Help with UK visitor visa application

[bobrussell]

To be fair the majority of visas are actually granted!

Once you have an idea of the pitfalls and expectations of the ECO applications are not normally that difficult. Spending a bit of time on here doing research (especially the pinned topics) may well be enough but it is understandable that many will want the reassurance offered by those more experienced.

Complicated applications especially family settlement ones can be a nightmare if everyone is not fully prepared so that expertise may prove to be very cheap in the long-run!

Sadly there are cowboys out there who take your money but don't offer good service!

[thomasteve]

You state that you have a few million Baht and also sufficirnt funds in the UK so why not appoint an agent, it may cost about THB 20,000 but really that is small money to save all these questions and not knowing if you are doing it correct thing. Agents know how to get approval, just make sure you appoint the correct one an I am sure you can get help with that. I used two agents, firstly just for a tourist visa and thet schooled her on the questions she would be asked, it all went very well and although we only asked for a months visa we got 6 months as per normal. After we got married in athailand I used another agent as it was more convenient and she also the visa without difficulties. Yes it is cheaper to do by yourself but if you have the money why bother?

They always give 6 months regardless of how many months you ask for. But they expect you to stay for the length of time you state on your application.

Thanks for your advice but I object to the extortionate rates that agents charge for relatively menial work.

After my girlfriend was granted the vias they asked her to sign a letter to say she would only remain in the UK for the time she had requested. I was disappointed seeing she had a 6 months visa stamped in her passport. When in the UK I contacted the Uk immigration and and asked why she had a 6 months visa but was expected to return after one month. The Officer laughed and said ignore all but what is in the passport if she has a 6 months stamp thats is what she got. I said we were worried that she had signed a letter to say she would return after one month and we did not want future problems. He repeated that we have 6 months and that is what we should go by and there would be no future problems unless she exceeded the 6 months. I think the letter was just ot put moral pressure on her to return and nothing else.

As Pasak correctly pointed out you do not pay for the time to fill out a form your are paying for expertise and that costs. For sure many do the application on their own and are successful however many are not. If you do not have surplus funds then a self application is necessary. In your case you have funds but if you want to be a "Cheap Charlie" and run the risk of refusal go ahead and do it on your own, I hope you will be succesfull and I hope you will be happy with the money you have saved in not using an agent, but if the application is refused....? Your choice!

We had a similar experience where a 6 month visa was issued but endorsed with the wording "not valid without undertaking to return".

That undertaking consisted of another form that had to be completed and handed back in at the BKK embassy immediately upon return to prove that the specified period of approx 2 weeks had not been overstayed !!

this was a few years ago so maybe they're no longer allowed to add their own extra conditions in BKK.

[chickenslegs]

We would like to visit my mother for 6 months (but suspect we had better apply for 3 months) with a view to taking care of her as she is very elderly.

She is applying for a visitor visa, so I think it would be best to say you are going to spend time with your elderly mother. Taking care of your mother does not qualify her as a "visitor".

[7by7]

Agents know how to get approval

Some unscrupulous agents do claim this; but they are lying.

An agent can advise on how to prepare an application and what evidence is required to give the best chance of approval; but that is it.

Pasak, if you have not already read it, you may find UK Visit Visa Basics helpful.

As already said, the majority of UK visit visa applications in Thailand are granted; over 90% in fact.

Chickenlegs is correct; do not say that she is coming to the UK to take care of your elderly mother. This would be viewed as work; which is prohibited under the conditions of a visit visa.

[theoldgit]

Link to another forum removed, please don't post such links as it's against forum rules.

[udonsmiles]

You state that you have a few million Baht and also sufficirnt funds in the UK so why not appoint an agent, it may cost about THB 20,000 but really that is small money to save all these questions and not knowing if you are doing it correct thing. Agents know how to get approval, just make sure you appoint the correct one an I am sure you can get help with that. I used two agents, firstly just for a tourist visa and thet schooled her on the questions she would be asked, it all went very well and although we only asked for a months visa we got 6 months as per normal. After we got married in athailand I used another agent as it was more convenient and she also the visa without difficulties. Yes it is cheaper to do by yourself but if you have the money why bother?

