I am trying to decide whether to apply for a tourist visa or settlement for my wife-to-be.

We do not have any firm plans for the future, as it will depend on what work I am offered in the UK (I am English). But we expect to be spending some time in the UK over the next 5 years.

My wife-to-be has had a tourist visa before, and stuck to the terms of it. But at that time, she had a stable job and study to come back to. She will quit April to be with me (wherever I am).

Therefore, I am thinking that getting the tourist visa to come to the UK in April (this is after our getting married in February) will not be so straightforward, or it might even be rejected.

Alternatively, if she applies for settlement, a) it's expensive; and I don't have a permanent home in the UK to record on the application, and I may not have a job there already when I apply.

In support of either type of visa, I do have savings, though I'm not sure how much they are looking for.

If you have any advice, thoughts, opinions which might help, please let me know. I appreciate it.

Thanks

The first thing you have to do is decide where the two of you want to live.

Only apply for a tourist visa if you do not intend to remain in the UK for any longer than 6 months; it cannot be converted to settlement in the UK, she would have to return to Thailand and apply for settlement there.

If you do intend to settle in the UK then a spouse visa is the way to go. If you have savings and/or a friend or relative who can support and accommodate you until you find work then you should be ok.