Uk Fiancee Visa, Waste Of Time , Money And Effort

[neilk]

For anyone contemplating obtaining a Fiancee Visa, with the intent to get married in the UK, then I advise against it, if you dont want to waste time, money and effort, get married in Thailand and then apply for a marriage visa.-

I obtained a Fiancee Visa in January this year in Thailand at a cost of £851.00 and a further cost of £851.00 for a dependent son, total cost £1702.00.

In February we visited the local Registrars office to arrange a wedding date, cost £70.00 and then was informed before we could get married we had to register with a regional licensed register office, to have our our documents checked and approved by their Registrar cost another £70.00

Appointment made arrived February 21st and a telephone conversation, asking them what they required, GFs passport, ID card, prove of divorce, etc. At the desk they asked me for my passport, which I had not taken, informing them that they did not ask me to bring it, ( ok my fault, should always take your passport, if accompanying your thai GF anywhere. Told them I had photo ID i.e driving license, but not good enough, appointment over, next appointment 18th April. Tried to find out why they needed all this information, and their permission to marry, after I had just paid, the UKBA £1702.00 for their approval, Thier answer to validate our divorce documents, and they have good contacts in Thailand which can find out if their fake,again argued that UKBA have just done that, and if the documents are genuine for them and the government why do I have to satisfy some regional Registrar. No answer, just come back on the 18th.

Once we are married, within 3 months of obtaining the Fiancee Visa, we have then to apply for further leave to remain FLR (M) form. The UKBA nice people give you 2 options, you can apply by post, for the wife it will cost £583.00 and for her son £428, thats good and you can apply for both on the same application form. Unfortunately the post process takes 6 months, but with the current backlog of 500,000 visa,s sitting in a room at UKBA waiting for a decision could take for ever. So the nice people at the UKBA have another option, you can attend another regional approved office, where you can apply in person and it will take 24 hours, at a cost of £1761.00. where you have to supply the same paperwork that you had to supply for the fiancee visa, but of course updated bank statements and earning, to make sure you are earning the magic amount of £18,600, and £2400 for each child.

Getting married in Thailand must be the better option, you pay the same fee, and provide the same paperwork, and thats it finished for the next 2!/2 years. You can even apply for a visa to get married in the UK for the cost of a general tourist visa, £90, but you have to leave the country within 6 months, but even if you leave and then apply for spouse visa, it is still cheaper then the Fiancee route, except for the airfares of course.

So if you intend to get married do it abroad

[Waterloo]

I'm sorry I might be being a bit slow here but what has this got to do with a fiance visa, most of this is regarding settlement in the UK, costs and hassle you can't escape if you both want to live here together!

[USNret]

I would retitle this thread: "Don't Get Engaged to Divorced Thai Lady with a Kid."

Sorry, I know that was totally unnecessary & out of line.

[RAZZELL]

Got a fiancee visa, FLR and ILR to remain in the next month or so and then citizenship in June...no drama (apart from the cost)

RAZZ

[maprao]

Who wants to live in the UK now anyway????

[MAJIC]

.

Who wants to live in the UK now anyway????

Plenty....!and from my observations, I have never seen a group of of 40+ Foreigners so happy to have their photos taken,holding their British Citizenship Certificates.And in many Cities throughout the UK they do the new Citizenship Ceremony every month,larger cities = larger amounts of applicants.

[RAZZELL]

Who wants to live in the UK now anyway????

Quite a few judging from the inward migration...

It's not only that..the little red book with the words... "Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary."

Comes in handy

RAZZ

Edited April 17, 2013 by RAZZELL

[Waterloo]

Some people will not be happy were ever they live

[7by7]

Neilk, you say here that you had been talking to an agent subsequent to submitting the application.

Did this agent also advise you prior to the application and explain the differences between a spouse visa and a fiance visa, especially the extra application needed and the fee if following the fiance route?

(Without blowing my own trumpet (ok, a little bit!), had you read the pinned UK Settlement Visa topic before applying you would have known about these extra costs.)

Of course, at the end of the day it is a couples choice whether to marry in Thailand (or wherever) and apply for a spouse visa or apply for a fiance visa and marry in the UK, and many, for their own reasons, opt for the latter.

But it should be an informed choice and if you use an agent and that agent doesn't give you all the information you need to make that informed choice, then IMHO the agent is not a professional and should be avoided.