Anyone Obtained A Long Term (5Yr) Visa To The Uk ?

[rawhod]

I would be interested in hearing the experiences of anyone who has obtained a long term visa to the UK, particularly 5 year.

I am looking at the possibility of applying for a 5 year family visit visa to the UK for my Thai wife. This would be as an alternative to the settlement/ILR route...not in order to circumvent the conditions for settlement... but because we want to alternate between living in Thailand and in the UK, a situation which is not acceptable in the 5 years leading up to ILR.

I am fully aware of the residence time conditions of the long term visit visa...the residence conditions for ILR are not specifically spelt out anywhere.

We have a house in Chiang Mai and a house in the UK. We live together all the time. I have a retirement extension in Thailand and we have already had two visit visas.

Personally, I can't see any major difficulties in obtaining the long term visa but any experiences/advice would be very welcome.

One concern is the fact hat they can issue a visa for a shorter period than asked for and issue no refund.

[bobrussell]

It is unlikely that an ECO would grant a 5 year visit visa without a history of previous shorter term visit visas. You are likely to pay for a 5 yr visa but get a six months one!

Just seen that your other half has already had 2 visit visas so I would agree there should not be a problem as long as the Immigration Officer at the airport does not suspect this is to 'bypass' the immigration rules. The five year visa could suddenly become a six months one!

I cannot see a problem with anyone spending half the year in one country and half in the other though!

Edited September 11, 2012 by bobrussell

[howzat]

my wife has 10 year visa arrived at by three 1 year visa, one 5 year visa

[rawhod]

my wife has 10 year visa arrived at by three 1 year visa, one 5 year visa

What was your experience in obtaining the 5 year visa?

How did you explain the requirement to visit the UK every year for 5 years ?

[7by7]

...............the residence conditions for ILR are not specifically spelt out anywhere................

That's because, as previously explained to you, there are no specific residence conditions; except the need to show that the applicant is a UK resident and has been for the qualifying period; two years under the old rules, 5 years under the new.

As also previously said, there is no limit on time spent out of the UK during this period; which, again, is why no limit is mentioned anywhere in any official guidance. Each case is looked at and judged on it's own merits and the reasons for spending large amounts of time out of the UK are given due consideration.

It would have been so much easier to have advised you, and thus avoided you cross posting in several topics on this matter, had you explained your plans in the first place. Now that you have, I think a long term visit visa is probably the best option.

This is because your plans are not to settle in the UK, which is what a settlement visa and then ILR are for, but simply to make regular visits. Horses for courses.

Why does she need to visits the UK so often? Because she has a British spouse and you both want to make regular visits to see your family family. What reasons did you give in her previous, successful, visit visa applications?

The only drawback is that unless she does actually settle in the UK she will never qualify for British citizenship; but as your plans are to spend 6 months in the UK and 6 months in Thailand she'd never meet the residential requirements, as previously quoted by you, for citizenship anyway.

Edited September 11, 2012 by 7by7

[rawhod]

Thanks 7by7...

I started a new thread so that I was not hijacking someone else's tread by detailing my situation.

I now understand the (lack of) residence requirements for settlement, however, by opening this tread I was hoping to hear from members who have actually applied for long term visas.

[sorted]

Hi i thought the new rules where the spouse visa has taken over from the settlement visa 33 months and a further 30 months extension in the uk and after that apply for UK citizenship.

[rawhod]

Hi i thought the new rules where the spouse visa has taken over from the settlement visa 33 months and a further 30 months extension in the uk and after that apply for UK citizenship.

The visa I am referring to is the multiple entry long term visit visa, which can be issued with 2, 5 or 10 year validity, for regular visitors to the UK.

I'm looking to hear peoples experiences in applying for a long term visit visa.