Marriage to Thai in Thailand then long stay visa to uk

[biffer]

Not sure if this has been covered before but am confused by different advise on here 

I am going to marry my Thai girlfriend of 5 years in December in ubon and the apply for a long term visa to uk for her , we are on

visitors visa  now 

so could anyone please give me a step by step advise on the best procedure to go about these two things 

thank you in advance 

[theoldgit]

Can you let us know what different advice you are referring to and what you are actually trying to achieve?

You say "we are on a visitor visa now" is that both of you, as you imply, or just your girlfriend, where is she at the moment, the UK or Thailand?

When you say a long term visa, does she want to visit the UK for extended periods or does she want to settle in the UK?
If she wants to settle in the UK then you will find the procedure explained in the pinned topic at the top of the forum, this thread goes through the various requirements, financial and otherwise, that she needs to meet.

If she wants to apply for a longer term visitor visa, she can still only remain in the UK for six months in every twelve whatever the length of the visa, to apply for a longer term visitor visa she will need to demonstrate a need to visit the UK on a regular basis as well as ties to her home country. Again the requirements and the procedures are outlined in the pinned topic. 

[7by7]

To marry in Thailand you will need to sign an Affirmation of Freedom to Marry in front of a consular official at the British embassy or consulate, who will witness your signature, have it translated into Thai and the translation certified as correct by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

Note that if you have been married before you must provide the original document showing that the marriage is over; i.e. decree absolute or previous spouse's death certificate.

 

More details and a template of the AFM can be found at Marriage in Thailand.

 

You can then register your marriage at any ampur in Thailand. If your fiancée has been married before then she will need to provide the appropriate document to show that her previous marriage is over, as above.

 

Note this message on the linked to page, though

Quote

A number of registry authorities in Thailand are not accepting affirmations or affidavits for marriage. The British embassy is seeking urgent clarification. Check with the local registrar or district office where you’re getting married to find out if they will accept these documents.

Edit; There is a topic discussing this in the marriage and divorce forum here. It seems the problem may have been resolved, and even if not then if one ampur wont accept your AFM then as you and your fiancée can marry at any ampur, you can go to another one which will.

 

As theoldgit says, which visa she needs depends on what your plans are; live in the UK or live in Thailand with regular visits to the UK.

 

The pinned topics theoldgit refers to are:

To move to the UK to live, UK settlement visa basics; note that some of the links therein are out of date. See also Apply to join family living permanently in the UK from UKVI.

 

For regular visits, UK visit visa basics. See also Standard visitor visa from UKVI. If thinking of a long term visit visa, 2, 5 or 10 years, see also Long term visit visas (multiple entry) and Frequent or successive visits in the Home Office guidance to staff.

Edited October 4, 2016 by 7by7

[biffer]

On 4 October 2016 at 1:42 AM, theoldgit said:

Can you let us know what different advice you are referring to and what you are actually trying to achieve?

You say "we are on a visitor visa now" is that both of you, as you imply, or just your girlfriend, where is she at the moment, the UK or Thailand?

When you say a long term visa, does she want to visit the UK for extended periods or does she want to settle in the UK?
If she wants to settle in the UK then you will find the procedure explained in the pinned topic at the top of the forum, this thread goes through the various requirements, financial and otherwise, that she needs to meet.

If she wants to apply for a longer term visitor visa, she can still only remain in the UK for six months in every twelve whatever the length of the visa, to apply for a longer term visitor visa she will need to demonstrate a need to visit the UK on a regular basis as well as ties to her home country. Again the requirements and the procedures are outlined in the pinned topic. 

 

[biffer]

Thank you

i think the best way to proceed is tell what I think I can do and you correct me as I seem to be having a authority block in my head 

first she is here in the UK on a visitors visa at the moment . We are due to return to Thailand 8 th November returning to uk 27th March and in that time wanting to marry and apply for and get a settlement visa for Chayapha my lady 

where I get confused is 

1 do I have to go to uk embassy in Bangkok to get affirmation of right to marry or can I get it in uk 

then do I have to get it translated and stamped in Bangkok or would that device be available in Ubon 

i think I understand the process of applying for the settlement visa for her ( talk about having to jump through hoops it would be easier to put her in a rowboat and push her on to beach in Blackpool and claim asylum ) that is why I have given myself 5 months to acquire the visa fingers crossed anyway I can ask for more advice later on that as long as I carry all the relevant documents with me to Thailand 

would welcome further comments on the above

Ted 

Edited October 5, 2016 by biffer

[theoldgit]

You need to make an appointment to visit the British Embassy in Bangkok to get your affirmation, you need to attend in person, I don't think it can be done in the UK.
Regarding the translation and the stamping by the MFA, I'm pretty sure that cannot be done in Udon you need to go to Changwattana for that, though I understand that some translation companies may do all that for you.
Nearer the time you might want to keep an eye on the marriage forum as there have been some reports of some Amhurs refusing affirmations from some Consulates.

 

Regarding your Settlement Visa, keep an eye on the forum nearer the time as things, including criteria, could change, in any case documentary evidence needs to be current.

 

Don't let's start comparing Settlement Visas with Refugee and Asylum claims, even in jest, this is a serious issue for you and you're in danger of derailing your thread.

[7by7]

6 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

You need to make an appointment to visit the British Embassy in Bangkok to get your affirmation, you need to attend in person, I don't think it can be done in the UK.

It can't be done in the UK. The affirmation must be signed in front of a consular official in Thailand and witnessed by them. Note this is a requirement of the Thai government, not the British.

 

See the link in my previous for more details.

 

8 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

.Regarding the translation and the stamping by the MFA, I'm pretty sure that cannot be done in Udon you need to go to Changwattana for that

Indeed, as far as I am aware the legalisation of the translation can only be done at the MFA in Bangkok;

Legalization Division , 3rd floor
Department of Consular Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
123 Chaeng Watthana Road
Bangkok 10210

 

11 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

I understand that some translation companies may do all that for you.

 Ours certainly did; but that was 16 years ago and they and we were in Bangkok. Whether one would travel from Udon to do it and how much they would charge, I can't say.

 

Worth contacting the MFA to see if it can be done by post?

Tel : 0-2575-1056-59   Fax : 0-2575-1054
Service hours : 08.30 - 14.30 hrs. (Closed on Saturday - Sunday and Public Holidays)
Email : [email protected]