Thanks for your advice but I object to the extortionate rates that agents charge for relatively menial work.

We have just been refused visitor visas to the UK for my wife (married 4 years, together for 6) and step-daughter. I thought we had a water tight case so why pay an Agent and maybe over confidence played a part.

The money we have lost would have paid for a profesional visa agent, of course there are still no 100% certanties but with the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had spoken to Paul at Thai Visa Express earlier.

[Billmont]

Agents know how to get approval

Some unscrupulous agents do claim this; but they are lying.

An agent can advise on how to prepare an application and what evidence is required to give the best chance of approval; but that is it.

Pasak, if you have not already read it, you may find UK Visit Visa Basics helpful.

As already said, the majority of UK visit visa applications in Thailand are granted; over 90% in fact.

Chickenlegs is correct; do not say that she is coming to the UK to take care of your elderly mother. This would be viewed as work; which is prohibited under the conditions of a visit visa.

If you quoted my full post it is clear that I did not say approval is guaranteed. But you are right, nothing in life is certain except the following 5 items,,

Death, Taxes, Pessimistic, Sarcastic and anti Thai/Thailand comments on T. V. 555555

[ThaiVisaExpress]

You state that you have a few million Baht and also sufficirnt funds in the UK so why not appoint an agent, it may cost about THB 20,000 but really that is small money to save all these questions and not knowing if you are doing it correct thing. Agents know how to get approval, just make sure you appoint the correct one an I am sure you can get help with that. I used two agents, firstly just for a tourist visa and thet schooled her on the questions she would be asked, it all went very well and although we only asked for a months visa we got 6 months as per normal. After we got married in athailand I used another agent as it was more convenient and she also the visa without difficulties. Yes it is cheaper to do by yourself but if you have the money why bother?

Thanks for your advice but I object to the extortionate rates that agents charge for relatively menial work.

We have just been refused visitor visas to the UK for my wife (married 4 years, together for 6) and step-daughter. I thought we had a water tight case so why pay an Agent and maybe over confidence played a part.

The money we have lost would have paid for a profesional visa agent, of course there are still no 100% certanties but with the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had spoken to Paul at Thai Visa Express earlier.

Why were the visas refused ? Did you contact Paul at Thai Visa Express, as he has had great success with getting some recent refusal decisions overturned (even when there is no right of appeal) ?

If you would like an opinion on the refusal decision ( and Paul will certainly tell you if he thinks the decision by the ECO was correct or not), then contact Paul and send him the refusal notices. If he thinks that there is a chance to get the refusal decisions overturned, the he will contact the Embassy on your behalf. Paul won't charge for giving an opinion on the decisions.

Tony M

[udonsmiles]

We have just been refused visitor visas to the UK for my wife (married 4 years, together for 6) and step-daughter. I thought we had a water tight case so why pay an Agent and maybe over confidence played a part.

The money we have lost would have paid for a profesional visa agent, of course there are still no 100% certanties but with the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had spoken to Paul at Thai Visa Express earlier.

Why were the visas refused ? Did you contact Paul at Thai Visa Express, as he has had great success with getting some recent refusal decisions overturned (even when there is no right of appeal) ?

If you would like an opinion on the refusal decision ( and Paul will certainly tell you if he thinks the decision by the ECO was correct or not), then contact Paul and send him the refusal notices. If he thinks that there is a chance to get the refusal decisions overturned, the he will contact the Embassy on your behalf. Paul won't charge for giving an opinion on the decisions.

Tony M

Yes I have spoken to Paul - he was very helpful and as I mentioned, I wish I had contacted him before we made the applications.

I am returning to the UK in a few days and will consider our options then.

[pasak]

We would like to visit my mother for 6 months (but suspect we had better apply for 3 months) with a view to taking care of her as she is very elderly.

