visa for spouse for the U.K from Thailand

[normanski]

i am married to a Thai lady,legally,and now live in England,my wife who is in Thailand now wishes to come to England and stay indefinetly

what would be the best visa to allow this,and also is there a requirement for me to have sufficient funds to cover her stay.and what amount of money would i need to show

thanks for assistance

norman

[7by7]

She applies for settlement as your spouse.

This will be valid for 33 months and after living in the UK for 30 momths she applies for Further Leave to Remain. This will be valid for 30 months and at the end of this she applies for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

There is a financial requirement which you have to meet. Basically you need to be earning at least £18,600 p.a. or have cash savings of at least £62,500; although these can be combined to reduce both. If in receipt of certain benefits, such as Disability Living Allowance, you are exempt from this. See Annex FM Section FM 1.7: Financial Requirement

In addition, for her initial visa your wife will need to achieve at least A1 of the CEFR in English speaking and listening and have a certificate showing she is free from TB.

For more details, have a read of UK settlement visa basics, then feel free to ask any questions you may have; preferably in this thread.

[phraeophailin]

Good Day All

I have just also started my spouse visa. At present living in Thailand and hope to return early next year with my wife and daughter. They have both been to UK twice on a tourist visa without any problems. My daughter is seven years old. I have been married for four years and still work fly in / out now 60yrs old. I am hoping to return to the UK to look after my mother who is frail and in need of some body to care for her. I have many questions but start with.

the amount of money that my wife needs in her name 62500 GBP does this need to be in a UK bank account we have it in Thai bank accounts without selling any land.

My wages are deposited into a joint bank account in Thailand. Will this be OK to show along with a letter from my employer. My wage is enough to cover the amount.

I do have a UK bank account but only has 8000 GBP . but been there a long time. We will be staying at my mothers house the whole period.

thanks

[7by7]

Savings of £62,500 will meet the requirement for a spouse; it's more if a child is applying as well, but presumably your daughter has a British passport and so wont be applying.

The savings can be in the name of the applicant, the sponsor, or held jointly.

So if your wife has at least this amount of cash savings, and has held them for at least the last 6 months, then this meets the requirement.

The money must meet the requirements of part 7 of the financial appendix and as it is in a foreign bank also those of appendix P.

If, instead, you decide to use your income then you must meet the requirements of part 5 of the financial appendix.

[apiwan]

I earn 20K PA and will be soon applying for a spouse visa for my fiance to join me in the UK.

I want to use an agent of such and I have been looking at siamlegal.

Does anyone know if they are good or could suggest another.

Thanks

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[theoldgit]

I earn 20K PA and will be soon applying for a spouse visa for my fiance to join me in the UK.

I want to use an agent of such and I have been looking at siamlegal.

Does anyone know if they are good or could suggest another.

If I was considering using an agent for a Settlement Visa application, I would be using an agent who specialises, and is highly experienced, in all visa applications, rather than a generic lawyer.

Thaivisaexpress, who sponsors and gives advice on this forum, is a very experienced and competent agent and comes highly recommended. He can be contacted via the link on the forum.

I personally wouldn't use an agent for a straightforward application, and I certainly wouldn't consider using a lawyer, but given the high price of the application fee it suits some.

[apiwan]

I earn 20K PA and will be soon applying for a spouse visa for my fiance to join me in the UK.

I want to use an agent of such and I have been looking at siamlegal.

Does anyone know if they are good or could suggest another.

If I was considering using an agent for a Settlement Visa application, I would be using an agent who specialises, and is highly experienced, in all visa applications, rather than a generic lawyer.

Thaivisaexpress, who sponsors and gives advice on this forum, is a very experienced and competent agent and comes highly recommended. He can be contacted via the link on the forum.

I personally wouldn't use an agent for a straightforward application, and I certainly wouldn't consider using a lawyer, but given the high price of the application fee it suits some.

It's not a quite a simple application as such.

Where's the link for thaivisaexpress?

Thanks

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[theoldgit]

It's not a quite a simple application as such.

Where's the link for thaivisaexpress?

Thanks

It's actually to the right of the forum, I didn't post the link because I didn't want you to think I was pushing him or was connected, I just know that he and his team are well respected.

But here it is http://www.thaivisa-express.com/

[apiwan]

It's not a quite a simple application as such.

Where's the link for thaivisaexpress?

Thanks

It's actually to the right of the forum, I didn't post the link because I didn't want you to think I was pushing him or was connected, I just know that he and his team are well respected.

But here it is http://www.thaivisa-express.com/

thanks mate for that,

it says cost is 95 large but you pay 5 K upfront and the balance on getting the visa,

and only 5K if you dont.

trouble is they are in pattaya, i dont like going that place, lol, im in BKK.

wont be till jan at the earliest and im starting to get some stuff together,

[jimn]

Best of luck apiwan. I am sure that you would rather get the best agent to help you and if it takes a couple of trips to see TonyM at Thai Visa Express or even Darren at Key Visa I think you will find it worthwhile especially if you dont want to do the application yourself. Struggling to know what you mean about Pattaya though "I dont like going to that place"

My wife and I live in a lovely secure gated community in East Pattaya, we love it. Beats Bangkok any day. Too busy, smells I hate the place. Just goes to show its all personal taste.

