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How to Get a UK Visitor Visa for Your Thai Partner [in 7 Steps]

I’m going to start this post with a necessary disclaimer:

This information is based on my personal experience and in no way guarantees that your Thai partner will be granted a visa to visit the UK. Each application is decided on its individual merit by an adjudicating officer on behalf of the UK Border Agency.

I am not a licensed agent, and I have no contact with the UKBA or access to any insider knowledge. The information in this post is intended to help you complete the process correctly and submit what might be considered relevant documentation to support your application. After reading this post, you should go here and follow the official guidelines set out by the UKBA.

uk visa thai girlfriend

Okay, so you want to bring your girlfriend, wife, boyfriend or husband to the UK for a visit. We’ve (myself and Mrs TTL) have been through this process eight times successfully, so I’m going to break this down into 7 simple steps that you can work through systematically and get it right.

Let me just say at this point that you DO NOT need to hire a visa agent/service to apply for you. There’s a huge amount of visa services out there that claim to be able to give you an advantage over those who apply by themselves, but it’s garbage.

Such services charge you a whopping amount of money for a process that was designed for you to complete by yourself. It is not difficult if you simply follow the instructions. As much as they lead you to believe, these visa services have no “contacts” inside the UKBA, and they too, like everyone else, are subject to refusal.

The one advantage they do have is experience of submitting documentation for specific circumstances. They have a feel for what the officials want to see. But don't worry, I’m going to help you with that.

What Are Our Chances of Getting a Visa?

I thought I’d start with this before getting into the application process because it’s something every applicant ponders on. The reality is that they don’t disclose guidelines on who gets a visa and who doesn’t – that would be discriminatory and hugely unfair. Each application is treated equally and subject to the same investigation.

What I will say is this; I personally believe the process is judged on 4 core aspects:

  1. Your ability to provide adequate evidence that your relationship is genuine and exists in the way you have claimed it does.
  2. Your ability to provide adequate supporting evidence for the details provided on your application form.
  3. Your ability to prove that you have good reason to want to return to Thailand once your visit is over.
  4. Your ability to fill out the application out properly.

Of course, outside of these basics I would assume they consider criminal record history, the outcome of previous applications and above all, how likely you are to disobey the rules of your visa and do something untoward in the UK.

Let’s be honest, if you met your partner last month on a 2-week holiday to Thailand and are now trying to get her/him back to the UK for 6 months, you’re going to have a tough time proving that your relationship is genuine and that you are going to guarantee his/her safety and financially needs while in the UK.

It might seem unfair, especially when you’re in “luuurve”. But consider that even though it’s frustrating, the application process is designed to protect your partner and the country. I mean, if it was easy as pie to get a visa for someone you know little about and have only known a short time, it would leave foreign nationals open to exploitation. There might also be quite a few illegal Thais hiding out in the UK too 🙂

Anyway, you get the picture, so let’s move on to the application.

Pre-Application Considerations

The form your partner needs to fill out requires comprehensive information about her person, family and travel history. So before you start, make sure he/she has the following:

  • Work history and current employer details/salary
  • Parent’s names and dates of birth
  • Passport/travel history (current and previous – 10 years)
  • Details of dependents (children)
  • Details of funds available for the visit (personal)
  • Details of partner/friend/sponsor
  • Details of accommodation
  • Proposed travel/return dates

You’ll notice in this post that I’m referring to “you”, even though it is your partner who will need to fill out the form. The reasons for this are, 1) I assume you are researching this topic for your partner, so I'm addressing you the reader, 2) It's perfectly legal for you to assist your partner in filling out the form if your partner’s English writing skills aren’t up to the task. It’s also a ruddy good idea to sit down and do it together anyway. That way you’ll have two pairs of eyes to run over it and make sure you don’t miss anything.

Step 1: Register An Account On The Visa4UK Website

Go here and register an account on the UKBA website. You will have to apply online and this registration will provide you with a password to log-on and fill out the form. The email address you provide will also be used as a point of contact to notify you of your appointment confirmation, payment confirmation and notification to pick up your passport and decision.

Step 2. Fill Out The Application Form

Once you’ve set up your account, you’re ready to start. Go back to the pre-considerations and make sure you have all that information to hand; otherwise you won’t be able to complete the application in one sitting.

Set aside two hours for this task. You may get it done quicker, but it’s best to give yourself this time so that you don’t get stressed out. Pick a time when you aren’t likely to be distracted and you aren’t tired. You’ll want to get this right first time.

If you get stuck on a question, use the form’s “?” help pop-ups to guide you.

Step 3: Make An Appointment

Once the application is done, you’ll be taken to view your progress on the home page of your account. At this stage, you can choose an appointment day and time to submit your application. This must be done in person at The Trendy Building in Sukhumvit (all the details are in Step 6).

