A little help needed guys

[luv2bexpat]

Hi guys

I'm kinda new to all this, so please forgive me if I don't fully post all the relevant information. I don't think my situation is new, but I have looked around the forum for similar issues and not really found much to piece them together.

Ok so here it goes

The Background

I am 51 yrs old and at the moment living/based in the UK (I have sufficient funds for retirement visa), I have a Thai wife and married 7 yrs and we are very happy together. I work full time, but on a flexible arrangement with the NHS which allows me to roam a bit .

My wife has ILR around 4.5 yrs and is wishing to become a citizen of the UK ( I have tried to convince her otherwise!!!). We have been living in the UK since we got married 7 yrs ago.

I have started attending a University in Thailand full time study, but its set up in a way that allows students attend in the Thai education system holidays, so around 10/14 weeks a year which allows me to either return to the UK to work or stay in the Kingdom (if I applied for an ED visa).

I have only completed a small portion of study (around 1 month) under a Tourist visa (visa is 2 month, single entry) and have not applied for a Education visa at the moment. I have had to return to the UK for a family emergency which has now resolved. My hope is to return shortly to continue to study.

Whilst here in Thailand last month, my wife was offered employment and is thinking about supplementing our income, so I perhaps won't need to return to the UK to work for the duration of the study.

I will state it is our intention, at the moment, to return to the UK after the study period.

The questions

For me - Is there a duration I have to stay out of the Kingdom, before being allowed re-entry i.e I had a 2 month tourist and had to return to the UK after 1 month? Can I reapply for another tourist visa given there is time still left on the original visa (around 3 weeks) at the moment? The course allows me to apply for an ED visa if required, or I could perhaps go via the retirement or even marriage visa i suppose, which one would you suggest, given my wife's wants listed below.

For my wife - If I stayed in the Kingdom for the duration of the course (3 years) with my wife, how would that effect her UK ILR and her possible citizenship, if she wished to continue and apply for it? Would we need to return for periods to the UK to maintain it?

I hope this makes some sense to you guys and apologies if it seems scrappy, I'm sure there is a 1000 more questions that I could think of, but these are the most pressing for us both at the moment, if there is a simple answer or solution please forward them on as my head is spinning at the moment.

Kindest regards all and keep up the good work on this great site.

Luv2be

[TerryLH]

"My wife has ILR around 4.5 yrs and is wishing to become a citizen of the UK ( I have tried to convince her otherwise!!!)."

Why would you do that? I don't think there's a downside to dual nationality.

No time frame for having to stay out of the country between entries.

You can extend a tourist visa for 30 days at an immigration office.

Depending on where you are studying, you might be eligible for a one year (Ed) extension.

Can't help about your wife's situation.

[edwinchester]

As far as your wife is concerned if she lives in Thailand fulltime for three years there is a very strong likelyhood she will lose ILR as it is issued on condition of UK residency.

However a visit back to UK maybe once a year will probably keep it alive.

[ubonjoe]

I suggest you get a single entry non-o visa before you return based upon your marriage. You need your marriage certificate and copy of her passport, ID card and house book.

You could get an extension based upon attending university or marriage with this visa. Another tourist visa would require you to go out for another visa to extend for education.

If your wife is here you can get a 60 day extension to visit her.

As far your questions about UK those would be better asked on the other visa forum.

[luv2bexpat]

Hi guys

Many thanks for the posts its been a great help, it gives me a direction to head in and I will pop across to the other forum and have a good look round.

Oh and TerryLH ( I have tried to convince her otherwise!!!) its a bit of humour my friend in what otherwise may have been a long post, but thanks for your answer its been a real help

Regards all

Luv2be