My Wifes Elderly Parents

[ant07]

My wifes mum and dad are planning to visit us in the UK for the first time next year for about a month.

As they are in their 60s it will probably be their only trip here to see how their daughter lives in the UK.

Our queries are:

1 As we are financing the whole trip, ie plane tickets, spending money & staying at our home, do the embassy officials need details of my wifes parents finances and land owned ?

They like many Thais living in the north east of Thailand are farmers and precise monthly details of income are limited.

My wife and I have no problem in supplying in full details of bank statements, pay slips etc

2 Certain minor details on the application form like DOB of my wifes parents parents is not certain, does this cause a problem ?

We are hoping that with them being elderly, one of the daughters a civil servant and with us fully supporting them financially there will be no problems. I am even flying over to Thailand to pick them up !

Thanks for any help

[7by7]

1) The person(s) financing the trip are the ones who have to show that they have the financial resources to do so. However I would include evidence of your in-laws land ownership as this counts toward their reason to return.

2) The Entry Clearance Officers in Bangkok are aware of the vagaries of Thai birth registration. Put the best approximation that you can, plus a brief note of explanation.

You may find Family Visitors helpful.

[theoldgit]

The advice given in 1) above is sound, whilst you are paying for the trip, as 7by7 points out, reason to return is as important as affordability.

Regarding their date of birth, Entry Clearance Officers in Bangkok are indeed aware of the vagaries of Thai birth registration, but I would use the date of birth that is in their passports, that would at least give them a consistent answer.

PS - Don't forget to take them into a supermarket and let them see the price of rice, they will wonder who is making all the profit.

Edited October 3, 2011 by theoldgit

[ant07]

The advice given in 1) above is sound, whilst you are paying for the trip, as 7by7 points out, reason to return is as important as affordability.

Regarding their date of birth, Entry Clearance Officers in Bangkok are indeed aware of the vagaries of Thai birth registration, but I would use the date of birth that is in their passports, that would at least give them a consistent answer.

PS - Don't forget to take them into a supermarket and let them see the price of rice, they will wonder who is making all the profit.

Thanks for your answers which make total sense.

My wife (now a UK citizen) came to the UK seven years ago and we had no problems obtaining her visa even though we had only met five months before so hopefully we will not have issues with her parents "holiday visa"

Thanks again.

[ukexile]

reason to return is as important as affordability.

I dont think you get too many 60 odd year old Issan rice farmers doing a runner to work in the UK.

You'll be fine OP. Absolutely fine

[theoldgit]

reason to return is as important as affordability.

I dont think you get too many 60 odd year old Issan rice farmers doing a runner to work in the UK.

You'll be fine OP. Absolutely fine

You may well be right in your assumption that not too many 60 year old Issan rice farmers do a runner to work in the UK, and I will bow to your knowledge and experience, but ECO's make their decisions based on the evidence presented by the applicant not on assumptions. If there is no evidence that the applicant, be they 20 or 60, has a reason to return to their own country, or at least leave the UK, then the application will, in all probability be refused.

To the OP, you have clearly researched this application and I would urge you not to cut corners at this stage.

I am aware of applicants who have cut corners and had their applications refused, I remember one particular application where a lass in the UK wanted her elderly grandparents to visit her in London, she prepared the application for them but she left out a reason to return and the application was refused, she should have known better - she was, and still is, an Immigration Officer based at Heathrow.

[seekingfriends]

reason to return is as important as affordability.

I dont think you get too many 60 odd year old Issan rice farmers doing a runner to work in the UK.

You'll be fine OP. Absolutely fine

You may well be right in your assumption that not too many 60 year old Issan rice farmers do a runner to work in the UK, and I will bow to your knowledge and experience, but ECO's make their decisions based on the evidence presented by the applicant not on assumptions. If there is no evidence that the applicant, be they 20 or 60, has a reason to return to their own country, or at least leave the UK, then the application will, in all probability be refused.