Now, consider that you still need to get your supporting documentation together, so give yourself ample time for that. I recommend booking an appointment for a week’s time to take the pressure off; there’s quite a bit of documentation to get together.

Step 4: Make Your Payment

Do this as soon as you’ve booked your appointment. It’s not worth leaving until later because if you forget you won’t be able to submit your application. Make sure you take a copy of the payment receipt with you on submission day (see the reminder list in Step 5).

At the time of writing, the price of the application is quoted in US dollars and works out at approximately $142. I have no idea why they don’t let you pay in pounds. I have complained because it works out more expensive this way, but no reply, as yet.

Once you’ve paid, you’re all set. Now it’s time to get that supporting documentation together.

Step 5: Supporting Documentation

There is a checklist for supporting documentation (see below) that will be presented by the VPS Global staff when you hand in your application. Note that this is currently used for the spouse/partner of a British citizen and not for all types of visa, at least not that I know of. But they don’t tell you you everything you should submit because every application is slightly different, and having the right documentation isn’t a guarantee of an approval, thus you will see the words “any other documents in support of your application” in the last box. So you need everything on this list, plus whatever you think is necessary.

uk-visitor-checklist

My wife has a recommended documentation list of her own, that includes the above. However, this is by no means definitive, and of course has additions/subtractions depending on the circumstances at the time of the application.

Do yourself a favour and get a folder. Buy one of those with plastic slip cases built in. This will help you present your documentation in an organised fashion. Think about how you’d feel if you were the visa official and came across a bundle of jumbled up documents in a pile. You would immediately think that this application appeared unorganised and that the applicant probably wasn’t that serious about getting a visa. The last thing an official wants to do is waste time trying to fathom out which of your documents is which.

In light of this, my wife always creates a contents page that lists all the documentation inside the folder She then numbers each page inside with the corresponding number on the contents page.

* Any document you submit in Thai should be translated into Thai by an accredited translation agency. Remember, you are submitting this application to UK officials, not Thai officials; they will not be able to read anything in Thai.

** Get colour photocopies of all documentation. Some documents don’t require this but I think it’s better to submit a consistent application.

Recommended Documentation Inclusions:

  1. Applicant’s Birth Certificate.
  2. Applicant’s ID Card.
  3. Applicant’s Passport (front page)
  4. Current Condo/House Lease Agreement.
  5. Applicant’s Thai House Document (Tabien Baan)
  6. Applicant’s Passport History (10 years)
  7. Applicant’s Bank Statement: proof of savings/financial independence.
  8. Marriage Certification.
  9. Supporting Letter From Partner/Spouse/Guarantor.
  10. Partner/Spouse/Guarantor Proof of Funds/Savings.
  11. Partner/ Spouse/Guarantor Passport History (10 years)
  12. Partner’s/Spouse’s Birth Certificate:
  13. Relationship Evidence (pictures, emails, phone records)
  14. Accommodation information (where will you stay?)

Essential Must Not Forgets!

  • Get 2 UK passport size photographs (see UK standard guidelines here)
  • Print out your application
  • Print out your payment confirmation
  • Print out your appointment confirmation
  • Take your Thai ID Card
  • Take your passport! (This is needed to put the visa inside – if you pass)

Step 6: Appointment Day

On the day, make sure you arrive an hour in advance. This will give you some leverage should you have forgotten to print something out. If possible, take the MRT/BTS. A taxi may get stuck in traffic and cause you to miss your appointment.

The closest station is Nana BTS.

Directions from the station:

– Get off the train.

– Walk down the stairs.

– Turn right at the bottom of the stairs.

– Go through the ticket barrier bear off to the left.

– Take the stairs to your right (right in the corner)

– Once at the bottom of the stairs, walk straight.

– Sukhumvit 13 is about 2 roads down.

– Trendy Building is 125 meters down on your right-hand side.

VFS Address:

VFS Bangkok Application Centre
Trendy Office Building, 28th Floor,
Sukhumvit Road Soi 13,
Klongtoey Nua, Wattana,
Bangkok
10110

When you arrive at the Trendy Building, you’ll see a UK/Australia/Canada visa booth located on the ground floor. Your partner must hand his/her appointment paper to the official at this desk.

The office is on the 28th floor. This means you’ll need to head to the lift at the back of the ground floor. On busy days this lift can take ages to arrive, so allow at least 10 minutes to make the escalation.

If you accompany your partner to the visa office, you may not be allowed in the main submission room. It’s strange. Sometimes they let partners in and other times they don’t.

Step 7: The Decision: Collecting Your Passport

You will be notified by email when your visa is ready for collection. Simply go back to the same building between the times and days given on your email, with the receipt you were given after your submission.

You will receive an envelope with your passport and decision inside. Wait until you get back downstairs to the café before opening the envelope. The reason for this is that if you were rejected you may be overcome with emotion and say/do something you shouldn’t.

