Change Of Current Visa To Uk

[wilbs]

Guys

A bit of advise need the wife is coming over next month she is on a 2 year family visa which started 1/1/2012 i today read that she can only stay for max 6 month in a 12 month period is this correct, our circumstances in thailand have changed and she would like to stay longer is there a way of changing her visa to a settlement visa whilst she is in the uk or does she have to apply for a new settlement visa back in thailand after her six month are up.Also can she do her english and TB test whilst in the uk and or back in thailand, if it is possible to change the visa what are the procedures and forms to use

Thanks

[7by7]

If she has a visit visa the maximum she can stay in the UK on any one visit is 6 months. The convention is that visitors should not spend more than 6 months out of any 12 in the UK. If she were to spend 6 months in the UK as a visitor, leave and then attempt to return within a short period then she could very well be refused entry.

As passports are not stamped when leaving the UK the immigration officer may not notice that her Thai entry stamp shows she has only recently left the UK and so allow her in. Up to you if you want to risk it.

Visit visas cannot be converted to settlement within the UK, so she will have to return to Thailand to apply for that.

She can take the English test in the UK, but not the TB test. This must be taken at the IoM in Bangkok.

See UK Settlement Visa Basics for more on applying for settlement; including links on how to apply, the English requirement and where to obtain a TB certificate.