To those who have been following my battles with the British Embassy , i update as promised.

Today my partner got his Fiancee visa with very little fuss. Whilst we are delighted with this , it is a fact that in the name of immigration control we have been forcibly separated for a year . This was a genuine relationship, not one of these bogus cases you read about, and so should never have been refused initially.

Whilst i don't claim to have all the answers it seems to me a better, fairer system must one day come into being. A set of rules should apply and you either qualify or you don't . Personalities should not come into it otherwise you can have 2 ECO's looking at the same case and one approves and one refuses. How crazy is that ??!!

And this "reason to return" thing is also unfair. This was never an issue with my partner btw, but most Thais don't have a good job or land or big savings. Thus i guess you can say none of them has a reason to return. They should thus either all be refused (just see that happening i don't think ...riot) or all approved. In other words innocent until proved guilty. Better of course is to scrap this requirement altogether as its just as unfair as the hated "primary purposes" rule that was scrapped in the late 1990's. A sensible , fair, set of rules should be drawn up in themselves making clear what is required.

Well i shouldn't be ungrateful . We can finally be together again . A basic right you would think not something that has been won after a year long struggle.

The right decision was made in the end and we wish all you others out there the best of luck in your own battles.

SILOMFAN

A set of rules should apply and you either qualify or you don't .

A set of rules does apply; Immigration Rules?. Either an applicant does qualify or they don't. Someone has to decide whether an applicant qualifies, and that is the job of an ECO. However, as they are only human they are capable of error, hence the various appeal procedures in place. I still think that they get it right most of the time and most 'unjust' refusals are the fault of the applicant and/or sponsor for not preparing properly.

However we have been over this ground before, and I doubt that I will ever convince you to change your mind, or you convince me to change mine.

So, I would like to offer you and your partner my sincere best wishes for your future together.

Congratulations on your success and best wishes to you both. The forum is a broad church and probably the better for it. I am sure your magnanimity in victory does you credit.