She is applying for a visitor visa, so I think it would be best to say you are going to spend time with your elderly mother. Taking care of your mother does not qualify her as a "visitor".

This seems like conflicting advice. Is your opinion that I should mention that we are taking care of my mother or that I should not mention it? Perhaps I should simply say that we want to spend time with my mother as she is very elderly and needs loving! How ridiculous it all is. I can feel a galling sense of litigiousness creeping up like a dark shadow. Reminds me why I live over here and not over there LOL.

[pasak]

Agents know how to get approval

Some unscrupulous agents do claim this; but they are lying.

An agent can advise on how to prepare an application and what evidence is required to give the best chance of approval; but that is it.

Pasak, if you have not already read it, you may find UK Visit Visa Basics helpful.

As already said, the majority of UK visit visa applications in Thailand are granted; over 90% in fact.

Chickenlegs is correct; do not say that she is coming to the UK to take care of your elderly mother. This would be viewed as work; which is prohibited under the conditions of a visit visa.

Thank you 7by7. I read that link and it was very helpful. Re my mother I think I will say that we wish to 'spend time with' rather than 'take care of' her. Can you imagine the Thais finding fault with the desire to take care of a mother by her child, whatever the rules and regs! Says it all...Or maybe you can recommend a more expedient way of phrasing it.

[pasak]

You state that you have a few million Baht and also sufficirnt funds in the UK so why not appoint an agent, it may cost about THB 20,000 but really that is small money to save all these questions and not knowing if you are doing it correct thing. Agents know how to get approval, just make sure you appoint the correct one an I am sure you can get help with that. I used two agents, firstly just for a tourist visa and thet schooled her on the questions she would be asked, it all went very well and although we only asked for a months visa we got 6 months as per normal. After we got married in athailand I used another agent as it was more convenient and she also the visa without difficulties. Yes it is cheaper to do by yourself but if you have the money why bother?

Thanks for your advice but I object to the extortionate rates that agents charge for relatively menial work.

We have just been refused visitor visas to the UK for my wife (married 4 years, together for 6) and step-daughter. I thought we had a water tight case so why pay an Agent and maybe over confidence played a part.

The money we have lost would have paid for a profesional visa agent, of course there are still no 100% certanties but with the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had spoken to Paul at Thai Visa Express earlier.

You say that you have lost money because you didn't use an agent. But you didn't lose any money apart from the fee of THB3,000 odd. You could make 6 applications and only succeed on the last one and you would have spent less than using an agent for one application - and the use of an agent doesn't guarantee success.

[Tony M]

You state that you have a few million Baht and also sufficirnt funds in the UK so why not appoint an agent, it may cost about THB 20,000 but really that is small money to save all these questions and not knowing if you are doing it correct thing. Agents know how to get approval, just make sure you appoint the correct one an I am sure you can get help with that. I used two agents, firstly just for a tourist visa and thet schooled her on the questions she would be asked, it all went very well and although we only asked for a months visa we got 6 months as per normal. After we got married in athailand I used another agent as it was more convenient and she also the visa without difficulties. Yes it is cheaper to do by yourself but if you have the money why bother?

Thanks for your advice but I object to the extortionate rates that agents charge for relatively menial work.

We have just been refused visitor visas to the UK for my wife (married 4 years, together for 6) and step-daughter. I thought we had a water tight case so why pay an Agent and maybe over confidence played a part.

The money we have lost would have paid for a profesional visa agent, of course there are still no 100% certanties but with the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had spoken to Paul at Thai Visa Express earlier.

You say that you have lost money because you didn't use an agent. But you didn't lose any money apart from the fee of THB3,000 odd. You could make 6 applications and only succeed on the last one and you would have spent less than using an agent for one application - and the use of an agent doesn't guarantee success.

