Thai National visiting UK - How straight forward?

[Walter Travolta]

Good day to you.

 

I have been visiting my girl in Thailand but due to setting up my new business here in UK, I will be unable to go to Thailand to visit her for some time. We talked about her coming here and staying with me and have decided that is what we would like to do.

 

The visa would be the 6 months holiday visa that does not allow any activity such as working or studying while here, which is fine as that is the only reason for her visit and would probably not even be for the full 6 months. I understand fully the stipulations of this visa as I have read up on the gov.uk website about them.

The concerns I do have are about how difficult the application process is. She is not a bar girl, she works and lives on the family's farm in Isaan, we have documents from rented accommodation together in Thailand and obviously many photos.

I am unaware of what is required from her side to satisfy the UK government. By this, I mean does she need to show money in her Thai bank before she comes? I will be taking care of her accommodation here and looking after her financially so she could literally arrive with a bag of luggage and 1000 baht!!

 

Does anyone have any recent experience as to what I am aiming for?

 

Pitfalls as well as good luck experiences welcome. Thanks

Edited March 19, 2017 by Walter Travolta

[7by7]

You say

22 minutes ago, Walter Travolta said:

I understand fully the stipulations of this visa as I have read up on the gov.uk website about them.

Which presumably includes the standard visitor visa guidance and the Visitor: supporting documents guide.

 

You may also find the pinned topic UK visit visa basics helpful.

 

27 minutes ago, Walter Travolta said:

I am unaware of what is required from her side to satisfy the UK government.

There are three criteria she ill need to satisfy. These are detailed in the pinned topic linked to above.

 

32 minutes ago, Walter Travolta said:

does she need to show money in her Thai bank before she comes?

She does not need to have any money of her own; as long as you, her sponsor, can show that you have sufficient finances to cover all the costs of her visit.

 

There is no need to transfer money into her account prior to her applying. Indeed, doing so can arouse the Entry Clearance Officers suspicions as they will wonder where this money came from and why.

 

The biggest hurdle she will have to overcome is her reason to return. The ECO will need to be satisfied that on the balance of probabilities she is a genuine visitor who will leave the UK when, or before, her visa expires.

 

From what you say, she has no concrete reason to return. But, as it says in the pinned topic, even if there is no concrete reason to return, many people have obtained a UK visit visa based upon the strength of their relationship with their sponsor. If the ECO is satisfied that the relationship is genuine and subsisting then they may also believe that the applicant would not want to jeopardise future applications, such as settlement, by overstaying or otherwise breaching the conditions of a visit visa.

 

To show the strength of your relationship you should provide:

• Evidence of when and how often you have visited her in Thailand; such as self certified copy of your passport; current and previous if relevant.
• Evidence of contact whilst apart; such as phone, Line, Skype, email records. You don't need to provide the contents of this contact, just that it has taken place.
• In your sponsor's letter, a brief outline of the history of your relationship, why she is planning to visit the UK at this time and what your plans for the future are.

 

Some people will say to include photographs of the two of you taken at various times in various locations. But the supporting documents guide says that photographs should not be submitted unless specifically requested. My view on photographs is why supply something they specifically say they don't want and so probably wont look at?

 

Hope this helps; any further questions, feel free to ask.

 

 

[rasg]

Three things are required for a visit visa. The finances needed for the trip and proof of it in the form of bank statements, savings etc, a suitable place to stay etc, proof of relationship and the big one, a reason to return to Thailand.

A job and a letter from an employer is by far the best way of showing a good reason to return. Having kids doesn't count for anything as so many Thai women work away from home and send money home. Owning a house and land can also be a contributing factor too. Having finance on a pickup or motorbike counts for nothing.

 

If you ask for a six months stay she probably won’t get the visa. So many fall into that trap as an ECO will not believe that an employer would give her six months off work. Fouru weeks or maybe six weeks is a better length of stay to request.  If the visa is successful, she will be granted a six month, multi entry visa. If she then stays for a few months after the visa is granted,  as long as you have a good reason and in explain why she stayed longer in any subsequent visa application it is not usually a problem.

 

I've just seen that 7by7 has replied and mentioned photos. When my, then, girlfriend applied almost two years ago for her first visit visa we had only known one another for a few months and photos and a couple of flights and hotel bookings were literally all we had to prove our relationship. Things seem to have changed but I still included a few photos of our wedding in our Settlement visa this time last year and the Further Leave to Remain visa back in September.

Edited March 19, 2017 by rasg
Addition

[Walter Travolta]

15 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

You say

Which presumably includes the standard visitor visa guidance and the Visitor: supporting documents guide.