Remember, the staff at the visa centre have no influence over this decision and are there to organise and process, not decide. No matter your plea, they cannot change this decision, only advise you on what to do next.

What To Do If You Are Refused A Visa

It does happen. It happened to us the very first time. We’d been together 2.5 years at this point and still weren’t granted a visa. But here’s the anomaly; it wasn’t to do with my wife (then girlfriend), but me. The UK border agency wanted proof of my travel to and from Thailand since a specific period. I hadn’t provided my passport history on my first application, and therefore they could not verify our history together.

This was really annoying because all one’s travel history is logged on central computers in the UK, but the onus was on me to prove this, not for them to go digging into data.

So we reapplied, this time submitting my passport history and a document outlining a timeline of travel to and from the region. Of course, we also had to pay again. This time we passed and had a wonderful Christmas in the UK.

Don’t get disheartened. Read the notes left by the adjudicator inside your refusal. Go home, get the documentation you need together and apply again.

The lesson here is not to leave anything to chance or the imagination of the visa officials. Be as comprehensive as possible. Provide as much evidence of your relationship, of your ability to financially sponsor and take care of your partner in the UK and as much of a reason for your partner to want to return to Thailand as possible.

What to Do Next Once You Have Your Visa

2. Pay for Your Flights

If you pre-booked your flight (s) without paying, don't forget to pay for them before they expire or you might have trouble booking a ticket for the days you want to leave and return to Thailand. Even though your visa is for 6 months, in my opinion it is best-practice to return to Thailand on the date proposed on your application. This shows that you have kept to the word of your application, and may bode well for future applications.

2. Get Travel Insurance

In the excitement of getting your visa, don't forget to get travel insurance! We almost did this last time but luckily my wife remembered and got it the night before. The NHS will treat a patient without insurance, but there will be a cost decided by the hospital, and it could be pretty expensive. Also consider personal accident cover , lost luggage cover and flight cancellation cover. We always use World Nomads. It's great cover at a reasonable price. Use the form below to get an instant quote.

>> Click here to get a quote from World Nomads.

Best of luck.

Comments Sort by : newest | oldest

  2. Hi TTL, I am looking in to bringing my girlfriend back for a holiday but you say you can pre book the flights what flight company does that also how much money do I have have in the bank to show the Thai embassy thanks for the information

    Reply

    • Hi Gareth, you can do this through a travel agent. I did it through a friend’s company in Samui the first time. You have a deadlines to pay for the flights. I’m quite sure you can do it through some operators’ sites too. They will hold the seats fro a certain amount of time. You don’t need to book the flight first though, in fact they advise against this in case you are denied the visa. You just need to provide an intended date of travel. You don’t need to show the Thai embassy anything; your application is submitted at VFS global and then sent to UK immigration for a decision. There is no set amount of money for the sponsor. I have covered this in a quite a few comments, so have a read through as there’s plenty of good advice in there. Thanks.

      Reply

  3. Hi ,i hope later in the year that my thai girlfriend of 2 years will be able to come to england to stay with me for about 10 days in september /october .
    she owns her own house ,she has worked in the bank for 17 years.
    could you please tell me if they require my original birth certificate,if so ,i would have to post it to my girlfriends home,from the uk.
    Also how long is the visa valid for , if issued.please.
    Also we were married in thailand in april this year ,but ceremony only,not official,but i will tell them the truth.
    thanks Ian

    Reply

    • Hi Ian, they don’t need your birth certificate, just your passport and passport history. However, it doesn’t hurt to put a copy of your BC in the documentation as additional proof of identity. It would be pointless to use the word ‘married’ in your application because as you say it isn’t legal and therefore wouldn’t be recognized in the UK like an official Thai marriage is. You would just be applying as girlfriend and boyfriend. The visa is for 6 months as standard, but your GF will have to stipulate how long she intends to visit for, and prove her intent to return, genuine relationship with you, and funding for the trip.

      Reply

  4. Good afternoon,

    Thanks to your excellent blog, we have been able to secure a tourist visa for my girlfriend of some 10 months to visit the UK this summer, 2017. Thank you.

    Na experienced a couple of differences in the process that readers may be interested in.

    She took 2 UK Passport sized photos, but they were handed back to her and VFS Global took a digital photo of her when they took her fingerprints.

    Several original documents were handed back immediately, presumably because having supplied copies and translations, VFS Global could confirm sight of the original and this eliminates the risk of loss.

    Additionally:

    The date of application is taken as the DATE OF FEE PAYMENT, not the appointment date. For us this meant the application was over 3 months before the intended and booked start date of the visit. However, taking a practical approach, the sanctioning official issued the visa 3 months from date of payment and explained why in a letter. It just means the visa runs slightly short of the expected timescale, but makes no difference as the intended visit is only for 6 weeks.

