Options for my Thai wife to holiday in the UK

[jimbob333]

My mate is getting married sometime in July or August in the UK,

I have lived here with my Thai wife and been married for just over two years,We want to go to my friends wedding,stay 3 weeks and travel around the UK,

Questions are

I don't want to book flights only 3 months before we fly (more expensive the nearer the date gets)is there another visa option to apply longer than 3 months before departure?

She has her own home,land money in bank and a job to come back to,is my finances taking into account or her's only?

Any advice would be great

Thanks

[Tony M]

You can defer the start date of the visa by up to 3 months. So, if you make an application on 1st February, asking for the visa to start on 1st May, and the visa is valid for 6 months ( which, all things being equal, it will be ), then your wife can travel to the UK anytime between 1st May and the end of October. That will cover the wedding date ?

[luxoretired]

tourist visa its your wife that needs it not you so its her status .if its the first visa its sticky . you can never have too much proof of your time together her wealth etc . write a cover letter to explain that you cover all expenses and will repatriate her . dont forget what is officially requested and what is liked to be seen are two different matters .

[jimbob333]

Thank you,as I am living in Thailand I was told my fincinail support was not needed,I am not sponsoring her she is a lady who has her own job home etc,so I dont see a need,I was told her visa would be judged on her own merit,and that we are married and living together etc.

[7by7]

She has her own home,land money in bank and a job to come back to,is my finances taking into account or her's only?

In her application your wife needs to show that the visit is affordable.

Finances for this can come from you, her, a third party or any combination of these.

Whoever is contributing to the cost of the visit needs to provide evidence that they can afford to do so.

So it is up to you whether to use her finances alone or include yours as well.

You may find UK visit visa basics helpful, it's a bit out of date but the essentials haven't changed.

See also Standard visitor visa from UKVI.

From what you say, married to her sponsor, live together in Thailand, owns land, I can see no reason why she should have any problems with her application.

Edited January 16, 2016 by 7by7

[jimbob333]

What kind of visa should she apply for?my sister will accomodate us for the duration of our stay of 3 weeks,I am also in the process of starting my own business(not limited) so can i write my own reference?and yeah she can support herself.

Last question on the website to apply it says you can not apply if you are not travelling with the next 3 months?We would like to defre the start date of visa as suggested but cant see that option.

[SantiSuk]

My then - new wife 7 years ago had no job other than helping on family land and few resources other than the rai I had bought her on which we were building a house. I documented significant contact through e-mails and listing my frequent visits supported by entry/exit stamps. Having been a recently retired professional with a bit more money than many I played that up big time in the sponsors letter and the application breezed through. You'd be daft OP not to use all the tools at your disposal to ensure an easy pass. Yes - the supporting records to showing your wealth and liquid resources can be a real bind of copying if your stuff is spread around (but I have learnt that if you provide listings of income and assets you only need copy your main day to day bank accounts and one or two larger savings etc account balance proofs.

Only trouble was that when we arrived at UK border, the IO clearly thought that my money meant that I was pimping her into England! Had to go online and show him I was nothing so grand - merely a boring accountant!

[jimbob333]

Ha ha nice one,thats the whole oint though,I dont have a lot of money saved,so worry it doesnt look enough,my wife is wealthier than me,we have lived together here in Bangkok two years.

[cornishcarlos]

Why can't you book your flights when a good deal appears, then submit her visa application later ?

As for finances, I've travelled to U.K a few times plus Australia with my wife and she has only ever applied with her own financials. Never had an issue..

Cover letter from you plus a letter from her employer and proof of land ownership etc.

It can be a daunting prospect but they are not there to deny her entry as long as she has the required docs...

Good luck

[jimbob333]

Is it best to apply for a tourism visa or a family visa?is any easier than the other?She will be traveling with me for the purpose of a wedding and a holiday

[sandmike]

Tourist visa is probably the easiest choice, but whichever one you choose remember that the people assessing the visa application are looking for "reason to return to Thailand", and not do a runner in the UK. So family, house, land, job all get you points. A letter from her employer granting her vacation and staying that her job is available when she returns would help too. ... Good Luck.

Sent by carrier pigeon

[Bredbury Blue]

What kind of visa should she apply for?my sister will accomodate us for the duration of our stay of 3 weeks,I am also in the process of starting my own business(not limited) so can i write my own reference?and yeah she can support herself.

Last question on the website to apply it says you can not apply if you are not travelling with the next 3 months?We would like to defre the start date of visa as suggested but cant see that option.

When we visit, for 3 weeks every time, we get a support letter from a brother saying that "my brother (me) and sister in law will be visiting and staying in our house (we are the house owners) during the period xx to yy..we will providing them with their accommodation at our house...our contact details are...email. .phone. They sign and scan it to us with a copy of my brothers passport for adding as a support document. My brother has never been contacted but we are sure it helps my wifes visa application each of the past 3 years.

[theoldgit]

Is it best to apply for a tourism visa or a family visa? is any easier than the other? She will be traveling with me for the purpose of a wedding and a holiday

You could apply for either, but a visa for a family visit is probably more appropriate.

The evidence is the same for either visa but since the right of appeal was removed from Family Visit Visas, there is no advantage of one over the other.

As for the letter, as others have indicated a simple note saying that you and your wife are visiting and the accommodation available to you.

[uptheos]

Own home, money in bank, land, job to come back to.........a walk in the park to get a tourist visa.

[7by7]

<snip>

,I dont have a lot of money saved,so worry it doesnt look enough,my wife is wealthier than me,we have lived together here in Bangkok two years.

Then use her money or both yours and hers.

Finances for the visit can come from the applicant, your wife, the sponsor, you, even a third party; or any combination of these.

There is no fixed amount required for a visit visa, the amount being too variable depending on the length of visit, where one is staying etc.

For example, someone touring and staying in hotels for two weeks could easily need more than someone staying with family for 6 months.

In my sister in laws last application we showed no savings; just my wife's and my payslips to show our incomes and our current account statements to show our outgoings as evidence we could afford her minimal expenses while she stayed with us for 6 months. She showed she could afford the airfare from her savings.