Birth Certificate

[DC1066]

Hi to all those who have been helpful so far. I'm looking to dip into the well again.

The visa file is well on its way to being ready for submission in October, but as expected, the path is not always even.

Firstly, my partner only has a copy of her birth certificate - and a pretty tatty one at that. If she can't find the original, will this be a problem? If so, what is the best way to deal with it?

Secondly, we have had a relationship for around 18 months, but her divorce papers are dated Nov 2005, around 6 months after we started together and more than 12 months after she split with her husband. I'm trying to look at our application through the eyes of an ECO and if I saw this date overlap I would question it myself, so again, would like suggestions as to the best way to deal with this issue.

Finally, she has had various name changes - due to marriage, divorce and Thai opinions on bad luck with combinations of her name and that of her husband. She will have a further name change, before we submit, when we get married. The problem is that if I put all of the papers she has relating to name changes together in a line, they don't make 100% logical sense, nor do the timings make complete sense (e.g. she took her husband's name about 4 years after they married).

Everything is entirely genuine, but again putting myself in the shoes of the ECO, a long list of minor inconsistencies would cause me concern enough to question deeper. Whilst an interview might ultimately be necessary I want to do everything in my power to put forward the best possible case for an immediate yes and once more any help would be appreciated.

As an aside and joining in a debate from another thread i.e. rigid check list versus the current system. I'd argue that the inconsistencies within our application are exactly what you would expect from a normal, genuine, real world relationship purely and simply because life isn't always logical and one dimensional. We might pass or fail under either system, but flawed or not I'd always hope for a system that allows for some human discretion and understanding.

Thanks in advance for helping.

[vinny]

1. Birth certificates are not mentioned in the Visa Application Centre's Settlement - Spouse checklist. However, they are included in the Guidance - Husbands, wives and partners, What supporting documents should I include with my application? I suggest that you check with the British Embassy's Visa Section to see if they are still required or not.

2. Tell it as it happened.

3. Name changes seem to be quite common for superstitious Thais.

[DC1066]

This post seemed to get lost in a flurry of new threads.

Thanks to Vinny, but can anyone else add to this response?

[GU22]

Nothing out of the ordinary in the situation you describe. The ECO will have seen it before.

Provide what you can, and outline the situation in a covering letter as you have in your OP.

[Ollie]

This post seemed to get lost in a flurry of new threads.

Thanks to Vinny, but can anyone else add to this response?

I asked a question about birth certificates a week or so ago and because of the lack of clarity - although one of the links Vinny provides does say there may be other local requirements - emailed the Embassy using the address posted on their website. Hopeless! No response to a reminder either.

My wife has lost hers and next Tusday (Monday being a holiday) will find her in the Amohur in Bkk where her birth was registered, In the post is a copy of mine from the GRO. Now why do they need mine? They have a certified copy of my passport and what can't you get without a birth certificate....

Still, in the end I gave up and decided to just do what they say they require.

Its just a pain with another weeks delay - albeit my fault(?) at least once she has the birth certificate and has it translated, she will stay in Bkk to visit the VFS with our application.

I've got the overlap with the divorce as well. I've just simply explained the true circumstances, don't need to go into those here, suffice to say she hadn't a clue where her husband was until he turned up looking for a divorce so he could re-marry! But everything fits in with this, including sole custody of my step-son he never knew he had, so, I've also got all the name changes, maiden, married, divorced - although she had already long reverted to her maiden name - and now remarried (to me) and for her son, from his fathers surname to his mothers.

I can't see the problem? if everything is backed up by official documents, all translated with a proven time line for all these events.

[Ollie]

Nothing out of the ordinary in the situation you describe. The ECO will have seen it before.

Provide what you can, and outline the situation in a covering letter as you have in your OP.

Sponsors or applicants? I've still to email mine.

Thanks

[GU22]

Unless your wife can write good English, you should write the covering letter.