Uk (holiday) Visa For Thai G/f

[duncaw]

I've read the various posts below on this topic but as I'm slightly worried I've left it too late can anybody give me some advice/reassurance?

What documentation do I need to take to the embassy?

I'm planning on taking:

Letter from my family inviting g/f to UK and guaranteeing accomodation and meals.

Letter from Thai employer confirming I work full time in Thailand and have a job to come back to.

Proof that I have been living with g/f for more than a year.

My passport.

My work permit.

Her passport (obviously).

My (Thai) bank account details.

Is there anything else I need to take?

Is it feasible this can be done quickly, I'm looking to travel in early April.

Thanks for your help.

[pnustedt]

Is there anything else I need to take?

Evidence of a compelling for her to return to LOS, e.g. her job details or letter from her employer. Her family commitments, etc.

You have plenty of time.

[penelope]

What documentation do I need to take to the embassy?

I'm planning on taking:

Letter from my family inviting g/f to UK and guaranteeing accomodation and meals.

Letter from Thai employer confirming I work full time in Thailand and have a job to come back to.

Proof that I have been living with g/f for more than a year.

My passport.

My work permit.

Her passport (obviously).

My (Thai) bank account details.

Is there anything else I need to take?

Is it feasible this can be done quickly, I'm looking to travel in early April.

Thanks for your help.

Who is actually applying for a visa, you or her

How about :

Letter from HER employer/university

HER bank account details

HER house title deed

Any other documents that show SHE has a reason to return to Thailand.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

What documentation do I need to take to the embassy?

I'm planning on taking:

Letter from my family inviting g/f to UK and guaranteeing accomodation and meals.

Letter from Thai employer confirming I work full time in Thailand and have a job to come back to.

Proof that I have been living with g/f for more than a year.

My passport.

My work permit.

Her passport (obviously).

My (Thai) bank account details.

Is there anything else I need to take?

Is it feasible this can be done quickly, I'm looking to travel in early April.

Thanks for your help.

Who is actually applying for a visa, you or her

How about :

Letter from HER employer/university

HER bank account details

HER house title deed

Any other documents that show SHE has a reason to return to Thailand.

That's exactly what they want. All the assurances from you and your family mean little. If something sours and she's booted out of your ancestral home, there is a likely problem for Immigration. She needs to demonstrate that compelling reason to return to Thailand.

[muay_thai]

I've just got a visa for my gf to visit UK and aparently now is a good time to try as not too many applications due to cold !

Firstly go down with your gf to the embassy and take a completed application form, ask them at the counters inside for the list of proof you must bring with you (they give you an orange piece of paper with all on).

They will also give you an interview date for you to take everything down, please note you must take all the originals and one copy.

They are basically looking for evidence that she will return so anything such as

Jobs, proof of income including bank statements etc., wageslips, although

we managed with just a letter.

Land, if she has any get the documents translated and this will help, we told

them she was planning to build on it so good reason to return.

Cash, we managed to gather 100k baht together and placed in her bank but

just watch how you place it in, it may be better if your short of time to lump

it into one account then close that account put the full sum into a second

account (assuming she has more than one bank) so when they ask they

just see one account closed and placed into another and hopefully wont

look back to the large amount put in (if required).

Dress, make sure she dresses smart, when we went down my gf was amazed

with how many girls that looked like they'd came straight from the bar in pattaya!

She fully understood then why so many get knocked back.

Polite, always be nice if you get there back up by arguing it aint gonna help matters.

Flight cost, if they asl whose paying say you are or they will look at her money in

her account and deduct the cost of a flight before assessing.

Your 6 months of bank statements and 6 months payslips.

Proof you have somewhere to stay, ie. your if staying at your family then

proof they either rent (landlords permission) or if own mortgage statement.

At the end of the day, it's ok telling people you can support her etc. but they

need the paperwork so they can tick the boxes to say they have the correct

form of proof.

Photos, etc. just to back up your relationship places you have been etc.

Remember to take your originals, ie bank books , colour photocopies of passports including every stamped page.

We also had to have her family book officially translated !

Oh yes ! And we also gave a pigs head to a temple buddha, apparently this

was all for good luck I didn't believe it but hey its worked !!

Just as a note, I had a terrible time getting my gf there as she was scared of

a "blacklist", I asked about this and it's a load of crap just be persistent with

the gf its important they get it right. Also they may ask where you met or

something and they will view "nightclub, bar, sukhumvit area, etc." as bad.

