Thai Woman Tourist In Uk

[TomTom55]

My girlfriend and I want to go to the UK for 4-5 months and then return. What will she need to be allowed entry and permission to stay in the UK for this amount of time. I am pretty sure you are allowed 6 months without a visa, but what documents will she need.

All replies are appreciated, tom

[Crossy]

The first thing she will need is a visa, no visa-free entry for Thais

The second important thing she'll need is a very good 'reason to return' (to Thailand) as this is invariably the sticking point in the eyes of the ECO.

The rest of the requirements are on the British Embassy website.

[TomTom55]

what reason would be legible for a return? And also, how much is a visa for a thai national? I really do not have much time as my visa is nearly out of date, I have tried looking on the english embassy, but some of the links dont work :s

[Crossy]

Start here http://ukinthailand.fco.gov.uk/en/visiting-uk/visas/

How to apply http://www.vfs-uk-th.com/applying.aspx

Fees here http://www.vfs-uk-th.com/visafees.aspx a simple Tourist Visa is about 4,000 Baht.

She will need to demonstrate a reason to return, for example a letter from her employer showing she has a job to go back to. Others will have better information (I've not taken my wife to the UK for 6 years) but it's not going to be a simple task

[TomTom55]

I have gone through the site and the 9 steps and omg, it is so difficult to obtain a visa for a thai... a letter from her employer, that should work I guess. Thanks for the input. If anyone else can post any info it would be highly gratified

I also read this

''Schengen visas: The UK Border Agency at The British Embassy in Bangkok is unable to issue Schengen visas. The UK is not part of the Schengen agreement, and Schengen visas are not valid for entry to the UK. If you need a Schengen visa and a UK visa you must apply for them separately. ''

Will she need a schengen visa also?

[7by7]

No, she will not need a Schengen visa unless she intends to visit the Schengen area.

Have a read of UK Visit Visa Basics and then feel free to ask if you have any further questions.

[TomTom55]

thank you 7by7. I have made notes on what to do, how do you think this will go down. Firstly of course she needs a thai passport. Then she needs her birth certificate and copies of both. She will need her thai ID card also photocopied, 1 photo 45mm by 35mm, everything in English translated into thai and confirmation from translator including date, name, signature and contact details. Then she will need to take all of this to the embassy in bangkok and apply in person. We only intend to stay for a maximum of 6 months. She will need proof of payment and a reason to return, such as a job. (will the translations need to be copied?)

anyway, this is my understanding of the process, I am grateful for your help

[TomTom55]

thank you 7by7. I have made notes on what to do, how do you think this will go down. Firstly of course she needs a thai passport. Then she needs her birth certificate and copies of both. She will need her thai ID card also photocopied, 1 photo 45mm by 35mm, everything in English translated into thai and confirmation from translator including date, name, signature and contact details. Then she will need to take all of this to the embassy in bangkok and apply in person. We only intend to stay for a maximum of 6 months. She will need proof of payment and a reason to return, such as a job. (will the translations need to be copied?)

anyway, this is my understanding of the process, I am grateful for your help

I have just noted that I can provide my passport with the past 14 months of my stay here. I am planning on returning to study and she will come back to work. I will also provide a sponsor letter. Will all this need to be photocopied and translated as well?

[sotsira]

I have just noted that I can provide my passport with the past 14 months of my stay here. I am planning on returning to study and she will come back to work. I will also provide a sponsor letter. Will all this need to be photocopied and translated as well?

If you are going to be the sponsor for her then you will need to show proof that your finances are adequate (usually last 6 months of your UK bank statements)

Your sponsor letter goes a long way in the application so it must be well written with emphasis of your status as a UK citizen.

A sponsor needs to be able to finance her whole stay in the UK including accommodation therefore they would want proof of address in the UK.

Or a letter of invitation from the UK stating person, address and ownership of residence.

Translations aren't usually necessary as your application is in English and her passport would be all that is required for ID.

Good luck.

[theoldgit]

Your girl friends biggest sticking point, as you and others have alluded to, is her reason to return. You have indicated that she will get a letter from her employer, as she is thinking of a six month holiday her employer will need to clarify that a six month leave of absence is acceptable, I don't know of many employers who will grant a six month holiday and I suspect the ECO doesn't either.

Good luck

[sumrit]

As Thais don't get very much annual leave from their employers the ECO'S tend to get to get suspicious when an 'employer' agrees to give a Thai several months leave to visit the UK, with the guarantee of employment on their return.