    The application appears to be processed at the embassy in Bangkok and is certainly issued there. It seems a little hard to believe the documents are going to be sent to the UK and back. Our processing time was 8 working days including the appointment day and including 3 days when we know documents were travelling between VFS Global and the embassy. We put this 5 day timescale down to a well ordered and query free application pack.

    Na had a 20 minute phone call in Thai from a gentleman who went through most of the application checking she knew everything and knew my details, job, family circumstances etc., presumably to confirm our relationship status and to check she wasn’t being “trafficked”. It was a very friendly and polite call, but it was made clear she was not to refer to me for any answers or information, should I be there with her. It would therefore be very wise for the applicant to know and memorise all the details in the application and the sponsors letter.

    I noticed a couple of issues in the application “pack” once I had put it together. I wrote an explanation for these on the pages concerned, to try to save a query or a simple refusal due to the lack of information.

    I did not include pages and pages of telephone and whatsapp/line records, but I did include a 32 print, A5 sized photo poster with meta information across each photo as evidence of our times together during the trips I had logged. These photo posters are available very cheaply online and A5 folds in half to fit the A4 pocket in the file. It is well for potential applicants to take photos each trip specifically for this purpose.

    Finally:

    I am aware of a family member of Na applying for a visa for Australia using an agent in Bangkok. VFS Global have to be used as the application point, as for the UK. The agent have taken a large fee and initially said to her no visit to VFS is necessary. 4 weeks later they have asked for another 7500 baht because of processing problems they need to overcome and now say she must attend to give fingerprints etc. This seems to be an outright scam to get more money from the unsuspecting applicant and I would urge that agents are NOT USED. Best for the man to prepare the file in his own country and get the lady to do her documents ready for his next trip, when it can be put together and application made.

    Reply

    • Good share Mike Baker. Can I please ask you what service you used to get any documents translated to English and what documents they were, if any? I think I need to just get our current tenancy agreement translated and her Thai House Document (Tabien Baan), although my gf is insisting that the Tabien Baan doesn’t need to be translated, according to a friend of her’s who recently went to the UK. Like i’m going to just take a Thai friend’s word for anything.

      Reply

      • Mark,

        We are in Pattaya and Na found a translater who was also a visa agent.

        She got the house document, business lease, business licences, business registration document and her Thai marriage certificate translated. We didnt leave anything to chance. As it says on this blog….anything in Thai will likely be ignored by the processing staff who are likely to be English, so it doesn’t help build your case to omit anything.

        Reply

  6. Hi TTL, I’m hoping to take my girlfriend back to England for 6 months for her first visit. Would a shorter time be more favourably looked on?
    Is it necessary to have pre-booked flights arranged? & does the flight have to be return, or would one way be acceptable, thus giving us more flexibility for the return?

    Reply

    • Hi Steve, in short, it really depends on your GFs circumstances, and your relationship history. They will consider many factors: What about her job, won’t she need to return for work? What reason(s) does she have to return to Thailand after her visit? Why so long for a first visit? To what degree can you prove a genuine relationship?

      Please also have a look for my reply to Colin below (dated Apr 04, 2017 ); it pretty much answers the same question.

      You don’t need to have your flights booked when you apply, in fact they advise against this. You just have to provide intended leave and return dates. It will be favourable for future visits if she returns on the day she says she will.

      Reply

  7. Probably the most informative article I’ve found regarding this topic. Thank you. My question to you is regarding the bank statements needed. She isn’t payed much and I am intent on fully funding the trip which doesn’t involve hotels, as we will be staying with my family for the 2 week duration of our trip. I am worried that her personal bank account won’t show she has sufficient funds saved up to support herself if need be on this short visit, because I have been saving money in our joint account specifically for this trip. Do you think her bank statements (the account her salary is paid into) along with my personal bank statements and our joint account statements would be sufficient?

    Reply

    • If you are funding the trip then this isn’t a problem. The fact that she has an account with regular salary payments is a positive thing, because it shows active employment, regular income and a reason to return to Thailand. Just make sure you get a letter from her boss to confirm employment, position and salary, and permission for the holiday period she will need to visit you. On the application form there is a section where she can select that the trip is being funded by you. She can also note in the “supporting notes” section that she has her own money, albeit a small amount, that she can use if need be. You can also confirm your support in a supporting statement. Also don’t forget to prove your finances by way of statements.

      Reply

      • Thank you for the quick reply and awesome advice TTL. Feel more confident already. My girlfriend is an Admin Clerk in the Thai Ministry of Defence and already has an employment letter from her director general containing the info you mentioned above, so hopefully that isn’t a problem. Glad it isn’t this much hassle for Brits to get a simple tourist visa to Thailand. Anyway thanks again. You sir are a legend.

