Congratulations on the marriage, FLR and impending birth.

Remember, FLR is not the final step, in 2 years time she will need to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

There is no need for your wife to notify anyone when she leaves the UK, and trips to Thailand or elsewhere will not affect her application for ILR in 2 years time. Unless she spends more time outside the UK than in.

However, there are residential requirements for citizenship.

1) She must have been in the UK on the exact date 3 years before she makes the application.

2) She must not have spent more than 270 days outside the UK during the entire 3 years with no more than 90 days during the final year.

Obviously your child will be British and so you can get a British passport for her. However, I would strongly recommend that you register the birth at the Thai embassy and get a Thai passport for her as well. If she were to enter Thailand on a British passport then she would be subject to the same rules as any other Brit, e.g. 30 days max stay unless she applies beforehand for a longer visa. It is true that children who overstay in Thailand are not (usually) fined for overstaying, especially if they enter and leave with a Thai parent; but what about when she is older?

You should be able to find relevant details from the RTE website.

Watson,

Your wife's FLR will be good for her to get back in to the UK, providing that her circumstances have not changed since it was granted; i.e. she's returning to resume living with you and you can still maintain and accommodate her.

Your wife does not need to inform immigration, and she can remain outside of the UK for as long as she wishes within the currency of her 2-year stamp. However, long absences might affect her subsequent application for ILR, but an absence of 1-2 months should be fine.

Cheers,

Scouse.

cheers guys,

thinking longer ahead, if/when wife becomes a British national in 3 years time, does this mean she will get a UK passport and be able to travel within the EU, or will she need an EU visa or such like?

Best,

When your wife naturalises as a British citizen, she will get a certificate which she then uses to obtain a British passport. Once she has that, she is British, and can travel freely without the need to get visas for other EU countries.

Scouse.