When my wife (then G/F) and I went to the UK for a three month holiday we used the fact that I lived in Thailand (and would be returning) as my wife's reason to return. It might be easier to show you will be returning to Thailand (and so your G/F would also be returning with you) than it would be to just show your G/F has her own, independent, reason to return. I think a good sponsors letter explaining things is vital.

Personally I've never had any documents translated, and never had a problem, but I've noticed recently that the UKBA web site suggests Thai documents do now need to be translated. So, for just a few hundred baht per copy, I'd get them done.

The old git is obviously thinking along the same lines as me..........and can type faster as well.

[TomTom55]

lol, thank you people. I have written the sponsor letter stating my mothers address and residence, name, contact details and that she and I will be covering expenses. I have written that I am coming back to study and she is coming back to a job, should I re-write the letter for this reason do you think? I do not have bank statements, but I have a lot of western union transfer slips with my mothers name address and mine in thailand. I have a variety of documents.

[sotsira]

As Thais don't get very much annual leave from their employers the ECO'S tend to get to get suspicious when an 'employer' agrees to give a Thai several months leave to visit the UK, with the guarantee of employment on their return.

When my wife (then G/F) and I went to the UK for a three month holiday we used the fact that I lived in Thailand (and would be returning) as my wife's reason to return. It might be easier to show you will be returning to Thailand (and so your G/F would also be returning with you) than it would be to just show your G/F has her own, independent, reason to return. I think a good sponsors letter explaining things is vital.

Personally I've never had any documents translated, and never had a problem, but I've noticed recently that the UKBA web site suggests Thai documents do now need to be translated. So, for just a few hundred baht per copy, I'd get them done.

The old git is obviously thinking along the same lines as me..........and can type faster as well.

The OP needs to realise that an application based on him being a sponsor subsequently puts the spotlight on him.

An application made in person by a Thai national subsequently puts the spotlight only on them.

[TomTom55]

hmmm, the only evidence of our relationship so far is photographs... She signed one of the hotels we stayed at as well come to think of it

[sotsira]

lol, thank you people. I have written the sponsor letter stating my mothers address and residence, name, contact details and that she and I will be covering expenses. I have written that I am coming back to study and she is coming back to a job, should I re-write the letter for this reason do you think? I do not have bank statements, but I have a lot of western union transfer slips with my mothers name address and mine in thailand. I have a variety of documents.

A few pointers for you Tom Tom,

The letter needs to be written by the person in the UK inviting you both over to stay with them, (in your case your mother)

For this to have any substance in your application it must be sent from the UK by airmail with a UK stamp on it.

If the residence is your mothers then she would have to prove in the letter that this is the case.

So you'll need one letter from your mother, and one from yourself as the sponsor.

The bank statements are needed to prove that the sponsor HAS enough financial credit to cover all the expenses of the visitor.

If you are going to be the sponsor then you should also submit proof that you will be returning to Thailand to study.

Without these above requirements your application will likely fail. (as most of them do)

Im not trying to discourage you in your goal, but you must realise that this procedure needs to be 100% correct for any chance of success.

The UK Embassy officials are trained to filter out anything they see that is detrimental, and in your case it would be, proof that you both are

a couple and are both definitely going to return and have enough financial status to do so.

The application fee is paid in advance with no refunds whether successful or not.

[TomTom55]

Thank you, I have rewritten the sponsor letter and will ask my mum to send a letter from England. I can also get proof that I am studying as I am taking a course to learn thai with an ED visa, I can speak okay thai as it is, but that gives me another visa and a chance to improve my thai. Thanks alot, tom

[7by7]

The bank statements are needed to prove that the sponsor HAS enough financial credit to cover all the expenses of the visitor.

'Sponsor' in a visit visa application does not mean the person paying for the visit.; it is the person supporting the application. Usually the person the applicant will be traveling with or to visit.

The finances for the visit can come from the applicant, the sponsor, third party(ies) or any combination of these. Obviously, whoever is contributing toward the costs has to show that they are able to do so, and if a third party say why they are doing so.

See the pinned topic linked to in my previous for more.

Without these above requirements your application will likely fail. (as most of them do)

Obviously the applicant has to show that, on the balance of probabilities, they qualify for the visa applied for. However it is not true that most applications fail. Consistently, over 90% of visit applications made in Bangkok are successful. (The UKBA have changed the way they present their statistics and I haven't found my way around the new format yet, so for an example see 2008/09 figures, page 52.)