Help With Uk Visa Application Thai National Living In Switzerland!)

[bobrussell]

Not quite the usual request for advice!

A friend of my wife lives in Switzerland and wants a visit visa to the UK. I have pretty much given up trying to help her and her husband and have suggested that they use an immigration agent to do the work for them.

She intends to travel for three weeks holiday with one of their children. The husband is not travelling with them. I cannot see any reason why a visit visa should be any problem as she qualifies (the family is wealthy) and there is no problem with reasons to return etc.

I have prepared a letter of invitation but they seem to be making very heavy weather of what should be a simple application! It would help a lot if the advice on getting a visa was available in German!

They live in Berne.

Does anyone know any Swiss immigration agents in Switzerland?

Edited June 30, 2012 by bobrussell

[KamnanT]

The British Embassy is in Bern, but oddly enough you cannot apply for a visa there. UK visa applications in Switzerland are submitted online and handled by a private firm, WorldBridge Services, who have offices only in Zürich and Geneva. Interestingly, the WorldBridge Zürich office does not process applications, they merely collect biometric information and then the applicant must send their supporting documents to the Geneva office, where they will be checked and then forwarded to the UKBA. Once processed, documents will be returned to the Geneva office and then mailed/couriered back to the applicant. And the Zürich office is rather inconveniently located in the distant suburb of Höngg. One could be forgiven for thinking that only a 2 year old could have designed this process.

WorldBridge does provide online guidance in German here. It would appear that visiting the Geneva WorldBridge office in person is probably the most expeditious way for your friend in Bern to obtain a visa. Whilst I'm sure visa agents exist in Switzerland, I should imagine they are not nearly as numerous as in Thailand. If your friend has a solid application (purpose, financial support and reasons to return to Switzerland) then I would suggest an agent wouldn't add much value.

Of course, if you need additional information on how to apply for a visa, WorldBridge is more than willing to help. You can call one of their "trained agents" on a local 0900 number (CHF 3.50/minute) or if money is no object, have your credit card ready and call their Zürich number and get dinged $14 (yes, US dollars, despite this being a UK visa application in Switzerland). Needless to say, WorldBridge's "trained agents" can only provide application information, they cannot provide immigration advice (or indeed any advice bordering on the useful). Oh, and in case you were wondering, "this service is not available in German", as so few people in Zürich speak that language.

[bobrussell]

He has spoken to the British Embassy this morning and they have talked him through the process! They have been very helpful and he appears to have an inkling of what they have to do!

I think it has been a bit of a shock how much work he has got to do! Money is absolutely no object as the family are, how do I say, well heeled!

I have translated the questions into German so hopefully all will be well!

Thanks for the link and the thorough reply!

[bobrussell]

Really confused now!

With my help the visit application form has been completed on-line but the reply states that an appointment needs to be made in Thailand!!!

What kind of a visa system is this country running that prevents a Thai resident in a Schengen country from visiting the UK without returning to Thailand.

She is married to a very wealthy Swiss national, is resident in Switzerland (Resident B permit) and has two Swiss children. if it is this difficult to get a visit visa then the tourist industry in the UK is going to suffer a lot for it. The visit is only for three weeks before the kids have to back at school!

Edited July 5, 2012 by bobrussell

[7by7]

If she is legally resident in Switzerland she can apply in Switzerland.

She must have made a mistake when completing the form; unless there is a glitch in the system.

Try again.

[bobrussell]

The form was filled in correctly but her husband completed the last page which should have read Switzerland but I have a suspicion that it may have read Thailand when submitted!

I have redone the form and asked them to make sure this reads Switzerland before they click submit!!