Visa for wife and stepdaughter to UK

[kimamey]

I'm a male UK citizen married to a Thai and I'll be 61 in June.

I'm in the UK working and buying a property and my wife and her daughter (20) are coming over in July for a couple of weeks. I'll be going back to Thailand about a week after them by which time I'll have been in the UK for nearly 9 months.

I have a question about her application.

In the section about the funding for the trip I'm not sure how to answer the questions.
Due to the way our finances are arranged at the moment, instead of me funding the entire trip as I would usually do I've paid for the flights and my wife will use money from her account for the rest. I've bought a property which we can use to live in until we return to Thailand at which point it will be rented out so there are no accomodation costs.
Here are the questions.

What is cost personally of your trip?
The total amount of money you have for this trip?
The cost of the plane, boat or train tickets?
Accommodation N/A
The cost of your living expenses?
Is someone other than you paying for all or part of the trip
What is the total amount in GBP?

Since I am paying for the flights (£557) each should she put £557 and half the total amount just for her and then her daughter put the other half as being paid by someone else and she's paying nothing?

How do I know what the living expenses will be and what does that mean exactly?

Sorry this is so badly written but I'm trying to help her with the form but I'm busy myself as well. I'm sure I'm not reading this as well as I should.

Edit:

Just thought of something else.

On my wife's form she's asked if she's travelling with anyone else and do they have a visa. She's travelling with her daughter but she doesn't have a visa yet as she's applying at the same time. This will obviously apply in reverse for her daughter. My wife has said her daughter does have a visa which I would probably say as well. The problem is I don't understand the reason for the question so I can't be sure if the answer is correct. Are they asking if the other traveller is coming without a visa?

Edited April 16, 2015 by kimamey

[bigyin]

As regards your last point I have made 2 successful applications for my wife and step daughter and both times I said NO they don't have a visa on both applications. I think that has got to be the correct answer as at the point you make the application neither of them do have a visa. VFS will send both applications together to the Embassy in 1 bag so the ECO will see both answers.

As to the first point where did your wife's money come from? If it came from you then really you are still funding the trip. I just put 'My sponsor is paying for everything" on their applications. But if it is really her own money then as long as you demonstrate that someone be it you or a combination of you and your wife can pay for everything then there will not be a problem. She will have to provide evidence that she has the money (as will you). For living expenses you can just put down a realistic amount you think you will spend as a family over and above the specific items mentioned. Overall they just want to make sure that the trip can be funded without recourse to public funds and they won't over analyse these answers individually. Obviously if your step daughter is a child she will not be paying anything and you can put as I did or 'My sponsor and my mother are paying for everything'. Hope this helps.

[kimamey]

As regards your last point I have made 2 successful applications for my wife and step daughter and both times I said NO they don't have a visa on both applications. I think that has got to be the correct answer as at the point you make the application neither of them do have a visa. VFS will send both applications together to the Embassy in 1 bag so the ECO will see both answers.

As to the first point where did your wife's money come from? If it came from you then really you are still funding the trip. I just put 'My sponsor is paying for everything" on their applications. But if it is really her own money then as long as you demonstrate that someone be it you or a combination of you and your wife can pay for everything then there will not be a problem. She will have to provide evidence that she has the money (as will you). For living expenses you can just put down a realistic amount you think you will spend as a family over and above the specific items mentioned. Overall they just want to make sure that the trip can be funded without recourse to public funds and they won't over analyse these answers individually. Obviously if your step daughter is a child she will not be paying anything and you can put as I did or 'My sponsor and my mother are paying for everything'. Hope this helps.

We've made several successful applications over the years but of course the circumstances have changed over that time.

I think we may well follow your suggestion regarding whether they have a visa. It turns out that my stepdaughter may be making her application a little later than my wife so we could just clarify this in the 'other information' section at the end. It would be easier if I understood three reason behind the question as it doesn't seem to have any obvious purpose.

On previous occasions I've prayed for everything with my money but given my girlfriend/wife money as well which we put on the form as hers which technically it was. The reason for this is because when we first applied the advice on here was that immigration were worried about 2 main things. Was the visitor going to return to Thailand at the end of the visit or disappear and work illegally. My wife daughter was much younger then plus she has a government job so it was fairly easy to show she would leave. Also there was a concern if the visitor was reliant on the sponsor for financial support then if they split up for any reason the visitor would be in a difficult position and might be a burden on public funds which is why I gave her the money.

This time things are different. I've bought a property in the UK and I'm spending money on it plus I've had to buy a car which I'll sell before I return to Thailand and I'm waiting to sell another vehicle so my account is rather lacking in funds. Money from my account in Thailand has been moved to hers so in effect it's hers not mine now. Must remember not to upset her.☺

I think I've got a better idea what to do now after thinking about it but it always helps to hear the opinions of others so thanks for your helpful thoughts.