Skelton man left devastated after his wife told to return to Thailand

[Living in a cartoon]

Could not agree more

Act in haste, regret at leisure.

Again, why make this story in an "online newspaper"? TVF needs to raise the bar a bit.

But it is amusing, cudos to the Samui Times for that.

Nick is just another random dumbass.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Living in a cartoon

[Payboy]

Swiss Cheese has less holes then in this story ...

"Nick met Toy, 50, while visiting his brother in February 2012"

Then ...

"She was then granted a visa to live with Nick in New Zealand. But after four-and-a-half years in the country"

That makes it August 2016 ...

Then ...

"Toy was then granted a six-month visitor visa with Nick"

That makes it February 2017 ...

Can I have some of the Lotto numbers please ...

That's assuming that all those application and Visas were contiguous ... which I doubt.

Interesting ...

.

Quite plausible really. Because this is 2557 and they're both 500+ years old.

[Seekingasylum]

Which bit of visit visa did this man not understand?

What worries me is that he is apparently an oil rig worker, a dangerous occupation In a difficult environment in which one would hope one's colleagues were all compos mentis and had their heads screwed on facing the right direction.

And that dreadful,self pitying whining now that reality has impinged on their lives? Quite repulsive really.

[WhamBam]

Devastating is not quite the phrase I would use either.

Surely a little bit of research would have shown him what the requirements are for the correct visa in the Uk and how to go about it?

Where the article states her English is not up to standard? If she cannot speak very good English after living here for quite some time AND going to classes, then she needs to up the ante. He also needs to be speaking to her in English every day.

[gamini]

I can't believe that this sort of thing happens in the UK. I admit that I am a bit out of touch. But I would just like to tell my story.

I met my Thai wife in South Malaysia. We got married there on a Saturday. Two days later we went to The British High Commission in Singapore and my wife applied for British Citizenship. She had to swear allengence to "The Queen". She managed in spite of not being able to speak English, We got her citizenship paper and went to the consular section to apply for a passport. It was ready a week later!! When her UK passport expired. She did not renew it. But instead got her Thai password stamped with "right of abode in the UK" She could then use her Thai passport to go to UK whenever we went and stay as long as she wanted without any visa!

I am old now and when I read the post I thought to myself how glad I am to have lived in better times. Many years ago I got permanent residence very easily. It makes me sad to see everything changing.

[paz]

What the hell are you on about?

Her tourist visa expired in March and she is still there.

They tried to change her visa to a spousal visa from the UK.... You can't do that. Has to be done from outside same as Thai regulations.

Not true. With the correct paperwork, one can convert any type of visa, or visa exempt entry, to a non-O for reason of marriage, then extend stay indefinitely, all that without ever leaving Thailand.

Thailand is on the verge of doing this to potentially thousands of farang. Will they hang THEIR heads in shame when men are torn from their children and girlfriends???

Really? Who told you so ?

...

I hope they don't issue her visa. She seems to have overstayed.

They may have made a mistake or had excessive expectations. No reason to wish them ill.

[mrtoad]

I can't believe that this sort of thing happens in the UK. I admit that I am a bit out of touch. But I would just like to tell my story.

I met my Thai wife in South Malaysia. We got married there on a Saturday. Two days later we went to The British High Commission in Singapore and my wife applied for British Citizenship. She had to swear allengence to "The Queen". She managed in spite of not being able to speak English, We got her citizenship paper and went to the consular section to apply for a passport. It was ready a week later!! When her UK passport expired. She did not renew it. But instead got her Thai password stamped with "right of abode in the UK" She could then use her Thai passport to go to UK whenever we went and stay as long as she wanted without any visa!

I am old now and when I read the post I thought to myself how glad I am to have lived in better times. Many years ago I got permanent residence very easily. It makes me sad to see everything changing.

How many decades ago was that?

[Satcommlee]

Sad story but if it is safe to say that an offshore worker should earn enough to meet the income requirements.

Except that the offshore worker is probably not paying tax in the UK on these earnings (A perk which many offshore workers enjoy)

There is a remedy, and that is declare the income in the UK, pay tax on it and everything would be fine!

