Marriage......?

[am05]

hello chaps.....

bit of help/info needed...

lived in thai...but now back in uk, for a good while........

was thinking of bringing my thai g/f of 8 months to england on a study visa, shes already got a degree.... she wanted to study more, so was gonna try the study visa if all went well maybe marry her here...... then she was going to return home to bkk and apply for a setlement visa...

ok now the problem..... she got turned down for the study visa!!...

so now thinking of a maybe 3 month tourist visa, ..she was reliably informed she would get this......

so my question is......can a thai in the uk on a tourist visa, marry??? and then return home when the visa expires and apply for a settlement visa?

any info really appreciated ...cheers

andy 37 england

[GU22]

so my question is......can a thai in the uk on a tourist visa, marry???  and then return home when the visa expires and apply for a settlement visa?

No, it is not possible to marry in the UK with a visit visa.

"so now thinking of a maybe 3 month tourist visa, ..she was reliably informed she would get this......" Who by? There is no guarantee, she would have to show a good reason to return to Thailand. Does she have a job? Own Property? I'm also concerned over the student visa refusal. What were the reasons for refusal? It may well be that the ECO will refuse a visit visa for the same reason.

Two alternative choices for you to consider.

1) Fiance visa. This will allow her to come to the UK for 6 months and you must marry within that 6 months and she then applies, in the UK, for further leave to remain (cost currently £335 by post or £500 in person). 2 years after FLR she applies for indefinite leave to remain (cost currently £335 by post or £500 in person).

2) Marry her in Thailand and apply for a spouse visa. She then travels to the UK and 2 years later applies for ILR. This is the preferred (by many) method as it cuts out the cost of the FLR stage. Also, the holder of a fiance visa cannot work until FLR is granted, whilst the holder of a spouse visa can. She could, of course, study instead of working.

As you say you are going to marry anyway, option 2 would be my recommendation.

Guidance - Husbands, wives and partners (INF 4)

BTW, wrong forum.

Edited December 3, 2005 by GU22

[am05]

cheers for the detailed reply......advice taken and heeded

not really sure if i want to get married yet, hence the study visa, but think im going to have to really think about is, as it makes life so much easier!

just to clear up, she was turned down for the study visa,.... mainley because we only enroled on a 3 month english course....

as she already has a degree , and her english is good.... it appeared to the embassy official that it was just a front to get her here, and as he rightly said she could of done the same kind of course in thailand..... it was worth a try as i wasnt going to pay £6,000+ for a masters degree at a university!!..

immediatly after posting i realized id posted on the wrong forum

never mind got there in the end......!! cheers..

[the scouser]

If your girlfriend applies for a "marriage visit" visa, this entitles her to stay in the UK for 6 months as a visitor and get married. When applying for the visa, though, she should stipulate to the visa officer that she will marry within the currency of her stay.

Thread moved to the visa for other countries forum.

Scouse.

[am05]

..thanks for the info......sounds like a good idea

just 2 quick points..

1) what would happen if we didnt marry in the 6 months (u never know!)

2) would she be allowed to work with that visa??

cheers

[the scouser]

If you didn't marry within the 6 months, your g/f might find it difficult to get a subsequent visa, although this would depend upon the circumstances that led you to decide not to marry.

No, she wouldn't be allowed to work.

Cheers,

Scouse.

[am05]

thanks mate...

appreciate the swift reply....

[vinny]

it was worth a try as i wasnt going to pay £6,000+ for a masters degree at a university!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If she becomes settled in the UK then, three years after arrival, she would be entiltled to "home fees" at university. See fees

Edited December 5, 2005 by vinny