Apply for new visa

[rubarb]

Hi can anyone tell if my thai girlfriend can apply straight away for another visa when she goes back to thailand from the uk.

My gf has come over to the uk for 4 months and im going back with her for 2 months. Im just wondering if theres a set time she has to wait before reapplying or can she apply the first week shes back in thailand. Thanks in advance

[MaprangHolmes]

You can apply straight away but unlikely to be given anything longer than 2 months in the UK. It is not a rule but a person normally can only stay for 6 months out of 12

[rubarb]

Thanks for the reply. She got her visa september so would it be better to wait till september again to try and get a full visa

[theoldgit]

As MaprangHolmes rightly says there is a convention that a person visiting the UK as a tourist wouldn't normally be allowed to spend longer that six months out of any twelve month period, this rule isn't set in stone but she would need to have compelling reasons to exceed this, and I suspect your girlfriend hasn't.

This convention is in place to prevent applicants circumnavigating the settlement by in effect living in the UK for extended periods.

Your girlfriend is a prime example of why this rule is there, she has already been in the UK as a tourist for four months, she wants to go home for a couple of months before returning to UK.

As has been pointed out she can apply straight away but I would have thought her chance of success would be pretty slim. When she applied for her earlier visa did she state she intended to stay for that length of time, what did she use as her reason to return to Thailand, what did she do in the UK for that length of time?

She hasn't broken any Immigration Rules, but her previous visit will be taken into account when a future application is being assessed.

[wooloomooloo]

The refusal will be along the lines of 'apply for settlement if that's your intention'.

[rubarb]

Yes we stated she was coming for 4 months and didnt realy state her reason to return only that she has a shop on in the market that her parents would look after until she got back. I wrote down for visa office what we were going to do and were we going to show them that we needed 4 months. They put a multi visa stamp in her passport which surprised me

[wooloomooloo]

As has been stated, six months out of twelve. Your girlfriend is no exception.

What are you both trying to achieve?

[rubarb]

Im not that knowledgeable about uk visa. Somewere i read said about 12month visa is this right

[rubarb]

We just want to spend time together in both countrys see how we get on in diff climates and countrys. Then make a decision were we want to live

[theoldgit]

Im not that knowledgeable about uk visa. Somewere i read said about 12month visa is this right

A longer term visa still only allows the holder to remain in the UK for six months in any twelve, they are really designed for people who can demonstrate a need to visit over a longer period without the need for regular applications, like business people.

Multi entry visas are normally issued unless there's a reason not to.

[rubarb]

Thanks for the input oldgit. The next step for us then realy is wait till 12months has elapsed to try for another visa or try for settlement visa?

Edited October 10, 2015 by rubarb

[wooloomooloo]

Yes, rubarb.

[rubarb]

Unless she can pretend to be syrian lol

[rubarb]

Excuse my humour

[wooloomooloo]

Not really humorous to those of us that have paid thousands of pounds in cash, blood, sweat and tears to get our loved ones here. You'll know what I mean when you've been through it.

Edited October 10, 2015 by wooloomooloo

[rubarb]

I done tourist visa myself wooloomooloo any able person can do if they do reseach. Im not sure what you mean by having paid thousands?

It took me a few weeks to read up and do tourist visa i admit it was hard work but settlement visa wont be any harder as long as you read up on it all. These people paying are just doing it the easy way i feel

[wooloomooloo]

You'll see what I mean by thousands if and when your girlfriend / wife applies for settlement. Ultimately it comes in at tens of thousands. You've a lot to learn.

[rubarb]

Im not having a go wooloomooloo but if youve spent tens of thousands on applying for settlement visa you have been badly advised or took for a fool. I no 2/3 people who have brought there thai wives over and hasnt cost that much. I agree it takes hard work and a lot of time to gather everything but not tens of thousands.

Did you pay someone to do for you? Is your thai wife here?

[rubarb]

I believe reading and talking to people its the same process and a bit more paper work as tourist visa. I think if you do research and are competent your halfway there

[wooloomooloo]

Rubarb. Settlement visa came in at about 5k all told. ILR, citizenship and British passport in at roughy 3.5k, including ILR PEO visit at 1.4k alone. Bolt on ad hoc expenses which numbs the brain.

Wife's been here five years exactly and we take two three week holidays each and every year to visit her folks. Each visit costs a minimum of 3.5k, and that's a cheap one.

I personally send about 1.5k to in laws each year and also pay for large household purchases, as and when required.

Anyway, I can see I've been badly advised. I'll give you some free advice, if you can't afford a nice Thai lady, turn back now.

Edited October 10, 2015 by wooloomooloo

[rubarb]

Lol what you mean by that?

Wow 3.5k a visit thats including plane tickets?

Im glad you can see you have been badly advised can you share the name who has given you such bad information?

Like i stated i know 3 people who have brought there thai wives over and its not cost anything like that figure your throwing about. Still its better than the original price you saying" Tens of thousands"

I will beg to differ in the price as long as you have all the documents and money to prove you can support her then your nearly there.

I like your advice thank you lol. But always remember give advice to yourself first

[wooloomooloo]

Get your calculator out and think about it.

