Taking Thai girlfriend to UK [few questions]

[misterphil]

Showing returnair tickets for both might also help.

I'm sorry but that's incorrect advice, return air tickets won't help at all.

The UKVI specifically advice against buying non refundable air tickets, and accommodation, until the visa has been issued, buying them will not add any weight to the application..

You dont have to buy tickets. Just make the reservation, costs about 400 baht.

[misterphil]

From past experience Ive always found that they never get over the jet lag and time difference. If your planning on taking her out after 18:00 forget it. If you think Thais sleep a lot at home wait till theyre sleep pattern is 6 hours behind.

Food is a big problem too. Theres nothing anywhere near what they can get at home. I took my wife to every Thai restaurant in a 150 mile radius and everything was mai aroi and mai phet.

[misterphil]

UK Visas and Borders are really only interested in

1. You are a UK citizen as sponsor and have the right to live in the UK

2. You have somewhere to stay in the UK

3 You have Money

4. Most importantly of all that your gf will return to Thailand.

So very true.

[brewsterbudgen]

From past experience Ive always found that they never get over the jet lag and time difference. If your planning on taking her out after 18:00 forget it. If you think Thais sleep a lot at home wait till theyre sleep pattern is 6 hours behind.

Food is a big problem too. Theres nothing anywhere near what they can get at home. I took my wife to every Thai restaurant in a 150 mile radius and everything was mai aroi and mai phet.

One week into our trip, I'm very happy with how she has adapted to the time difference, weather and food. The only thing that concerns her is the absence of 7-11s!

[brewsterbudgen]

Just in case no-one's mentioned it, If she gets the visa, accompany her through the foreign passport line at immigration in the UK. And have all your paperwork such as return tickets to hand as well.

Like Menzies has already said, it's fine to take her through the much faster moving EU line, if you're accompanying her.

[brewsterbudgen]

<snip>

I would still provide a few photos of the two of you in various places.

I'd recommend scanning in or copy/pasting a few photos into the Sponsor's letter.

Why?

Section 4: documents you should not send unless specifically requested of the UKVI supporting documents guide specifically says

This page provides guidance on the types of documents that are not required to consider your application.

photographs (other than passport photographs required in section 1)

Yes, I'm sure they weren't really necessary but it made me feel better including them and by printing them as part of my sponsor's letter, they didn't take up any space!

[eastendanto]

Hi oldgit,

Thanks for your response which will be very helpful; I will follow this advice.

Yes you are quite right, I think it was poor wording on my part.

Regarding an invitation letter from my family for accommodation, this can be scanned and printed off my end in Thailand right? Should I get her to sign it also? (sorry I am most likely over-thinking it and worrying due to the trip being only 5 weeks away).

Bank statements will be printed off my online banking website here in Thailand.

That;s it, thanks again for the help, much appreciated!

Slightly different circumstances... my Thai wife (living with me in the UK) has just completed her application for extension of her 2.5 year settlement visa. Whilst all done in her name showing her earnings I still had to provide 12 months worth of Bank statements (as well as other personal documents) and printing them off is not sufficient. If you print them off, then they have to be physically stamped by the bank in question with their official stamp and date on each statement. Alternative is to get original statements from your bank. I understand you are applying for a tourist visa and you are providing bank statements printed off electronically, I suggest that you check whether you actually need to provide bank stamped verification for this type of documentation in support of the tourist visa.

As your gf is in employment and as pointed out by the oldgit says a letter confirming such from her Employers would be helpful and may also include a sentence along the lines that she is expected to return to work after her holiday etc....

It may all seem a bit picky, but having been through several failed attempts in the past, it is purely a tick box exercise for the ECO .... for every requirement of information provided they tick a yes (met) or a no (not met) and it doesn't take much for the no box to be ticked. So the aim of your gf's application is to give them no reason at all to tick a "no" box.

Wish you good luck with the application

Edited April 21, 2016 by theoldgit
Uneccesary follow on quote removed

[rasg]

I suggest that you check whether you actually need to provide bank stamped verification for this type of documentation in support of the tourist visa.

You don't. Not for a Visit Visa.

For the GF's Settlement Visa I stapled each month together and had the top page stamped and dated for each month.

