Visa Using Previous Passport When Divorced

[ianmccaig]

Hi,

I would like some advice regarding the following, I’m from the UK and live there, I married a Thai girl about four months ago, I had been seeing this lady for four years previous and everything was great until we got married, then the calls came from her family asking for money, not because of the dowry, which I paid when we married, then it all went wrong, it seems that they look at me as a money machine, and we are both in agreement to get divorced, I will give her 100,000 Tbt about £2000, and still will pay her what I’ve been sending each month, she is OK with this, and I’m OK with this as well, were still on good terms with each other.

When we divorce in the next few months I have to go with her to the Amphur office, she will get her ID card changed back to her maiden name, this is the question,

I want to apply for a visitor’s Visa for her to come to the UK, can she use her old passport with the previously granted Visa stamp, I would like her to come to the UK on a six month visitor’s visa. for and I think it would look bad with the Entry Clearance Officer if, the immigration department saw that we had been married and then divorced, could she use her old passport as there are no cancelation stamps in it, so would it still be valid for use? but it does show history of a previous visit, which I think would be an advantage, or just say she lost it get a new one and not mention we had been married then divorced.

My wife changed her ID card and passport with her new married name, this is another question, she still has her old passport with an entry Visa showing her visit to the UK last year, there are no cancellation stamps in the old passport, and would it be still valid, we are not sure if it’s been cancelled when she got her new one with her married name in it.

We have no assets together in Thailand and don’t have any children; the divorce should be quite simple as an uncontested divorce.

I have been told that because the Thai marriage is valid in the UK although not registered in the UK, I’m worried that she could engage one of these no win no fee Lawyers and make a claim on my UK property (House).

It seems a bit complicated I know, we are both very fond of each other and would like for her to come to the UK for six months, I’m thinking about buying a small condo unit in Thailand, if I’m still married and it doesn’t work out with her, she could easily take half or more, irrespective where the money came from to pay for it, very sadly I hear of this scenario many times, and I just want to protect myself, many foreigners have lost everything to a Thai lady.

Anyone that could give me some advice I would be very grateful.

Thanks.

[transam]

Just walk away, get your divorce and walk away. You owe her nothing. As for giving holidays, hmmm, think you have lost the plot chum. If what you say is true then she will be looking for another mug. I have many stories similar to yours and it amazes me how these ladies find another mug in short order.

[Bangkokhatter]

Am with Transam on this, get the divorce then walk away. You have no children so why are you planning on sending her money every month, you certainly are under no obligation to do this. She has had enough from you what with paying a dowry.

As for your house in the UK she would not be entitled to anything but that would not stop a lawyer like you mentioned trying it on and then you would probably end up agreeing to pay her more money so you don't lose the house.

Come to Thailand get your divorce, then get on with your life.

[talk2sam]

I am a bit confused here....some paragraphs you call her your wife, some you said you are divorced, why do you have to pay for her to go spend sometime in the Uk if you are not banging her again? Please just run as fast as you can from her..you've paid your dues already.

[oggie911]

she is a scammer get out of it or tell her your broke tell her you can give her 100 bt every week but if you bought a house its hers now

[theoldgit]

I am a bit confused here....some paragraphs you call her your wife, some you said you are divorced, why do you have to pay for her to go spend sometime in the Uk if you are not banging her again? Please just run as fast as you can from her..you've paid your dues already.

I'm sorry but I cannot see where the OP contradicts himself, I can see him saying that he is married and that intends to get divorced but nowhere do I read that he's already divorced - maybe it's just me.

I do agree with other posters that the OP should make a clean break and move on, especially as he is concerned about his assets, it's better for both of you, unless you don't really want her to go.

[Eff1n2ret]

I can't understand all this:-

".....could she use her old passport as there are no cancelation stamps in it, so would it still be valid for use? but it does show history of a previous visit, which I think would be an advantage, or just say she lost it get a new one...."

What's the point? You're surely not thinking she shouldn't declare the previous visit, which presumably you sponsored? Unless that was a fair few years ago, her identity and previous visa will be confirmed by her fingerprints.

- and as for this:-

"I have been told that because the Thai marriage is valid in the UK although not registered in the UK, I’m worried that she could engage one of these no win no fee Lawyers and make a claim on my UK property (House)."

You would greatly enhance the chances of this happening if you bring her over to the UK. Whether she would succeed with any such claim is another matter, but you must be seriously confused if you want to expose yourself to such aggro.

Four months and you want to give her the heave-ho already? Just tell the family you are committed to look after her, not them. If you can't resist such requests then relationships with oriental ladies are not for you.

Edit:- and a further thought. If you go through with a divorce and then succeed in getting her to the UK, she may well decide she's squeezed most of the juice out of you, but she has little incentive to go home and might as well stay there and take her chances. She would therefore be in a position to cause you further trouble as well as getting her hooks into someone else.

