Taking Wife and Child to The UK in a 6 mth Visitor Visa

[kjhbigv]

Hi All,

Just after a bit of advice.....I took my Ex (just a GF) to the UK years ago and got her a visitor visa after going right over the top on paperwork, literally everything.

This time I am travelling with my wife and 1 year old to the UK for 3 months and asking whether or not they are a bit more lenient and is more of a form-filling exercise only?

I live full time in Thailand, investment income from UK, we are staying at my property in the UK, I have savings, been living together for 2 years, now have a baby, have pictures over the period (are they really needed?)

We have rented the same property for 2 years (and will keep renting it while in the UK). Have a truck, bike and possessions here, obviously.

My wife does not work (previously had a proper job) and has no savings as such, she looks after the baby and I look after us financially. She has no assets (material!) to speak of.

The baby will have a UK Passport (so is effectively British), can anyone forsee an issue getting my wife a Visitor Visa, what paperwork WOULD help?

Obviously, we are coming back, and have all flights booked already.

[toddmeister]

Certainly not more lenient when it comes to visas, the opposite if anything so you're best throwing everything you've got at it evidence wise. All done online these days then she books an appointment to submit supporting documents.

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[kjhbigv]

Certainly not more lenient when it comes to visas, the opposite if anything so you're best throwing everything you've got at it evidence wise. All done online these days then she books an appointment to submit supporting documents.

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Appointment booked already. Oh well, will have to set hours aside to get it all together....in the meantime, Mr/Mrs Eastern European peasant can walk into the UK tomorrow....sorry state of affairs!

Edited January 6, 2015 by kjhbigv

[theoldgit]

Certainly not more lenient when it comes to visas, the opposite if anything so you're best throwing everything you've got at it evidence wise. All done online these days then she books an appointment to submit supporting documents.

Whilst I do agree that the UKVI staff wont be more lenient in your wife's case, I wouldn't necessarily agree that you need to throw everything at them evidence wise.

The ECO will decide on your wife's application in a few minutes, and they will not want to wade through reams of irrelevant paperwork.

Your wife needs to satisfy the ECO that the trip is genuine, affordable and that, on the balance of probability, she will return to Thailand.

Affordability is easy enough, you are clearly sponsoring, so proof of your income and assets should suffice. You have a young child, so it's not unreasonable for her not to be working, ECO's do live in the real world and understand this.

Details of your trip, where you will be staying and who you will be visiting. The return ticket wont count for much, but by all means mention them, my partner recently got her third visa and we didn't buy flights in advance, though we did once the visa was approved.

The fact that you have a life together, and thus joint ties to Thailand, again should suffice. Details of your accommodation, a few photos of you together, will all help.

Your covering letters should describe your life together, the reason for the trip - new baby, and affordability. Make the letter fairly brief, I use one double sided A4, as does my partner.

Good luck and remember that the vast number of visas are approved.

[7by7]

As theoldgit says; don't overwhelm the ECO with reams of paperwork; just the essentials to show the criteria for the visa are met.

The main problem in situations such as yours, if there is one at all, is convincing the ECO that your wife is not attempting to use a visit visa to by pass the settlement rules and remain in the UK with you when her visa expires.

Evidence of your immigration status and life in Thailand will allay these fears; effectively you can be your wife's reason to return.

You may find UK visit visa basics helpful.

BTW, what you call 'the sorry state of affairs' applies just as much to British citizens and their non EEA national family members who wish to visit or live in another EEA state; and well over a million British citizens take advantage of the rules to do just that. But as the EEA freedom of movement regulations do not, except in certain circumstances, apply when entering the state of which the EEA national is a citizen then, like your wife for the UK, a, for example, Polish man's Thai wife would need the appropriate Polish visa to enter Poland. Please leave ignorant rants about the EEA regulations out of it.