Hi,

Firstly, thanks for all the advice gleaned from this very helpful Forum.

In the past 5 years my partner has been successful in obtaining 5 short term, 6 month visitor visas. Generally he stays for up to 3 months in the UK..

However, rather than go through to the yearly process of obtaining a 6 month visitors visa, I was considering applying for a longer term visit visa (2 years or 5 years). I realise that the cost is a lot higher but It would make planning future travel a whole lot easier and also allow him to maybe make two trips of 2 months a year.

Would this be possible or am I hoping for too much and should just leave things the way they are?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I have also considered a five year visa for my wife to accompany me when we visit the UK. We have had two successful Family Visa applications.

From what I can gather from my asking the same question on here is, that it is certainly possible, particularly having showed that the applicant has complied with the terms of previous visas. However, what worries me is that they can take the fee for a five year visa, decide for some reason to issue a visa for a shorter period, for example a 2 year or even a 6 month visa, and not refund any of your fee.

There is no significant saving in visa fees by getting a 5 year visa, but, as you say, there is the convenience of not having to trek to Bangkok every year.

it is, unfortunately, true that there will be no refund in the difference between fees if the ECO issues a visit visa valid for a shorer term than that requested.

However, if you are living with your partners in Thailand and your partners have visited the UK before then I can see no reason why they would not receive visas valid for the period asked for; which could be up to 10 years.

VAT1.4 Visa validity - What period for a multiple entry visit visa?

Unless there are grounds for not issuing a long term visit visa, the ECO should issue the visa applied for.

Which means that the ECO has to show there are reasons for not issuing a long term visa, rather than you having to show there are reasons for one being issued.

Having said that, you should do so anyway. VAT1.4 continues

Applications for long term visit visas will be considered in the light of:

• Credible ongoing reason to visit. A successful applicant must demonstrate a frequent and sustained need to come to the UK, such as family links or an established business connection.
• Stability of personal circumstances. As far as possible applicants 'status should be unlikely to change significantly during the validity of the visa. The better able the applicant is to demonstrate stability over the long term the more it will support an application for a longer period of validity.
• Successful applicants will also need to demonstrate that they are able to support themselves in the UK without recourse to public funds, and demonstrate that they would intend to leave the UK at the end of each visit.
• Previous travel history as evidenced in a current valid passport, which might include travel to Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Schengen countries, Switzerland, or the USA in the same category as the application to the UK, for example, as a visitor. Holding a valid visa for any of the aforementioned countries, evidence they complied with conditions of entry, that applications for these countries were not refused nor were they removed from a country on their last trip, would all help to support the application.

Remember, though, that whatever the validity of the visa the holder will still only be able to spend a maximum of 6 months in the UK per visit and, usually, a maximum of 6 months out of any 12 in the UK.