UK tourist visa for my GF - offered a 'back door' method

[Upnotover]

My wife has been with me to England twice. On both visits she was pulled to one side and questioned by customs officers. As a non UK resident she has to queue in a different line to you at customs and you won't be able to help her talk to customs. If she has to lie remember she is being questioned by professional people that will see this. She will also be questioned in English so will be on edge.

Your relationship history and status pretty much guarantee a visa the correct way so I agree with with the posters telling you to do it the right and legal way.

If your wife is travelling with you and you are a UK/EU citizen you and she can both enter through the UK/EU line.

[ronaldo0]

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It's by no means simple.
My gf applied 2 years ago for a uk visitor visa to be with me while I returned to the uk for 3 months contract work.
I helped her with the application and wrote a covering letter offering to be her sponsor , I supplied copies of my uk bank ac going back 12 months , many pics of us together in Thailand , evidence of regular contact between us while I was in the uk , copies of my passport and visas etc.
Basically she was refused so we went to an agent with exactly the same paperwork and 2 weeks later she had a visa ( and we had £600 less money ! )
We have just tried again this year with the same files as last time plus more evidence of our living together in Thailand since we returned back to Los 18 months ago and she has been rejected again stating not enough evidence were in a relationship , no proof of my job.
I'm a contractor and the job wasn't starting till we returned but that shouldn't matter as I showed bank statements again with £100,000 +
She provided pics of us together on hols in Vietnam together , copies of our passports and my visa for Vietnam , pics of the house we've been renting together for the last 18 months since we returned from the uk together the rental agreement etc .
I'm not paying an agent again so it looks no more returns to the uk

could not agree more!!

Next time i apply will be the last if they say no.!

I got the same relationship crap as well, yet i know of 2 couples who knew each other for less than 6 months, got married and within 2 weeks were in the uk living!! No money in bank, no job and hardly able to speak english!

[nongsangcity]

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My wife has been with me to England twice. On both visits she was pulled to one side and questioned by customs officers. As a non UK resident she has to queue in a different line to you at customs and you won't be able to help her talk to customs. If she has to lie remember she is being questioned by professional people that will see this. She will also be questioned in English so will be on edge.

Your relationship history and status pretty much guarantee a visa the correct way so I agree with with the posters telling you to do it the right and legal way.

I assume you are referring to immigration, not customs. Actually, you can talk with them; I've done it. You simply go through immigration, then walk down the corridor to the desk for which your wife is queuing. Any issues, the officer will (usually) happily address to you.

yes its correct you do have the chance to speak to immigration with your wife....last time we entered the UK I answered 90% of the questions that they asked

[7by7]

Do not be put off by the reports of refusals from some posters. It is, of course, impossible to comment directly on these without seeing exactly what the refusal notices said.

However, whilst not a professional I have been involved in forums such as this for nearly 15 years and in that time have seen many refusals. Based on those I would say that the three most common reasons for a refusal are, in descending order:

• The applicant met the requirements, but failed to show that they did. I remember one case which was refused on affordability. The sponsor said that he had three bank accounts, a current account consistently overdrawn and two savings ones well in credit. But with the application he only provided statements for the overdrawn one, without a letter from the bank to confirm that the overdraft was approved and being serviced to their satisfaction!
• The applicant did not meet the requirements.
• The applicant did meet the requirements, but the ECO made an error.

Consistently each year over 95% of visit visa applications in Thailand are approved.

Edited April 9, 2015 by 7by7

[GOLDBUGGY]

Go for a Normal Visa route. As mentioned, if you ever get caught being a liar with Immigration, like an elephant, they will never forget. She could get hassled every time she enters the U.K after that.

Having a Return Ticket or a Forward Booking at least always helps to show they intend to come back. If UK law is like Canadian Law then your GF would be considered your Common Law Wife and not just a Girlfriend.

I am not sure about your embassy but in mine a Letter of Invitation from a Citizen is required. You could provide that for her but if you plan to stay part-time at your Parents Place a Letter from your Mom would also help. As she can provide a place for your GF to stay while in the UK, whereas you probably can't.

