valentine wrote:


you may be interested to know Uk visa is not available from the British Embassy any more. You have to apply at:
The UK Visa App Centre
2nd Floor Regent House
183, Rajdamri Road
Lumpini, Pathmuwan
Bangkok, 10330
Applications from 08.30-15.00 Only
Visa collections 15.00-16.30 Only
The nearest BTS station is Rajdamri then 5 minute walk.
If the visa is for longer than 6months then you will also need a tuberculosis clearance certificate as well.

Have been reading up on this and would be very interested to hear from anyone that has done the checklist of requirements for the marriage or fiancee visa's and how long it took to be completed and for the Thai wife to be allowed entry into the UK?

Robtaff , My now wife and I applied for a fiancee visa at UK visa office BKK , the form only took an hour or so to complete , and we had the visa in 3 days - they even posted it to an office in Udon Thani , we did the checklist ,- finance ,accomodation etc, be careful of the touts in the office next door to UK Visa's they pester everybody guaranteeing Marriage certs , visa's the lot , only the Embassy can grant this as you probably know , the only problem we had was the extremely rude Immigration staff at Heathrow ,( none of them of Brirish origin, if you take my meaning ) behaving like the cowardly bullies they are against a 5' 3" Thai lady.also you need the TB certificate or they wont process the visa, anyway good luck.

konstabel els wrote:Robtaff , My now wife and I applied for a fiancee visa at UK visa office BKK , the form only took an hour or so to complete , and we had the visa in 3 days - they even posted it to an office in Udon Thani , we did the checklist ,- finance ,accomodation etc, be careful of the touts in the office next door to UK Visa's they pester everybody guaranteeing Marriage certs , visa's the lot , only the Embassy can grant this as you probably know , the only problem we had was the extremely rude Immigration staff at Heathrow ,( none of them of Brirish origin, if you take my meaning ) behaving like the cowardly bullies they are against a 5' 3" Thai lady.also you need the TB certificate or they wont process the visa, anyway good luck.

Thanks konstabel els for the quick and informative reply.

I'm hoping to avoid Heathrow and bring her into the UK via Cardiff and the staff there are all of British origin.

3 days certainly seems quick enough for me as will be on limited time of maybe 2 weeks due to work commitments.

I'm keeping all photo's, emails and phone bill as proof that me and the TG have met before. Will certainly remember the TB certificate - any idea of how much that costs as I'm trying to budget for everything i.e Flights, hotels, visa's etc.

It's about 3000 Baht for the TB cert , but your GF needs to phone and make an appointment first, the office is in Silom Rd , then she has to go to the recomended hospital to have an x- ray , all the taxi fares and traffic jams was the expensive bit,
it's probably better to get the TB cert process rolling before you arrive. there address is - IOM Kasemkji Building , 8th floor , 120 Silom Rd , Bangkok 10500
Tel 66 2 234 7950, email : uktbdpth@iom.int

Robtaff,
If its a fiancée Visa then it will be a Visitors Visa VAF1 form that you need. This is for a maximum of 6 months stay in the UK. It can indeed be processed within 3 days. Cost is currently 4225 baht. However this is with the understanding that you will marry during that time in the UK. You can then apply in the UK for further leave to remain. Not sure on the cost of that but its not cheap!

If you are already married or plan to marry in Thailand, then you will need the VAF4 settlement form. These applications can take much longer to process, and an involve your Wife being interviewed, which could be a month after the application. The cost is 33,475 baht.

here are some Links you will find useful
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply ... espartners

http://www.vfs-uk-th.com/contactus.aspx

Application Forms Here
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/vafs

You should also check out the Forum on http://thailand-uk.com/ as this has a wealth of info in the UK Visa section. They have check list of things to do to get the Visa. You will have to register to post on their forum.

Cheers and Good Luck!