Edited April 19, 2016 by rasg

[daniel2183]

The rules say they must be original statements!! Or stamped online statements . I don't really see that as a waste of my time or money as the visa my wife applied for was just short of a 1000 quid . I'd rather pay for originals to be submitted and have the peace of mind . The ECO could deny the visa .

Edited April 21, 2016 by theoldgit
Uneccesary follow on quote removed

[krabi local]

I just printed off my bank statements from my online banking. They were accepted without any problems and that was just 3 weeks ago. We had a decision within a week of visiting VFS.

[catman20]

Showing returnair tickets for both might also help.

id want the visa approved before I invested in any tickets.

Edited April 20, 2016 by theoldgit
Uneccesary follow on quote removed

[MiKT]

Showing returnair tickets for both might also help.

id want the visa approved before I invested in any tickets.

Yes, years ago they wanted return tickets. Now they say don't purchase tickets until you have a visa.

[ozyjon]

it's your girlfriends application, she is the one that has to satisfy the Entry Clearance Officer, the decision maker,

I've been asked many times, can you take me to Australia,, what are these people thinking.

[ableguy]

Regarding an invitation letter from my family for accommodation, this can be scanned and printed off my end in Thailand right? Should I get her to sign it also? (sorry I am most likely over-thinking it and worrying due to the trip being only 5 weeks away).

Bank statements will be printed off my online banking website here in Thailand.

On this point I have always included the original letter and mailing envelope from people where I am going to stay. Send photo couples of you bank book not statements, as anyone can forge a statement. At the interview show your bank books .

Ps not you your gf, as you will not be interviewed .

Edited April 21, 2016 by theoldgit
Uneccesary follow on quote removed

[7by7]

Ableguy, although UKVI will, anecdotally, accept online printouts of bank statements for visit visa applications, the supporting documents guidance specifically states

All documents must be originals and not photocopies.

The reason for this being fairly obvious; despite your assertion otherwise, photocopies are easier to forge than originals; ever heard of Tipex?

It is extremely rare for UK visit visa applicants to be interviewed at all these days; and if they are it's usually done by telephone!

[7by7]

The rules say they must be original statements!! Or stamped online statements . I don't really see that as a waste of my time or money as the visa my wife applied for was just short of a 1000 quid . I'd rather pay for originals to be submitted and have the peace of mind . The ECO could deny the visa .

From the fee your quote I assume your wife was applying for a settlement visa.

The evidential requirements are much more strict for the financial requirement in a settlement application than they are for a visit application.

[7by7]

Showing returnair tickets for both might also help.

id want the visa approved before I invested in any tickets.

Yes, years ago they wanted return tickets. Now they say don't purchase tickets until you have a visa.

Must be many, many years ago.

My then girlfriend, now wife, applied for a visit visa 16 years ago; return tickets were not required and, as today, applicants were advised not to purchase non refundable ones until they had the visa.

[7by7]

UK Visas and Borders are really only interested in

1. You are a UK citizen as sponsor and have the right to live in the UK

2. You have somewhere to stay in the UK

3 You have Money

4. Most importantly of all that your gf will return to Thailand.

"1. You are a UK citizen as sponsor and have the right to live in the UK"

Anyone can sponsor a UK visitor, regardless of their nationality or residence.

Indeed, many (most?) UK visit visa applicants don't have a sponsor at all.

[MiKT]

Showing returnair tickets for both might also help.

id want the visa approved before I invested in any tickets.

Yes, years ago they wanted return tickets. Now they say don't purchase tickets until you have a visa.

Must be many, many years ago.

My then girlfriend, now wife, applied for a visit visa 16 years ago; return tickets were not required and, as today, applicants were advised not to purchase non refundable ones until they had the visa.

My first letter to the British Embassy in Bangkok requesting a Tourist Visa for my wife-to-be was in 1996, photocopies of the tickets were required and the actual tickets had to be shown when you arrived at Wireless Road. My last letter to the British Embassy enclosing photo copies of (refundable yes)tickets is dated 27 November 2001. Again the actual tickets had to be shown.