I can't see why she would have a problem at all. But go with her. I forget now if she needs a Medical first for that, so check with the embassy first on everything you will need and before you go. Most are listed on the internet and have all the applications their you will need to fill out to get your Visa. .

[7by7]

Having a Return Ticket or a Forward Booking at least always helps to show they intend to come back.

UKVI advise not to purchase any tickets until after the visa has been issued.

If UK law is like Canadian Law then your GF would be considered your Common Law Wife and not just a Girlfriend.

For the Uk, boyfriend/girlfriend is not enough. To be considered as unmarried partners for UK visa purposes they need to have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage for at least the past two years.

From his OP it seems they meet this criteria and so she could apply for a family visit visa rather than a general one; but since the right of appeal for family visit refusals has been abolished it wouldn't make any real difference anyway.

I am not sure about your embassy but in mine a Letter of Invitation from a Citizen is required. You could provide that for her but if you plan to stay part-time at your Parents Place a Letter from your Mom would also help. As she can provide a place for your GF to stay while in the UK, whereas you probably can't.

Such a letter is not required by the UK; not every visitor has a British or UK resident sponsor!

But in this case, a sponsor's letter from the OP and a letter offering accommodation from whoever is doing so is recommended.

Edited April 9, 2015 by 7by7

[GOLDBUGGY]

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Do not be put off by the reports of refusals from some posters. It is, of course, impossible to comment directly on these without seeing exactly what the refusal notices said.

However, whilst not a professional I have been involved in forums such as this for nearly 15 years and in that time have seen many refusals. Based on those I would say that the three most common reasons for a refusal are, in descending order:

• The applicant met the requirements, but failed to show that they did. I remember one case which was refused on affordability. The sponsor said that he had three bank accounts, a current account consistently overdrawn and two savings ones well in credit. But with the application he only provided statements for the overdrawn one, without a letter from the bank to confirm that the overdraft was approved and being serviced to their satisfaction!
• The applicant did not meet the requirements.
• The applicant did meet the requirements, but the ECO made an error.

Consistently each year over 95% of visit visa applications in Thailand are approved.

It is not all about money.

As I have been told by an Immigration Person in the Know, there 2 greatest concerns are not about money at all.

What they look for firstly is if this Applicant looks like he is of good character and will come back to his/her own country after the Tourist Visa expires. This is why the questions as to why they want to go. How long will you stay? Do they have ties in there own country, like Job, Home, and Family? Do they have a Return Flight Booked? And so on.

Once that is satisfied the next thing they look for is if this person has sufficient funds or sponsorship to be self-supporting during the trip. Money is not enough. Money could be borrow just long enough to get a visa, as they have no way of checking. It could also get lost or stolen on the trip. This is why a Letter of Invitation especially from the persons who's place you will be staying at, goes a long way.

To give you some idea how something can go terribly wrong when applying for a Visa I once wanted to take my then Newly Wed Wife (Now X-wife) to Canada to visit my Parents the first time. I was working Overseas so we lived in Poland. I proved more then required sufficient funds, with Bank Statements and Pay Checks, and provide a correct Letter of Invitation. My Wife wasn't working then but was attending University and was on her Summer Break. The reason for the trip was because I recently discovered my mother had Lung Cancer and would not be around much longer. So I wanted her to meet my wife before she passed on.

My Wife was refused her Tourist Visa! Why? Because they based this decision on that they felt we were going to move back to Canada and live their, so they felt my wife would not come back. They had no problem with us moving their, as I obviously have enough money and a job to support us there. But they insisted that we must apply for that at their Embassy in Warsaw, and not in Canada, so they refused her.

Where they got that idea from I do not know. I didn't even have a job in Canada, and had a home in Poland, so why would we move their? But even after I pointed this out this Polish Woman working in the Canadian Embassy, she refused to change it and still rejected my wife. It was only because I knew the Ambassador Personally and brought up his first name like a friend, and that I was going to talk to him, that she panicked and changed her mind. But without that I am sure she would not have granted a Tourist Visa to my Wife.

So now matter how nice and cultured you may be, you still get the Odd A-Hole when dealing with this, and your power is very limited in trying to change it.

