Hello all I'm hoping some of you can give me some information/guidance on my situation.

My Thai girlfriend and I will shortly be applying for a UK visa for her to come to join me here in the UK.

However I am worried that there may be a problem, this is because I am still legally married in Thailand to a different Thai lady.

Furthermore my wife earlier this year got a UK visa (I think based on visiting a family member, ie me) for a short visit to the UK (she is now back in Thailand). She has also visited me several times in the past in the UK.

Will the Visa issuing office refuse my new Thai girlfriend a visa because they will see from their records my wife has already obtained a UK visa earlier in the year ?(based on an invitation letter from me and our marriage certificate).

Will the Visa issuing office tell my new Thai girlfriend about my wife (and her visa) or will they even contact my wife to advise her of this?

Looking forward to your advice, thanks

Where do I start?

Let me get this right, you are legally married to a lady in Thailand and you want to bring a new girlfriend to the UK?

You say to join you in the UK, so that leads me to believe that you want her to settle there with you, is that your intention?

As you are legally married and your wife visits you fairly regularly, then it would seem that you and the new girlfriend haven't been living together for two years or more, so that route's out the window.

She cannot join you in the UK as your spouse, because you're already married to somebody else?

If she only wants to visit you in the UK, then she could apply, but you would need to declare the fact you are already married to somebody else, the UKVI will have your previous sponsorship details on file and could well cross check. She would need to tick all the boxes as a visitor, ie the visit would need to be genuine, affordable and she would need to satisfy the ECO that she is likely to return.

Would the UKVI staff advise your wife and your girlfriend of each others existence, no they wont, or at least no they shouldn't. But it seems that you haven't either, I'm not one to judge, but don't you think you should?

Maybe you should regularise your position first and maybe be honest with your new girlfriend, but whilst I'm not one to judge, if she found out from anyone else other than you, it will end in tears.

You might want to have a read through this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/763327-can-my-cheating-thai-wife-get-her-boyfriend-a-visa/

Would the UKVI staff advise your wife and your girlfriend of each others existence, no they wont, or at least no they shouldn't

Not so sure about that, OG.

I remember seeing a refusal notice some time ago which basically said:

"You say that you want to visit the UK to see your fiancée, Mr X. However, you have not explained what happened to Miss Y to whom we issued a visa as the fiancée of Mr X 6 months ago!"

Might not the OP's girlfriend receive a similar refusal notice were she to apply as his wife has had several visas to visit him in the UK, the last one being this year.

I stand corrected 7by7, even more reason to be totally honest with the new girlfriend.