        Reply

  8. Hello Collin. My story its very special. I am from Hungary, but I living 5 years ago in U.K. I meet a girl from Thailand. I would like living with her. What i doing? We not getting married at the moment Please help me.
    Best Ragard: Csaba

    Reply

  9. I have another question which is a bit of a tricky 1
    I live in northern ireland which is part of the uk but unfortunatley there are no direct flights from thailand . So.i would have to fly to england to pickup my girlfriend and then fly back across to belfast. However there are direct flights to dublin in the republic of ireland which is a 90 min drive from my house in the north and would save time and money . Is there any way she could land in dublin on a uk visitor visa and pass through back up to the uk in the north.

    Reply

    • I seem to remember someone else had this question a long while ago and it may be bedded here somewhere in the comments. I don’t know the answer to this but maybe someone else following here does? If they don’t a quick call to the embassy would be your best bet. It’s always best to get the answer from the horses’ mouth on anomalies like this.

      Reply

  10. Good morning TTL. My Thai wife and I got married in Bangkok October 16 and we would like for her to come back with me on my return flight to U.K. At the end of May 17. I’m here on a three month visa but we would like the benefit of your advice as to the length of visa stay to ask for for my wife’s first visit to the UK? Cheers Colin S.

    Reply

    • Hi Colin, all visit visas are issued with a 6-month duration as standard, but you do have to state how long the trip will be and your intended flight dates on the application form. How long the trip is really depends on the circumstances of the individual. if your wife has a full time job then she is unlikely to be able to take a month’s leave. If she is fully supported by you then she may be in a position to do that. There isn’t an ideal length of stay for a first visa, so to speak. The key things to think about are proving that your relationship is genuine, and that your wife, or you, can fund the trip sufficiently, and that she has good reason to return to Thailand after her trip. The first ever visa we got many years ago was for a 6-week trip I think. My GF (now wife) had a letter from her boss stating that her job would be kept open for her return.

      Reply

    • Hi, any idea of how long on average the time between interview and decision ?
      We have interview on ninth of May but I already have my return flight booked on 29th May. ( End of my three month visa). Chances of getting my missus on same flight getting slimmer. We first applied on 03/04/17. Regards Colin S.

      Reply

      • So you applied online on the 3rd of April and booked an appointment to hand the application in on the 9th (next Tuesday)? Didn’t they have an appointment sooner than that? I reckon you will get your decision within 10 days; possibly quicker. Maximum 2 weeks. Should be before your flight. Thing is, they get busier closer to UK summer time because of lots of Thais applying for visas for their holidays.

        Reply

        • Hi TTL. Thanks for your thoughts. Confession time, Although I took your advice about applying myself, registered our account etc, I gave up too easily and got frustrated with not being able to answer the questions on the forms! Neither my wife or myself possess the patience apparently. We should have took notice of your advice to take enough time and approached the forms when we were ready. Anyway, long story short, we employed one of the many ‘helpers’ firms. I won’t name them. ( It’s too late for recriminations.) (and it’s my birthday today) They took my money on third of April and we only received our interview date on second of May. Allowing for songkran holiday etc and scores of messages and calls from my missus, we (my wife) eventually gets her interview on the ninth of May. Moral of story ? Read TTL advice thoroughly, and then make sure to get in the correct frame of mind to sit down with the forms,together, and just,’do it’. We will update results as and when. Regards Colin S.

          Reply

  11. I am proposing to come to Thailand from UK for 30 days will this be adequate time to due the online application pay fee book appointment and receive decision and if successful sort out return flights and insurance for my girlfriend to visit UK or do you feel i should extend my trip to 6-8 weeks to sort everything out

    Reply

    • It’s possible, but don’t count on it. They have a fast track process you can pay for too. I can’t remember off the top of my head how much it is but I think around 500-600 quid. But there are no guarantees. It takes a few days to do the application and get all the paperwork together for submission. If you rush it you might miss including something important. And then what if it’s refused? You won’t have time to reapply within that window. You’d be better off with 6-8 weeks, but remember a tourist only gets stamped in for 30 days on entry, so you’d have to extend at immigration once those 30 days are up.

      Reply

  12. Staff called my girlfriend three days after the initial interview at Trendy Building. They also called her boss… it was first thing in the morning and the call had woken him up as he works until the early hours. He was a bit vague and still half-asleep… and made a couple of mistakes about my girlfriend’s salary and the fact details of her job that differed from the letter. How much of a problem could this be? Is there likely to be a ten year ban for wrong information?

    Reply

    • It would have been a call from the UK visa staff in London, not the staff at Trendy Building, as they just process and send and receive applications.

      There could be a refusal if the information was very conflicting and the member of staff considers it to change the circumstances under which the visa is issued, but they may also consider the language barrier and that the odd discrepancy doesn’t matter as long as he confirmed her job and the fact that she does work for him and will have her job open for her upon returning to Thailand.

      There won’t be a 10-year ban. Bans are for knowingly providing false information.