.

[snowyy73]

think you know the answer your self

[snowyy73]

think you know the answer your self

[mikecat]

Seriously, I dont know why you are even contemplating this or asking the forum. It really is a no brainer. Why would you put your girlfriend at risk when you meet the requirements for a legaly gained visa. Wise up.

[7by7]

Goldbuggy, what you say in your last post is interesting; but with respect, irrelevant to the OP.

He is asking about a UK visa, not a Canadian one. I know nothing of Canadian visit visa requirements, but from what you say they seem much tougher than UK ones.

BTW, UK visit visa applications are also not just about the money; I used that as an example of a refusal which was down to insufficient information being submitted by sponsor and applicant.

[thelongshoot]

Wow, I didnt expect so many replies thank you. You are all right of course, I cant believe I was even thinking about it. The only way to do this is to apply properly, without any BS. Im almost certain we will get the visa and if we dont, so be it.

Appreciate all of the feedback, thanks so much!

[UKJASE]

i made a list of papers and evidence to use in our application when we applied longshooter

if you need it, PM me and i will send it over to you mate

[theoldgit]

Nonsense post removed.

[craigp]

Are there any good old threads or web links showing what is required to take a Thai wife to visit the UK please.

I have been married about 18 months in Thailand now and I was hoping to take my wife to visit the UK early next year.

Is it really going to be so complicated ??

[rumbo1]

Are there any good old threads or web links showing what is required to take a Thai wife to visit the UK please.

I have been married about 18 months in Thailand now and I was hoping to take my wife to visit the UK early next year.

Is it really going to be so complicated ??

If you use an agency you shouldn't have any problems , if you try your selves then it's down to luck from my experience.

The 1st time we tried our selves it was rejected so we went to an agency with the exact same information and 2 weeks later had a visa !

Tried our selves again this year with the same info plus more proof of our living together for an extra 2 years in Thailand since we last visited the uk and she got rejected again

[rumbo1]

Are there any good old threads or web links showing what is required to take a Thai wife to visit the UK please.

I have been married about 18 months in Thailand now and I was hoping to take my wife to visit the UK early next year.

Is it really going to be so complicated ??

If you use an agency you shouldn't have any problems , if you try your selves then it's down to luck from my experience.

The 1st time we tried our selves it was rejected so we went to an agency with the exact same information and 2 weeks later had a visa !

Tried our selves again this year with the same info plus more proof of our living together for an extra 2 years in Thailand since we last visited the uk and she got rejected again

I forget to mention we are not married yet , I don't know if it's any easier if you are married

[7by7]

Are there any good old threads or web links showing what is required to take a Thai wife to visit the UK please.

I have been married about 18 months in Thailand now and I was hoping to take my wife to visit the UK early next year.

Is it really going to be so complicated ??

It's not complicated at all, just takes a little bit of preparation.

See the pinned topic UK visit visa basics, which should tell you most of what you need to know.

Any further questions, I suggest you start a new topic as they may get missed in this one.

If you use an agency you shouldn't have any problems , if you try your selves then it's down to luck from my experience.

The 1st time we tried our selves it was rejected so we went to an agency with the exact same information and 2 weeks later had a visa !

Tried our selves again this year with the same info plus more proof of our living together for an extra 2 years in Thailand since we last visited the uk and she got rejected again

Using an agent does not mean there will be no problems; all an agent can do is advise on how to prepare the application and what evidence is required to show the applicant meets the criteria. If the applicant does not meet the criteria for the visa applied for there is nothing an agent can do to change that.

Whilst there are plenty of professional and honest visa agents in Thailand, there are plenty of sharks and scammers as well. Unfortunately Thailand's draconian defamation laws and hence the forum rules prevent them from being named here.

If anyone is considering using an agent, I suggest they read the pinned topic Visa Agents first.

Obviously, rumbo1, I cannot comment on your refusals without seeing exactly what the refusal notices say; but that you and your girlfriend are not married should not make any difference to a visit application; though you may need to provide a bit more evidence of the relationship than a husband and wife would.