Not quite true, pasak. Agents, such as Thai Visa express, take only a 5,000 THB deposit. If you don't get the visa, then you don't pay any more. Some agents will advertise " no visa, no fee" but they often don't return any of your deposit. Thai Visa Express is OISC registered in the UK as a visa adviser, and you can rely on their claim that there will be no other charge apart from the 5,000 THB deposit if the visa is not issued. If they didn't abide by their advertising, then they would lose their OISC registered status.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Tony M

[udonsmiles]

We have just been refused visitor visas to the UK for my wife (married 4 years, together for 6) and step-daughter. I thought we had a water tight case so why pay an Agent and maybe over confidence played a part.

The money we have lost would have paid for a profesional visa agent, of course there are still no 100% certanties but with the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had spoken to Paul at Thai Visa Express earlier.

You say that you have lost money because you didn't use an agent. But you didn't lose any money apart from the fee of THB3,000 odd. You could make 6 applications and only succeed on the last one and you would have spent less than using an agent for one application - and the use of an agent doesn't guarantee success.

No I didn't say I had lost money because I didn't use an agent, have another go at reading what I posted.

The money we lost or to put it another way, the money this lesson has cost is not just the visa fees. Prime time appointments on a saturday cost 1.500 each, add the cost of our family of four travelling to Bangkok from Udon and back, then factor in costs for my extra time away from work, the difference in flight prices because we can't travel off peak when we wanted and it all adds up.

It matters not one iota to me if you choose to use an agent or spend your time trying to get free advice on forums. Due to my experience, once again I will say I wished I had spoken to Paul earlier.

Good luck!

[pasak]

"Not quite true, pasak. Agents, such as Thai Visa express, take only a 5,000 THB deposit. If you don't get the visa, then you don't pay any more. Some agents will advertise " no visa, no fee" but they often don't return any of your deposit. Thai Visa Express is OISC registered in the UK as a visa adviser, and you can rely on their claim that there will be no other charge apart from the 5,000 THB deposit if the visa is not issued. If they didn't abide by their advertising, then they would lose their OISC registered status."

But Thai Visa Express don't take on a customer and make the 'no visa no fee' offer unless they are 98 pc certain that the visa will be granted.

Therefore for the 98 pc success rate they make a huge profit and for the 2pc failure rate they still make a profit, albeit not a scandalous one.

Theirs is a win win situation. And who are they helping? Themselves.

pasak

[Tony M]

"Not quite true, pasak. Agents, such as Thai Visa express, take only a 5,000 THB deposit. If you don't get the visa, then you don't pay any more. Some agents will advertise " no visa, no fee" but they often don't return any of your deposit. Thai Visa Express is OISC registered in the UK as a visa adviser, and you can rely on their claim that there will be no other charge apart from the 5,000 THB deposit if the visa is not issued. If they didn't abide by their advertising, then they would lose their OISC registered status."

But Thai Visa Express don't take on a customer and make the 'no visa no fee' offer unless they are 98 pc certain that the visa will be granted.

Therefore for the 98 pc success rate they make a huge profit and for the 2pc failure rate they still make a profit, albeit not a scandalous one.

Theirs is a win win situation. And who are they helping? Themselves.

pasak

I have no intention of starting an online " fight" with you. Paul, from Thai Visa Express is more than capable of answering for himself, if he can be bothered to answer your troll post. With respect you are quoting incredibly precise percentages for a business that you have no idea about. Internet trolls make up their "evidence", and if you claim to know what you are talking about, the let's see your evidence of those figures. If you claim the figures to be accurate, then you should say where they came from. If you claim the figures to be accurate but refuse to disclose how you obtained them, then your post is a troll post, or you have illegal access to Thai Visa Express's email and internet. Which is it ?

You obviously don't follow any of the posts in this forum ( or maybe those success stories don't fit into your "trolling") or you would know that Thai Visa Express has obtained visas for applicants and sponsors who thought they wouldn't get a visa, and has also had great success in getting refusal decisions overturned for applicants who have been refused visas. In the latter cases, often no fee has been charged. That kind of messes up your claim that only applications with a 98% success rate are taken on.

