How to get a 1 year Family Visitor visa to visit the UK multiple times this year?

[ianwuk]

Hello All.

My Thai wife currently has a UK Family Visitor visa which expires on April 2nd 2015. We have plans to visit the UK again (we are currently in Thailand) this year in June and December this year and again in February 2016. I read on the UK GOV website that you can get a family visitor visa for 1 year for 300 pounds and

I wanted some more information.

How can we apply for a 1 year Family Visitor visa if we have to go to the UK multiple times? In June it is for a wedding, in December it is for Christmas and in February it will be for my mum's birthday.

Do we submit one letter covering all plans with the proposed itineraries for everything or do we do it all separately?

Any help is much appreciated.

Regards.

ianwuk

Edited March 19, 2015 by ianwuk

[Upnotover]

You can actually get a 2 year visa for £300.

My wife got one earlier this month. As far as the travel plans are concerned she/I detailed specific dates for a holiday next month, vague dates for another trip in September, and even more vague details for possible holiday plans in 2016. No problems at all and visa issued within 10 days.

[ianwuk]

You can actually get a 2 year visa for £300.

My wife got one earlier this month. As far as the travel plans are concerned she/I detailed specific dates for a holiday next month, vague dates for another trip in September, and even more vague details for possible holiday plans in 2016. No problems at all and visa issued within 10 days.

How did you get the 2 year visa please? Do you select it on the application form on the Visa4UK website?

What supporting evidence did you include with your application if I may ask? Did you provide itineraries for all trips planned? Some or not others? What financial information did you provide? Is it still 3 months previous? That concerns me, if I have multiple dates planned to visit the UK but only supply financial date for the 3 months prior to the month of application surely they won't like that?

Many thanks.

ianwuk

[Upnotover]

The 2 year family visit visa is one of the options as you go through the application. I am not sure if the 1 year is still there or not, it used to be but was listed as £300 (US$468.00), same as for 2 years.

We stated the arrival and departure dates in April, mentioned (no dates) that we would be going again in September for a wedding anniversary, and mentioned without any specific dates at all that we'd come in 2016 for another holiday. Did not provide detailed itinerary for anything. Financial information was my wife's up to date bank letter/copy of bank book and my recent UK bank statements. I can't see how they can be bothered about up to date financials anyway considering that they offer 2, 5 and 10 years visit visas.

This was her 3rd visa (after 2 x 6 month visas) and I assume that together with the fact that we live together in Thailand eases the process somewhat.

[billphillips]

You could look into a 10 year visa for the UK based on the fact that she is your wife. As of 2 years ago the cost was around ฿50,000. You would need to show that you are married, that you are retired/working and living in Thailand, that you have a home in Thailand.

[theoldgit]

The guidelines are that you can also apply for a long-term visit visa if you can prove you need to make repeat visits over a longer period. You can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit and your visa can last for 1, 2, 5 or 10 years.

Realistically I think for a person to be granted a longer term visit visa they must have demonstrated that they have successfully complied with previous visit visas and will also need to demonstrate that they are likely to have a need to make regular visits over a longer period. They will still need to demonstrate reasons to return.

My girlfriend has had two previous visit visas in our time together, as well as a couple of Schengen Visas. As we plan to visit the UK a couple of times this year and again next year she applied for a two year visit. In her application she gave the details of the first trip, though flights or accommodation wasn't not booked, she gave evidence that the first trip was affordable and, in her covering letter gave outline details for our future trips we were considering. She received her two year visa in a few days.

I think the main thing to do is prove affordability for the first trip, and give outline plans for future plans, reasons to return are still important as you don't want the ECO to suspect that by applying for a longer term visa that she is hoping to circumnavigate the settlement rules.

The two year visit visa isn't really cost effective unless you plan to visit regularly, though it gives the holder the opportunity to travel at short notice, but it saves having to go through the procedure every time, and the holder might be protected if HMG moved the visa goalposts.

The longer visits are really designed for business people.

[ianwuk]

The guidelines are that you can also apply for a long-term visit visa if you can prove you need to make repeat visits over a longer period. You can stay for a maximum of 6 months on each visit and your visa can last for 1, 2, 5 or 10 years.

Realistically I think for a person to be granted a longer term visit visa they must have demonstrated that they have successfully complied with previous visit visas and will also need to demonstrate that they are likely to have a need to make regular visits over a longer period. They will still need to demonstrate reasons to return.

My girlfriend has had two previous visit visas in our time together, as well as a couple of Schengen Visas. As we plan to visit the UK a couple of times this year and again next year she applied for a two year visit. In her application she gave the details of the first trip, though flights or accommodation wasn't not booked, she gave evidence that the first trip was affordable and, in her covering letter gave outline details for our future trips we were considering. She received her two year visa in a few days.

I think the main thing to do is prove affordability for the first trip, and give outline plans for future plans, reasons to return are still important as you don't want the ECO to suspect that by applying for a longer term visa that she is hoping to circumnavigate the settlement rules.

The two year visit visa isn't really cost effective unless you plan to visit regularly, though it gives the holder the opportunity to travel at short notice, but it saves having to go through the procedure every time, and the holder might be protected if HMG moved the visa goalposts.

The longer visits are really designed for business people.

Thanks again for helping me TOG.

It sounds like, as long as I have the first reason covered, with evidence, and provide an outline of the future visits that it shoule be okay from what I have read. When you say 'gave evidence that the first trip was affordable' I assume that is the same 3 month bank statements I did before for my last visa application, it is the same requirement?

Many thanks.

ianwuk

[theoldgit]

Yes I supplied copies of my bank statements to supplement the cash my girlfriend had in her own account.

[ianwuk]

Yes I supplied copies of my bank statements to supplement the cash my girlfriend had in her own account.

How far back did your bank statements go? Was it longer than 3 months if applying for a 2 year visa?

Thanks.

ianwuk

[Upnotover]

Yes I supplied copies of my bank statements to supplement the cash my girlfriend had in her own account.

How far back did your bank statements go? Was it longer than 3 months if applying for a 2 year visa?

Thanks.

ianwuk

Mine were about 2 months, never saw anything about any specific time period needed.

[theoldgit]

Yes I supplied copies of my bank statements to supplement the cash my girlfriend had in her own account.

How far back did your bank statements go? Was it longer than 3 months if applying for a 2 year visa?

As I recall I think I sent three months, the actual guidance says "up to six months".

Showing what has been paid in and out of an account for up to the previous six months, and naming the account holder. If you have made deposits in your account that are not in keeping with the account history then you may wish to explain the origins and timing of these deposits.

I don't think that it matters that you are applying for a longer term visa, the first visit is the one is the one you're actually proving affordability for, after that you're demonstrating that there is a reason for regular travel.

You need to be aware that if the ECO is not satisfied there is a need for regular travel they could issue a standard six month visa and not refund the difference in the processing fee. I've never heard of it happening, but I'm sure it does.

[ianwuk]

Silly question but did the financial information you provide cover your main trip or all of them?

Thanks.

ianwuk