 

You may also find the pinned topic UK visit visa basics helpful.

 

There are three criteria she ill need to satisfy. These are detailed in the pinned topic linked to above.

 

She does not need to have any money of her own; as long as you, her sponsor, can show that you have sufficient finances to cover all the costs of her visit.

 

There is no need to transfer money into her account prior to her applying. Indeed, doing so can arouse the Entry Clearance Officers suspicions as they will wonder where this money came from and why.

 

The biggest hurdle she will have to overcome is her reason to return. The ECO will need to be satisfied that on the balance of probabilities she is a genuine visitor who will leave the UK when, or before, her visa expires.

 

From what you say, she has no concrete reason to return. But, as it says in the pinned topic, even if there is no concrete reason to return, many people have obtained a UK visit visa based upon the strength of their relationship with their sponsor. If the ECO is satisfied that the relationship is genuine and subsisting then they may also believe that the applicant would not want to jeopardise future applications, such as settlement, by overstaying or otherwise breaching the conditions of a visit visa.

 

To show the strength of your relationship you should provide:

• Evidence of when and how often you have visited her in Thailand; such as self certified copy of your passport; current and previous if relevant.
• Evidence of contact whilst apart; such as phone, Line, Skype, email records. You don't need to provide the contents of this contact, just that it has taken place.
• In your sponsor's letter, a brief outline of the history of your relationship, why she is planning to visit the UK at this time and what your plans for the future are.

 

Some people will say to include photographs of the two of you taken at various times in various locations. But the supporting documents guide says that photographs should not be submitted unless specifically requested. My view on photographs is why supply something they specifically say they don't want and so probably wont look at?

 

Hope this helps; any further questions, feel free to ask.

 

 

Many thanks 7by7. We really do want to do things the correct and legal way as not to jeopardise future applications, but I guess convincing the authorities of this is the hardest thing.

 

Thanks again for taking your time to reply in detail

[Walter Travolta]

16 minutes ago, rasg said:

Three things are required for a visit visa. The finances needed for the trip and proof of it in the form of bank statements, savings etc, a suitable place to stay etc, proof of relationship and the big one, a reason to return to Thailand.

A job and a letter from an employer is by far the best way of showing a good reason to return. Having kids doesn't count for anything as so many Thai women work away from home and send money home. Owning a house and land can also be a contributing factor too. Having finance on a pickup or motorbike counts for nothing.

 

If you ask for a six months stay she probably won’t get the visa. So many fall into that trap as an ECO will not believe that an employer would give her six months off work. Fouru weeks or maybe six weeks is a better length of stay to request.  If the visa is successful, she will be granted a six month, multi entry visa. If she then stays for a few months after the visa is granted,  as long as you have a good reason and in explain why she stayed longer in any subsequent visa application it is not usually a problem.

 

I've just seen that 7by7 has replied and mentioned photos. When my, then, girlfriend applied almost two years ago for her first visit visa we had only known one another for a few months and photos and a couple of flights and hotel bookings were literally all we had to prove our relationship. Things seem to have changed but I still included a few photos of our wedding in our Settlement visa this time last year and the Further Leave to Remain visa back in September.

Hey rasg. I guess the reason to return is based on the CEO dealing with the application and his view on it? She works on her family's farm so I presume without talking to her that the letter would need to be from her dad which I am not sure whether that would be a positive in the way that he wants her back to work on the farm, or a negative in the way that he might be looked upon as helping his daughter gain a better life abroad and seeming to be a bit cloak and daggerish? She told me that when July is here, she has a few months where there staff they have on the farm will be able to manage and this is when she will be able to visit.

 

One thing I do not understand is the 6 months visa not being allowed if she intends to stay for 6 months? Or 5 months and 2 weeks? As long as she leaves during the duration of the visa I would guess that would be ok, whether it be after 1 day or 182 days? I understand you say this due to her working for a standard employer but if her dad is her employer and he says she can take say 4 months, would that still ring alarm bells?

 

I dont want to break any rules as I said to 7by7, so I guess the hardest thing is convincing the CEO or just crossing fingers hahaha

 

One more thing . . . If we were married (in Thailand) would this strengthen our application - NB I will never marry any girl for other reason than love. Im simply asking in case that happens in a few years and we just bite the bullet until then?

 

Thanks for your time to reply also

 

[7by7]

A letter from her father confirming she works on the family farm and that she is able to take the time off wont hurt; may help.

 

It should include his phone number as the visa office may want to speak to him to confirm the contents. If the letter is written in English then they will expect to speak to him in English, and doubt the validity of the letter if he is unable to do so. If it is written in Thai they will speak to him in Thai. If it is written in Thai then, as with all Thai documents, your girlfriend should include a certified English translation as per the supporting documents guide.

