My Thai Gf Second Tourist Visa To Uk Now Over

[barnaby666]

Hello readers.

my thai gf has just returned back to Thailand last week after her 2 month holiday with myself in england, she was given a 6 month tourist visa but because of my work i was only able to have her stay with me for 2 months. . that was her second Christmas in England after she was successful with a tourist visa last year.

My question to the forum is..

1) How long before she can make another tourist visa? (does she need to wait in thailand for 6 months until she can reapply)?

or

2) Is there another option for her to come to england quicker on a partner visa/family visit visa? (any info please)

or

3) whats the proceedure for obtaining a fiencee visa? is the cost/paperwork and waiting time the same as a tourist visa?(if so is it worth using a thai agent to assist us).

. any help from the forum is always much apreciated

regards, barnaby

[Thongkorn]

Its your decision , what and where you want to go with your relationship. As you probably know that you can only get a holiday visa after your girlfriend has been out of the Country for 6 months from the end of her last visa, If your mind is made I would think married in Thailand and then Submit a settlement visa. Job done so to speak . that way its cheaper and in my mind more direct than having fiancé visa then getting married and then applying for a settlement visa. UP to yopu your life , best of luck anyway.

[Basil B]

1) How long before she can make another tourist visa? (does she need to wait in thailand for 6 months until she can reapply)?

She can reapply straight away, if she has only spent 2 months over Christmas she could spend another 4 over the year as long as she does not exceed 6 in any 12 month period subject to satisfyingly the FCO she meets the other conditions of a visitor visa, more info here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/438812-6-months-wait/

3) whats the proceedure for obtaining a fiencee visa? is the cost/paperwork and waiting time the same as a tourist visa?(if so is it worth using a thai agent to assist us).

Visitor or Settlement? Both are for the purpose of marrying in the UK, on a visitor visa if you get married in the UK your wife will have to return to Thailand to apply for a spouses settlement visa to return to live with you in the UK, A fiancée settlement Visa needs the A1 English test pass but means when you marry she can apply for Further Leave to Remain (FLR) and hopefully continue the process to get Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

[barnaby666]

thanks for the reply,

is it difficult to get a spouse/settlement visa at the British embassy? Also what about the cost for the application? Is it going to be much more money then a tourist visa?

any help is very much appriciated.

[Basil B]

The settlement route is for the purpose of your girl to settle permanently in the UK with you.

It is long winded with many obstacles but hopefully it will lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), the following info from UKBA details how to proceed: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/partnersandfamilies/partners/

Also:

The procedure and evidence required for a fiance visa is the same as that for a spouse visa; except for a fiance visa you need to show that you have made plans to marry in the UK and for a spouse visa that you are already married.

See:-

Maintenance and accommodation

Settlement Fiancé(e)s

Settlement Spouses

Settlement - visa application guide

The big difference is cost.

A fiance visa and a spouse visa both currently cost £750, payable in baht at whatever exchange rate the embassy are using at the time, currently 37500 baht.

A fiance visa lasts for 6 months. During this time you need to marry and after the wedding your then wife applies for Further Leave to Remain , at a current cost of £500 by post or £800 in person.

FLR lasts for 24 months and at the end of this, assuming all the criteria are met, she applies for Indefinite Leave to Remain, at a current cost of £950 by post or £1250 in person.

A spouse visa lasts for 27 months, and once she has been in the UK for 24 months she can, assuming all the criteria are met, apply for ILR. So a spouse visa cuts out the FLR stage and saves that fee.

(NB all fees quoted are current at the time of posting, but are subject to change. You should check the current fee before submitting any application.)

Also, a fiance cannot work in the UK until after the marriage and they have FLR whilst a spouse can work immediately they arrive in the UK.

Whichever route you decide upon, before applying for her settlement visa your girlfriend will need to show that she satisfies the New English language requirement for visa applicants coming to join partners in the UK. The UKVAC have a list of approved test providers in Thailand.

She will also need to obtain a certificate confirming that she is free from infectious tuberculosis .

Also, once in the UK and before applying for ILR she will need to satisfy the Knowledge of language and life in the UK requirement.

Remember that she cannot convert a visit visa to settlement whilst in the UK; she will have to return to Thailand and apply whichever route you choose.

The ECO will not accept photos on electronic media due to the risk of that media containing a virus or similar which could infect their systems. Printed photos only.

from http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/432475-marry-in-the-uk-or-thailand/

[7by7]

As you probably know that you can only get a holiday visa after your girlfriend has been out of the Country for 6 months from the end of her last visa

After the nice things you said about me elsewhere, Thongkorn, I feel a bit guilty saying this; but you are completely wrong on this point!

VAT1.5 Frequency and duration of visits

There is no restriction on the number of visits a person may make to the UK nor any requirement that a specified time must elapse between successive visits, The fact that a person has made a series of visits with only brief intervals between them would not, in absence of any other relevant factors, constitute sufficient grounds for refusal.It is reasonable, however, for the ECO to consider the stated purpose of the visit in the light of the length of time that has elapsed since previous visits. A visitor should not, for example, normally spend more that 6 out of any 12 months in the UK.............

Barnaby,

Q1) is answered in Basil's post and above.

Q2) It is, as said, up to you and her to decide if another visit or settlement is what you want. However, do not go for a settlement visa because you think it may be easier to get than another visit visa. Only go for settlement if there is a definite commitment from both of you to spend the rest of your lives together.

Q3) A fiance visa is valid for 6 months. During that time the holder travels to the UK and marries their sponsor. If the marriage has not taken place when the visa expires then the holder must apply for an extension (difficult to get) or leave the UK.

Once the marriage has taken place, she would then apply for a 2 year extension known as Further Leave to Remain and at the end of that time she would apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

The current costs are:

Fiance visa: £750 (payable in Baht, currently 37500baht).

FLR: £500 if applying by post or £800 if applying in person for a same day decision.

ILR: £900 by post, £1250 in person.

(These are the current fees. They are, of course, subject to change as and when the government sees fit.)

For more details on Fiance visas, see SET1 Fiancé(e)s

Alternatively, you could marry in Thailand and she then applies as your spouse. A spouse visa is valid for 27 months, and once she has been in the UK for 24 months she can apply for ILR; thus eliminating the need for an FLR application and it's fee.

See SET3 Spouses.

Before applying for ILR she will need to satisfy the Knowledge of language and life in the UK requirement.

Whether she applies as a fiance or as a spouse, she will need to satisfy the English language requirement before submitting the application and also have a TB test.

The two of you will also need to show that you meet the Maintenance and accommodation requirements.

If you are considering using an agent, read this topic first.

Edit:

Well, while i was typing all of that Basil simply found an old post and copied it.

Well done, Baz, don't know why I didn't think of that!

Edited February 2, 2011 by 7by7