You are either a new poster in this forum, or an old poster returning under a new name. If you want to be recognised as a useful contributor, then please get your facts ( or whatever you claim to be facts) right.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

 

"Not quite true, pasak. Agents, such as Thai Visa express, take only a 5,000 THB deposit. If you don't get the visa, then you don't pay any more. Some agents will advertise " no visa, no fee" but they often don't return any of your deposit. Thai Visa Express is OISC registered in the UK as a visa adviser, and you can rely on their claim that there will be no other charge apart from the 5,000 THB deposit if the visa is not issued. If they didn't abide by their advertising, then they would lose their OISC registered status."

But Thai Visa Express don't take on a customer and make the 'no visa no fee' offer unless they are 98 pc certain that the visa will be granted.

Therefore for the 98 pc success rate they make a huge profit and for the 2pc failure rate they still make a profit, albeit not a scandalous one.

Theirs is a win win situation. And who are they helping? Themselves.

pasak

 

How do we make a profit can you fully explain this you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. we pay the visa application fee out of the deposit currently 4000 THB , we take the applicant to Bangkok, we pay the courier fee !

Explain whats left out of 5000 THB before you start making claims ensure you know the facts !

[RAZZELL]

You state that you have a few million Baht and also sufficirnt funds in the UK so why not appoint an agent, it may cost about THB 20,000 but really that is small money to save all these questions and not knowing if you are doing it correct thing. Agents know how to get approval, just make sure you appoint the correct one an I am sure you can get help with that. I used two agents, firstly just for a tourist visa and thet schooled her on the questions she would be asked, it all went very well and although we only asked for a months visa we got 6 months as per normal. After we got married in athailand I used another agent as it was more convenient and she also the visa without difficulties. Yes it is cheaper to do by yourself but if you have the money why bother?

They always give 6 months regardless of how many months you ask for. But they expect you to stay for the length of time you state on your application.

Thanks for your advice but I object to the extortionate rates that agents charge for relatively menial work.

After my girlfriend was granted the vias they asked her to sign a letter to say she would only remain in the UK for the time she had requested. I was disappointed seeing she had a 6 months visa stamped in her passport. When in the UK I contacted the Uk immigration and and asked why she had a 6 months visa but was expected to return after one month. The Officer laughed and said ignore all but what is in the passport if she has a 6 months stamp thats is what she got. I said we were worried that she had signed a letter to say she would return after one month and we did not want future problems. He repeated that we have 6 months and that is what we should go by and there would be no future problems unless she exceeded the 6 months. I think the letter was just ot put moral pressure on her to return and nothing else.

As Pasak correctly pointed out you do not pay for the time to fill out a form your are paying for expertise and that costs. For sure many do the application on their own and are successful however many are not. If you do not have surplus funds then a self application is necessary. In your case you have funds but if you want to be a "Cheap Charlie" and run the risk of refusal go ahead and do it on your own, I hope you will be succesfull and I hope you will be happy with the money you have saved in not using an agent, but if the application is refused....? Your choice!

Never heard of this before?

Explain.

RAZZ

[ThaiVisaExpress]

The eco can refer back to a previous application if you stayed longer than anticipated however as long as you returned before the visa expired I cannot see any real issues.

[7by7]

After my girlfriend was granted the vias they asked her to sign a letter to say she would only remain in the UK for the time she had requested

Never heard of this before?

Explain.

RAZZ

When was this, Billmont?

For his first visit, my step son was also required to sign a similar 'undertaking to return.' This was about 10 years ago,

My understanding is that they stopped doing this shortly after as the undertaking was not legally enforceable.

There is no legal requirement for a visitor to leave the UK at the end of the period they originally stated they intended to remain; as long as they leave when or before their visa expires.

However, if a visitor stays longer than originally stated this can damage their credibility and cause difficulties with future applications if not explained. Especially if they said they had to return by a certain date for work or similar.

