Visa For Wife To Live In The Uk

[leftcross]

has anyone got any positive stories about how quickly i can get a visa for my wife to live in the UK?

i work in thailand, and obviously live with my thai wife, but have just been offered a superb job in the UK.

i hadn't considered going back but this is too good to turn down

however, this means i haven't prepared anything and i would be starting the new job in six weeks max if i can get the visa. i wouldnt move back to the UK without my wife (who is five months pregnant)

wife is a uni graduate, speaks reads and writes english and works full time.

have we got a chance??? i hope so.....

[rio666uk]

you can get all of your application forms and advice from these sites - youll need form VAF2 for settlement

you will have to do some searching around regarding fasttracking your wifes visa process - it may be worth getting your wife to call the embassy to explain the situation, they will be able to point you in the right direction, i dont know, but dont count on any specialist treatment... it may be that your wife joins you in the UK at a later date.

all the best either way

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taken from ukvisa.gov.uk

Q: How long does it take to get a UK visa?

A: We aim to operate a fast and effective entry clearance service. Last year, 91% of straightforward, non-settlement applications were resolved within 24 hours, with most applicants receiving a same day service. If an in-depth interview is required, we aim to process non-settlement applications within 10 working days, but please be aware that during peak periods, dealing with increased volumes of visa applications, it can take longer.

If you are applying to settle in the UK, in most cases we are able to process your application within 13 weeks, however this may vary depending on where you are applying.

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http://www.ukvac-th.com/

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/

http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/thailand

Edited July 5, 2006 by rio666uk

[geoffphuket]

has anyone got any positive stories about how quickly i can get a visa for my wife to live in the UK?

i work in thailand, and obviously live with my thai wife, but have just been offered a superb job in the UK.

i hadn't considered going back but this is too good to turn down

however, this means i haven't prepared anything and i would be starting the new job in six weeks max if i can get the visa. i wouldnt move back to the UK without my wife (who is five months pregnant)

wife is a uni graduate, speaks reads and writes english and works full time.

have we got a chance??? i hope so.....

You're wife will probably be required to show your pay slips for the previous 3 months to show you can support her. Also you'll need to prove there's suitable accomodation for the two of you to live in, in the UK; That can be provided by showing utility bills etc or a rental/lease agreement. If you're still living in Thailand these could be major obsticles to a successful settlement visa. Better you go back on you own first, get established, and let your wife join you later.... If you can't supply all the necessary documents, a failed application is a nightmare. I wouldn't bank on the Embassy being sympathetic because your wife is 5 months pregnant..... Best of luck Geoff

[leftcross]

there's no way i will leave my wife here while i go back. if she can't go with me then i'll stay.

thanks for the pointers though

[geoffphuket]

there's no way i will leave my wife here while i go back. if she can't go with me then i'll stay.

thanks for the pointers though

It's such a difficult decission. I feel staying here is the easy, and probably your best option for now. How about waiting until after the baby arrives and try to stall your new employer.

I live here with my Thai wife and our 8 month old baby and have accepted we'll probably stay here permanenty. Going back is just too difficult.

My first marriage failed because my (Thai) wife couldn't settle in the UK. When I applied for her settlement visa, it took about 5 months and two interviews. While we were waiting, I worked in the Uk and she stayed with her mother in Buri Ram...It was really tough being apart and at the end of the day it was all wasted time. Are you sure your wife could cope with the western climate and culture? All Thai ladies want to go, but not all find the grass is greener.

[GU22]

The visa section are endeavouring to decide as many cases as possible on the documentary evidence alone. If they can do so then you should get the visa back within 7-10 days at the most.

You basically have to meet three criteria.

1) That the relationship is genuine.

Can't imagine any difficulty with that. You can presumably provide your marriage certificate and documents to show how long you have been living together; and she is 5 months pregnant.

2) That you can support yourselves without recourse to public funds.

Provide bank statements etc to show how much you have, and a letter from your prospective employer confirming the job offer, when they expect you to start, what your salary will be and when you'll get your first payment.

3) That you can be adequately accommodated without recourse to public funds.

If staying with a friend or relative until you get yourselves sorted, then a letter of invitation from them and a brief description of the property to show that there is room for you. If they own the property then a copy of the deeds or a mortgage statement to prove ownership, if they rent then a letter from their landlord confirming that there are no objections to the arrangement.

If you own or will be renting property yourself, then similar.

She must provide a TB certificate issued by the IOM when she makes her application. Normally the test includes an X-ray, but given her condition they will use other means.

In addition to the links provided by rio666uk see;

TB test

Guidance - Husbands, wives and partners (INF 4)

Spouse application checklist

One consideration is her pregnancy. Many airlines are reluctant to carry pregnant women after the 28th week.

If your documents are not sufficient to satisfy the visa section then they will want to interview your wife. Interview slots are allocated on a first come, first served basis, and the waiting list is currently, I believe, approx 16 weeks. It is not possible to jump the queue except in the most exceptional of compassionate reasons. Whether the need for your wife to fly before her 28th week would be seen as such, to be honest I doubt it.

However, as I said, if all the documents show that you meet the criteria then she should get the visa without being interviewed.

Edited July 5, 2006 by GU22

[vinny]

What nationality are you?

If you are a UK citizen, see 13.5 Spouses/civil partners and how they qualify and Spouses.

Else, if you are an EU (other than UK) or Swiss citizen, see 21.4 The EEA family permit and EEA & Swiss Nationals, Can my family join me in the UK?

Else, see 17.14 - Requirements for entry clearance for spouses / civil partners and dependent children of work permit holders.

Else, see Permit free employment, Can my dependants join me in the UK?

[GU22]

What nationality are you?

