UK Visa Refusal for Thai Girlfriend

[theoldgit]

Nonsense posts and replies removed.

If you've got no meaningful advice, please stay away.

[sendintheclowns]

Thanks for honest reply Jacksam. Appreciate it.

I don't disagree that they were correct to reject the decision and do not contest it. I merely seek to prepare a better application next time.

To add more info, I am 33 she is 20. We met in Pattaya, she worked in a bar. She has a little travel history as went to Singapore together in August 2015. She now lives in Nakhon Ratchasima with her family.

We declared all the above as part of the immigration, no false representation was made at any stage.

I'm amazed that the forum has been so considerate to your position.

I wouldn't want to prejudge her, but you say she's 20 and had gone to Pattawa to work in a bar, and is from Nakohn Ratchasima.

What did she do in the bar? Nothing wrong with whatever it was; but are you ok with the possibility that she will move back to work in Pattaya, the other 44 weeks of the year.?

Ask yourself what is it that you really want?

Is it to spend 300,000 baht/ year for as long as you continue to live in the UK, so that you have this particular beauty waiting for you to come on holiday ?

I do think the best advice offered here is that you fly back to meet her, rather than the other way round. Then you have a chance to get to know her, meet her friends and family and take it from there. I have a Swedish friend, Thai gf working in an insurance co for several years. They've got a visa into the EU. But the UK visa application has been pending, for 8 months now.

[jamie2009]

I have to admit after knowing my Girlfriiend for a few weeks the thought entered my head about taking her to the UK even to the extent of going to the Passport office in Bangkok, twice, it was just after the time when they had all been closed. In the end I gave up as there were hundreds waiting. Two years down the line I have my 'sensible head' on still with the same lady. I look after her, feed cloth etc and give her money for the Market on a Friday for herself. Why on earth do farangs 'fork out' thousands on a monthly basis,

My advice would be stop the money, leave it for a few months and see how the relationship developes from there. If I was an Embassy employee as soon as I seen her age your age, where she had worked it would even have been considered.

I find it very difficult to take this post serious, 5 week relationship, 28000 baht a month !

[flyingdoc]

Rightly or wrongly, the U.K is very tight on applications from Thailand, obviously based on bad track records in many cases. This even applies to a person who can satisfy all normal requirements, such as having a well paid job in LOS, children living there and in full time education, property, cars and every reason to need to return. Just bide your time as many posts

have suggested, visit Thailand more often, and think with your head rather than other parts of your anatomy !

[tajtom]

I wonder why son

Thais are capable of anything

[wooloomooloo]

Where to start?

To her shock they then called her out of the blue the next day from a phone number I tracked back to the UK Embassy on Wireless road and asked her some very tricky questions which she panicked about, which anyone would.

Not a good start.

- I am sending her 28000 baht per month. I am doing so via my ATM card which I gave her. Although we provided every single ATM receipt from where she took money they said there was no evidence I was sending money.

If you are sending money as part of the relationship picture, you need to show debits to your UK bank account and credits to your girlfriend's Thai bank account that reconcile one for one.

- As part of her evidence she submitted her bank statement which showed 296000 baht deposits in September 2015. They said there was absolutely no evidence of where this money came from and he did not believe it belonged to her. Which is fair enough.

You now know that this amount of cash actually counted against your girlfriend. There would appear to be no way of showing that this is a verifiable income any time in the future.

- She said she was working in the family business, again he argued there was no evidence to support this.

That's that then.

She needs to show bank statement showing realistic deposits rather then showing 300000 baht??

As for reasons to return, that would be a start.

She is prepared to get a job full time at a shop but obviously its not ideal.

It's far more ideal than what she brings to the table at present.

Finally I have no idea of how we declare her intention to return to Thailand after her month visit. It concludes by saying there is no right of appeal and only to try again if there is either a significant change in personal circumstances or significant new evidence supplied, which doesn't sound encouraging.

Good advice by the Embassy. Your girlfriend has to start over and it's going take some considerable work to nail a visit visa.

How about setting a target of, let's say, a year's honest work detailing a verifiable income. She could also consider renting a property with a bona fide tenancy agreement evidencing timely rental payments and purchasing a car on HP. These are the sort of practicalities that she should be aiming for.

Up to you.

[David in the north]

Took me 3 attempts to get my lady a 6 month visitor visa. Despite a lot of emails, faxes & phone calls & doing everything that was asked - she was knocked back twice. 3rd time we were married which might have helped. I was 51 & she was 46. UK embassy in Bangkok is a law to itself.

[likeke]

In America, she be automatically refused because she worked in a bar. I have known several Americans who tried.

