i did email them back thanking them for acknowledging the mistake, and asking what they had done with my 250b..... will tell you what they say

Good news, congratulations to you and yours.

I do find it a little worrying that it needed you to point out the fact VFS staff were offering incorrect advice, or even offering advice.

Their admission that staff didn't understand the rules was also scary, so much for their monitoring procedures.

We recently had a similar experience with one of our customers. Fortunately we had forewarned her that, as an unmarried partner, VFS might try to "persuade" her that she could not apply for a family visit. VFS did indeed try to get her to complete a new VAF, for 250 THB, but she declined their kind offer as we had instructed her to do.

I complained, as I often do, to UKBA at the British Embassy, and received a similar response which said, amongst other things:

To clarify the changes in the rules and how they affect the community in

Thailand, should a Thai national be travelling with her British husband (or

Unmarried partner where the couple have been in a relationship akin to

marriage or civil partnership for at least the 2 years before the day the

application is made and the relationship is genuine and subsisting) then

they can apply as a family visitor.

We have provided instructions to the visa application centre to accept

applications even if the applicant does not qualify as a family visitor and

we will amend to the general visitor category once the application reaches

the visa section at the British Embassy if it is clear that the applicant

does not meet the family visitor criteria.

The UK/BA are aware VFS need to do some staff training because they are getting the same complaints everyday.

Lets hope things improve.