Thai wife - UK visits

[Hornell]

This may be a simple and naive question or an ongoing gripe of many expats here.  Grateful for comments:
I have been in the country for 20 years on a retirement visa, have a Thai wife and am constantly hacked off every time I have to apply via VFS for a visa for my wife to accompany me to the UK.  I don't resent the fact that she needs a visa, but the present system is time consuming, increasingly expensive, repetitive and illogical.  I realise that VFS don't make the rules, but they administer the system.  The main two gripes are 1) that it seems impossible to get a visa in short order, ie for a funeral in UK when one has only 4 or 5 days warning, and 2) that VFS already has the bulk of the information (previous passport/ visits/ marriage cert etc.)
Question:  How does one get round this?  Or is it a question of bite the bullet!?

[theoldgit]

Whilst I understand, and appreciate, your gripe, I also understand the UKVI's reasoning for contracting out what is effectively a drop off point for applications and a spot for collecting biometric data. It could be considered better than the old system of queuing up at the Embassy, passing through their security simply to hand in an application.

 

You are right of course, VFS don't make the rules or even play any part of the decision making process, as I say, they're effectively a mail drop.

 

To address your questions.

 

1 - You can get a visa processed in an emergency, and whilst the details are published on the website, they're pretty well hidden and involve calling a premium priced call centre in the UK. vfsglobal.co.uk/thailand/frequently_asked_questions.html

2 - As a drop off point, VFS doesn't keep any of the documentation that they pass on, it's all passed on to the UKVI. Whilst the UKVI do keep copies of some of the documentation the very nature of visa processing means they need up to date evidence, and also I suspect they wouldn't want to be digging through old files, even if you supplied the reference number looking for old evidence, I'm not sure how long files are actually kept.

 

VFS said:

What should I do if I need a visa in an emergency?

• Before contacting UKVI check if you qualify for any of the user pay services such as super priority or priority visas that have quick turnaround times and apply as per If you do not meet the conditions, please apply for the standard visa category and pay the relevant fees.
• You may then email/ contact the International Enquiry service with the application details (case reference GWF number, complete name or passport number). Should your case qualify as an emergency, the team will get in touch with you. All other cases will be dealt with as normal.
• Please note this service is available only in case of a serious medical emergency or an unfortunate event in the family that requires immediate emergency travel and should be evidenced with the application. This service is not available for business emergencies.

[Hornell]

Useful information; thanks for that.  I shall give it a go when the next family funeral in UK comes along!  I can understand the out-sourcing and I can understand the need for up to date information, but much information does not change - eg: past vists, and passports, tabien baan, marriage certificates and so on.  We live in an IT age and if a visit visa for applicant X has been approved for the past Y years, (especially if applicant X happens to be one's wife (not just a GF)) then it is not a question of UKVI trolling through the files, it is a question of clicking on a link.
Let's be honest, the UK Govt has little interest in making things easier for expats in any way, but the old "frequent visitor" system in force when I used to work in the Embassy could very easily be reinstated in some form or other.  On the other hand, pigs might fly!

Thanks for the advice though.

[theoldgit]

Ha Ha, maybe ask the BA passengers about the IT world, you do make a valid point though.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Stocky]

Why don't you apply for a 5 or 10 year visa? I have ageing relatives in the UK so want to be able to travel at short notice with my wife. She currently has a 5 year visa, when that expires we'll apply for a 10 year.  If your wife has a good history of visiting the UK and leaving then there's no reason for them not to issue a 5 or 10 year visa. 

[Hornell]

Stocky: that sounds good.  Do you have any more info on this?  Thanks

[Hornell]

Stocky:  Found it.... it's quite expensive £612 for 5 and £767 for 10 years.  But I didn't quite understand one thing where it states:

"You must prove you meet the standard visitor visa requirements each time you enter the UK."  What did this entail as far as your wife was concernmed?

[Stocky]

They're not cheap, but do offer a slight discount on multiple 1 year visas. As for the 'must prove you meet the standard visitor visa requirements' we've never had to do anything specific. On arrival the immigration officers ask the usual questions and I think once asked to see a return ticket, but nothing unusual. When we applied I gave no more paperwork than previously, except for a letter from me explaining our circumstances and details of said ageing relatives. The wife had previously been granted 3x 1 year, and 1x 2 year visas before we applied for the 5 year.

[7by7]

14 minutes ago, Hornell said:

Stocky:  Found it.... it's quite expensive £612 for 5 and £767 for 10 years. 