But my friend, you have much more serious problems already mentioned. Met young thai gf in Pattaya bar, only known her 6 months and been with her 5 weeks, you send her money from your country and she has access to your ATM. congratulations, you have broken every rule in the book! You are an emotionaland and financial tragedy waiting to happen. Good luck to sir as you will definitely need it.

[likeke]

In America, she be automatically refused because she worked in a bar. I have known several Americans who tried.

But my friend, you have much more serious problems already mentioned. Met young thai gf in Pattaya bar, only known her 6 months and been with her 5 weeks, you send her money from your country and she has access to your ATM. congratulations, you have broken every rule in the book! You are an emotionaland and financial tragedy waiting to happen. Good luck to sir as you will definitely need it.

[dotpoom]

I wish you both good luck in your endeavors to be together in the UK....just a thought, maybe an agency dealing in these matters might have better success.

[wooloomooloo]

I wish you both good luck in your endeavors to be together in the UK....just a thought, maybe an agency dealing in these matters might have better success.

Good idea, but only once the OP's girlfriend brings a more verifiable and stable lifestyle to the table.

As it stands, the best of agents wouldn't be able to turn this one around.

[transam]

I wish you both good luck in your endeavors to be together in the UK....just a thought, maybe an agency dealing in these matters might have better success.

He don't need an agency. He needs to stop sending a bird lots of cash. Tell her to get a job where records can be used in the future.

BUT, that won't happen, am sure of that all the time a free 500 quid appears every month.

Well I wouldn't......

OP....How did the bird amass 300,000bht...? Where did that come from..?

[georgemandm]

I will tell you why you not get your visa because you told the truth to them that is why and they think you will take her back to your home and put her on the game as a hooker it happens all the time the same trying to get a thai in to Australia.

I know you not going to do it but that is how they think because to many man do it .

And I would just say this to you not care if you not take it on board but to send a thai 29,000 thai bht a month is just very stupid money ok she is playing you ok not sure what you know about Thais that come from a bar or just come from a village but that type of money is dum shit so up to you but the first thing I would do is try again in 6 months and if you want to send money to her good on you but not that type of money more like 15,000 thai bht a month cheers hop it all works out for you M&M

[Farang99]

Immigration is in my opinion absolutely correct to reject your application. Almost all their reasons are correct. Not in order but seriously you just haven't know her long enough. While they never state a minimum.time 6 ,months is cutting it to minimum. Hello bells you have spent 5 weeks with her.

You need to put it on backburner. Try and come to Thailand again. Her work gig to me is not convincing.

She needs show "compelling reason to return to Thailand" ,She has not. There are other ways to demonstrate this. You did not state your ages. Where you met etc. Does she have any travel history. More info will assist members to advise you. Important thing is never give misleading info to immigration.

Unless she has a guarantee that she will return to Thailand when the visit is over, like owning a property or having a permanent job, there is no way they will issue a visa.

[brewsterbudgen]

Fortunately, unlike the US, the fact you met your GF in a bar does not mean she won't get a UK Visitor's visa, neither does she require money in the bank if you are sponsoring her visit. What she will need to do is demonstrate that she will return to Thailand after her holiday.

[misterphil]

JAFO hit the nail on the head.

You need to forget it for now.

Your case is similar to mine with my ex wife over 10 years ago. Hers was refused at first as She had no reason to return to Thailand. However in my case I was living in Thailand and the trip to the UK was purely to visit my family. After an interview she got the visa on the gurantee that I brought her back to Thailand, which ofcourse I did.

In your case, theres no reason for her to return hence the refusal.

[teeyai]

Do Yourself a favour and contact Paul or Tony at thai visa express ! ! !

After 2 Years of problems Trying to get Visa for My Wife I Finally contacted them and They got decision over turned within 3 weeks .

They are Professionals and Experts at what They do and unlike most are not out to rip You off .

Search on here You will fond there details and many many positive remarks about them .

[finnomick]

Evidence of sending your g/f money to Thailand will not get you a visa, they're only interested in how you can support her whilst she is in the UK -- the big thing is that she ' will not become a burden on the UK social security system '.

Get a quote from BUPA which would be in place for the duration of her visit. You can get BUPA gold for a month.

Unlikely at the age of 20, but if your g/f has any kind of government employee loan still outstanding ( or maybe even a guarantor for one ) this will also get your visa application refused -- and they may not even tell you why. Any government loan has to be paid up before a positive decision will be given.

Don't appeal, this will take ages and further visa applications during an appeal will be refused. Just take it on the chin and get HISTORY of your relationship as evidence to support any future application.