Good point. leftcross, my previous asumes that you are British.

[vinny]

One consideration is her pregnancy. Many airlines are reluctant to carry pregnant women after the 28th week.

See also some Airline policies for pregnant travelers and Pregnancy and travel. Best to check with your airline.

Also Medline Plus (Pregnancy), in particular, Air travel during pregnancy: Is it safe?

If your wife's birthchoice is in the UK, then better make start making arrangements now. A baby guidebook wrote that some private hospitals require 10 months notice! See also Where can I have my baby? Your doctor will try to refer your wife to a hospital, but it may not be easy, given the short notice.

If she wants to give birth in Bangkok, then I can recommend Dr. SOMCHAI TANAWATTANACHAROEN at the Bangkok Nursing Home Hospital.

The Department of Health also provides useful guides: The Pregnancy Book: 2006 edition and Birth to five: 2006 edition.

Edited July 6, 2006 by vinny

[vinny]

Updated Medline Plus (Pregnancy) link.

[leftcross]

thank you so much for the informative replies and links, it is very much appreciated.

It's such a difficult decission. I feel staying here is the easy, and probably your best option for now. How about waiting until after the baby arrives and try to stall your new employer.

I live here with my Thai wife and our 8 month old baby and have accepted we'll probably stay here permanenty. Going back is just too difficult.

My first marriage failed because my (Thai) wife couldn't settle in the UK. When I applied for her settlement visa, it took about 5 months and two interviews. While we were waiting, I worked in the Uk and she stayed with her mother in Buri Ram...It was really tough being apart and at the end of the day it was all wasted time. Are you sure your wife could cope with the western climate and culture? All Thai ladies want to go, but not all find the grass is greener.

geoff, i can see you have been in the same position i face myself in now and i value your advice. the last few days i have tried to weigh everything up in my mind. i do the same job in thailand that i have been offered in the UK but the hours will be much longer back home. i'm worried if i take it, the whole change might be too much for my wife. she'll be stuck at home with a baby in a country she doesnt know and that will be very difficult. she says she will go if thats what i want but, like you, i know the reality of livng in the UK is likely to be very different to her perception. i'll probably be working so many hours i'll hardly get to see the baby. if we stay here then i will see my son grow up.

i hadnt thought about going back to the UK but then this came up. im sure other opportunites will arise if i stay here but im worried the longer i am here the harder it will be to go back. i never intended thailand to be a long term thing but, from reading the links, it's going to be more difficut to go to the UK than it was coming out here!!

[Bangkokjay]

Hi just thought i would give you a bit of insight as i did the same as you several months ago.

Me a nd my wife are now settled back in the UK from may this year.

I was living in Bkk with my wife for around a year but she was also pregnant so i decided it would be best for us to move to the UK so i could make some better money.

I had very little savings in the bank but ordered 6 months statements a copy of a utility bill deeds to my house and a letter from an employer stating i had a job to return to. and that was it!!

Had all the docs sent to me

As my wife was also 5 1/2 months gone she had to have a sputum smear for her TB certificate which isn't as bad as it sounds she had to go to the hospital for 3 consecitive days and basicly they just take flem from the mouth to do the TB test so took aound 10 days to get certificate from start to finish.

Got copys done of the marriage certificate and birth certificate into english (my wifes) i didnt show one as your passport is fine for you.

Submitted the appication 7 days latter got a call to say dont need an interview just come to the embassy to collect visa. ( i was waitning for bank statements to come and akso a letter from my mum to say she would help financaly if needed).

Went to the embassy once they arrived the wife went into the interview room to colect the visa and the lady asked to speak to me she said she is granting the visa on the fact my wife was then 6 months pregnant and the fact i had a letter from my employer as my mums savings couldnt really be used as we were married i had about £500 in my account but she took into consideration the letter from my mum. A very nice lady, visa issued gone within the next 10 days once sorted everything out in Bkk with condo etc and personal belongings.

I was a bit worried about the flight but no problems at all no pains or anything so that was a relief as i was concerned about that.

So my advice would be you would be able to obtain a visa in around 1 month from start to finish if you get all the right paperwork and don't need an interview which by the sounds of it you won't need one as you are prob in abetter position than i was even if you dont have anywhee to stay as Scouse says a letter from your mum saying you can stay with her etc should be fine.

What i see as a plus was the fact our child will be born in England for all the obvious reasons. Plus i can earn more money here so eventaly we can return to Bkk and have a better life.

If you can earn a lot more money here i would come here for a few years and return at a later date if you wanted to. I understand it would be longer hours etc, its easy for me to say but it would be worth it in the long run (unless you are on good money in Thailand)

It took several weeks to a month for the wife to settle in she is a lot better now and has started eating some English foods but you can get the majority of the thai foods in any China town and a lot of the veg, chiles etc in Tesco's asda. So overall it has worked out better than i thought as i was concerned about her settling in as you are.

She will meet friends and i imagine she already knows someone staying here in England so i wouldn't worry to much about that aslo once the baby arrives she will be busy and staying in a lot anyway.

In an ideal world it would be great to stay in Bkk but with a baby on the way you will have many years left stil to come back to Thailand i hope to come for 6 weeks a year in Feb to break up the winter so is not so bad for her and me!!.

So all the best with what ever you decide.

Jay

P.s - I got a ticket to Heathrow with Thai airways for 9,000 Bht each

Worth knowing if you look on there website home page in the bottom right hand corner you will see Discount airfares. Click on the link as it opens in a new window you will then see all the late flights at around 8,000 - 11,000 bht one way from bkk - Heathrow. They need to be booked with a credit card but its abig differance from 40,000 bht if you go into there office or any agents