UK visit visa,stay duration.

[tomyumgoong]

Hi, first would like to say thank you to all, for all the help i have got ,reading the forum, while applying for my thai g/f visa,

Which today she got, we asked for 30 days ,but the visa is for 180,,

question,

is it ok for her to stay 90 days,after stateing our plans in application, then chaging them,

is there any danger it could affect any future visa applications? .

ie fiance/marriage applications?

do they even store details of previous applications, as to check?

thank you.

Edited June 23, 2015 by tomyumgoong

[rawhod]

All UK visitor visas are issued with a validity of 180 day.

You can extend your stay from 30 days to 90 days, however, if you apply in the future for a UK visa, you would have to explain why, and have a good reason. If not, you could be accused of making a false statement on your application, knowing that she was going to stay for 90 days, not 30 days.

Also, be aware that when you enter the UK, the Immigration Officer can (and has done when we have entered) ask how long she intends to stay...

I also believe that the UK may have now reintroduced Immigration checks on exit (someone may be able to confirm this). The Officer will no doubt have access to the visa conditions (to check there has been no overstay) and could at that point query the extension of requested stay.

[theoldgit]

Rawhood is spot on with his reply.

You need to keep in mind that your girlfriends reasons to return could be brought into question in any future application if she suddenly extended her "holiday" from one to three months on her first visit.

I have to stress that she wouldn't be breaking any Immigration Laws but she would be bringing her credibility into question.

Yes, embarkation checks are being rolled out throughout the UK.

[7by7]

Indeed.

All UK visa applications are kept on record for, I believe, 10 years. So both immigration at her port of entry to the UK and the ECO assessing any future application she may make will be able to see what she said in this one.

If she does stay longer than stated in her application then she will need to satisfactorily explain in any subsequent one why she did so and how she was able to do so.

Especially if she said in this application that she had to be back by a certain date for work, studies or similar and then stayed in the UK significantly beyond that date.

She will also need to satisfy immigration when entering the UK on this point if she is questioned about her intentions and length of stay; especially if she has a return ticket dated for after she said in her application she would be returning to Thailand.

Having said that, the ECOs and IOs are aware that peoples plans can and do change. As long as she does provide a satisfactory explanation in her next application or if questioned by an IO she should be ok.

[bobrussell]

A 'satisfactory' explanation for a trip changing from 30 to 90 days could be as simple as 'I was having so much fun that I decided to stay a bit longer. A 30 day visit that becomes 5½ months would take a lot more explaining away! It has been done but clearly is more likely to flag up concerns regarding attempts being made to circumvent the settlement rules.