[farangmick]

As other posters have mentioned, the hardest part of the application by far is proving that the lady will leave the UK before expiration of her visa. When I first applied for a visa for my wife eight years ago, I dredged up everything I could think of. Translated letter from the director of the school where my wife taught to say her job was kept open, letter from the puu yai ban stating that it was only with her support that her elderly parents could keep their farm going, (not exactly true, but only cost me a couple of bottles of Hong Thong.) and a letter from my MP on Commons notepaper asking that the application be viewed favourably. It's not only in Thailand that beaurocrats kow tow to a bit of authority.

Have your GF open a bank account, and send her money by TT, then you have a paper trail. Find out which Thai bank your UK bank deals with through SWIFT, and open her account there.

The above might not help, but all the best.

[Berkshire]

Thanks for honest reply Jacksam. Appreciate it.

I don't disagree that they were correct to reject the decision and do not contest it. I merely seek to prepare a better application next time.

To add more info, I am 33 she is 20. We met in Pattaya, she worked in a bar. She has a little travel history as went to Singapore together in August 2015. She now lives in Nakhon Ratchasima with her family.

We declared all the above as part of the immigration, no false representation was made at any stage.

I'm a little surprised that you managed to get her into Singapore. They're pretty tough on Thai females these days. But let's face it, she's not your girlfriend. You simply want to bring a Thai hooker into the UK and they're not having it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

[transam]

Thanks for honest reply Jacksam. Appreciate it.

I don't disagree that they were correct to reject the decision and do not contest it. I merely seek to prepare a better application next time.

To add more info, I am 33 she is 20. We met in Pattaya, she worked in a bar. She has a little travel history as went to Singapore together in August 2015. She now lives in Nakhon Ratchasima with her family.

We declared all the above as part of the immigration, no false representation was made at any stage.

I'm a little surprised that you managed to get her into Singapore. They're pretty tough on Thai females these days. But let's face it, she's not your girlfriend. You simply want to bring a Thai hooker into the UK and they're not having it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

I was trying to say that in a different way.......

[Bernard Flint]

Why are you sending her money when she supposedly works for family, no wonder she didnt get a tourist visa. Cannot believe some people send so much money to a girl they dont know that well.

The mind boggles

[fabphil]

28000 baht a month, jesus shes on a winner, u got rocks in ur head mate !!

[nithisa78]

Hire a lawyer. Get a finance VISA and photo evidence means a lot. No disrespect, it was a weak application.

[lormakmak]

28k a month eh..... wow pays better than working in a bank and that kind of money up in Nakon Nowhere she must be strutting like a peacock, bet her Mum and 'brother' are loving life

as far as the visa is concerned, use and agency and pay the money.... it's only money right

[nongsangcity]

its not easy to get anybody in to the uk....took my 3 attempts to get my wife over to the uk and we had lived together for years in thailand...got 3 friends here in the jungle who have given up with the ideas of getting their wives to the uk....they all have good jobs back in the UK , houses paid for, money in the bank etc and they have all been turned down in the last couple of years....whilst in the UK Myself and wife and we were both working full time tried to bring my 15 step son to the uk for a months holiday during the school holiday and he was turned down saying they ( the uk Embassy) feared for his safty whilst he would be in the UK....

[wooloomooloo]

A truly eye-opening thread.

Mention a bargirl and monthly allowance and the entire General topics forum decamps to the Visas and migration to other countries forum to impart their in depth knowledge and experience of UK immigration. But, ultimately, only comes here with the intention to rag him to death on his choice of lifestyle.

Whether the OP is serious or not, or that he gifts his girlfriend over £500 a month, or that she is a bargirl or former bargirl is neither here nor there.

The OP has a specific question as to how his girlfriend can successfully qualify for a general visit visa to the UK, particularly after a recent refusal.

The only sensible replies I can detect are from the Visas and migration to other countries regulars. The rest is largely irrelevant.

[eastendanto]

My tuppence worth......not sure how much the application process has changed but the 28K per month she gets as income from yourself is a bit of a misnomer. First if you continue to give her money is this way it needs to be on a regular basis i.e. 15th of every month via direct debit, s/o or bank transfer from your bank to her bank... no cash involved. What the ECO wants to see is the money leaving your account and going to her account on bonafide bank statements at a regular period over a period of time i.e. typically 12 months worth of statements.

Secondly I'm assuming if you can afford to send your gf 28K per month you are a person who is self sufficient and has a regular income that can allow you to do this. When I applied for my gf to come to the UK in Dec 2011 she did not earn any money and I provided her with no money except when I went over to Thailand. She came over on a Visitor visa and all the onus of support and proof that she would not be a burden on the UK social/benefits system etc... was put on me to prove in the Visa application, to show that I would be able to support her whilst she was in the UK. I had to show proof of air ticket (return) that I had purchased for her, 12 months bank statements showing income and savings to prove that I could support her whilst she was in the UK, proof of address where she would be staying and that it was suitable to accommodate her etc....