Of course the letters were not actually posted to Wireless Road, just attached with all the other documentation then required to be checked whilst one queued up to be insulted, standing outside in the hot sun or pouring rain for hours. There were some real Dragons in the Brit Embassy in those days; and they all hated Thai girls. Well some of them probably loved Thai girls, but not those with men. 555, allegedly.

The German Embassy also required tickets to be purchased for a "Schengen" visa up to around 2002.

As I said before, now we never purchase tickets until we get the visa's, even though after 20 years in Thailand I have only had one visa application I have sponsored rejected (for one of my Sisters-In law - second visit) and it was granted immediately on Appeal. In fact it did not even go through the Appeal process, as soon as I wrote the Appeal letter they granted the visa.

[rasg]

The reason for this being fairly obvious; despite your assertion otherwise, photocopies are easier to forge than originals; ever heard of Tippex?

Tippex is very last century.

[7by7]

MikT,

The visit application my now wife made was in June 2000, and tickets were not on the list we were given by the embassy of required supporting documents she had to bring to her interview (as you know, most applicants were interview back then).

She was refused on reason to return grounds, but the refusal notice made no mention of a lack of a return ticket and she was at no time asked for one.

Seems the requirement changed sometime between 1996 and 2000 and perhaps you simply included them in the 2001 application because that's what you'd always done?

Anyway, it's all moot now; the important point is that they are definitely no longer required.

BTW, Schengen visa applicants still need to produce evidence they have booked, but not yet necessarily paid for, their return, or onward, travel when applying for a Schengen visa; unless they are a qualifying family member of an EEA national and travelling with or to join that EEA national.

[MiKT]

MikT,

The visit application my now wife made was in June 2000, and tickets were not on the list we were given by the embassy of required supporting documents she had to bring to her interview (as you know, most applicants were interview back then).

She was refused on reason to return grounds, but the refusal notice made no mention of a lack of a return ticket and she was at no time asked for one.

Seems the requirement changed sometime between 1996 and 2000 and perhaps you simply included them in the 2001 application because that's what you'd always done?

Anyway, it's all moot now; the important point is that they are definitely no longer required.

BTW, Schengen visa applicants still need to produce evidence they have booked, but not yet necessarily paid for, their return, or onward, travel when applying for a Schengen visa; unless they are a qualifying family member of an EEA national and travelling with or to join that EEA national.

You could well be right, but I am pretty sure that they did actually require to see the tickets in 2001, although the old memory is going downhill fast.

But equally it could be that the reason they never asked you for tickets is they had already made up their mind you were not going to get a visa. It was very common to see people screaming and shouting because the visa staff could be appallingly rude and condescending and it did not matter how many times you had been before they would refuse a visa at the drop of a hat. They treated every woman like a whore. We used to hate going in those days before we actually married and then we had the same crap with our teenage daughters.

Luckily things have moved on both with our circumstances and with the Embassy, it is a much better system now.

They truly did refuse visas simply because they did not like the look of someone and physical violence was not unknown, I saw a guy go absolutely apeshit once and saw plenty of tears, because they were trained to try to stop girls they thought would not return to Thailand or who they thought might do a spot of horizontal work in the UK from getting visas. They asked the most personal questions about your love life. The more beautiful the girl, the less chance of getting by the Hadrianic guardians of the UK portals.

But really there are some daft buggers about, young (and not so young) guys would come in and demand a marriage visa for a girl wearing next to nothing, who they had picked up in Cowboy the night before. "I know my rights, I am a British Citizen" etc.

I have not had to go myself for a long time now, I just fill in the on-line forms for whichever of the manifold relatives wants to go to the UK; and my wife goes to hand in the paperwork. In a way I miss the nice old Gurkha guard on the door and all the shenanigans that went on. But not very much, 555.

However I do hope they don't flog off the old Embassy grounds for a bungload of Wonga.

[bobrussell]

The recommendation has been to wait for a visa to be issued before booking a ticket the whole time my wife applied for them. This goes back 12 or more years ago.

At that time you could speak to embassy staff by phone and they were always polite and helpful (if not always issuing visas). Her first visa was refused and we got some gentle hints on what would help. Similar to the knowledgeable advice offered on this site!

As now, good, well presented applications had a better chance of success.

VFS has distanced ECO's from applicants, this has not been a good move in my opinion!