Edited April 20, 2015 by 7by7

[bigyin]

Are there any good old threads or web links showing what is required to take a Thai wife to visit the UK please.

I have been married about 18 months in Thailand now and I was hoping to take my wife to visit the UK early next year.

Is it really going to be so complicated ??

It's not complicated at all, just takes a little bit of preparation.

See the pinned topic UK visit visa basics, which should tell you most of what you need to know.

Any further questions, I suggest you start a new topic as they may get missed in this one.

If you use an agency you shouldn't have any problems , if you try your selves then it's down to luck from my experience.

The 1st time we tried our selves it was rejected so we went to an agency with the exact same information and 2 weeks later had a visa !

Tried our selves again this year with the same info plus more proof of our living together for an extra 2 years in Thailand since we last visited the uk and she got rejected again

Using an agent does not mean there will be no problems; all an agent can do is advise on how to prepare the application and what evidence is required to show the applicant meets the criteria. If the applicant does not meet the criteria for the visa applied for there is nothing an agent can do to change that.

Whilst there are plenty of professional and honest visa agents in Thailand, there are plenty of sharks and scammers as well. Unfortunately Thailand's draconian defamation laws and hence the forum rules prevent them from being named here.

If anyone is considering using an agent, I suggest they read the pinned topic Visa Agents first.

Obviously, rumbo1, I cannot comment on your refusals without seeing exactly what the refusal notices say; but that you and your girlfriend are not married should not make any difference to a visit application; though you may need to provide a bit more evidence of the relationship than a husband and wife would.

Totally agree about agents. I know 2 couples who used agents in Bangkok and were not granted visas. I have tried twice (1 visitor and 1 settlement) and succeeded both times and I know 7by7 has done the same. It is all about the effort put in and the quality of evidence supplied. If using an agent I suggest one you only pay if you get the visa as the couples I mentioned did not use such an agent.

[rumbo1]

Are there any good old threads or web links showing what is required to take a Thai wife to visit the UK please.

I have been married about 18 months in Thailand now and I was hoping to take my wife to visit the UK early next year.

Is it really going to be so complicated ??

It's not complicated at all, just takes a little bit of preparation.

See the pinned topic UK visit visa basics, which should tell you most of what you need to know.

Any further questions, I suggest you start a new topic as they may get missed in this one.

If you use an agency you shouldn't have any problems , if you try your selves then it's down to luck from my experience.

The 1st time we tried our selves it was rejected so we went to an agency with the exact same information and 2 weeks later had a visa !

Tried our selves again this year with the same info plus more proof of our living together for an extra 2 years in Thailand since we last visited the uk and she got rejected again

Using an agent does not mean there will be no problems; all an agent can do is advise on how to prepare the application and what evidence is required to show the applicant meets the criteria. If the applicant does not meet the criteria for the visa applied for there is nothing an agent can do to change that.

Whilst there are plenty of professional and honest visa agents in Thailand, there are plenty of sharks and scammers as well. Unfortunately Thailand's draconian defamation laws and hence the forum rules prevent them from being named here.

If anyone is considering using an agent, I suggest they read the pinned topic Visa Agents first.

Obviously, rumbo1, I cannot comment on your refusals without seeing exactly what the refusal notices say; but that you and your girlfriend are not married should not make any difference to a visit application; though you may need to provide a bit more evidence of the relationship than a husband and wife would.

The refusal notice said there was not enough proof of our relationship even though we provided the same information as 2 years ago when she received a visa plus continuing proof of our still being together , I.e home rental agreement , flight tickets for us travelling to Vietnam together , photographs of us at our rented home in Nong Khai , pics of us with the car we own , copies of both our passports and recent visas , my Thai driving licences with our home address on etc.

The other reason was no proof of my work in the uk even though I showed copies of my last 12 months bank/ savings ac's in the uk with large sums of money in them to prove I could sponsor the holiday.

[7by7]

As I said, rumbo1, if you want comments and/or advice on these refusals, we need to see exactly what the refusal notices say.

That is you need to post them in their entirety, after deleting all names and other identifying information, so we can see the reasons the ECO gave for reaching their decision.