Does anybody know if biometric information can be done at the same time as visa application submission or has it to be at a previous time. Don't want to make two trips to there. Thanks.

If you are talking about a UK visa then yes biometric data is taken at the same time as your visa application is submitted.

Thanks map yes the visa is UK Settlement for child. So do you only have to make one appointment for application submission.

Yes, one appointment to submit application and have biometrics taken.

One appointment per person as well.

Thanks guys

I hope I have the right visa form VAF4A for a child settlement visa to UK. The form seems to be aimed at an adult a lot of questions such as your spouse, your job, do you have any children. Etc, etc. I will leave none applicable blank is that OK.

Yes, it is the right form.

Look at it carefully and you will see that it tells you to skip questions if they don't apply to the applicant.

Thank's 7by7. There does not seem to be question concerning my finances, which is important considering i am the paymaster for all things.

Thank's 7by7. There does not seem to be question concerning my finances, which is important considering i am the paymaster for all things.

Part 5 states: Dependent children should enter parents’ details.

Then provide information required!!

My wife went to the Amphur office todayto ask what is needed for sole responsibility letter and they told her that one of her witnesses her cousin was too young at age 25, this does not seem right anybody know about this.

I don't know the answer to your question; but you should be aware that whilst the letter you refer to (kor por 14?) is useful, by itself it will not be acceptable to the ECO as proof of sole responsibility.

In addition you should provide as much other evidence as you can that the UK based parent has been exercising sole responsibility.

• Evidence of regular contact between parent and child.
  
• Evidence of regular contact between parent and the child's carers.
  
• Evidence of monies sent to support the child
  
• Anything else you think may help.
  

See SET7.8 What is sole responsibility?

The above assumes that parent and child have not been living together in Thailand and are not applying at the same time; which from what you have said previously appears to be the case.

If parent and child have been living together for some time and are applying at the same time then sole responsibility is usually a given.

I see from your previous topic on this that the mother, your wife, has been living in the UK for some time and that you are aware of the hurdles you have to overcome re sole responsibility.

Thanks 7by7

7by7 Can you please tell me is it is possible to have more than one sponcer for a child settlement visa ,say my wife as their mother and myself as stepfather. The reason for asking this is that I could show substantial more assets.

Yes, you can both be sponsors and your finances can, and will, be taken into account.

Thank's 7by7 do you think there any great advantage using two sponcers?

I don't know the answer to your question; but you should be aware that whilst the letter you refer to (kor por 14?) is useful, by itself it will not be acceptable to the ECO as proof of sole responsibility.

In addition you should provide as much other evidence as you can that the UK based parent has been exercising sole responsibility.

• Evidence of regular contact between parent and child.
  
• Evidence of regular contact between parent and the child's carers.
  
• Evidence of monies sent to support the child
  
• Anything else you think may help.
  

See SET7.8 What is sole responsibility?

The above assumes that parent and child have not been living together in Thailand and are not applying at the same time; which from what you have said previously appears to be the case.

If parent and child have been living together for some time and are applying at the same time then sole responsibility is usually a given.

This is an interesting point. I have recently been in correspondence with the British Embassy on the usefulness ( or not ) of the Por Khor 14. As a little background on this document :

There is no requirement for any " custody" document in child settlement applications. The matter at issue is "responsibility" , not custody.

The appeal courts have determined that sole responsibility is a matter of fact, not documentation. This logically means that the PK 14, a custody document, is pretty much worthless.

The ECO does not actually decide whether the PK 14 is required or not. Apparently, when the application is received at the Embassy it is "pre-assessed" by an Entry Clearance Assistant. The ECA has boxes to tick, which include confirming that there is a custody order ( PK 14 ). In many cases this is a totally useless exercise, especially where the applicant is living with his mother who is applying for a visa at the same time. In that example sole responsibility is pretty well established, but the ECA still asks for a "custody order".