I personally don't believe, based on your quick-fire responses, that you're mature enough or can even afford a Thai wife.

Good luck, as you'll most certainly need it as you've made yourself look the prize fool in your own OP.

Edited October 10, 2015 by wooloomooloo

[rubarb]

Its probably because im still relativley still young and use my brain as why im fast. I didnt go over there to find a wife or carer to look after me like so many old farangs do. If you think its all about money and buying a wife whos the one people are laughing at lol. If ive made a fool of myself i pity you for spending tens of thousands on a visa .

I came on here to ask a few questions to understand visa's more and i get you wittering on about stupid amounts of money that isnt accurate, believeable or helpful.

I think all sites seem to get wasters like yourself on them unfortunatly

[rubarb]

Thats the best quote ive had for a long time " i dont believe youre mature enough or can even AFFORD a thai wife" classic lol its made me smile thank you

[wooloomooloo]

Thanks for the input oldgit. The next step for us then realy is wait till 12months has elapsed to try for another visa or try for settlement visa?

Good luck with the settlement visa.

[rubarb]

Thank you

[7by7]

I believe reading and talking to people its the same process and a bit more paper work as tourist visa. I think if you do research and are competent your halfway there

I'm afraid you believe wrongly!

For the initial visa, have a read of:

Apply to join family living permanently in the UK

Appendix FM 1.7: Financial Requirement

Appendix FM-SE: family members specified evidence

Then there will be the FLR application after 30 months in the UK and then ILR 30 months after that.

I agree that most people should be able to navigate their way through all of this and make a successful application each time without the aid of an agent or similar; but the whole process is not as simple as you appear to think!

Neither is it cheap!

The current (2015/16) fees for UK settlement are:-

Initial visa: £956 plus NHS surcharge of £600; total £1556 (payable in USD at an exchange rate favourable to UKVI).

.

Further Leave to Remain after 30 months in UK: £649 plus NHS surcharge of £500; total £1149 (plus £400 if applying in person).

Indefinite Leave to Remain 30 months after FLR: £1500 (plus £400 if applying in person).

Total over the five years: £4205 (£5005 if applying for FLR and ILR in person).

Plus, of course, the costs of obtaining the TB certificate and taking the A1 English test, and tuition for same if required, in Thailand; then the cost of taking the B1 English test and LitUK test, plus tuition for same if required, once in the UK.

It will, though, be more than this as the fees increase each April, usually by far more than inflation.

At the last increase the initial visa fee increased by 8.0%, the FLR fee by 7.9% and the ILR fee by a massive 37.2%!

If one wants to take the final step and naturalise as British, which I recommend for a variety of reasons, then the current fee for that is £1005, an increase of 10.9% on the 2014/15 fees.

[rubarb]

Thank you 7by7

That was my understanding around that figure over the 5 years. It was surprising and unhelpful when people were saying tens of thousands when i know its not.

I do believe it is hard and very stressful to do but it is capable of doing on your own.

I dont think its cheap neither but if you put it in to context if your wife is here for the 5 years and gets a uk passport it works out 20 pound a week which is not going to break the bank to have someone you love over here. Thats what i was trying to state in my previous posts. It sounds a lot but over the 5 years its very little to have a loved one with you

Edited October 11, 2015 by rubarb

[wooloomooloo]

It was surprising and unhelpful when people were saying tens of thousands when i know its not.

Some of us are trying to be helpful, rubarb. Tens of thousands is no exaggeration and I did inform about ad hoc costs and detailed rough figures. You might be able to get the sums down slightly, but, I am quite serious. The overall costs are in excess of 20k. That is tens of thousands and I stand by my original statement that it's far more than 20k.

You can continue to rubbish my calculations but you'll never really understand until you've done it. The ad hoc costs come in big, and I mean big on top of visa costs.

You might be unfortunate and have to apply for multiple FLR applications due to unforeseen circumstances and then the costs bump up even more. Are you certain your future wife can pass LitUK test first time? Or some other unforeseen event doesn't cause you more financial misery.

Come back in five years and tell me that I am wrong if you continue down the settlement path.

I notice none of the regulars here have corrected me, only you. Think about it.

Edited October 11, 2015 by wooloomooloo

[jacksam]

Thanks for the reply. She got her visa september so would it be better to wait till september again to try and get a full visa

Bit confused? You mention she got her visa iI September. Then mention UK for 4 months. Is that a current visit?

Does her visa have an enter befor date, meaning a period of validity.

Anyway think you have really good plan spending time in both countries. Sort of unrelated but especially when your in Thailand, give some thought what you would do for work. Settlement visa might be way to go, longer term, as you could work. I know very little about various visas UK offer. I'm AU and we have visas for study. If I wanted to live in AU with the gf for say 12 month period. She could study English, which already is very good and allow her to work 20 hours per week. Does UK offer various visas such as this?

Point taken from the posters about length of time in UK in a given year, but can't imagine you would need to wait a full 12 months. Perhaps a UK guy in similar boat to you has done this and might post their experience.

Good luck with your plans