UK Settlement Visa - So quick I thought it had been refused

[pagan1]

Yesterday we picked up my wife's passport from VFS in Bangkok. We had submitted the application on the 16th December and on the 4th January got the notification that the application had been processed. Having gone through 3 visit applications, a fiance visa and the settlement process previously I was fairly confident that I had provided sufficient information to obtain the visa. However I was in a panic that the visa could have been rejected because I had stated a travel date of 29th April.

Reading some comments online there was a clear statement that visas can only be postdated by three months with a further 30 days travel days on the visa issued. There is an option for the reviewing officer to reject applications with travel dates outside this period. My panic was I had fallen into this situation and assumed that the application would take several weeks and the visa would be dated from the approval date (as per previous applications).

The visa was approved and dated 3 months after the submission at VFS (ie start date16th March with a must be in the UK date by 15th April). I must say once again I have been impressed with the Visa service. The turnaround time was impressive and the Reviewing Officer used some common sense with regards to the travel date.

There are pages of posts concerning supporting documentation for settlement visas but my thoughts have always keep it simple. In addition to the stated requirements (VAF4, Appendix 2, English test, Passport, Pictures & TB test) there are only 3 issues to cover (relationship, accommodation & Financial). I appreciate that we have been married for 5 years and had previously obtained a settlement visa but the number of documents I submitted was fairly minimal.

The best piece of advice I can give is split the sponsors letter into these 3 sections and reference the associated documents in the letter. This makes is clear and easy for the RO and prevents VFS from removing documents (although VFS refused to accept my old passport which showed that my wife and I traveled & lived in several countries on/during corresponding dates)

Anyway pleased that we have her settlement visa sorted and now I just need to sort out my visas to cover me in Thailand until April.

I hope that others find the process as easy as I have and congratulations to the UKBA in Bangkok for improving their turnaround times over the past few years (yes it did take 13 weeks in 2010)

Happy days

[stuartsko]

Great news, congratulations

[Always18]

That's splendid news - my own wife's application is due to be lodged at the end of this month so it's heartening to hear something positive!

[jamie2009]

I was speaking with an agent the other day about a visa for my girlfriend for the UK, she told me things had really 'tightened up' and it was becoming very difficult to obtain one ?

My problem is whilst I own a property in the UK it's rented out, I am 64 and have retired, I have more than sufficient funds in the bank? My Thai lady, 38 doesn't work, own a property etc so I didn't even bother to take it any further, I was looking at a Visitors Visa.

Edited January 7, 2016 by jamie2009

[lathamallika]

try the surinder singh route via ireland stay 3 months as a uk citizen will get a 5 year visa for asian spouse ect check it out you bypass uk immigration laws ie 18600uk salary or 62 k i the bank i am doing it now euro laws bypass uk laws and our women can work

[jamie2009]

try the surinder singh route via ireland stay 3 months as a uk citizen will get a 5 year visa for asian spouse ect check it out you bypass uk immigration laws ie 18600uk salary or 62 k i the bank i am doing it now euro laws bypass uk laws and our women can work

Not married and would have no intention of getting married so there arises a problem, only looking for a short term holiday visa ?

[PeeJay1959]

I was speaking with an agent the other day about a visa for my girlfriend for the UK, she told me things had really 'tightened up' and it was becoming very difficult to obtain one ?

My problem is whilst I own a property in the UK it's rented out, I am 64 and have retired, I have more than sufficient funds in the bank? My Thai lady, 38 doesn't work, own a property etc so I didn't even bother to take it any further, I was looking at a Visitors Visa.

My wife had a visitor visa rejected last year, having previously had one approved. Their reasons were all trivial and would have easily applied to the first one. So yes there does seem to be a tightening up going on, even though there is no official change, the must have been instructed to be more picky!!!

[theoldgit]

I was speaking with an agent the other day about a visa for my girlfriend for the UK, she told me things had really 'tightened up' and it was becoming very difficult to obtain one ?

My problem is whilst I own a property in the UK it's rented out, I am 64 and have retired, I have more than sufficient funds in the bank? My Thai lady, 38 doesn't work, own a property etc so I didn't even bother to take it any further, I was looking at a Visitors Visa.

I don't agree with your agent, but she's the professional and I'm only an amateur.

If your girlfriend can satisfy the ECO that her proposed visit is genuine, affordable and that, on the balance of probabilities, she will leave the UK, then there's no earthly reason why a visa shouldn't be issued.

Do you live in Thailand or the UK? if you live together in Thailand and you own a house in the UK is rented out, it's reasonable to assume that your life is here in Thailand, if you can demonstrate that, and the affordability, then an application for a visa will in all likelihood be successful.

[NCFC]

Yes, my wife's settlement visa was also approved within eight days and I too thought we had failed because it was quick. But no.

My advice is a contents page at the front of your application, dividing the application into sections with a coloured divider denoting the start of each section. That makes it very easy for the ECO to find stuff and it also helps prevent VFS people pulling stuff out because your contents page shows what you've submitted. It also works as a guide to make sure you've got all the relevant paperwork assembled.

I got the wife to put all the paperwork in order. That meant she knew what everything was, when she submitted the documents by herself at Trendy building.