UK visa application

[lomuamart]

Went up this morning to make my wife's application for her visit visa. For those who may be interested, the low down was as follows.

Bus at 3am, arrived southern bus terminal just before 6am. Taxi over to Wireless Road to pick up a translation of the marriage cert - we'd faxed it on Monday. Kicked our heels until about 8am when the translation centre opened and then 10 min taxi ride to the outsourcing centre (as most of you will know, applications are no longer made at The Embassy). Arrived about 8.15am.

I was pretty impressed with the service at the new office. You will probably get mugged by a tout when you arrive. She showed us to a restaurant type place right next to the application centre. I quickly realised that the chap we spoke to was an agent and he was rattling on about how hard it was to get a visit visa "How are you going to prove that your wife will return to Thailand?". My answer was simply that if it was our intention to settle, we'd be applying for a Settlement Visa. Of course my wife will return with me - we're only going for a month for my brother's wedding. Anyway, he gave the documents a once-over and said that everything looked OK - no fee

The office proper opened at 8.30 sharp. We were number 7. A member of staff comes round as you're waiting and looks through the docs. She pointed out that we were applying for a visitor visa - we should have ticked family visit - easily rectified. Again, everything OK. You have to pay the 3,750 visa fee by banker's draft. That can be got in 5 mins at the office. The 450 handling fee can be paid in cash.

The woman at the counter checks everything again and is helpful. "OK, we'll split these docs" - one pile for my wife, one for me (bank statements etc). Given a receipt and reference number and we can track the visa's progress on the internet. We were told it should take 3-5 working days. Eventually, the internet will say that the passport is ready for collection. What they don't tell you is whether the visa's been granted. So, it'll be back up sometime next week, I reckon. Our hearts will be in our mouths as the outcome won't be known until my wife opens her passport

All in all, it took less than 30 mins there. Skytrain to Victory Monument and minibus back. Stepped in through the front door at about 1pm. Not bad going for 10 hours in total.

I'm enjoying a beer now, then it's time to pass out. I'll try not to think about next week too much as there's nothing that can be done now.

[Big Boy]

lomuamart wrote:

What they don't tell you is whether the visa's been granted. So, it'll be back up sometime next week, I reckon.

A friend of mine has just had a similar request turned down. The notification was a scanned in copy of the refusal note and was e-mailed directly to his lady well within the stated 4-5 day timescale. Although obviously disappointed, a very efficient service.

Just keep watching your wife's inbox.

[Guess]

Seems like a hell of a hassle to me. I know two Thais who have just got visit the UK visas without any hassle. In both cases they had boyfriends to support them but in one case the boyfriend was actually in the UK at the time. It seems like it sounds more difficult if you are married.

Does the fact vthat you had to provide evidence of your wife's return to get the visa. If so that means that British law has been changed. Up to now any British citizen has been allowed to bring his/her spouse into the UK for as long as they want.

Also I would like to know what the advantage is of all that hassle over just using and agent in Hua Hin.

[afterdarkimhandsome]

I will be applying for a Holiday Visa for my girlfriend in the next couple of months we are going home for a short visit to say hello to the family members.

My info was my best friend who is in Hua Hin on holiday at the moment, ill be meeting him there in 2 days. His girlfriend has just returned from a 6 month stay in Uk - Her 2nd 6 month stay.

She had trouble getting her 2nd one as they believed she would not return to Thailand. She eventually got it but they make a big issue of Reason To Return. Im hoping the fact that me and my girlfriend live together in Thailand is reason enough for her to return. They also look more favourably if the person seeking the visa has assets that would entice there return to Thailand such as land or house etc etc.

Just bits and pieces i have picked up. Hope it helps someone

Cheers
Darren

PS hopefully meet some of you for a beer in the enxt couple of weeks whilst im looking for some place to stay..!

[lomuamart]

Seems like a hell of a hassle to me. I know two Thais who have just got visit the UK visas without any hassle. In both cases they had boyfriends to support them but in one case the boyfriend was actually in the UK at the time. It seems like it sounds more difficult if you are married.

Does the fact vthat you had to provide evidence of your wife's return to get the visa. If so that means that British law has been changed. Up to now any British citizen has been allowed to bring his/her spouse into the UK for as long as they want.

Also I would like to know what the advantage is of all that hassle over just using and agent in Hua Hin.

It certainly is a hassle. The Embassy will look at two main issues. Can I support her whilst back in the UK. Hopefully there's enough evidence there. Secondly, will she return to Thailand in accordance with a visa. This second bit is always the tricky one.

She dosn't work and dosn't own property, so the reason to return is me. All we're really got is the fact that I've been here for 8 years, we've been together for 2.5 years and we've been married for a year. Hopefully no question of a "marriage of convenience". I stated in my covering letter that we had no intention of trying to settle in the UK. If we were thinking about it, she'd apply for the relevant Settlement Visa.

