UK visa for Thai gf

[sidjameson]

She earns 20,000bht from her gov job. Another 30k from her free lance graphic designing paid into her bank account speriodically.

Wants to quit her gov job and focus on free lance work.

We want her to get a visa for the UK and hopefully get the 6 month visa and stay here for that long.

Do you think she should apply while she has the gov job?

Just say 2 weeks then after get 6 month visa get the flight ticket for 6 months?

[7by7]

Will her government job give her 6 months leave?

If not and if she wants to stay in the UK for 6 months then she surely will have to resign.

As far as the visa application is concerned; if she intends to use her government job as a reason to return then she will need a letter from them to confirm that she works for them and that her job will be kept open for her return in 6 months time.

Note that the entry clearance office will almost certainly phone this letter's signatory to confirm it's contents and if the letter is written in English will doubt it's authenticity if that person cannot speak to them in English. If it is written in Thai they will be happy to speak to the signatory in Thai.

Her freelance job may not be seen as a reason to return if it is possible she would be able to continue it in the UK. Indeed, as work is prohibited to visit visa holders she would be refused if the ECO thought that this is what she intends to do.

As for applying for two weeks and staying the full 6 months; remember that she will sign a declaration to the effect that all the information given in the application is true and complete. Remember, too, that on arrival in the UK the immigration officer will be able to access what she said in her application.

If she says in the application she intends to stay for just two weeks and turns up at UK immigration with a 6 months return, this could be viewed by the IO as a significant change in her circumstances since the visa was issued and she could be refused entry.

In extreme circumstances she may also be viewed as obtaining a visa by deception. Especially if she said she was going to stay for 2 weeks and used a letter from her government job granting her 2 weeks leave in her application as a reason to return but once she received the visa quit her government job so she could stay in the UK for 6 months.

If found to be guilty of obtaining, or even attempting to obtain, a UK visa by deception she could be banned from entering the UK as a visitor for 10 years. If considered serious enough she could be banned in all categories for life.

All that is a long winded way of saying that she should tell the truth in her application; if she intends to stay for 6 months then this is what she should say from the outset.

Obviously, people's plans can change and there is nothing illegal in staying in the UK longer than originally intended; but a change of plans is totally different to a deliberate lie in the application.

You may find UK visit visa basics helpful.

[sidjameson]

Thanks for shedding light on things.

[Jay Sata]

No Thai government job would give her six months vacation and an entry clearance officer in Bangkok will know that.

Better you suggest a three or four week holiday and work from that.

[jacksam]

I know AU is not UK .....but why not just get the visa they usually grant....(au 3 months) ...then in subsequent application she could try for 6 months....

I just got back from AU on 4 weeks holiday with Thai gf.

She was given a 3 month visa. We are going back in January for further 3 weeks. Couple of friends that did similar had the second visa granted for 6 months.

[jacksam]

Note as 7by7 stated ALWAYS be honest with immigration. Having said that ....one post I recall reading was an American who's wife at interview stated she had worked at massage parlor some years back.

Long story short she did not get a visa and was actually black listed for some years.

I stick with honesty but sometimes keep some things to myself.

[7by7]

I know AU is not UK .....

Indeed, and as I said to you in another topic, whilst I appreciate that you are trying to help, Australia, the UK and the US have different rules and requirements; even if their are similarities in some areas.

A standard UK general or family visit visa is valid for 6 months. Longer terms are available to regular travellers; but they can still only stay in the UK for a maximum of 6 months per visit.

So 6 months is what nearly all applicants get, no matter how long they said they would say in their application. There is provision in the rules for the ECO to grant a shorter term if there are doubts about the applicants intentions but not enough doubts to refuse; this is very rare.

As I said above, people's plans can and do change and if someone stays in the UK longer than originally stated then they have not broken any rule. Although it could damage their credibility in any future application unless they explain in that application why and how they were able to do so.

But, as I also said, a change of plans is one thing; a deliberate lie in an application is another.

A working bar girl, let's not be coy, a working prostitute is unlikely to get a UK visit visa as the ECO will probably conclude, no matter what she says, that she intends to continue in that profession once in the UK.

However, ex prostitutes do get UK visas; liars don't.

As I said, whilst I appreciate that you are trying to help, when someone is asking about UK visas telling them about Australian ones is no help and can only confuse; and vice versa.

Which is why I stay out of Australian visa topics; I know virtually nothing about them!

Edited October 19, 2014 by 7by7

[fishism]

I stated 1 month as that is what we wanted, here is the response.

...I am not satisfied as to your intentions in wishing to travel to the United Kingdom. I am not satisfied that you genuinely intend a short visit to the UK and that you will leave the UK at the end of your visit.

[7by7]

Was that your son's refusal, your girlfriend's or both?

The refusal notices for both should have gone into more detail; explaining why the ECO came to that decision.

If you want help and advice on overcoming these refusals so they can apply again, then we need to know the full wording of the refusal notice; deleting any names and other identifying information.

May I suggest, though, that you either post it in your existing topic about your son's refusal or start another topic in which to do so.