However, in the application that I contacted the Embassy about, a PK 14 was enclosed ( the child applicant and his mother have lived together in Thailand for 10 years, and were applying for visas together ), as this is a necessary document when applying for the child's Thai passport. As the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued the passport to the child applicant, you might assume that the Embassy would accept that custody of the child had been established ? But, no. The Embassy said that the PK 14 included in the application was an "old style " PK 14, and the Embassy required a "new style" PK 14 ! Remember, this is a document that is not even needed to establish sole responsibility. Here is the final sentence of the email from the Embassy :

"Therefore an applicant is advised to submit evidence showing how their sponsor has had sole responsibility for their upbringing, the Por Khor 14, for the reasons stated above, helps towards this evidence. Not submitting this evidence would not mean an application falls to be refused but it would hinder and delay the assessment of an application if it was not included."

It is, of course, faulty advice, in that the PK 14 does not necessarily help towards establishing sole responsibility, especially where the child applicant and the parent are applying for visas together. The response from the Embassy even states: that not submitting a PK 14 would hinder and delay the assessment of the application. Not " might" or " could", but "would hinder and delay" The main point is that nobody seems to be assessing the application to see if a PK 14 is actually required. It is "tick box" time by an Entry Clearance Assistant, and the applicant has little choice in the matter.

Interesting point, VP. I do usually advise people that a sole custody document should be included. We certainly did, although it was issued by a court, not an ampur.

However, I think the letter that ralphsilver was referring to, and certainly the one I was talking about, is not a sole custody document but a form from the ampur confirming that when parent and child have been separated that the child has been living with and cared for by one parent's relatives rather than the other's. I thought it was called a Por Kor 14; apparently not.

I have no personal experience of such a form/letter as my wife and step-daughter applied at the same time, but I'm sure I've read of it on here and elsewhere.

Thank's 7by7 do you think there any great advantage using two sponcers?

The definition of a sponsor under the immigration rules is

"sponsor" means the person in relation to whom an applicant is seeking leave to enter or remain as their spouse, fiance, civil partner, proposed civil partner, unmarried partner, same-sex partner or dependent relative, as the case may be, under paragraphs 277 to 295O or 317 to 319.

However, child settlement comes under Paras 296 to 316, so officially child settlement applicant's don't have sponsors; effectively their sponsor is their parent or parents as the case may be.

However, as you can see the definition of sponsor makes no mention of financial support. This is because the person providing the finance does not have to be the sponsor as defined under the rules.

So what I'm saying is that there as absolutely no problems whatsoever with you providing the finance for their maintenance or their accommodation; it does not have to be their mother who does so..

Thank,s guys onward and upward only another 50 hrs to complete the application and gather supporting documents.

I can see why many enter in the back of a truck. lol

My wife went to the Amphur office todayto ask what is needed for sole responsibility letter and they told her that one of her witnesses her cousin was too young at age 25, this does not seem right anybody know about this.

I have now found out why they said wife,s cousin was not old enough. At the time of wife's separation from children's father (Unmarried) cousin was 17 and as such was unable to be a witness. STrange but true.

Anybody know if there is any evidence needed about schooling in the UK does one have to have made enquiries or found a place for child before visa application.

No, you do not need to have found a school place before the visa application.

Once in the UK, unless you decide to educate them privately or at home, your local education authority has a legal obligation to provide a school place for them.

If it is your intention to have them start at a UK school next September, I'd start making enquiries now.

Thank,s again 7by7

Letter from Amphur. Is Sole Custody, better than Sole responsibility for child settlement Visa, and is Sole Custody letter 1546 / 1547

No, you do not need to have found a school place before the visa application.

Once in the UK, unless you decide to educate them privately or at home, your local education authority has a legal obligation to provide a school place for them.

If it is your intention to have them start at a UK school next September, I'd start making enquiries now.

I would suggest you talk to the school direct.

Officially you should deal with the education authority but we found them absolutely hopeless and two children (one Thai one half Thai) that live with us did not have schools to go to a few days before the term started. A couple of phone calls and half an hour later they had places at the local schools. The local authority had their application forms for two months and did nothing!