Edited January 29, 2012 by Eff1n2ret

[Basil B]

Did she actually put anything into the marriage???

If not then assuming you have no children by her or she is not pregnant (by you), get a quick devoice in Thailand and walk away fast.

personally I would ask for the dower back, but if you want to be generous just give a one off payment, 100,000B is very generous.

She could come to the UK on a previously issued visa that is still valid though if UKBA were aware that the reasons given no longer existed she could be stooped at port of entry and refused entry.

Unless you are still trying to save your marriage avoid personal contact with her as it could be her intention to get pregnant by you just to fleas you for maintenance.

[VisasPlus]

Pretty much everything you have suggested means lying on the visa application form, and if you support the application, then you will be lying too. Are you seriously expecting advice here that says that this is a good idea ?

[7by7]

As I said in your other, now closed, topic:-

If she has obtained a new passport in her married name then the old one will have been canceled. The ECO at the British embassy may not discover this, but Thai passport control will when she attempts to exit Thailand and they the scan the passport; She wont be allowed out with that passport.

If she is going to apply for another UK visit visa then ALL relevant facts should be disclosed in the application; failure to do so will be treated as attempting to obtain a visa by deception and result in a refusal and possible 10 year ban from visiting the UK.

[Richard W]

I'm assuming Ian wants him and his wife to stay a couple indefinitely.

If he's hoping that they will live in the UK, I think his best option is to remain married and to bring her to the UK on a settlement visa for a wife. Divorcing and trying for a fiancée visa is asking for visa trouble. We don't know enough to assess the probability of getting a visit visa subsequent to a divorce, but I think it is low. I believe his house is at risk whatever he does - six months is long enough for her to be advised to make a grab for the house on the basis of the previous marriage.

In so far as the planned divorce is intended to signal that he accepts no obligations to his wife's family, perhaps that could be done by his wife changing her ID card back to her maiden name. I believe that can be done - Thai ladies are not obliged to use their husbands' surnames.

[ianmccaig]

Thanks to everyone who took the time to read and reply to my post, My lady is a really lovely woman but she has her family pushing her from the backgound, I suppose I whould have wanted to give it another try, but I'm sentimental and spent four years with her and had so many good times with her, but I'm told you can take a lady out of Thailand, but you can't take Thailand out of the Lady. Anyone got any more ideas ?

Many Thanks

Ian

[bangkokburning]

Some times you just have to let it go. If she could not deal with her family at the onset of the marriage, you would only have further issues in the years to come.

Being sentimental is great, being stupid is another thing. As my best friend (a stockbroker) says: a bad investment will always be a bad investment.

She has complicated your life, complicated her life. In the end all she had to do was tell her parents that they get what they get when they get it. She is moving to UK, when she can get a job, she will send money (if she feels like it). Move to UK with you - problem solved for the both of you.

NOW, you are all intertwined with legal issues and paperwork making your life a hassle. If she really wanted a life with you, she would have told her parents the score and that would be that.

Becasue you are not married and really not bf/gf - she may very, very well do a runner, esp with family pressure for money. If (IF) she comes out of a bar I would be willing to bet she will do just that.

You have already given far, far more to her and family than needed.

Good luck, move on friend.

[bangkokburning]

you can take a lady out of Thailand, but you can't take Thailand out of the Lady.

The maxim is - you can take the girl out of a bar, but you can't take the bar out of the girl.

Nothing about a lady and that maxim is usually applied to women that are not ladies! Many, many Thai women these days love to travel abroad. Thai's are jumping and buzzing to travel outside Thailand and see the world.

My gf has friends in Korea, Austrailia and US. Many are married, kids and love their lives. My gf loves the US and I recall reading many times that Craig (moddy) has stated his wife also loves the US. While we were in US we met a number of distant aquaintences of my gf's. All loved the US, one a science grad student, another an au-pair. List is endless.

That saying really pertains to up country bar girls who will miss the partying, being the center of attention and object of desire, the Issan food, communication issues and even their grubbing families. Their limited education does not allow then to persue much in the West.

[bobrussell]

Judging someone else s relationship is a pretty pointless exercise!

If it is your wife causing the problem the course seems fairly clear. If it family then you need to decide whether both of you want to continue with the relationship.

You have said you have both decided to divorce but you both need to sort out whether you want to divorce or is it the family pressures that are the issue.

The courts are more likely to take into account the input each partner has to the assets and I doubt the no-win, no-fee lawyers will be interested in this sort of case. There is no insurance company to bleed dry!

Don't lie on an application - it is not worth it. I am not sure how sympathetic an ECO is likely to be if you state that you are trying to sort out marital problems. A family visitor visa would be more appropriate than a settlement one. It may be an uphill struggle to provide sufficient reason to return. If you can document a four year relationship prior to marriage this may give credibility to an application.

[steve187]

Run very very fast