Apparently i met my gf in mcdonalds ! Whatever !

[duncaw]

All that was needed was:

Completed Visa Application form

Her Passport

Photocopy of her birth certificate

Photocopy of her ID card

Photocopy of my passport

Photocopy of my work permit

Letter from my family guaranteeing food and accommodation

Letter from my boss confirming my continuing employment in Thailand

Printout of confirmed (but unpaid for) return flights to the UK

5 minute chat with immigration official at the window at the embassy. Visa issued 3pm same day. No interview needed.

DID NOT NEED evidence of compelling reason for her to return to Thailand

DID NOT NEED evidence of finances (hers or mine)

DID NOT NEED letter from her employer

DID NOT NEED proof of long term relationship (photos, lease for apartment etc)

Despite having all of the above with me.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Congratulations...you did it. There are lotsa horror stories out of the Brit Embassy

( and other western embassies ) Good for you.

[slim]

I’ve posted this reply on other threads so I’ll post it here as well.

I can prove the British Embassy are fabricating applicants replies to suit their prjudices.

I'm living in N.E. Thailand with my Thai fiancee and we went to the British Embassy last week for an interview for a visa for her so we could go to the Uk in April so I could have a much needed operation and possibly get married at the same time.

The interviewer told my girlfriend that she (the interviewer) was busy and didn't have lot of time so she (my fiancee) was to answer questions and not ask them.

My girl took with her a folder with every single bill and receipt I've spent since I've been living in Khon Kaen, copies of the deeds and land registry of our house in her name, copies of the finance agreement of our new car in her name, copies of the birth certificate of her 10 year old daughter who lives with us, a copy of the letter from our solicitors (Tilleke & Gibbins) about them acting for us to secure a Marriage Visa in oder for me to stay with her in Thailand and even pictures of our 6 month old shitzu dog.

The application was refused on the grounds that "you have stated you intend to settle in the Uk with your boyfriend and we are satisfied that you do not intend to leave the UK on completion of your stay". She said nothing of the kind.

There is a box on the refusal form for my girls comments about the decision which is blank because she was not asked to comment.

There is a statement on the refusal form that says "The contents have been translated to me in Thai" - they weren't.

She was then asked to sign a form written in English that she couldn't understand - so naturally she refused to sign - she was told by a Thai colleague of the interviewer that is was "mai samkhan" - not important.

I've looked for an emoticon to describe how I feel but they don't quite fit.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Look at Duncaw's experience compared to yours. Different case worker, different outcome. Grossly unfair.

[Pink Mist]

Yes but what is the solution Doc? I mentioned once or twice before a soapdodger mate of mine got a 6 month visa for GF issued on the spot, he thought they had no hope as a nearly 40 year age gap????

What is the recourse?

Could one of our members skilled with the quill could write an article hiliting these inequalities.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It needs a disaffected dodger to write a whining letter ( dodgers are good at whining as you know Bronco ) to the Chief Migration Officer at the Brit Embassy, pointing out the seeming inequities and lack of consistency in determinations. A line or two the the editors of the English language newspapers in Bangkok might help. The Brits won't want to be seen to be unfair in their dealings with Thai's. Mike Rentoul is a journo at the Bulletin ( and a digger ) and he has a magnificent turn of phrase.

[duncaw]

Feel sorry for you slim, the Embassy should take the time to distinguish between deserving and non-deserving cases.

Would just add that in my case, the embassy seemed to be much more interested in my work permit than anything else.

Do they have a weekly quota? I went on a Monday morning.

[pnustedt]

The application was refused on the grounds that "you have stated you intend to settle in the Uk with your boyfriend and we are satisfied that you do not intend to leave the UK on completion of your stay". She said nothing of the kind.

The applicant is normally interviewed alone - it appears that your g/f said something during that interview which gave the imm. officer the impression that she wasn't going to return from UK.

There is no quota - they reckon that 90% of all applications are successful.

You have the right of appeal within 28 days of receipt of the refusal to the Entry Clearance Officer, stating your grounds of appeal. The original decision may then be reversed.

If the decision is not reversed you will get a further explanation why not, you can then take your appeal to the Home Office.

Frustrating and stressful - but don't give up!

[slim]

I'm convinced that our application was rejected before interview and then "justified" by the Embassy. In reply to pnustedt my girl was interviewed by 2 brits and a thai and the bit about her saying something to indicate she wanted to stay in the Uk is just not true mainly because if truth be known she doesn't want to go to the bloody UK. She'd far sooner stay at home with her daughter and her dog (and me ) where its warm. She never stopped moaning when we had a cold snap in Khon Kaen in January!

