Child Visa (Uk) Serious Help Required

[sg2011]

Hi All,

I want to send my 2 children to UK for their studies at an independent school there. They are 10 and 12 years old.

My worry is - if or not they will like to live in UK, so I was thinking to let them attend an independent school in UK for 1st Term on Child Visit visa (this allows to study a short term course for less than 6 months) and if my kids like to stay and live in UK then can come back and apply for student visa.

Since UK is a very different country with different culture, people, weather, everything diferent, so my kids may or may not adjust there, but I beleive they will be better of studying in UK for their better future to be professionals.

Can you please advice if this is the right way to apply for visa...? I dont want to aplly for any wrong visa and get rejections. I dont want to make a long tern commitment of Student Visa at this stage as I want to be 100% beforehand. I seek your expert advice on this issue.

Many Thanks for sincere advices.

[VisasPlus]

There are several issues here, but before we go into them in detail, what nationality are your children ? Are they Thai, British, or are they dual nationals ?

[sg2011]

My children hold indian passports, but we have been living in Thailand for last 9 years on Non-Immg 'O' visa ( dependants of work permit holder).

[sg2011]

No one with any advice.....?

Oh come on please pen down your suggestions here.

Thanks

[VisasPlus]

No one with any advice.....?

Oh come on please pen down your suggestions here.

Thanks

I don't really see why you are asking the question. You have asked if what you are suggesting is possible, and yes it is. Whether it is the right thing to do, or not, has to be your decision

Your children can go to the UK as child visitors, and undertake a short course of study at an independent school. You may find it difficult to find an independent school that will accept them only for 6 months. They will, as you say, have to leave the UK at the end of 6 months. Part of the relevant guidance states:

A child visitor may undertake a course of study as long as this is provided by an organisation which is:

• the holder of a Sponsor Licence for Tier 4 of the points-based system;
• accredited by a UK Border Agency approved accreditation body, or
• an independent fee paying school registered with the Department for Education.

[sg2011]

Thanks Visas Plus. The reason I was asking the question that - will it be a right way to get visa for short term study, as the UKBA website doesnot state about attanding a school for 1 term or so.

They have very clearly mentioned on webiste- short term course but if my children study for 1Term - this is actually a part of full year course, and is not a short term course by itself, I am not sure how 1 Term of school will be treated as......?

Though I intend to apply for Tier 4 visa after 6 months but at this moment since I have too many doubts in my mind, so dont want to make long term committment.

So when I apply for child visit visa, shall I state in the letter the future intentions of applying for Tier4 visa from next school Term onwards or that is not required.....Please advice.

Thanks again.

[VisasPlus]

Thanks Visas Plus. The reason I was asking the question that - will it be a right way to get visa for short term study, as the UKBA website doesnot state about attanding a school for 1 term or so.

They have very clearly mentioned on webiste- short term course but if my children study for 1Term - this is actually a part of full year course, and is not a short term course by itself, I am not sure how 1 Term of school will be treated as......?

Though I intend to apply for Tier 4 visa after 6 months but at this moment since I have too many doubts in my mind, so dont want to make long term committment.

So when I apply for child visit visa, shall I state in the letter the future intentions of applying for Tier4 visa from next school Term onwards or that is not required.....Please advice.

Thanks again.

You first "problem" is finding a school that will accept the children for just 6 months. You cannot apply for visas without the children fulfilling the criteria required. I would suggest doing that first. If you can find a school that will accept them, then I don't see why you should have a problem.

[sg2011]

I do have a school that will accept them for 1 Term, and I have made them very clear what my issue is at the moment and they truely understand it and are willing to accept my kids for 1 Term.

My worry more is on the visa side - as I dont want any rejections as it will bring problems for future visa applications, so just want to do the right thing at the first time. Cant afford to mess up with them.

[VisasPlus]

If you have the school acceptance, and all the visa requirements are fulfilled, then I don't see why you should have a problem. You will need to show the visa officer that the children will be accepted back in school here if they do not like UK, etc. That is something, amongst others I guess, that you will need to to sort out with their school(s) before they go. If the visa officer suspects that the children are going on a 6 month visit but will not return, or don't have a choool to return to, then the visas will be refused.

[sg2011]

I can get a letter drafted from their current school. Thats not a problem. International schools in Bangkok are more like money making businesses, and they wont refuse to take them back after 6 months ( if required) as they cant loose big monies of school fees....

But shall I refer in cover letter the intentions to apply for Tier4 visa at a later stage or that is not required for now....Can you pleez advice on this..?

[VisasPlus]

I can get a letter drafted from their current school. Thats not a problem. International schools in Bangkok are more like money making businesses, and they wont refuse to take them back after 6 months ( if required) as they cant loose big monies of school fees....

But shall I refer in cover letter the intentions to apply for Tier4 visa at a later stage or that is not required for now....Can you pleez advice on this..?

Yes, because it is relevant to the application. You must say that, if everything goes okay then the children will return to Thailand and apply for student visas. You will have to show the visa officer that this is a true intention ( to return after the visit, that is). You must also say that if they don't like UK then they will return to their current schools ( and provide evidence that this will happen). The visa officer will decide, on the balance of probablitities, if he believes what you are saying. The important thing in any visit visa application is to show that the applicant(s) will leave the UK after a maximum 6 months. The visa officer will decide if the reasons you have given for the childrens' return are sufficient to make him believe that what you are saying is in fact what will happen.

[sg2011]

Yes I truely agree with you about showing the evidences of returning back after 6 months.

One evidence can be letter from the current school and another is their family ties.

They will though be accompanied by myself as their mother, but my husband will be staying back in Thailand as he has a job here and business to take care of. And he is going to be the sponsoror of everything, so do you beleive that this is also a big reason for Imm officer to beleive that the kids will come back after 6 months and if they stay happy then they would apply for Tier4 from Bangkok to go back to UK and continue their studies.

[VisasPlus]

Yes I truely agree with you about showing the evidences of returning back after 6 months.

One evidence can be letter from the current school and another is their family ties.

They will though be accompanied by myself as their mother, but my husband will be staying back in Thailand as he has a job here and business to take care of. And he is going to be the sponsoror of everything, so do you beleive that this is also a big reason for Imm officer to beleive that the kids will come back after 6 months and if they stay happy then they would apply for Tier4 from Bangkok to go back to UK and continue their studies.

You are going to make visit visa applications, so you have to convince the visa officer that the children will leave the UK after 6 months. Since you are contemplating sending the children to the UK for a lengthy period of sudies ( if they like it) then you have to give good reasons why they will return here after 6 months to make new applications, and not just stay on in the UK. The facthat their father is working in Thailand is not necessarily a reason for them to return after 6 months, especially as they may be intending to go away again for several years. It is up to you to decide how you will show the reasons why the children will not remain in the UK after 6 months. You could, for instance, say that by doing so they would be jeopardising any future applications for visas to the UK. You need to think about how you present your applications.

[Basil B]

Would have thought if it was a good school offering boarding facilities which would have many students from overseas they would be offering you assistance and advice on visas.

I would also think you will need a letter from the UK school.