[Seekingasylum]

I can't believe that this sort of thing happens in the UK. I admit that I am a bit out of touch. But I would just like to tell my story.

I met my Thai wife in South Malaysia. We got married there on a Saturday. Two days later we went to The British High Commission in Singapore and my wife applied for British Citizenship. She had to swear allengence to "The Queen". She managed in spite of not being able to speak English, We got her citizenship paper and went to the consular section to apply for a passport. It was ready a week later!! When her UK passport expired. She did not renew it. But instead got her Thai password stamped with "right of abode in the UK" She could then use her Thai passport to go to UK whenever we went and stay as long as she wanted without any visa!

I am old now and when I read the post I thought to myself how glad I am to have lived in better times. Many years ago I got permanent residence very easily. It makes me sad to see everything changing.

How many decades ago was that?

Section 6(2) Nationality Act 1948 permitted women who married Citizens of the UK & Colonies to register as CUKCs.

The gentleman is certainly doing well.

Different world then, only the rich or those on government service could afford air travel. Most travelled by sea and even then it was for the chosen few ( or on an assisted passage ).

If the jet engine hadn't been invented we'd still be in those days now.

[Basil B]

~~~ VISIT VISA ~~~

Is exactly that, you just can not "ride a couch and houses" through any White Hall department, the door are not wide enough.

[soihok]

I can't believe that this sort of thing happens in the UK. I admit that I am a bit out of touch. But I would just like to tell my story.

I met my Thai wife in South Malaysia. We got married there on a Saturday. Two days later we went to The British High Commission in Singapore and my wife applied for British Citizenship. She had to swear allengence to "The Queen". She managed in spite of not being able to speak English, We got her citizenship paper and went to the consular section to apply for a passport. It was ready a week later!! When her UK passport expired. She did not renew it. But instead got her Thai password stamped with "right of abode in the UK" She could then use her Thai passport to go to UK whenever we went and stay as long as she wanted without any visa!

I am old now and when I read the post I thought to myself how glad I am to have lived in better times. Many years ago I got permanent residence very easily. It makes me sad to see everything changing.

If only things were still that simple.

[robertthebruce]

Get over it Luv....

[Suradit69]

Looks to me like a complete fiction

If it is not....clear way forward is leave and make a proper application!

It is a bit like the endless visa threads!

It is NOT difficult to get the paperwork right

Who in their right minds leaves it until the last 3 or 4 months to get a new Passport?

"Who in their right minds leaves it until the last 3 or 4 months to get a new Passport?"

Type in "overstay" in the search function and the "who" will appear in multiple threads with "my new passport hasn't come back yet" as one of many lame excuses for overstaying in Thailand.

As to being in their right minds, that would just open up a new stream of speculative comments.

[Tywais]

Posts making light of a person's appearance has been removed as off topic and abusive.

[7by7]

What the hell are you on about?

Her tourist visa expired in March and she is still there.

They tried to change her visa to a spousal visa from the UK.... You can't do that. Has to be done from outside same as Thai regulations.

Not true. With the correct paperwork, one can convert any type of visa, or visa exempt entry, to a non-O for reason of marriage, then extend stay indefinitely, all that without ever leaving Thailand.

Maybe you should read the OP again.

This couple are not in Thailand, they are in the UK.

UK visit visas cannot be converted to settlement within the UK.

[durhamboy]

I can't believe that this sort of thing happens in the UK. I admit that I am a bit out of touch. But I would just like to tell my story.

I met my Thai wife in South Malaysia. We got married there on a Saturday. Two days later we went to The British High Commission in Singapore and my wife applied for British Citizenship. She had to swear allengence to "The Queen". She managed in spite of not being able to speak English, We got her citizenship paper and went to the consular section to apply for a passport. It was ready a week later!! When her UK passport expired. She did not renew it. But instead got her Thai password stamped with "right of abode in the UK" She could then use her Thai passport to go to UK whenever we went and stay as long as she wanted without any visa!

I am old now and when I read the post I thought to myself how glad I am to have lived in better times. Many years ago I got permanent residence very easily. It makes me sad to see everything changing.

How many decades ago was that?

Section 6(2) Nationality Act 1948 permitted women who married Citizens of the UK & Colonies to register as CUKCs.

The gentleman is certainly doing well.