Brian

Brian,
Correct me if I am wrong but are you saying that the fiancée visa is really that much more simple to get than a married persons visa???
If the fiancée is for 6 months (in which you have to get married & apply for an extension) how long is the married visa for??
BTW not planning to go either route but you seem to have some personal experience of it so I am just interested to know

My experiance from 03 whether thing have changed i don't know(i know the cost has.),The marriage visa(settlement) was 24 months my Mrs got one in 2003 i hear others have had 1 year given...after that time you will need to apply for indefinite leave to remain in UK...and it costs..££££££££££££££, and the now the applicant also needs to take a small English exam..so that they know about English stuff and speak some of the local lingo and other stuff innit mate.

Thanks for the advice guys and reading that lot just hit me with a bombshell as I had mistakenly thought the marriage visa was £65 but as Brian has said it is £515

My wallet is currently screaming in agony - this getting married in Thailand is not so cheap as I originally calculated but Thank Buddha for this forum as I'd have had a nasty shock in Bangkok.

The marriage visa as far as I have read is for 2 years, Bob then you apply for permanent settlement after providing 20 items/bills to prove that you live together with Thai wife.

I have just spoken to the TG and explained that on my tight budget we are now getting married in Wales and also that she needs a TB certificate.

Bob,

I am not sure if the Fiancée Visa is easier to get but it sure is cheaper! You still have to provide a heap of evidence even for a visitors Visa. However the application for further leave to remain (FLR) in the UK after the initial 6 months is expensive, £395 by post or £595 in person. So either way you end up paying lots.

The marriage/settlement Visa is for 2 years initially and then you have to apply again for an ILR (Indefinite Leave to Reside). This is the real fun part, as not only do you have to provide a mound of evidence, prove that your wife's English has improved and possilble take a 'Life in the UK' test, but you have to shell out another £750 by post or £950 in person for the ILR!!!!

My GF has only had a Visitors Visa so far but we plan on going through the Marriage in Thailand and Marriage Visa route late this Summer. I have allowed 15 days for the marriage Visa processing, perhaps not long enough. If it takes longer, I'll have to go back to blighty alone...

I understand that a few years ago all these Visa applications were cheap or free but were much more hit and miss and down to the whims of the individuals handling your application.

Hope that helps

Brian

more details here

http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/ukresi ... ettlement/

briang wrote:I have allowed 15 days for the marriage Visa processing, perhaps not long enough. If it takes longer, I'll have to go back to blighty alone.

I was successful in a short period of time brian, got her visa as quick as a flash a couple of questions for her at a 'window' in the old embassy(not interview room), and told to wait a short while for the passport back, i didn't have a return ticket in place as i was leaving the next day, but returned for a week a month later with her ticket in hand to pick her up.
If all the paper work is in order and proofs are given(i did give much more than what they asked for) it should be a breeze.

Thanks Brian - good details...

Fantastic information by all. Gonna bookmark this topic.

Done the sums and will be getting married about November time.

Thanks Guys your help has been very insightful.

Good luck Rob,must admit though that back in september last year u were saying u were single,now 8 mths later,wanting TG to settle and marry.
Thought at least 1 yr relationshuip for the embassy to be happy for settlement visas,the new farang do seem to get things done quick now.
As long as she enjoys leek soup then u r onto a winner!

Sorry Folks, I got the Fiancée Visa bit wrong. The VAF1 fiancee visa is for those who wish to marry in the UK but then leave....i.e. you cant stay in the UK on it. For a Fiancee Visa that you can stay in the UK for up to 6 months before marrying you need the VAF4...i.e. a Settlement Visa. So the cost of getting Married in the UK and then living there is £395 more than getting married in Thailand.

example

Get Married in Thailand then apply for VAF4 Settlement Visa @ £515, then 2 years after marriage apply for ILR @ £750. Total £1265 over 2 years.

or

Apply for a VAF4 settlement Visa @ £515, get married in the UK within 6 months, apply for FLR @ 395, then 2 years after getting the FLR apply for ILR @ £750. Total £1660 over 2.5 years.

Again sorry for the Duff info!

So Bob the Fiancee Visa is easier and cheaper if you don't intend to live in the UK, but more expensive and with more form filling if you do intend to live in the UK.

It all seems a big rip off...I imagine the UK Government must be making a fortune out of Visa applications. Oh forgot to say if the Visa application is rejected, there is no refund though you can appeal.

Brian