2 year visit visa for Thai Neice

[2yearvisitvisa]

Evening All,

I wonder if you can offer some advice:

My Thai niece visited the UK with her mum on a 6 month visa when she was 3. My wife (now a Brit) has just put together an application for her to visit us again, she is now 5. However, we have applied for a 2 year visa as she will visit in a month's time, again at xmas and again next summer. We cannot be bothered to keep applying for visas and applying for a longer one makes sense. Personally, I'd have applied for a 5 year but for the reasons below, my wife decided to apply for a 2 year visa instead. My wife will also be returning to Thailand to pick her up and accompany her both ways.

A couple of questions - I am being told that by a BKK based friend that its rare for a 2 or 5 or even 10 year visa to be granted in BKK. This surprised me as my Mrs had a 6 month then a 5 year then a 10 year visa issued before she went for residency, although these granted outside of Thailand. Is this true assumption from my friend correct?

In your opinion, will there be any issue with her Mum not accompanying her? She is a full time student and cannot take the time - also, she will start work upon graduation and her travelling ovr is impossible, though we do want to ensure we get to spend time with our niece (we are a close family). Also included in the cover letter is the intention to apply for a visa for my mother in law next year and she too will come with our niece next summer for the third trip,

Also, on the financial side, we are reasonably affluent - I have outlined our full net worth but have not included original documents other than a 20k current account statement. However, I have included a couple of copies of non - risk investments, to evidence that money is not an issue, to the tune of about 200k. I don't want to include originals, for obvious reasons or indeed copies to evidence of all my assets. Will the copies be considered or will they just take the 20k original bank statement as the only verified asset and would this be enough?

As I said, the first time my niece visited, she was accompanied by her mum, it was only a 6 month visa and they stayed three months. At the time, I think my wife just included a copy a current account and photos of the house within the visa application.

I should add that we have included a letter from her mum to allow her to travel with my wife and my wife has nominated me on the application as the 2nd responsible adult.

Anyway, I'd appreciate your answers to the above and any further pointers you can add. Its such a headache having to do all this just so she can take a dip in the Bournemouth sea and visit santa at xmas!

Cheer all and thanks for the input.

Edited July 10, 2013 by 2yearvisitvisa

[Jay Sata]

I can see all sorts of problems for a child of this age to have a long term multi entry visa.

The biggest one is her mum not she was accompanying her.

No doubt the experts will be along in a minute.

[2yearvisitvisa]

What kind of problems can you see, Jay? And why will this become an issue to the Brit authorities with her mum not accompanying her.

I didn't mention it in the OP as it seemed off topic but we have taken her to 2 other countries in the last couple of months also, without issue and without her Ma. One required a Thai government (Ampor) approval, the Brits only ask for a personal letter from the mother.

Appreciate the input.

[7by7]

Visiting alone is completely different to visiting with her mum; particularly at such a young age. The biggest concern will be that there is no intention for the child to return to Thailand.

Have a read of the first 5 sections of VAT03 - Special visitor: Child visitors, which is the guidance issued to entry clearance officers.

Technically, there is nothing in the rules to say that a child cannot have a long term visit visa; but you will need to carefully explain in the application why such a young child needs to visit the UK regularly; again as it will be without her mother.

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

Note that the longer the term applied for, the higher the fee. If the ECO decides to issue a shorter period than that applied for there will be no refund in the difference between fees.

[2yearvisitvisa]

Good advice, thank you.

I work overseas and spend just 3 months in the UK per year, so the reason return should be that we do not live in the UK and, as such, there is no reason for her not to return to Thailand. Do you think this will strengthen the application?

I had not read the link but will now.

The reason why she will visit (I am not sure that she 'needs' to visit) is simply to spend time with us - we enjoy our trips with her and so does she, its nothing more than a fun holiday for all.

With regards the 2nd link:

Credible ongoing reason to visit. A successful applicant must demonstrate a frequent and sustained need to come to the UK, such as family links

In your opinion, would our particular family link warrant such a 'need'?

As for the fees, my understanding was that they either issued the 2 year visa or issued nothing. If there is a possibility that they will issue a 6 month visa instead, that would be ok (though obviously not the desired outcome).

Thanks again

[theoldgit]

The reason why she will visit (I am not sure that she 'needs' to visit) is simply to spend time with us - we enjoy our trips with her and so does she, its nothing more than a fun holiday for all.

With regards the 2nd link:

Credible ongoing reason to visit. A successful applicant must demonstrate a frequent and sustained need to come to the UK, such as family links

In your opinion, would our particular family link warrant such a 'need'?

As for the fees, my understanding was that they either issued the 2 year visa or issued nothing. If there is a possibility that they will issue a 6 month visa instead, that would be ok (though obviously not the desired outcome).

Given that a niece wouldn't qualify as a family visitor, I think you might struggle to convince an Entry Clearance Officer of a credible ongoing reason to visit and you might find it difficult to demonstrate the frequent and sustained need to visit on a regular basis in the circumstances you describe - that's only an opinion.