[7by7]

Best of luck apiwan. I am sure that you would rather get the best agent to help you and if it takes a couple of trips to see TonyM at Thai Visa Express or even Darren at Key Visa I think you will find it worthwhile especially if you dont want to do the application yourself.

I would not suggest anyone use Key Visa.

The strict Thai defamation law, under which even when what you're saying is true is no defence, and hence the forum rules forbid me from saying why.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Our fess are not 95 k , the contracts are on the site how much more transparent can we be ?

1. Applicant pays visa fees
2. x rays
3. A1 Test

Once the visa is issued you pay our fees which is 800 pounds sterling if you require a tourist visa its 5 k deposit we pay all the fees and a balance of 25 k at the end. Our settlement visa fees range between 600 to 800 making us the cheapest & the only registered office in Pattaya.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

It's not a quite a simple application as such.

Where's the link for thaivisaexpress?

Thanks

It's actually to the right of the forum, I didn't post the link because I didn't want you to think I was pushing him or was connected, I just know that he and his team are well respected.

But here it is http://www.thaivisa-express.com/

thanks mate for that,

it says cost is 95 large but you pay 5 K upfront and the balance on getting the visa,

and only 5K if you dont.

trouble is they are in pattaya, i dont like going that place, lol, im in BKK.

wont be till jan at the earliest and im starting to get some stuff together,

It doesn't say 95 k on my site anywhere you must be on one of those Thai travel agents come we do visas shops ?

Do they have any formal immigration background ?

Are they registered with the OISC or have they ever been registered ?

I've been registered over 8 years and Tony has worked for the UK BA for over 30 years.

Just do a Google search before you use any company here, you may find some interesting facts.

If you use any agent just do you're homework we currently have 6 applications from clients who used other agents for settlement visa application. All of them came back refused some agents have held onto the refusal for an extra 2 months the client didn't know they had been refused.

If i was paying visa fees for clients i would have no issues because we actually know the rules & how to interpret the current rules as per fm.

One agent has 8 refusals sat at the embassy you times 8 x 43000 visa fee hes lost a lot of money, hes leaving these in the system hoping a new high court challenge reduces the level of income they require so he gets paid.

We qualify all self -employed clients up then we liaise with their accountants directly to ensure they meet the new requirements before we take any client on we do our due diligence .

We have never been declined a visa under the new financial requirements and we don't intend to waste any clients money neither.

I would advise you either do the application yourself or seek advice from a competent agent who should financially qualify you up before he/she does anything.

Good luck in which ever direction you take.

[teatree]

Another option for someone who cannot meet the criteria for a spouse visa is to go with your Thai wife to an EU country ouside of the UK and set up your base there...e.g. get a job...pay tax etc for a few months and then travel to the UK.

As a citizen of the EU it is your right to live with your wife when relocating from one EU member to another and EU law supercedes UK law.

[beano2274]

Another option for someone who cannot meet the criteria for a spouse visa is to go with your Thai wife to an EU country ouside of the UK and set up your base there...e.g. get a job...pay tax etc for a few months and then travel to the UK.

As a citizen of the EU it is your right to live with your wife when relocating from one EU member to another and EU law supercedes UK law.

yes this is true, but to get your wife to Germany for example she needs to get the Aufenthaltstitel from the German Embassy in Bangkok first, although it can be done another way, this is the correct way. And as most people will tell you the German Embassy is not the friendliest.

My wife has been here in Germany for about a year and am British, I was lucky and knew about this rule.

[apiwan]

Another option for someone who cannot meet the criteria for a spouse visa is to go with your Thai wife to an EU country ouside of the UK and set up your base there...e.g. get a job...pay tax etc for a few months and then travel to the UK.

As a citizen of the EU it is your right to live with your wife when relocating from one EU member to another and EU law supercedes UK law.

yes this is true, but to get your wife to Germany for example she needs to get the Aufenthaltstitel from the German Embassy in Bangkok first, although it can be done another way, this is the correct way. And as most people will tell you the German Embassy is not the friendliest.

My wife has been here in Germany for about a year and am British, I was lucky and knew about this rule.

Don't like the sound of that Aufenthaltstitel!!!

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[apiwan]

Our fess are not 95 k , the contracts are on the site how much more transparent can we be ?

• Applicant pays visa fees
• x rays
• A1 Test

Once the visa is issued you pay our fees which is 800 pounds sterling if you require a tourist visa its 5 k deposit we pay all the fees and a balance of 25 k at the end. Our settlement visa fees range between 600 to 800 making us the cheapest & the only registered office in Pattaya.

Will look again.

Apologies if I made a mistake.

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[apiwan]

dont know what link i clicked,

but just to confirm found your fees page and it says 800.00,

http://www.thaivisa-express.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/UK-Office-Quote.pdf

sorry for any confusion,

weird that

[apiwan]

i'm getting conflicting reports here regarding the application processing fees

some say £1.200 and some £885,

what actually is the fee to apply for a visa ?

