UK Visit Visa for Thai Girlfriend

[MOF]

Firstly, many thanks to those who post on this forum as its conent has been of great help to me in trying to secure a 6 month visa for my girlfriend.

Basically, we completed the on-line application form last week and yesterday she arrived in Bangkok for her scheduled interview etc. So far, so good, but here is where the confusion has started.

If the application is successful I want her to come to the UK at the end of March and return to Thailand in September (when I shall accompany her). I explained the reasons for choosing these dates within my sponsorship letter.

My girlfriend tells me that during her interview she was told that March would not be possible and that it is more likely that she would have to travel in either January or February. There is no way I want her to get here in the dead of winter for obvious reasons! It is also means that I will not be able to travel back with her when her six months is up.

My impression of a UK Visit Visa was that it covered a period of 12 months, but that you were only allowed to stay for a maximum of 6 months within those 12 months? Now it appears to be suggested that if a Visa is granted it will be for a set 6 month period, and not necessarily for the dates requested?

Is anyone able to clarify?

Many thanks

[Upnotover]

Bit strange that, normally the online application system wont accept an application more than 3 months before the intended date of travel.

Anyhow, a standard visitor visa is valid for 180 days from the date of issue. But as far as I know the trip doesn't have to be fully within that period, only the date of entry. So, if she gets a visa in around 3 weeks from now she ought to be able to enter anytime up until mid-June.

edit - oops, all that is wrong - I just read the trip does have to be within the 180 days! Apologies. Still strange that they accepted the application though.

[theoldgit]

The first thing to clarify is that she wouldn't have gone for a scheduled interview, if your talking about the appointment at the VFS Application Centre then that's no more than to hand in a hard copy of her application, her supporting documents and to have her biometric details captured.

VFS staff play no part in the application process, they certainly don't carry out interviews, and they certainly cannot say when applicants can or cannot travel.

In the highly unlikely event that the ECO feels that an interview is necessary they will either telephone her to clarify any areas of concern or arrange a suitable time for her to attend an interview..

There is absolutely no reason why your girlfriend couldn't travel in March, save that the visa is valid for travel on the day it's issued, unless you specifically ask for it to be post dated, which you can do for up to three months, so if she applied this week, and asked for it to be post dated for up to three months, to get a full six months in the UK would mean travelling at the end of November.

I'm always concerned when people apply for a visit (holiday) visa, then hope to have a six month holiday, perfectly legal but how does she hope to convince the ECO that she is intending to go on a regular visit and of her of her reasons to return when indicating she wants to go on holiday for six months?

Regarding your point about the length of the visa, visas are routinely issued for six months, that means the holder is allowed to travel to a UK Border at any time during that six months, but they must leave the UK six months after the date the visa is issued.

The VFS staff are not allowed to say when people can and cannot travel though I suspect they were trying to be helpful.

[Thai Visa Express]

There are several issues here.

UK visit visa are valid for 6 months normally, but never longer.

The visit must end by the expiry date of the visa. If the holder stays longer than the expiry date shown on the visa, then he/she will be an overstayer. For instance, if the visa is valid until 30th June 2015, and the holder arrives in the UK on 1st June 2015, then he can only stay a maximum of 30 days.

You could have asked for the visa start date to be deferred for up to 3 months, but you need to make that clear in the application. That is, for instance, ask for a visa start date of the 1st of March. That visa would then have been valid until the end of August. That won't be possible now, and the visa is likely to be valid from the day it is issued, for 6 months.

Your girlfriend was not interviewed for a visa. It was just an application centre, and all they do is accept applications which are then sent to the British Embassy for processing.

Tony M

Whoops - slower than you, theoldgit

[brewsterbudgen]

So did she submit the application?

[Thai Visa Express]

1 point here is that should you say in your application she only intends to stay 3 months they will probably start the visa immediatly !

[MOF]

Many thanks for the replies guys. Most helpful.

Yes, she visited the VFS Application Centre and handed in the docs etc.

Within the on-line application we put the date of intended travel as 28th March. Within my sponsorship letter I explained why that was so i.e. it coincides with Easter here in the UK and I shall be able to take time off work to help her settle in to her new surroundings. I cited a return date of September as it would enable me to travel back with her because the UK school holidays will have finished making it easier for me to take leave from work.

We have provided a letter from her employer stating that they will be happy to re-employ her upon her return in September.

Hindsight is obviously a wonderful thing but quite clearly I should have waited until the end of February/start of March to submit the application. Secondly, my girlfriend should have walked away from VFS without submitting the docs and then we could have re-applied!!!

Should the visa get accepted then hopefully somebody will have read my letter, take a pragmatic view, and start the visa from the latest date possible i.e, 3 months from now. I did also state that we wished to celebrate my girlfriend's 40th Birthday in the UK together in June!

If not, then I rather hope it gets rejected and then we can re-apply nearer March, putting right whatever the application fails on

[Chivas]

Nothing is ever simple !! Its all skull and daggers !!

[bobrussell]

You do not really want a visa to be rejected! It goes on the 'system' and has to be explained in future applications. 'Have you ever had a visa application rejected?' or words to that effect.

I dare say you could contact the embassy and try to cancel the application but make sure you explain why!

[MOF]

Quick update: Visa arrived in post this morning and although issued 10/12 it is valid for travel between 20/2/15 and 20/8/15. Happy days!

[7by7]

No!

It is not "valid for travel between 20/2/15 and 20/8/15"!!!!!!!!!

It is valid from 20/2/15 to 20/8/15.

She cannot use to enter the UK before 20/2/15 and must leave the UK on 20/8/15 at the latest; even if she doesn't enter until 19/8/15.

[MOF]

Thanks. That is exactly my understanding!