I find it somewhat curious that we got a phone call 3 days before interview asking if we wanted to change our visa application from a 1 year multiple entry to a 6 weeks visitors as if they'd already decided to refuse but weren't going to sting me for £60.00.

pnustedt you are wrong about the right to appeal as well. The form handed to my girlfriend (REF 1/GV 51) Rev 07/02 is a Refusal of an Entry Clearance (No Right of Appeal).

What you can do is write to the Entry Clearance Manager and complain about the decision.

If you are still unhappy you can write to Head of UKvisas at the F. & C.O. at King Charles Street London

if you are still unhappy you can write to the Government Minister responsible for entry clearance Chris Mullen MP

if you are still unhappy you can write to your local MP

and if you are still unhappy you can ask your MP to take your case up with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administraion (the Ombudsman).

I shall be persuing all these avenue once (if) I hear from the Entry Clearance Officer but as she(he) signed the Refusal form - I've little faith. I shall also (as suggested by dr_pat_pong) be writing to the Bangkok Post and The Nation and the editor of the Sun newspaper in England asking why it is an illegal immigrant in the UK can drive around in an untaxed, unlicensed, non mot'd car and cause the death of a 12 year old boy and receive 6months in jail whilst I cannot bring my fianceee to visit the Uk for 6 weeks.

I want a visa and I want answers!!!!

[pnustedt]

I suggest you read the UK Gov. Visa web page where rights of appeal and refusals are quite clearly described.

[Pink Mist]

It needs a disaffected dodger to write a whining letter ( dodgers are good at whining as you know Bronco ) to the Chief Migration Officer at the Brit Embassy, pointing out the seeming inequities and lack of consistency in determinations. A line or two the the editors of the English language newspapers in Bangkok might help. The Brits won't want to be seen to be unfair in their dealings with Thai's. Mike Rentoul is a journo at the Bulletin ( and a digger ) and he has a magnificent turn of phrase.

I know that Doc, that was my subtle hint to him to maybe direct a line or two at the British embassy via his quill machine.

Slim, I'm sorry to hear things didn't work out for you in KK for your operation and believe me I know how important it is to have the strife by your side when in hospital.

Good luck Mate and hope to catch up in June.

[slim]

Thanks for that Bronco. I'll probably end up having the op. done at the Ram in KK anyway so no worries eh?

pnustedt Do you work for the Embassy or something?

I have read the web page here's the link you didn't provide so other people can read what it says:-

ukvisas

"Almost 90% of our applicants worldwide receive the visa that they have applied for. If you are refused a visa, the entry clearance officer will give you a written notice explaining why. To ensure that we have made a fair decision, an entry clearance manager reviews refusals without a right of appeal within 24 hours. In some cases, you will have the right of appeal against the decision".

In other words you have NO right of appeal.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thanks for that Bronco. I'll probably end up having the op. done at the Ram in KK anyway so no worries eh?

pnustedt Do you work for the Embassy or something?

I have read the web page here's the link you didn't provide so other people can read what it says:-

ukvisas

"Almost 90% of our applicants worldwide receive the visa that they have applied for. If you are refused a visa, the entry clearance officer will give you a written notice explaining why. To ensure that we have made a fair decision, an entry clearance manager reviews refusals without a right of appeal within 24 hours. In some cases, you will have the right of appeal against the decision".

In other words you have NO right of appeal.

No appeal on a tourist/visitors visa is usual, but on other categories, the appeal process is available.

[Pink Mist]

The ram is OK slim so no worries.

It's funny how quiet our quills go on real subjects.

[slim]

True enough Bronco and yes, there is an appeals procedure for some visa applications doc but why is there no appeals procedure for tourist visas?

I appreciate the Embassy must have a tough job trying to determine legitimate and false visa applications in some cases but mine and my g/f's circumstance are completely black and white.

Procedures just have not been followed. When my girlfriend was called in for interview, I followed her into the room to hand her the folder with all our records in and was just about to leave when I was virtually ordered out of the room. I was not called in to corroborate my g/f's circumstances.

The problem I (and everyone else) has is you never know how these organizations work. There is a complaints procedure but how dangerous is it to complain? It only takes one phone call from the British Embassy visa section to the Thai Embassy counterpart and you could be on the end of a visa refusal.