but should explain in the application why she is doing so.

Visit visas can be valid for up to 10 years, although the maximum one can spend in the UK at any one time as a visitor is usually 6 months. See VAT1.4 Visa validity - What period for a multiple entry visit visa?

You ask " is there any other visa that would suit us better?" The answer depends on what you want to achieve. If you simply want your girlfriend to make regular, short term visits (up to 6 months at a time) then a long term visit visa is appropriate. However, if you want her to live in the UK with you then a settlement visa is what she requires.

cheers mate im getting confused at a few questions you might b able help with

if we are successful in getting another tourist visa,i would like to pre-date it till april would you see any problem in this as it would be so close to the expiriy of the old visa?,also

if we do get the visa would the old visa still be in use or would that one get cancelled

[7by7]

Visas can be post dated for up to three months. Requests on the form to do so are sometimes overlooked, so you should include in your covering letter that she wishes to do so. Also check the start date immediately she receives her passport and if it's wrong query it straightaway.

My understanding is that the old visa will be canceled, but I am not 100% sure. Some of our members used to work for the UKBA, VisaPlus for example. Hopefully one of them will be able to say definitely whether it will or not.

[annnick]

Visa was approved again,only took 3 days thks for the info

Also the old visa was cancelled

Annnick

[7by7]

Thanks for reporting back.

Did she go for a long term visit visa, or just the 6 months?

[annnick]

We just got the 6 month visit visa again,we gonna go for the settlement later in the year

Thks for all your guidance mate

[7by7]

You're welcome.

If you need help with the settlement application, feel free to ask here.