As far as "having to allow her to visit with me" is concerned, this isn't the case. She still has to prove sufficient reason to return if it's for a visit visa. If it's for settlement, it gets more difficult for The Embassy to refuse as she's stating that she probably won't be coming back. Strange, I know, but that's the way it seems to me.

There are some good agents around, but then again there are bad ones as well. I've heard all sorts of horror stories - applicants being told to lie etc etc, the agent having no idea of UK imm law. We decided to do it ourselves.

I'm about 50/50 that she'll get it. It's just wait and see.

[Guess]

Looks like the UK still have a cast iron immigration and visitor policy then.

The expression "if you pay peanuts you employ monkeys" springs to mind when it comes to British Authority.

[afterdarkimhandsome]

Peanuts & Monkeys,

My friend when applying for his girlfriends 2nd UK visa - just for clarification went to a well known shop in pattaya to help him cross the t's and dot the i's.

This gent told him straight off that he would not charge him for the visit and also did not need to present him with any further information as he had looked over what my friend had and reckoned he was intelegent enough to have sorted it himself.

The guy also told my friend that he had worked in the UK immigration office for 6 years and knew that the place was badly run. he told him a story of a young thai girl he had helped translate her application from thai to english. This young lady had returned from a long stay with her boyfriend and had been married to him whilst in the UK. She ahd to return to Thailand to apply for her visa and expected everything to go ok. The guy sorted her application for her and was 100% confident she would get her visa. She returned to him the next day in tears, no was the answer. She begged with him whats she could do. He agaian looked over the application and sent her straight back up to immagration the next day. NO WORD OF A LIE, the same lady that had refused her the day before accepted the exact same visa application 24 hours later.
He says he had seen it happen before - so if its refused dont panic just re-apply again.

[Big Boy]

lomuamart wrote:

I'm about 50/50 that she'll get it. It's just wait and see.

Providing your papers are in order, I can't why they should refuse you. I've successfully applied for 5 visitor visas in the past for family members, and have been successful on every occassion.

The main reason my friend was refused 2 weeks ago was because of the length of time he had known the girl - you don't seem to have that problem.

The other reason was, as already stated a couple of times, they were not sure that she had reason to return to Thailand. I thought the reasons given were pretty solid, but at the end of the day, the referees decision is final.

All of that said, I've never known anybody in an established relationship such as yours refused (unless their papers were not in order).

Good Luck, and just keep watching your wife's inbox - don't worry.

[DawnHRD]

I'm wondering if there's a small amount of sexism going on in the British Consulate. 3 years ago, I wanted to take my boyfriend back on a holiday to UK. At that point I'd been with him for 6 or 7 months. I provided all the necessary paperwork (of course, as you have all done). We were finished really quickly & he got accepted first time. While we were there, married women (ie married to English guys) got turned down.
Now, I don't pretend to know their circumstances, but I was amazed how easy it was for a woman to get a man a visa for UK, when I've heard so many bad stories about men trying to get women a visa

[Big Boy]

Dawn,

I have to say that if anything, my experience has been the opposite. The last time I applied, I was bringing my daughter, her husband and my granddaughter to the UK on holiday.

My daughter and granddaughter were granted 6 month visas, where as my son-in-law was only granted 3 months.

All 3 applications were submitted together, and they were all travelling together................and we think Thailand has some strange ways

[DawnHRD]

There really is no explaining that one, is there?

[lomuamart]

Got the message at 10.30 this morning that the passport was ready for collection. On a minibus at midday and got back at 6.30pm.
A success, thankfully.
As a heads up to anyone else, it appears that the internet tracking service only works in IE, not Firefox that I've been trying for a few days. The passport was ready yesterday.

[PeteC]

Excellent news, sir. Hope you and the wife enjoy the holiday! Pete

[Jaime]

The weather's still holding up! Hope it lasts for you. Must go, about to light another BBQ. (Honest!)

[richard]

I sailed through

I did my homework.

Proof of her need to come back is the main thing and also proof that you can support her over in the UK

With the latter, I got my daughters to write a letter as to where she would be staying

On the former she provided proof of money in the bank (in her name), proof of land ownership, proof of family details ( forget the name of the form), proof of being a mother. In addition I provided my passport and visa that proved I was retired in Thailand and that we would be back

10 minutes later she got the stamp

Biggest hassle was interrogation at Heathrow as to her right to visit the UK. If I'd had an AK47 to hand I'd have blown his turban off.


Good job I'm a moderate guy!!!! No response to the last comment please Huahinian

You also should consider they check your records, from your passport, on the Home Office Database and who knows what is on there!!! Any Glitch may jeapordise the application