 

If she intends to stay for 6 months, then this is what she should say in her application. As long as she can show she is able to be away for that length of time. As she works for her father, I don't see a problem.

 

The visa will be valid for 6 months anyway, and as long as she leaves the UK before it expires she will not have broken any rule or law; even if she said in her application she was going to stay for four weeks and ended up staying the full 6 months. However, so doing can effect her credibility in future applications unless she can adequately explain why for this visit she stayed longer than originally stated.

 

Furthermore; she may be questioned as to her intended length of stay by UK Border Force upon arrival. They will have access to her visa application. If she tells them she intends to stay 6 months, but in her application she said 4 weeks then she could be refused entry to the UK due to a significant change in circumstances since the visa was issued!

 

In my view, marrying her would not strengthen the application; easily it may even weaken it as the ECO would wonder why she only wants to visit her husband in the UK and not settle there with you. So that would need to be explained.

 

As you, rightly, say; only marry for love and because you want to spend the rest of your lives together; not because it may make getting her a visa easier; which for a visit visa it wont anyway. 

[Walter Travolta]

6 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

A letter from her father confirming she works on the family farm and that she is able to take the time off wont hurt; may help.

 

It should include his phone number as the visa office may want to speak to him to confirm the contents. If the letter is written in English then they will expect to speak to him in English, and doubt the validity of the letter if he is unable to do so. If it is written in Thai they will speak to him in Thai. If it is written in Thai then, as with all Thai documents, your girlfriend should include a certified English translation as per the supporting documents guide.

 

If she intends to stay for 6 months, then this is what she should say in her application. As long as she can show she is able to be away for that length of time. As she works for her father, I don't see a problem.

 

The visa will be valid for 6 months anyway, and as long as she leaves the UK before it expires she will not have broken any rule or law; even if she said in her application she was going to stay for four weeks and ended up staying the full 6 months. However, so doing can effect her credibility in future applications unless she can adequately explain why for this visit she stayed longer than originally stated.

 

Furthermore; she may be questioned as to her intended length of stay by UK Border Force upon arrival. They will have access to her visa application. If she tells them she intends to stay 6 months, but in her application she said 4 weeks then she could be refused entry to the UK due to a significant change in circumstances since the visa was issued!

 

In my view, marrying her would not strengthen the application; easily it may even weaken it as the ECO would wonder why she only wants to visit her husband in the UK and not settle there with you. So that would need to be explained.

 

As you, rightly, say; only marry for love and because you want to spend the rest of your lives together; not because it may make getting her a visa easier; which for a visit visa it wont anyway. 

Many thanks once again 7by7, really appreciate your advice and knowledge. I will keep this in an email folder for reference. Without getting my hopes up, I feel quite positive :)

[Walter Travolta]

Ok we are coming to the stage where she will soon be making the application for the visa for her to come to the UK

 

Could someone enlighten me on something . . . 

 

When she is here, if we wanted to say go on vacation to France say, she would need a different visa? Shenzen I believe? Anybody with any experience or knowledge of this and where is it best to apply for this?

[theoldgit]

Your girlfriend will need a Schengen Visa issued by the French Authorities, not Shenzhen as that's in China, she should apply in Bangkok once she's been issued with her UK Visa.

 

Fairly straightforward, the details can be found here  https://fr.tlscontact.com/th/BKK

[Walter Travolta]

2 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

Your girlfriend will need a Schengen Visa issued by the French Authorities, not Shenzhen as that's in China, she should apply in Bangkok once she's been issued with her UK Visa.

 

Fairly straightforward, the details can be found here  https://fr.tlscontact.com/th/BKK

Thanks for your time Oldgit, so she gets the UK visa first then applies for Schengen, or applies for the 1 visa inc Schengen. And thanks for the correction I was remembering from hearing haha

 

In essence will she need 2 visas (one for UK and one for Europe)?

[theoldgit]

Totally different procedures and visas, apply for the UK visa first, and when she has that in her passport then she should apply for her Schengen Visa.

She actually needs to apply at the Consulate with jurisdiction for the Schengen Area State which is her main destination, which in her case would be France.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

[Walter Travolta]

2 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

Totally different procedures and visas, apply for the UK visa first, and when she has that in her passport then she should apply for her Schengen Visa.

She actually needs to apply at the Consulate with jurisdiction for the Schengen Area State which is her main destination, which in her case would be France.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

Thanks again, I think a jaunt across the channel will be on another venture :)