Aussie And Thai G/f To Uk For 4 Weeks

[Ozspike]

Hi all

I have been an Australian for the past 22 years(from England originally) My girlfriend has been to Aus twice on three month tourist visa's and we are now waiting for the fiancee visa to be granted (we applied in April and she is back in Thailand now), but as this can take upto 6 months I want to take her to the UK for a 4 week holliday in August to meet the rest of my family.

I have looked on the UK embassy web site and got the info for her Visitor visa but as I am sponsoring her as a Aussie so I guess I just use my Aussie passport but is there anything else I will need.

Thanks

Spike & Pui

[GU22]

As an Australian citizen you do not need a visa to enter the UK as a visitor.

As far as your girlfriend's application is concerned, as she has already visited Australia twice and is currently going through an Australian fiance visa, I cannot see any reason for any difficulty with her getting a UK visit visa.

[Ozspike]

Thanks for the prompt reply

I just wanted to make sure I had all the info for her visa as we have been through the Aussie tourist visa drama's a few times, being turned down the first 2 times. We want to get the UK application correct first time.

Thanks again

Spike

[GU22]

Understand. You should write a covering letter briefly outlining the history of your relationship and the reason for wanting to visit the UK. Mention her previous Australian visits and that she is currently applying for an Australian fiance visa.

If you've not already done so, have a read of the following:-

Guidance - Visitors (INF 2)

Guidance - Sponsors (INF 3)

Diplomatic Service Procedures - Entry clearance - Volume 1 - General instructions Chapter 10 - Visit entry requirements

Documnet checklist for social visits (pdf)

[Ozspike]

Thanks

I checked all that stuff and the only question I have is am I still a sponsor as an Australian, all the docs talk about "evidence of your own immigration status in the United Kingdom".

They dont mention being a sponsor from another country.

Spike

[the scouser]

Your a sponsor in the sense that you'l (presumably) be funding the trip. Write a covering letter to accompany your g/f's application in which you can explain that you'll be in the UK as a visitor, too. Also state in the letter that your g/f has visited Australia, complied with the conditions of her stay and that she's now in the process of seeking to settle there. That should make it plain to the visa officer that neither you nor your g/f intend nothing more than a visit to the UK.

Cheers,

Scouse.

[samran]

Scouse, wouldn't the fact that he is originally from England (and presumably a British Citizen still) help the application?

Not sure but could be something....

[Ozspike]

Scouse, wouldn't the fact that he is originally from England (and presumably a British Citizen still) help the application?

Not sure but could be something....

Samran is correct I do have both nationalities but I am not sure if mentioning this would help or hurt my application as I am able to return and live in the UK any time I like (even though this is not me intension, too cold for my now thinned out Aussie blood). As my British passport expired 15 years ago I would only be attaching a copy of the Aussie passport.

Any advice

Thanks Spike

[GU22]

As the purpose of the visit is to meet your family, then it will be fairly obvious that you have British ancestry.

However, I don't think that saying you still have British nationality will either help or harm the application.

[Ozspike]

Just an update to this thread

I got back to Bangkok with all the docs for the tourist visa for my GF(used most of the stuff we had prepaired for the ausie fiancee visa). arrived at the VFS office at 8am Thu 13/7 lined up outside for 30 mins was out of there by 9am(just had to redoo her photo as the background of the pic was light blue and not white) we asked them to courier the passport back to us at the Udon Thani pickup center.

Got a call on Sunday from the Ubon Rachatani pickup center to say the passport was ready. We were supprised at the speed of the result and as we are in Mahasarakham the drive to Ubon R instead of Udon T was only about 80km more, so we drove down to pick up the passport today Mon 17/7 and were delighted to find the 6 month visa inside. It had been sent from the embassy on Fri 14/7 so a one day turn around had we picked it up in Bangkok.

We would like to thank VFS and the U.K. Embassy( if anyone from there reads this forum) and also the scouser, GU22 and samran for there help.

Spike & Pui

[the scouser]

Well done, Spike.

Scouse

[GU22]

Nice one, enjoy the trip.

(Temprature today in London, 30 degrees Celsius!)

[samran]

Nice one, enjoy the trip.

(Temprature today in London, 30 degrees Celsius!)

London on a summers day is one of my favourite places in the world....anywhere except on the tube that is.

Good work OZspike! Enjoy the trip.