Regarding the fees, as 7by7 has pointed out, if she applies for a two year visit visa and the ECO was not convinced that that length of visa was justified, they could decide to issue a 6 months visa, in which case the 20,688 Baht difference in application fee would not be refunded.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

I would advise going for a 6 month visit visa. Normally, ECO's don't issue longer period visas without the applicant having made a few visits. In addition, I don't think the ECO will see any need for a longer validity visa until, and if, she has been a few times.

Tony M

[2yearvisitvisa]

The reason why she will visit (I am not sure that she 'needs' to visit) is simply to spend time with us - we enjoy our trips with her and so does she, its nothing more than a fun holiday for all.

With regards the 2nd link:

Credible ongoing reason to visit. A successful applicant must demonstrate a frequent and sustained need to come to the UK, such as family links

In your opinion, would our particular family link warrant such a 'need'?

As for the fees, my understanding was that they either issued the 2 year visa or issued nothing. If there is a possibility that they will issue a 6 month visa instead, that would be ok (though obviously not the desired outcome).

Given that a niece wouldn't qualify as a family visitor, I think you might struggle to convince an Entry Clearance Officer of a credible ongoing reason to visit and you might find it difficult to demonstrate the frequent and sustained need to visit on a regular basis in the circumstances you describe - that's only an opinion.

Regarding the fees, as 7by7 has pointed out, if she applies for a two year visit visa and the ECO was not convinced that that length of visa was justified, they could decide to issue a 6 months visa, in which case the 20,688 Baht difference in application fee would not be refunded.

Thanks for this - do you think it would make any difference that my wife and I spend a lot of time travelling and our niece has visited up 3 times in the last year?

The fee is just around 13,000 baht or thereabouts.

Thanks

[2yearvisitvisa]

I would advise going for a 6 month visit visa. Normally, ECO's don't issue longer period visas without the applicant having made a few visits. In addition, I don't think the ECO will see any need for a longer validity visa until, and if, she has been a few times.

Tony M

Thanks for this, I guess the official line is often different to what happens in practice! Though I take your counsel.

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

There is no requirement for a person to have held a short term visit visa before being issued with a visit visa which has a longer validity. For example, an applicant does not need to have been issued with a standard six months visit visa before being issued with a five year visit visa

The challenge would be to demonstrate that need for sustained travel.

Edited July 11, 2013 by 2yearvisitvisa

[theoldgit]

The fee is just around 13,000 baht or thereabouts.

Sorry you're correct, I was quoted the figure for the five year visa.

I would certainly take on board the views expressed by TVE.

[2yearvisitvisa]

Thank you Gents

Your input has been extremely useful and I am going to rework the covering letter with focus on the points you have all raised as well as further develop points about my wife's personal life and my work situation and locations and schedules etc.

However, you have put my mind at rest in that if she is not granted the longer visa, a 6 month visa may be issued in substitute. As there is not a simple refusal, then the risk of forfeiting the difference in fees is acceptable to us when weighed against the headache of numerous visa applications, being unable to finalise my travel and work schedules whilst awaiting visa issuance etc and the need/desire we have to spend a lot of time with thai family members.

Thanks again and I'll let you know how we get on.

Cheers Gents, appreciated.

[bkk_mike]

It should be fine...

It's not her first trip, and the family relationship, while not being close enough for a family visitor visa, is sufficient to explain her coming over several times, which explains the reason for getting the longer visa.

I'll admit in the past, my mother-in-law was invariably given a two year visa when we applied for 5 and 10 year ones, but that was back when they cost the same. Since they made them different prices, we got the visa we applied for.

You should give approximate dates, making sure they're during school holidays, as the child may need permission from the school for term-time holidays. (Had the daughter of a family friend, same age as one of my daughters, go for Christmas last year, but as that's term-time in Thai schools, we had the letter from the school as well as the parental permission in the paperwork for the visa. Admittedly the parents showed money in the bank for the trip, rather than us, where we just had to explain she'd share a room with my daughter while in the UK.)

[Tony M]

Maybe one of these people who think it will be okay will pay you back the difference in visa fees if they only issue a 6 month visa ? It may well be okay, but on the other hand, it may not. Your decision ultimately, of course.

[2yearvisitvisa]

Maybe one of these people who think it will be okay will pay you back the difference in visa fees if they only issue a 6 month visa ? It may well be okay, but on the other hand, it may not. Your decision ultimately, of course.

Good point.

If I sent you the cover letter, would you take a look? Thanks

[2yearvisitvisa]

Hello campers

Visa submitted on 16th and received today with a 2 year multi entry visit visa only valid if accompanied by me and herindoors (using her Brit passport).

Well worth the extra few bob to save forward planning holidays and the ball ache of multi applications. We'll do a 5 or 10 year next time.

Cheers for all the advice even if we didn't follow it all it was still helpful.

[DudleyPunt]

I see Im not the only one who received poor advice from agents at the agencies.

[theoldgit]

As the OP has obtained the required visa, well done by the way, we can close this thread.