      Reply

      • Thanks, that’s quite reassuring. But they spoke in Thai (even though everything was submitted in English). Everywhere I’ve read said that if documents are submitted in English they’d expect to speak in English.

        Some of the questions they cross-checked with her and the boss were really detailed… how many staff work there, how many TABLES are there, how much does a burger cost.

        Reply

        • I see. On the application form it says something like “What language would you prefer to be interviewed in”. I assume your GF put Thai, and that’s why they got someone from the embassy to call in Thai. I’ve not heard of that before but I know the checks are more stringent now. Sounds like it went quite well. I wouldn’t be too concerned with minor discrepancies.

          Reply

          • Still nothing back and it’s been a week since that phone call, eight working days since the application being taken to trendy building. Is this normal? Some things I’ve read say it is usually decided quickly after a phone call. The Home Office website says 99% of visitor visa applications are processed within 10 working days.

            Reply

  15. Hi great site,sure youve heard this before ,but a going to Thailand to meet a nice woman ,weve been chatting on social media for 4 months she is genuine as far as Ive researched her properly job,family,past relations etc. So if all goes well then where do we begin the process of her visitor visa application Thailand or UK . Am disabled on highest rate . What are our chsnces to get one ,,thanks .

    Reply

    • Hi Alan, she would need to apply in Thailand. The application is done online and then submitted at the VFS global visa centre. There is one in Bangkok and one in Chiang Mai. Your chances are probably slim at the moment as you haven’t spent any time together in person. That doesn’t mean it is not possible, but the longer time you have spent together, preferably in person, the more chance I would assume.

      Reply

      • Many thanks for reply /advice . Having looked into the process -your’e correct its time spent together to establish genuine reasons for her tourist visa being granted post to my visit . Im planning to visit her end of May and if alls well with us continuing a relationship , I will return to UK and begin application for a Tourist visa sponsored by me for her to visit UK , if granted – Ive explained to her that she must return to Thailand afterwards thus enhancing the chances of her getting a Visitor visa again sponsored by myself ,just to add am on High rate of all DWP , ESA Severe Disability Benefits. So I’m trying to do the legal /correct way to bring her here ,so by I/we doing it right will this enhance her Visitor application in due course ? Many thanks and very appreciative of reply .

        Reply

  16. Great advice page. You really covered everything. Now I’m much less stressed about getting my girlfriend the visitor visa and more excited about introducing her to the family at my sisters wedding this June….cheers mate!

    Stu

    Reply

  17. Dear Sir/Madame
    It’s great yo see you. Please may I take a moment of your time.
    My income is low. £17.927.64 to be precise.
    I just now read elsewhere maybe Thai Embassy they say there is a new rule applying that I must have £18.600 income in order to have a Thai Lady come visit England. Can you help me see what’s what please.
    From Craig Lee White.

    Reply

  20. Absolutely fantastic information. One thing confuses me though, or am I just being an idiot?
    I am currently in the UK, working etc to allow my wife to come over on a permanent basis. Obviously, a couple of tourist trips will be in order first.

    Q: Do I need to be in Thailand when she applies for the visa?
    Q: I spent a year working in Europe, so was away from my wife. Will that affect her visa?
    Q: Would it be beneficial to have old copies of our condo rental contract when she applies for the visa?

    Hope you can assist me in this as she is planning to come over at Christmas 2017.

    Reply

    • Hey Gary,

      1. No. The application is done online and then your wife will attend the visa processing centre to hand in the application form and her documents.
      2. No, not at all. You can explain this in a personal statement which should be submitted as part of your wife’s supporting evidence.
      3. Yes, to prove that you lived together for that period of time. Make sure they are translated (if in Thai).

      All the best.

      Reply

  21. Hi, my wife and I are visiting the UK in June , Her first time. We have been together more than 5 years and married last year. She works and she is applying without sponsorship, showing her own funds but I will be paying for hotels . Does she need to prove our relationship, ie photos, emails . I will write a letter, do I also need to show that I have been here during our relationship, visa stamps etc. Also, she has no real family here and no land so her only reasons to return are work and me, It’s only a 2 week holiday we are asking for. Any thoughts or tips or anything would be greatly appreciated as it just seems so stressful . Thanks, your site has been really helpful

    Reply

    • 1. Does she need to prove our relationship: Yes, as you will be traveling together and you will effectively be taking care of her, and partly financially too. You, the British national, her husband, are the reason she is visiting, so they want to know all the regular details on the relationship history.

      2. Do I also need to show that I have been here during our relationship, visa stamps etc: Yes. Leave no stone unturned in showing that your relationship is genuine and that you have been living together for x time.

      3. Also, she has no real family here and no land so her only reasons to return are work and me, It’s only a 2 week holiday we are asking for: A job is a good reason to return. Get a letter for her employer confirming her position, salary and that she is allowed to have the time off and will return to work when back.

