Couple of questions before visa appt this weekend (UK visitor visa)

[HollyT]

Hi all,

We (myself and my Thai partner) are going to Bangkok for the UK visitor visa appointment on Saturday. I think we're pretty much ready to go but just wanted to ask a couple of final questions to make sure.. this is our first time applying so it all seems a bit daunting!

This is what I have prepared to submit, if anyone notices anything we've missed out?

-Print out of application

-Letter from me (sponsor) outlining our reason to visit (my mother is getting married and after almost 2 years together I want my boyfriend to accompany me and meet my family) and a brief history of our relationship

-Photocopy of my Thai partners passport including entry / exit stamps (one visit to Malaysia)

-Photocopy of his ID card

-Photocopy of his tabian baan

-Photocopy of my passport + pages of entry / exit stamps for Thailand + visas

-Letter from my manager on headed paper authorising me to take time off and states that I will be returning to the same job, also confirms my salary amount

-My most recent work contract (renewed yearly) + the previous years contract (using my job as the reason we will return)

-Copy of my work permit

-6 months payslips for me

-6 months bank statements from my UK account (very little activity but shows some funds)

-Copy of bank books for my Thai account, his Thai account, and our joint Thai account

-Photos for proof of relationship (printed off Facebook so they have dates on)

-Messages between us from December 2013 to now (only a couple of these as we live together anyway)

-Rental agreement from landlord showing both our names from March 2014 to March 2015

-We don't have a rental contract in the property we are currently in but I have a letter addressed to me here

-Print out of flight prices we've seen and plan to book

-Letter of invitation from my mother inc. photo of property + mortgage statement

-Booking confirmation of mothers wedding + our invite

I know some of these might not be necessary but just wanted to include everything we have... also this seems very full of information about me rather than him but I am acting as his sponsor (most of our money is in my account)...

Does this seem okay? All Thai documentation has been translated in to English.

Also wanted to ask:

*Do we need to take the originals of the things we have copies for (bank books, tabian baan, my passport), and do the copies need to be certified? I don't mind leaving the bank books but I think his mother would kill us if we don't bring the tabian baan home with us (also not sure if this is neccessary to take, but oh well we have it translated anyway).

*Do we need to sign all forms of ID (so just my passport for me, and his passport and ID card for him)?

A big thankyou to everyone on this forum who has been so helpful and generous with their time and advice, it has been so helpful while I have been putting this application together.

[theoldgit]

@Holly, all that seems fine, reasons to return seem to be based on your relationship and your ties to Thailand, but proof of your accommodation here would help.

Is your partner in employment?

The reason for the visit are fine.

The ECC's seem to have been calling applicants of late, there has recently been a change over of UK based staff so I don't know if these are still happening, but he should be prepared.

Copy everything you send, just to be safe, you can self certify passports and the like.

The appointment on Saturday is just to lodge the hard copy of the application and the supporting documents, the staff play no part in the decision making process.

Good luck.

[rawhod]

Just to answer your question about originals...

Yes you do need to take the originals (plus the copies as you say).

[HollyT]

@theoldgit He was employed helping his uncle do deliveries but a couple of months ago his uncle shut that part of his business down and so for now he isn't working. We've been trying to contact our landlady for proof of accommodation but she's been difficult to get hold of, we still have a couple of days so still trying.

Do we need to date the passport copies too or just sign?

@rawhod Thanks for your help, do you think they will let us take originals back with us after they've seen them?

[rawhod]

When we went to VFS to submit the application for my wifes UK visitor visa in 2011, '12 and '13, they returned bank books, chanotes and tabian baan after making note that they had seen the originals (the applications were successful)

Whether they still do this I don't know. You could ask...

However with the reports of VFS allegedly removing documents which have resulted in the application failing, some people have expressed possible concerns at not sending all the original documents to the embassy.

[theoldgit]

@theoldgit He was employed helping his uncle do deliveries but a couple of months ago his uncle shut that part of his business down and so for now he isn't working. We've been trying to contact our landlady for proof of accommodation but she's been difficult to get hold of, we still have a couple of days so still trying.

Do we need to date the passport copies too or just sign?

@rawhod Thanks for your help, do you think they will let us take originals back with us after they've seen them?

I don't think it makes any difference whether you just sign or sign and date.

I would mention the fact about the loss of employment in your covering letter. As I say, they seem to be being a tad stricter of late, so you really ram home the point that his return is based on your continued relationship here in Thailand and your own ties here.

[HollyT]

Thanks for advice.

I just realised the name in his bank book is in Thai, I assume we need to get that translated too?

Also should we go to the bank and get statements printed out or should the bank book itself do?

[theoldgit]

I've always got a letter in English from the bank, they have a template.

[HollyT]

I've always got a letter in English from the bank, they have a template.

I just went in to see them (Kasikorn) and all they would offer is a bank statement for 200 baht. What does your letter say?

[theoldgit]

Haven't got to hand, but with Kasikorn and TMB but as I recall we've always been given a covering letter addressed to a visa office, giving the balance, when the account was opened and the name in English, though we had to ask for that. It was a template and a couple in Kasikorn had to go scroll through their list.

Doesn't the ID card have English and Thai, you could cross reference.

[theoldgit]

I've just located the most recent letters, both were attached to statements, the Kasikorn one says.

This letter serves as a bank reference for our customer who applies for a permit from you. We are pleased to give you the following details.

1 Account holder, in English

2 Branch

3 Type of account

4 Time account open

5 Present balance

6 Average balance

7 Account holder, again

8 Comment, considered financially capable of supporting herself.

Whilst the TMB one is just a tick box covering letter.

Name in English, type of account, length of time open and balance.

I suspect neither are specific to visa applications but are generic.

[HollyT]

Thankyou. My locak K bank won't do it for me as they are not the branch I opened with (I opened at Asok 3 years ago but now live in Suratthani, and we don't arrive in BKK until after they close tomorrow). Which means unless I miss work I will never be at the bank during their opening hours! Boyfriend is currently on his way to SCB to see if they will do for his account.

Already starting to chalk this one up as a test run / experience. Although it's been so stressful I don't think we even want to go to Bangkok together now, never mind England!

[theoldgit]

You might be pleasantly surprised.

[HollyT]

Here's hoping.

At least it will be an adventure to the big city! Haha.

Thankyou so much for all your help, I really do appreciate it.

[theoldgit]

You could, as you said earlier, get the first page of the bank book translated, I'm sure one of the offices in Trendy would do it.

Just don't let the agents get hold of your application.

[aslimversgwm]

BKK Bank do the same: provide a standard statement of all my account balances, when and where opened, name of my Thai partner and that I'm his guarantor addressed to the British Embassy, signed and stamped with the banks official stamp. They charge 100 baht for this.

I also had the pages of my Thai partners passbook translated into English where it has his name in Thai. He has his appointment next week. Wish us luck and good luck to you too!

[HollyT]

Good luck! We've had the email to say a decision has been made so now we just wait for the post to arrive..

[HollyT]

Update, passport arrived today with visa inside thankyou everyone for your advice, particularly theoldgit, it's such a relief to be able to stop worrying about it now!

[theoldgit]

Excellent news, hope you both have a wonderful time.