I've been looking on all the sites but can't find any info on it so just to confirm....

Mrs E has a 5 year visit visa, we're moving back to the UK this year, she's already done the English test and passed, speaking to a mate the other day he's adamant that we could go on the VV then apply in Milton Keynes to change it to a settlement with all the necessary documents etc??

Anyone?

Thanks

Jimmy

No, she will need to return to Thailand to make her application for a settlement visa.

https://www.gov.uk/remain-in-uk-family/eligibility

I obviously look hard enough - just found this:

https://www.gov.uk/remain-in-uk-family

Looks promising.

Having just read through it and it seems that it wouldn't work for us, it specifically mentions being in the UK as a visitor which is what the Mrs would be and also i'm not settled in the UK, i've officially been an expat for 12 years so it seems settlement here is the right and only way we can go.

Jimmy

Having just read through it and it seems that it wouldn't work for us, it specifically mentions being in the UK as a visitor which is what the Mrs would be and also i'm not settled in the UK, i've officially been an expat for 12 years so it seems settlement here is the right and only way we can go.

Jimmy

It's not the fact that you're an expat that excludes it, your still a British Citizen, she just cannot apply when she is in the UK as a visitor.

My earlier link highlights that.

Having just read through it and it seems that it wouldn't work for us, it specifically mentions being in the UK as a visitor which is what the Mrs would be and also i'm not settled in the UK, i've officially been an expat for 12 years so it seems settlement here is the right and only way we can go.

Jimmy

Further to theoldgit's response, and to add further clarity, the visa that you were alluding to is along the lines of, for example, a student residing in the UK on a student visa and has subsequently met his/her potential future spouse whilst here during the applicable period of their stay. There is room to manoeuvre in this instance.

The link theoldgit provided is quite clear in that you can't flip a visit visa to any other form of visa and the applicant must return home prior to making a further visa application in whatever form that may be.

As far as the government is concerned, your wife is more than welcome to apply for any visa that she so desires whilst here in the UK during the period of her visit visa. The government will happily relieve you of your funds and subsequently refuse the application and retain the fee.

Sorry to be blunt, but none of us want to see this happen to you both.

Good luck.

Thanks, thats fine, we'll just crack on with the settlement here.

Ta peeps.