      Good luck!

      Reply

      • Thank you so much for your quick and great response. We have got the letter from the employer already confirming her salary, length of employment and the job is open for her. My documentation will be greater than hers as I have several years of passport pages to show 🙂 As I am partly financing her (as you put it )for the hotels I don’t need to show bank statements do I ? We have hotel bookings already paid for.
        It is amazing how much paperwork we have , our appointment is not long away. We are submitting over 60 photos to prove the relationship as it’s over 5 years !
        Sorry, one more question, she is not on my tabian bahn but she has utility bills going back a few years for internet, phones , do you think that will help show she lives with me ?
        Your website and now your reply have been a great help, thank you, I can’t believe it’s such a minefield just to give our wives a chance to visit our countries.

        Reply

  22. My Thai wife has a UK visa issued on 15 Dec 2016 valid for 6 months until 15 June 2017. On the application we stated the dates of travel for December 2016 as we went back to the UK for Christmas. However we plan to visit again at the end of April 2017. I assume that since its a multi entry visa valid until 16 June 2017 it can be used for the April visit and there’s no need to apply again? Can you confirm?

    Reply

  23. I am applying for my adopted daughter to travel with me to the UK for 2 weeks to see her Grandma, My Mother, I have all the paperwork done, but do the photocopies of Tabian Baan etc need to be signed.

    For example does my wife and I need to sign the Thai copy of the Marriage certificate?

    Thanks

    Reply

    • They don’t need to be signed, but they need to be officially translated into English. A couple of other things to consider: Is your daughter officially adopted? Because you will need to provide that paperwork too (translated to English). Is your wife flying with you? If not, remember that you need her official permission to leave the country with her daughter otherwise the airline won’t check you in. Bear that in mind if you get the visa.

      Reply

    • There is no specific amount. If you are sponsoring the trip financially – including flights, accommodation and spending money – then for the most part it will be your financial status taken into account. If your GF is working, then showing details of any savings and assets she has is a good idea to support the application. Evidence of her employment is also a good way to meet the criteria of ensuring she has good reason to return to Thailand (as are assets such as a house, etc).

      Reply

  27. Hi my girlfriend and myself have just had our first tourist visa rejected. She has received her envelope opened it and inside was my annual mortgage statement with which I can’t see an issue. Should there be some sort of letter from the embassy telling us what the problem is or do we need to contact them by some other means as we would like to try again?

    Reply

    • Yes, this is quite normal. Many people do not receive a phone interview and in recent times the decision process has been very quick, often within 72 hours. They never give you an indication of yes or no. You will just have to wait until the envelope is in your hand.

      Reply

  29. Went to chiang mai vfs . Just waiting for a phone interview for my wife. The girl at the counter said we might not get all our paperwork back when they return the application wheather its successfull or not . Is it normal ?

    Reply

  30. Relationship proof is not needed for a visitor visa (what if she/he were a solo traveler?) All they are really concerned with is the reason to return, job, owner of property, commitments etc. You can still get turned down on the most laughable ‘reasons’ bit of a lottery.

    Reply

    • It is required but the type of evidence is dependent on the relationship. If you funding your own trip but staying with a friend in London, that person would need to provide proof of the accommodation and evidence of the relationship to the visitor. A solo traveler coming for a holiday, on their own funds and staying in a hotel is obviously a different scenario.

      Reply

  31. will it be a problem for me as sponser that i am not divorsed from my ex thai wife,we married in uk where we live for 5yrs then moved to thailand after i retired,within 1yr the relationship went bad due to her adultary so i left the home i paid for and rented property80ks away ,then i met my girlfriend she lived with me in the rented property,she has a house but i payed for extension and moderising it before we move in 2yrs ago i met her in 2012 and have been living together from then .i have been seperated from my wife for 5yrs now and intend to divorse her this year

    Reply

  35. Hi I’m considering trying to bring my Thai girl to England on a tourist visa? But I’ve recently started my own business only got 1 full year earnings which was around £15k will this be an issue? I have cash in 2 bank accounts would that help build a case or not.

    Reply

    • There is no minimum earnings threshold for a visit visa, so no worries on that front. As long as you have the funds to reasonably cover expenses you will have no problem. You can show evidence of your savings accounts and of you monthly incomings and outgoings through your bank statements.

      Reply

  36. Its the applicants personal circumstances in Thailand thats important ,sponsors think because they have thousands of pounds in the bank thats enough.

    The applicant must show on the balance of probabilities that he/she will return to Thailand.

    Whats her age?

    Any children?

    Land & assets ?

    Is she wholly financially dependant on you ?

    Whats her sponsors visa situation ?

    Do you live akin to a marriage 《 un -married partners 》.

    The biggest mistake we see regulary is the sponsonsor throws money into the applicants bank account – artificially inflated a bank account to gain a visa!