I mean the fee to UK PLC, not the visa agents fee.

thanks

[theoldgit]

It's £885, though from Thailand you have to pay in US$.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/308633/fees-table-06-04-14.pdf

[apiwan]

It's £885, though from Thailand you have to pay in US$.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/308633/fees-table-06-04-14.pdf

thanks mate,

don't know why they've changed to dollars, Euro i could understand,

Amazing Britain

[apiwan]

this make interesting reading

from 7by7's pinned thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/524561-uk-settlement-visa-basics/

Quote

To qualify for this the couple need to show that they have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage for at least the last two years. Short periods apart are acceptable, but one partner living in Thailand and the other in the UK and just visiting regularly would not be.

In the last 2 years I've been working in the UK

but in Thailand

March/may 10 weeks

July 4 weeks

October 4 weeks

Dec/Jan 4 weeks

Short periods apart are acceptable,, What defines a short period ?

[7by7]

Your quote from the pinned topic is part of the criteria for unmarried partners.

You said before

I ........will be soon applying for a spouse visa for my fiance to join me in the UK.......

If applying as either a fiance or a spouse there is no need to have been living together for any period at all; merely that you have met and the relationship is genuine.

However, if you are not yet married and are considering your partner applying as an unmarried partner rather than as a fiance, then this would be relevant.

To answer your question; "What defines a short period?" there is no explicit definition; each case is judged on it's own merits taking into account factors such as the reasons, length and frequency of any periods of separation.

The following is from the guidance issued to ECOs for applications made prior to 9/7/12. I can't find the specific guidance on this point for applications made after this date, but doubt that it has changed much on this point.

SET5.12 Assessing whether the relationship has subsisted for two years

‘Living together’, should be applied fairly tightly, with a couple providing evidence that they have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership which has subsisted for two years or more.

Periods apart for up to six months would be acceptable for good reasons, such as work commitments, or looking after a relative as long as:
•it was not possible for the other partner to accompany; and
•the applicant can show evidence that the relationship continued throughout that period, for example, by visits, letters, logged phone calls.

SET5.13 What types of evidence might demonstrate living together and a relationship akin to marriage / civil partnership?

The applicant must provide six pieces of correspondence addressed to him / her and their partner at the same address as evidence that they have been living together during the past 2 years. The items of correspondence should be addressed to them jointly or in both their names. If they do not have enough items in their joint names, they may also provide items addressed to each of other individually if they show the same address for both of them. The documents provided must be originals and should be spread over the whole 2 years; they should also be from at least 3 different sources. Examples of what documentation the applicant could provide are listed below:
•Joint commitments, (such as joint bank accounts, investments, rent agreements, mortgage, life insurance policy naming the other partner as beneficiary etc);
•Birth certificates or records of any children of the relationship, showing both partners as parents;
•Any official correspondence linking both partners to the same address, for example Council Tax, utility bills, Doctors records;
•Any other evidence that adequately demonstrates the couple’s long-term commitment to each other.

[apiwan]

Your quote from the pinned topic is part of the criteria for unmarried partners.

You said before

I ........will be soon applying for a spouse visa for my fiance to join me in the UK.......

If applying as either a fiance or a spouse there is no need to have been living together for any period at all; merely that you have met and the relationship is genuine.

However, if you are not yet married and are considering your partner applying as an unmarried partner rather than as a fiance, then this would be relevant.

To answer your question; "What defines a short period?" there is no explicit definition; each case is judged on it's own merits taking into account factors such as the reasons, length and frequency of any periods of separation.

The following is from the guidance issued to ECOs for applications made prior to 9/7/12. I can't find the specific guidance on this point for applications made after this date, but doubt that it has changed much on this point.

SET5.12 Assessing whether the relationship has subsisted for two years

‘Living together’, should be applied fairly tightly, with a couple providing evidence that they have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership which has subsisted for two years or more.

Periods apart for up to six months would be acceptable for good reasons, such as work commitments, or looking after a relative as long as:

•it was not possible for the other partner to accompany; and

•the applicant can show evidence that the relationship continued throughout that period, for example, by visits, letters, logged phone calls.

SET5.13 What types of evidence might demonstrate living together and a relationship akin to marriage / civil partnership?

The applicant must provide six pieces of correspondence addressed to him / her and their partner at the same address as evidence that they have been living together during the past 2 years. The items of correspondence should be addressed to them jointly or in both their names. If they do not have enough items in their joint names, they may also provide items addressed to each of other individually if they show the same address for both of them. The documents provided must be originals and should be spread over the whole 2 years; they should also be from at least 3 different sources. Examples of what documentation the applicant could provide are listed below:

•Joint commitments, (such as joint bank accounts, investments, rent agreements, mortgage, life insurance policy naming the other partner as beneficiary etc);

•Birth certificates or records of any children of the relationship, showing both partners as parents;

•Any official correspondence linking both partners to the same address, for example Council Tax, utility bills, Doctors records;

•Any other evidence that adequately demonstrates the couple’s long-term commitment to each other.

Thanks for the reply mate

Just getting as much info has I can at the moment.

Will use the visa guy

To help put together a package and which is the best way to go.

Thinking around Jan to apply.

And October to start the ball rolling.

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