 Yes, it is expensive, but, bearing in mind the annual increase in visa fees, can work out cheaper over all than regular visa applications.

 

15 minutes ago, Hornell said:

But I didn't quite understand one thing where it states:

"You must prove you meet the standard visitor visa requirements each time you enter the UK."  What did this entail as far as your wife was concernmed?

Any non British citizen seeking entry to the UK may be questioned to establish whether or not they meet the requirements for entry; even if they hold a visa.

 

Questions like "What is the purpose of your visit?" or "How long do you intend to remain in the UK?"

 

UK Border Force may also want to check that frequent visitors are not using a long term visit visa to bypass the settlement rules and use their visit visa for de facto UK residence.

 

No matter the term of the visit visa held, visitors must not spend more than 6 months in the UK per visit and, usually, no more than 6 months out of any 12 in the UK.

[Hornell]

Thanks to all. Most useful.

[theoldgit]

"You must prove you meet the standard visitor visa requirements each time you enter the UK."  What did this entail as far as your wife was concernmed?

That applies to anybody entering the UK, or indeed most other countries, a Visa doesn't guarantee admittance, though there needs to be a material change of circumstances for there to be a problem.

A visa holder needs to satisfy the Border Force Officer that the holder is a genuine visitor who will leave the UK at the conclusion of the visit.

My wife has a longer term visa and is asked the normal questions at the Border and hasn't had a problem.

They're not really cost effective unless you're going to travel regularly, indeed that's what they're designed for, but they give you the flexibility to travel at short notice.

 

EDIT - It's worth noting that longer duration visas are normally only issued to applicants who have been issued with, and complied with the terms of, shorter duration visas. If the ECO decides only to issue a visa with a shorter validity, then there is no refund of the application fee.

[naboo]

My wife has had two 6 month visitor visas, both sponsored by my sister in the UK. Two visits, one of two weeks, one of 5 weeks. I would like to apply for a 10 year visitor visa for her - to give us the opportunity to visit the UK as and when needed, with whatever notice we need. We are settled here with a house and other land, I have 8 years continuous employment in Thailand, all on my current visa and work permit. In previous visa applications, my wife's reason to return was always based on our property and my work. We have one child (dual Thai/British citizen).

 

I intend to apply for the next visa without sponsorship, we will have enough money to cover the visit in a savings account. If I were to apply for a 10 year visitor visa, do you think it would be granted?

[rasg]

If you put a solid application together it probably will.

 

My now wife was granted a two year visit visa  back in 2015 when we had only known one another for six months. She had no money of her own, no house or land. What she did have was four visits from me and one visit to the UK where she returned within the terms of the visa although she did stay longer than we requested. I just had a good reason for it.

[7by7]

13 hours ago, naboo said:

My wife has had two 6 month visitor visas, both sponsored by my sister in the UK.................

..............I intend to apply for the next visa without sponsorship

You could have sponsored her previous visits, and should sponsor her future ones; you are a British citizen, she is your wife, you live together in Thailand she will be travelling to the UK with you.

 

Sponsors do not need to be UK residents.

 

13 hours ago, naboo said:

If I were to apply for a 10 year visitor visa, do you think it would be granted?

From what you have said, I don't see why not.

 

From "Long-term visit visas (multiple entry)" on page 27 of this Home Office guidance.

Quote

The applicant must satisfy you that they have a genuine intention to visit on a regular basis. Consider:

• credible ongoing reason to visit - a successful applicant will show a frequent and continued reason for coming to the UK, such as family links or an established business connection but must not intend to make the UK their home - visitors coming to marry or to form civil partnership in the UK, as well as unaccompanied children and those entering the UK for medical treatment are unlikely to demonstrate this
• stability of personal and economic circumstances - as far as possible, an applicant’s financial circumstances and ties to their home country should be unlikely to change significantly during the validity of the visa
• travel history - a person does not need to have previously held a visit visa before being issued with a multiple entry visit visa-however, a history of international travel which shows the individual’s compliance with UK or other immigration laws will be relevant to deciding whether the applicant intends to leave the UK at the end of each visit - see guidance on travel/immigration history

Note that, as theoldgit says above, if the ECO decides to issue a shorter term than that applied for, there will be no refund of the difference in fees.

 

[Stocky]

20 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

 

Note that, as theoldgit says above, if the ECO decides to issue a shorter term than that applied for, there will be no refund of the difference in fees.

 

Indeed, the reason why we didn't jump from 2 year direct to 10, opted to take the 5 in between, it's a reasonable wodge of cash to lose if they don't give you what was requested.