[thomasteve]

They always give 6 months regardless of how many months you ask for. But they expect you to stay for the length of time you state on your application.

Thanks for your advice but I object to the extortionate rates that agents charge for relatively menial work.

After my girlfriend was granted the vias they asked her to sign a letter to say she would only remain in the UK for the time she had requested. I was disappointed seeing she had a 6 months visa stamped in her passport. When in the UK I contacted the Uk immigration and and asked why she had a 6 months visa but was expected to return after one month. The Officer laughed and said ignore all but what is in the passport if she has a 6 months stamp thats is what she got. I said we were worried that she had signed a letter to say she would return after one month and we did not want future problems. He repeated that we have 6 months and that is what we should go by and there would be no future problems unless she exceeded the 6 months. I think the letter was just ot put moral pressure on her to return and nothing else.

We had a similar experience where a 6 month visa was issued but endorsed with the wording "not valid without undertaking to return".

That undertaking consisted of another form that had to be completed and handed back in at the BKK embassy immediately upon return to prove that the specified period of approx 2 weeks had not been overstayed !!

this was a few years ago so maybe they're no longer allowed to add their own extra conditions in BKK.

This was in 2007 so it must have been changed since then.

Edited September 23, 2013 by thomasteve

[Billmont]

You state that you have a few million Baht and also sufficirnt funds in the UK so why not appoint an agent, it may cost about THB 20,000 but really that is small money to save all these questions and not knowing if you are doing it correct thing. Agents know how to get approval, just make sure you appoint the correct one an I am sure you can get help with that. I used two agents, firstly just for a tourist visa and thet schooled her on the questions she would be asked, it all went very well and although we only asked for a months visa we got 6 months as per normal. After we got married in athailand I used another agent as it was more convenient and she also the visa without difficulties. Yes it is cheaper to do by yourself but if you have the money why bother?

They always give 6 months regardless of how many months you ask for. But they expect you to stay for the length of time you state on your application.

Thanks for your advice but I object to the extortionate rates that agents charge for relatively menial work.

After my girlfriend was granted the vias they asked her to sign a letter to say she would only remain in the UK for the time she had requested. I was disappointed seeing she had a 6 months visa stamped in her passport. When in the UK I contacted the Uk immigration and and asked why she had a 6 months visa but was expected to return after one month. The Officer laughed and said ignore all but what is in the passport if she has a 6 months stamp thats is what she got. I said we were worried that she had signed a letter to say she would return after one month and we did not want future problems. He repeated that we have 6 months and that is what we should go by and there would be no future problems unless she exceeded the 6 months. I think the letter was just ot put moral pressure on her to return and nothing else.

As Pasak correctly pointed out you do not pay for the time to fill out a form your are paying for expertise and that costs. For sure many do the application on their own and are successful however many are not. If you do not have surplus funds then a self application is necessary. In your case you have funds but if you want to be a "Cheap Charlie" and run the risk of refusal go ahead and do it on your own, I hope you will be succesfull and I hope you will be happy with the money you have saved in not using an agent, but if the application is refused....? Your choice!

Never heard of this before?

Explain.

RAZZ

Sorry, I am confused, explain what?

[Billmont]

After my girlfriend was granted the vias they asked her to sign a letter to say she would only remain in the UK for the time she had requested

Never heard of this before?

Explain.

RAZZ

When was this, Billmont?

For his first visit, my step son was also required to sign a similar 'undertaking to return.' This was about 10 years ago,

My understanding is that they stopped doing this shortly after as the undertaking was not legally enforceable.

There is no legal requirement for a visitor to leave the UK at the end of the period they originally stated they intended to remain; as long as they leave when or before their visa expires.

However, if a visitor stays longer than originally stated this can damage their credibility and cause difficulties with future applications if not explained. Especially if they said they had to return by a certain date for work or similar.

It was about 10 years ago but 1 year after that we got our marriage visa without any problems although she did not return by the date on the letter of undertaking but within the date of the actual visa stamped in her Passport.