UK visit visa, further questioning.

[williewolf]

Am in the process of applying for a uk visit visa for my wife and our niece. Having gone through quite a few posts on here i came to the conclusion there were three things to satisfy the ECO, genuine reason,affordability and reason to return. I thought we did this by stating we were going to the uk to visit my family who my wife had never met then do some tourist things, visit to London etc. I stated that I would meet all costs involved and enclosed a savings ac statement showing £18,000 that the money would come from to fund the trip. Reason to return was that i live here on a retirement extention of stay in a house that my wife owns. We have a letter of consent notorized at the amphur from the nieces mother. The visit is to take place during the school holidays and the child must return to school.

Today my wife gets a call asking about the application and i thought some of the questions were a little bit too intrusive and a bit over the top:

How long has she known me? How long have we been married? Where did we meet? Why is there a big age gap between us. Why did we wait for five years to get married? Do we plan to have a baby together? Do we plan to start a business here or in the uk? Do we plan to live in the uk in the future?

Where did i get the funds from in the savings acc?

Do we live together? Does she have any children(this question was also in the application form). Why is he not travelling with us? Does she know anyone in the uk in case she got into any difficulties? What about the nieces mother and father do they know she is going where do they work? Why does the niece not live with them?

We also enclosed our marriage certificate that had been translated into English and certified at the MFA.and they still asked when we were married.

This questioning went on for about half an hour and my wife,being Thai, aswered them all where as i think i would have probably told them to mind their own ruddy business to some of the questions.

So we now have a nervy wait to see what the outcome is, just hope its worth it.

[bobrussell]

I would wait for the visa to be approved and then write a formal letter of complaint. Some of these questions are completely unacceptable IMO. Basic checks of the facts are acceptable and to be expected.

A few security checks to see if you have plans to remain in the UK rather than just visit but the personal questions are none of their business. A visit visa should be completely routine in your case. It could be that the Thai questioner was just being overly nosey and was exceeding his or her authority!

[Aranyrammie]

wow WW. that is very in-depth. The last time my wife went to hand in documents for her visa, she also was asked some odd questions but not as many as you. What really annoyed me was the chap doing the interview asked why she wasn't using a visa agent? Whats it got to do with them?

Can I ask you about the letter from the amphur for your niece? What was it exactly and did you get it translated to English?

[brewsterbudgen]

Very unusual. The application must have raised some red flags.

[williewolf]

wow WW. that is very in-depth. The last time my wife went to hand in documents for her visa, she also was asked some odd questions but not as many as you. What really annoyed me was the chap doing the interview asked why she wasn't using a visa agent? Whats it got to do with them?

Can I ask you about the letter from the amphur for your niece? What was it exactly and did you get it translated to English?

It is a standard letter that basically gives you temporary gaurdianship for travelling abroad. The childs parent attends the amphur with you and it is recorded in a book there. The letter is then printed off and the mother and the officer at the amphur signs it and it is then stamped. Had to get it translated, 500 baht. Thai immigration also require sight of this letter before the child is allowed to leave the country.

[Aranyrammie]

wow WW. that is very in-depth. The last time my wife went to hand in documents for her visa, she also was asked some odd questions but not as many as you. What really annoyed me was the chap doing the interview asked why she wasn't using a visa agent? Whats it got to do with them?

Can I ask you about the letter from the amphur for your niece? What was it exactly and did you get it translated to English?

It is a standard letter that basically gives you temporary gaurdianship for travelling abroad. The childs parent attends the amphur with you and it is recorded in a book there. The letter is then printed off and the mother and the officer at the amphur signs it and it is then stamped. Had to get it translated, 500 baht. Thai immigration also require sight of this letter before the child is allowed to leave the country.

Thanks for the information WW.

[Aranyrammie]

wow WW. that is very in-depth. The last time my wife went to hand in documents for her visa, she also was asked some odd questions but not as many as you. What really annoyed me was the chap doing the interview asked why she wasn't using a visa agent? Whats it got to do with them?

Can I ask you about the letter from the amphur for your niece? What was it exactly and did you get it translated to English?

It is a standard letter that basically gives you temporary gaurdianship for travelling abroad. The childs parent attends the amphur with you and it is recorded in a book there. The letter is then printed off and the mother and the officer at the amphur signs it and it is then stamped. Had to get it translated, 500 baht. Thai immigration also require sight of this letter before the child is allowed to leave the country.

Forgot to ask, did you use translation service inside the visa building or go elsewhere, just dont want the wife to get ripped off.

[williewolf]

wow WW. that is very in-depth. The last time my wife went to hand in documents for her visa, she also was asked some odd questions but not as many as you. What really annoyed me was the chap doing the interview asked why she wasn't using a visa agent? Whats it got to do with them?

Can I ask you about the letter from the amphur for your niece? What was it exactly and did you get it translated to English?

It is a standard letter that basically gives you temporary gaurdianship for travelling abroad. The childs parent attends the amphur with you and it is recorded in a book there. The letter is then printed off and the mother and the officer at the amphur signs it and it is then stamped. Had to get it translated, 500 baht. Thai immigration also require sight of this letter before the child is allowed to leave the country.

Forgot to ask, did you use translation service inside the visa building or go elsewhere, just dont want the wife to get ripped off.

I used the translation service at trendy, there is no where near where we live . Cost me 500 baht for 1 page, a bit over the top but it was easier for me

[wooloomooloo]

I used the translation service at trendy, there is no where near where we live . Cost me 500 baht for 1 page, a bit over the top but it was easier for me

Cheap at twice the price. I know a few people that only had the bare minimum of documents translated in Thailand and subsequently kicked themselves once they required further translation(s) in the UK.