She passed her application that time and she stayed with me in the UK for the duration of the visa - 6 months. At the end of the

6 months we both went back to Thailand to apply for a marriage visa and she subsequently got refused as her name was on my council tax bill, which was required in the UK so that we could apply for a marriage licence in the UK. So whilst satisfying one branch of the government (local council) it was not suitable for her visa application with a different branch of the government.

So bottom line is take in all the various valid points and guidance given in the various posts to your question and if you have any doubt at all, go and seek professional help in completing the application. This will cost you money, but if you choose this route ensure you get the "right" support and it will tip the scales into your gf's balance of passing.

Good luck

[OMGImInPattaya]

its not easy to get anybody in to the uk....took my 3 attempts to get my wife over to the uk and we had lived together for years in thailand...got 3 friends here in the jungle who have given up with the ideas of getting their wives to the uk....they all have good jobs back in the UK , houses paid for, money in the bank etc and they have all been turned down in the last couple of years....whilst in the UK Myself and wife and we were both working full time tried to bring my 15 step son to the uk for a months holiday during the school holiday and he was turned down saying they ( the uk Embassy) feared for his safty whilst he would be in the UK....

I found this comment and others about the difficulty of getting Thai wives to the UK interesting. Americans may not be able to get tourist visas for sex-workers but if one is married, if the basic paperwork is in order, a visa for travel or settlement will always be granted.

Edited October 9, 2015 by OMGImInPattaya

[theoldgit]

A lot of nonsensical replies on here, I have removed a number of trolling posts, after a genuine, though a tad naïve, request for advice from the OP.

Members "wooloomooloo" and "The Rascal" have given probably the most helpful advice, which I will attempt to expand on a tad.

The onus is on "drdavey1's" girlfriend to satisfy the Entry Clearance Officer that her application is genuine, in doing so she must demonstrate that the proposed trip is, genuine, affordable and that, on the balance of probability she will return home at the conclusion of her visit, the ECO will assess her application on the evidence she has submitted.

The OP states that they put together a big pack including photos, letters and statements, all well and good but they need to be relevant to the application, you really don't want the overwhelm the ECO with a load of unnecessary evidence, they may miss the meaningful stuff.

The rest of my views are directed at the OP.

The visa appointment itself is not part of the application process, it's simply to hand in a hard copy of the application together with the supporting documents and for the applicant to have their biometric details captured, they certainly don't ask any pertinent questions at this stage as the staff there take no part in the application process, VFS is little more than a mail drop.

It seems to be common foe the ECO's or one of their team to call the applicant, or even their employers, to test them on the information that's in the application, given that it's her application and she would be expected to know the details of her application,

When consider the application, I imagine the ECO would wonder why you are sending your girlfriend 28,000 Baht, over £500, a month, you will be aware that this is multiples of what she would earn every month in regular employment, they may wonder, as do I, what this is for, they may also take the view that you would be willing to hand over a similar amount of cash if she was with you in the UK.

She doesn't need to show 300,000 Baht in a bank account, but it's not unreasonable to wonder how she accumulated such a sum as she's submitted as evidence, for sure you are sending her far more than she needs, but how did she accumulate this amount. of cash Having this money in her bank has probably led to more questions being asked that she's answered, maybe she banks all the cash you send her. It's difficult to understand the ECO's thinking without sight of the actual refusal, .

The visit to Singapore is helpful but on its own clearly not enough, I wouldn't have thought that the travels throughout Thailand would count for much, other than you've actually met.

If she works for her family, assuming it's genuine employment, a letter from the family should suffice, though they should be prepared for a call from the ECO or a member of the UKVI team to test them on the evidence they've supplied.

As to how to prepare a future application, well you need to address the reasons for the refusal, can you post that?

As the more sensible members have said, many former bar staff have visited the UK with their boyfriends/spouses and returned, some have settle there. Having previously worked in a bar doesn't preclude a person from visiting the UK.

If you are sending cash, and maybe you should revisit the amount you send, then provide a paper trail and indicate what the purpose of the money is.

If she's in genuine employment with her family, then she should provide evidence.

A month is a long time for a holiday, assuming you're at work what is she going to do all day?

I personally don't think she needs an agent, but if you do decide to go down that route, Tony and Paul at Thai Visa Express come highly recommended.

The guys on here will advise on a future application, but maybe start with the refusal notice.