To the OP, you have clearly researched this application and I would urge you not to cut corners at this stage.

I am aware of applicants who have cut corners and had their applications refused, I remember one particular application where a lass in the UK wanted her elderly grandparents to visit her in London, she prepared the application for them but she left out a reason to return and the application was refused, she should have known better - she was, and still is, an Immigration Officer based at Heathrow.

hi guys . i may be moving away from the issue we are talking about . but it might be a lot better to spend all this money on the old couple . ie a western toilet in the house or a couple of air/con units ,or bring your family for a long holidayin thailand .i think you will find that after two weeks they will want to return to issan .to see how the farm and the animals are going .just a idea, good luck all the same . james

[aussiebebe]

I know what the OP is saying that his sister in law is a Thai Civil Servant, but it may be unfair to expect so much of her. I'm not recommending any specific company but my suggestion would be pay for a firm in Thailand help the in-laws get the visa, flights and other details sorted. Flying over to pick them up is a lovely idea - they'd otherwise need to be especially brave to board on their own - but in this situation a visa company would be worth the cost.

[Basil B]

I think the reason to return is a difficult one, do not forget many migrants to the UK want to bring over elderly relatives to support them in their twilight years.

[ant07]

I think the reason to return is a difficult one, do not forget many migrants to the UK want to bring over elderly relatives to support them in their twilight years.

Thanks again for all your help.

My father in law does own a fair bit of land and his youngest daughter and her husband both work as civil servants in local Thai government so we are hoping that will be enough as we can`t think of anything else to add apart from a little bit of savings he has.

The finance part which we are covering totally is the easy bit but we are finding it hard to add anything other than listed above regards to providing further evidence that they will return.

It will be a total culture shock and they have no intention but to return to their home in Thailand where they have two other daughters, a son and six grandchildren.

[theoldgit]

I think the reason to return is a difficult one, do not forget many migrants to the UK want to bring over elderly relatives to support them in their twilight years.

Thanks again for all your help.

My father in law does own a fair bit of land and his youngest daughter and her husband both work as civil servants in local Thai government so we are hoping that will be enough as we can`t think of anything else to add apart from a little bit of savings he has.

The finance part which we are covering totally is the easy bit but we are finding it hard to add anything other than listed above regards to providing further evidence that they will return.

It will be a total culture shock and they have no intention but to return to their home in Thailand where they have two other daughters, a son and six grandchildren.

If your in-laws have land then provide details with the application, if the land is worked then better still and again provide details. If it's a business then provide details about how the business will be covered during their trip.

Tell them to put the details of their other family in their covering letter, and explain that whilst they, not unreasonably, want to visit their daughter in the UK they have considerable ties and a family in Thailand.

ECO's are not looking to refuse applications, but they do need proof, that on the balance of probabilities the trip is affordable and that the applicants will leave the UK.

Leave nothing to chance, provide evidence of their ties in Thailand, and when writing the covering letter make it as short and snappy as possible, don't attempt to re-write War and Peace.

Edited October 7, 2011 by 7by7
Coding errors removed.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

reason to return is as important as affordability.

I dont think you get too many 60 odd year old Issan rice farmers doing a runner to work in the UK.

You'll be fine OP. Absolutely fine

You may well be right in your assumption that not too many 60 year old Issan rice farmers do a runner to work in the UK, and I will bow to your knowledge and experience, but ECO's make their decisions based on the evidence presented by the applicant not on assumptions. If there is no evidence that the applicant, be they 20 or 60, has a reason to return to their own country, or at least leave the UK, then the application will, in all probability be refused.

To the OP, you have clearly researched this application and I would urge you not to cut corners at this stage.

I am aware of applicants who have cut corners and had their applications refused, I remember one particular application where a lass in the UK wanted her elderly grandparents to visit her in London, she prepared the application for them but she left out a reason to return and the application was refused, she should have known better - she was, and still is, an Immigration Officer based at Heathrow.