Uk Family Visa One Way Ticket Possible?

[samsong101]

Hi all,

I just got a uk family visa for my thai wife and would like to know if it is possible to buy a one way ticket to the uk for my thai wife and get her a ticket home to thailand later? The reason i ask this is because i wanted to fly back to the uk on the 16th of feb and got told by my airline that it would cost me 900 pounds as all the economy seats are full, and i will be travelling with my thai wife and 1 year child child who has a british passport which still costs me 8000 baht as thay say i have to pay 20% of the adult fair for her which i think is expensive,oman air is the airline .That is for a return ticket,upgrade, i think business class.I just need to know if she can get a one way ticket to the uk as we are not sure within the 6 month visa we have got when she willl return home and want to know when she arrives at passport control in the uk,will she have to show her return ticket back to thailand?ok thanks in advance

[rawhod]

When my Thai wife and myself arrived at Manchester airport July last year immigration did not ask to see a return ticket back to Thailand, however, the officer did want verbal confirmation of the period of stay that was requested in the visa application.

[bobrussell]

There is no legal requirement for a return ticket but some airlines are reluctant to allow someone to board a flight with a one way ticket in case they are refused entry on arrival in the UK.

My wife and daughter had problems at Heathrow at least in part due to them only having single tickets. Most tickets bought in Thailand can have the return date changed.

Return tickets are often not that much more expensive than singles. If you shop around you should get a better price than £900 but may be not much as you get close to the travel date! £900 for business is not bad for a ticket but make sure other airlines don't have economy tickets available!

[marstons]

she can travel on a 1 way ticket as long as she leaves with in the term of the visa. How ever convincing the check in and airline at BKK before boarding maybe a different story. i asked the question to the UK border agency by e mail, printed it off and took it to the airport. initially wife was refused check in, i produced e mail, they checked and let her check in. before boarding i was called out to the desk and had to sign a waiver to say if she was refused entry i would pay for her return.

no problem at UK end, they even informed her she could extend 6 month visa for a further 3 months, which she did.

so if i were you i would ask via e mail and print off the reply.

edit, just found their reply

There is no reason why she should not enter the UK on a one-way ticket. I note that she already has her visa and presume it remains her intention to leave the UK within the validity of that visa,

Sent by:

Public Enquiries (I), UKvisas, London SW1A 2AH

Telephone: 020 7008 8438 (Voicemail) (UK only)

Edited February 7, 2012 by marstons