Uk Visit Visa And Single Ticket.

[tigerjohn]

Hi, just asking for anyones experiences in the past, we are awaiting result of my wifes mothers family visit visa application and looking at flights incase she gets it approved. as she wont fly alone my wife will go get her and return her at the end of her stay here and ive found the best and cheapest way to do it is for my wife to go on a single and get 2 singles back, what im asking is will there be problems at immigration in uk even if she explained it is down to cost and her mother may want to go home if she cannot acclimatise over here, thanks for any replies.

[beano2274]

my wife and MIL have never been asked to produce tickets to show that they will leave the UK after their trips

[7by7]

But it is certainly possible that they may be.

Particularly if your wife tells immigration that "her mother may want to go home if she cannot acclimatise over here." All visitors have to go home!

The rules state that, if asked to do so by an immigration officer, a visitor seeking entry to the UK must be able to show that they have either

• a return or onward ticket, or
• the means with which to purchase one (from their own funds, those of a friend or relative or any combination of these).

Failure to do either could result in your mother in law being refused entry.

As airlines are subject to heavy financial penalties for carrying a passenger they know doesn't meet the entry requirements for their destination, it is also very possible that they will refuse to carry your mother in law unless she has a return ticket.

These days it is easy to change the return date on a ticket; but some airlines will charge you for this.

[CNXSTEVE]

my wife and MIL have never been asked to produce tickets to show that they will leave the UK after their trips

When checking in at the Thai airport the airline will ask to see proof of return ticket from the UK.

[Arkady]

my wife and MIL have never been asked to produce tickets to show that they will leave the UK after their trips

When checking in at the Thai airport the airline will ask to see proof of return ticket from the UK.

My wife was asked to produce her return ticket on one visit to the UK. It's not worth taking the risk of being denied entry and then being forced to pay full fare for the next available flight back just for a modest saving.

[bobrussell]

The one time my wife had problems was when she only had a single ticket (visit visa) because we were planning to return to Thailand together for me to have a holiday and for her to do her settlement visa.

There was no problem for her getting on the flight but it took our MP intervening to allow her to stay the few weeks before the trip back!

Most Thai sourced return tickets can be changed for minimal or no extra charge unless things have changed.

Edited April 22, 2013 by bobrussell

[MrZM]

My wife has been to the UK 3 times. The first time we went back my wife had a one way from Bangkok.

The other 2 times they were return tickets purchased in the UK to return to the UK.

Never had a problem.

Don't know about other people's experiences. Maybe I've been lucky.

All in all. From my experience when I arrive at manchester they look at the visa ask my wife a few questions, stamp the passport and that's it.

[tigerjohn]

surely they must understand how awkward it is for my wife to go pick her up, i cant get my wife a return from uk because her mum wouldnt be on the same flight back. the only other way to do it is my wife a single to bkk then 2 returns from bkk then my wife a single from bkk when she takes her mum back home, and why is returns so much more expensive if from bkk then they are from LHR?

[7by7]

From what you say, your wife is living in the UK; therefore she is not a visitor and so does not need a return ticket or onward ticket nor the means to purchase one when entering the UK.

Your mother in law is a visitor and so does. She may be asked to show on or the other at immigration, she may not be. But if she is and can't then she would be subject to some intense questioning about her intentions in the UK at best, refused entry at worst.

Assuming the airline had agreed to carry her without a return ticket in the first place.

But have I read it right?

Your wife is

1. going to Thailand to pick up her mother;
2. traveling Thailand-UK with her mother;
3. taking her mother back to Thailand at the end of the visit;
4. coming back to the UK by herself.

In which case, it's simple.

She buys a UK- Thailand return for 1 and 4; a Thailand- UK returns for 2 and 3.

I don't know why tickets are more expensive in Thailand; ask the airlines.

[tigerjohn]

thanks for all the info people, wifes mum got visa and all flights are booked we decided in the end to go wife go single to bkk, mum and wife to come back on a single, then to save wife going back again we got mum a direct flight back to bkk with eva air who will escort her on and off at the other end, so thanks again