Different world then, only the rich or those on government service could afford air travel. Most travelled by sea and even then it was for the chosen few ( or on an assisted passage ).

If the jet engine hadn't been invented we'd still be in those days now.

I believe this was called "patriality" and was basically where a wife had an automatic right to live in her husband's country. Many countries had it. Only the wife could follow the husband and not the other way round. I believe the fee was nominal.

It is not really because of the affordity of air travel that changed this. I know patriality was in place up to at least the mid-seventies. We had mass immigration into the UK starting from the mid 1950s.

Personally I think a variant of this system should still be in place. The variant being it should not be sexist i.e. the husband should be able to follow the wife. Only one spouse should be allowed. The only "hoop" to go through should be too prove a genuine relationship including an interview with an ECO. Sadly, whilst introducing more and more onerous hoops the interview to prove a genuine relationship has all but disappeared nowadays.

In the case in question I think the lady has to go back. The law (deficient as it is) applies to everyone and there should only be exceptions on compassionate grounds. There do not seem to be such compassionate grounds here.

Edited July 20, 2014 by durhamboy

[7by7]

In the case in question I think the lady has to go back. The law (deficient as it is) applies to everyone and there should only be exceptions on compassionate grounds. There do not seem to be such compassionate grounds here.

I'm sorry, but why do you say that the law that a visit visa cannot be converted to settlement is deficient?

Horses for courses.

If I'm moving house and want a vehicle to transport my furniture I'm going to hire a van, not a motorcycle.

If someone wants to settle in the UK then they should apply for a settlement visa, not a visit visa.

[geordiel]

We constantly read about guys on here who go through all the stress of doing it the proper way, if this guy and his wife would have been allowed to remain together in the UK, then what kind of picture does it give those currently applying. There would be an influx of tourists coming and getting married and wanting to stay.

Before we get the usual comments, I am British live in Germany with my Thai wife who has permission to stay here, and we will use this if we need to go to the UK to live.

Off topic Sorry but Iam also from UK and for now working in Germany. Thai wife and kids joining me in approx 4 weeks. I would be very interested in how your wife is settling (ie non German speaking). Please PM if you wish.

[durhamboy]

In the case in question I think the lady has to go back. The law (deficient as it is) applies to everyone and there should only be exceptions on compassionate grounds. There do not seem to be such compassionate grounds here.

I'm sorry, but why do you say that the law that a visit visa cannot be converted to settlement is deficient?

Horses for courses.

If I'm moving house and want a vehicle to transport my furniture I'm going to hire a van, not a motorcycle.

If someone wants to settle in the UK then they should apply for a settlement visa, not a visit visa.

Actually 7by7 I wasn't really referring to conversion of visit visa to settlement visa. I was really referring to the whole visa system for partners/spouses which, for many reasons, I think is a shambles.

However, seeing as you mention it - why shouldn't someone be able to change a visit visa into a settlement visa? Why should someone have to return to their own country and apply there? Why can they not be able to apply for a settlement visa from the UK. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't that used to be possible? As long as they fulfil all the criteria that everyone else has to (i.e. pass English test, financial requirement, accommodation, genuine relationship etc) then what is the point in sending people back who otherwise qualify for settlement?

Isn't the truth of the matter that the Home Office do not have the resources to process SV applications as it is all administered by the Foreign Office in UK embassies? Perhaps no joined up thinking in HMG.

Btw, I do not think that a conversion should be allowed in this case even if it were possible. It sounds to me that the lady in the OP should have got a SV in the first place. However, I can see other situations where a conversion of a visit visa (or other type of visa) to settlement would be appropriate.

[bobrussell]

A real non-story. Any half competent advisor would have told her to return to Thailand and apply as a spouse in line with the rules.

I am sure if there is documented evidence that proper advice was sought and was deficient then this would not be held against her too much. The more fuss and bother that he (and she) make because they don't like the rules, the more likely the ECO is to consider she is a willing overstayer.

An overstayer does not get an automatic ban when converting from a visit visa to a settlement one if they return to the home country to make the application unless it is considered deception was used.

Zero sympathy here!