holiday in the uk

Post by **lomuamart** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 1:11 am

Yes,
Years ago, I was acting as sponsor for my old girlfriend. She was turned down twice and then for a third time through my MP.
I was really wound up. Every time the application fell down on "reason to return".
So, I came here.
As Caller is suggesting, I think, The Embassy is looking for proof of a genuine relationship and that the Thai person will go home.
I've been through it all.
The really negative, 10 odd years ago, "give us all the evidence of those things". And we couldn't.
To - "Well I live here and we've been married for a while and I'm returning to Thailand. The reason for her to return is me".
Took 3 days for her visa to be granted.
As all others have said said before, it's the "reason to return" that matters.

Post by **cockneyrebel** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 2:26 am

For those of you lucky enough to live in LOS, look what we poor s*ds have to pay from 2nd April to bring our tee laks to the good old UK:

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/6353/6 ... es2007.pdf

I'm unfortunate enough to be in the position of having to pay £750.00 (if I apply by post, £950.00 in person) for my wife's ILR visa in July. That's up from £335.00......where's the justification in that!!!!

In addition the new rules are that to qualify for a permanent visa foreign nationals also have to pass either the Citizenship Test, or get a completion certificate from a combined ESOL/Citizenship course.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against having to pay, but even my maths tells me it's over a 100% hike in our case. I agree with the test/language course as well, but apparently the study guide (out now by the way) is harder than before and the layout isn't good (so I've read) and the ESOL courses are few and far between with long waiting lists (sounds like the NHS!!!)

On that note I'm off for a beer and a sulk

Post by **Big Boy** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 3:37 am

cockneyrebel,

I started a thread about this a short while ago.

A bit of clarification please. You wrote:

I'm unfortunate enough to be in the position of having to pay £750.00 (if I apply by post, £950.00 in person) for my wife's ILR visa in July.

Can you apply for the ILR visa before your lady has qualified? My understanding is that the ILR is not a consideration until the relevant qualification has been achieved.

If you can't apply for the ILR until the qualification has been achieved, what do you do in the meantime, and what is the validity of that interim solution? How much will that cost? For example, do you have to keep re-newing your settlement visa on a regular basis?

Do you know where the new rules are quoted please?

Post by **lomuamart** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 4:28 am

I thought the first step was a Settlement Visa, valid for 2 years, After that your spouse can apply for ILR.
BB and others I'm sure have Thai wives in the UK, so should be able to advise on these finer points.

Post by **cockneyrebel** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 4:55 am

Apologies Big Boy, I wasn't aware of your thread...I just fancied a bit of a rant!!

You can find details of the new rules here:
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutu ... ofnewrules

There is a lot more detail here: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/6353/1 ... anda.docin

You're quite right in that we can't apply for ILR until the wife either passes the Citizenship Test or completes an ESOL course (there are combined courses being run here, but apparently it varies from council to council)

You can apply for ILR not before 28 days of visa expiry, but under the new rules wef 2nd April the lady must pass either/or of the above tests, and enclose the relevent pass certificate with the application.

If the wife can't pass/doesn't have either qualification then she will have to apply for FLR for another 2 years, costing £500.00 I believe (see the table in my previous thread) I don't think there's a limit (yet) on how many times you can keep applying for FLR, it would obviously be in your interests for the wife to pass either/or in the interim.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need any more info, I know "a man who does"

Tony

Post by **Big Boy** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 6:48 pm

cockneyrebel,

Thanks for the links - just what I had been looking for.

Its not actually as bad as I originally thought (although its bad enough). I was under the impression that until you passed the test, it would be 750 Pounds every year. It now looks as if its only 500 Pounds every other year.

I wish you and your lady luck with test - my wife has been here for a very long time, and she would stand no chance at all of passing the test. In fact, I don't know of any one of my wife's large circle of Thai friends who has managed to pass, although there are a few who are now studying hard.

Post by **cockneyrebel** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:52 am

No problem Big Boy, glad to be of help.

I'm wondering now if the new rules are the first step towards foreigners HAVING to pass a test/exam otherwise they can't extend their stay here in the future........a bit like the visa rule changes in LOS.

There's an on-line petition to No 10 against the new charges, for what it's worth, here's the link:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/VisaCostRise/

By the way, see you in the Championship next season!!!

Tony

Post by **Jaime** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:48 am

Jockey wrote:Being straight forward and truthful makes life very easy!

It didn't work for me.

Post by **matthew80** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:21 am

When I applied for a tourist visa for my thai gf, the Canadian Embassy basically told me "not to waste my time" - as she could show no proof that she would return. I asked what I could do to be able to fulfill the requirements and satisfy them. "Go for a Permanent Residence Visa" they answered, "It will prove to us that you're serious about this girl." Well, eight months, a ton of paperwork, hairpulling, data collection, cursing, swearing, and 1000 bucks later, I am about to put this damn opus into the mail. Approx. six months from now, I should be getting an answer. Whoohoo! How exciting!

Post by **Big Boy** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:45 pm

Matthew,

I've heard similar statements before, in fact a friend of mine who had a refusal for a holiday visa was also advised to try for a settlement visa as it would prove his commitment.

cockneyrebel wrote:

By the way, see you in the Championship next season!!!

Is that promotion or relegation?

Post by **Jaime** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:29 pm

Yup. That is exactly what happened to me at the UK Embassy.

Post by **cockneyrebel** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 1:14 am

Big Boy......it's relegation I'm sorry to say........unless a miracle happens!!

I take it you're an 'Argyle fan?

Up the Hammers!!!

Tony

Post by **Big Boy** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 1:33 am

cockneyrebel wrote:

I take it you're an 'Argyle fan?

Correct - somebody's got to do it.

Anyway, we're stealing this very important thread, so

Post by **cockneyrebel** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 2:22 am

Point taken!

If I can be of help to anyone thinking of trying to bring their g/f, fiancee or wife to the UK please let me know.

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