    Just explain your personal circumstances and yiur partners – the eco has 7 mins to decide to issue or decline your visa.

    Reply

    • Oh I was thinking of doing this as we are heading to the visa office next month.
      We have a house with a small mini market of which the money I send pays for the rent etc, but the money it generates doesn’t reach the bank as it pays for her and her family.
      What should I do ?

      Reply

  39. Hi, thank you for the really helpful post and checklist. My Thai girlfriend hasn’t had a job for the last three months. She left it because of quite a big operation and I have supported her since, and she has recently returned to school to study.

    Is a college course that he plans to start later in the year with a supporting letter from the teacher sufficient? Clearly I’m not going to let her stay here and jeopardize our long term future and prospects of her settling in the UK legally and permanently, but how can I show this to the Visa office when she doesn’t have a job? Would it be better for her to take up her former restaurant job, and then get leave of absence and apply for the visa?

    Thank you

    Reply

    • The letter could work as an official acceptance onto a course is a valid reason to return to Thailand. You would have to prove that you have been/are supporting her in the interim. You can do this by way of bank transfer evidence on your bank statements, and she can provide hers to show the corresponding payments. You will be sponsoring her trip, so you will have to provide evidence of your funds available for this.

      Reply

  40. Hi. Its me again . Can someone answer all of the following….

    do i need to duplicate all of my paperwork when applying for my 11 yr old daughter as well as my wife.

    Should i translate my yellow book and wifes tabien baan into english

    My wife has her own business. Should i include a translated copy of the current and past lease agreements for the building she runs it from .

    Reply

  41. Hi, thank you for your website. I want to find out how to bring my Thai friend to London for a five week visit. I am a 67 year old retired women and my Thai friend is a 66 year old retired women. She was widowed three years ago. We have known each other for fifteen years. She has two grown children and four grandchildren. I have been visiting Thailand since 1989 and I have many Thai friends there. My friend Laong has very poor English and my Thai is very poor but we manage to communicate very well. I think in this case it might be better for me to use an agency because of my friends age and her poor English. I am concerned about the interview at the embassy. Her English is poor and she is old school Thai. She lives in Nacon. I would very much appreciate your advise. Would using an agency be the best route in this case and do you know any trustworthy ones. I have read the inquiries that people have left but they are mostly boyfriend/girlfriend situations. We are just friends (two old ladies). Thank you.

    Reply

    • Hi Karen, you could help her fill the application out because it is done online. There is no interview at the embassy: she would make an appointment at the processing centre (VFS) and submit her biometric information, application and supporting documentation.

      The application is then sent to the UK where it is read over and a decision is made. They then send the decision, along with the documentation, back to the processing centre in Thailand, where you pick it up. They also offer a delivery service which can be paid for when you apply at the centre.

      It is possible they may phone your friend from England for a short phone interview. However, if you put on the application form that she speaks very little English they probably won’t phone or will find someone who speaks Thai to do so. They also have a field to fill out on the form that says something like “if we need to interview you what language would you like to be interviewed in”; she can write “Thai”.

      I think you have a very good chance of getting the visa. A potential barrier is making sure she attends the submission appointment correctly and hands in the correct supporting documentation. In this respect, it would help to have an agent, or at least someone who speaks English to lend a hand.

      Reply

  42. Hi . I am starting the form filling process for a visit to the uk after sonkran around the 17th of april. I am taking my wife of 9 years and my step daughter who is 11 yrs old . Should my daughters application be seperate or included in her mothers application ? My wife is financially independent and i live and work legally in thailand so i am not sponsering her financially . Thanks for this site .its fab

    Reply

    • Hi Trevor, you have to apply separately for your daughter. On your wife’s application she will state that she is travelling with her daughter, and vice versa for your daughter’s application. All the best.

      Reply

      • Dear Thailandlife can you help
        We’ve just been refused a visa on the grounds we cannot prove my girlfriend would want to go home after the 6 mths . She works with her parents and looks after her grandparents have you any advice ?

        Reply

        • Did she apply to visit for 6 months in one go? If so, and this is a first application, I’d apply for a shorter period. You also need to prove that she has a reason to return. Is there financial evidence of her work? Payslips, regular payments to an account? Does she own assets that would require her to return (house, car, etc.,)? Do her grandparents rely on her for care? If so, this could be a reason to return, but then immigration would question how then is she able to be away for such a long time in one go.The thinking behind this type of refusal is that a person has no reason to return home: no money, no proper job, no welfare support. With this in mind, the person becomes a risk to not return home and seek asylum of some kind, for which the state would have to pick up the bill. They may also consider that they simply don’t have enough information about the person’s life and the relationship with their sponsor to make a judgement on the application being genuine.

          Reply

      • Hi sorry to use the reply button on this post but I can’t find where to submit a new question
        The Thai person I would like to get a Visa for to visit me in the UK has read somewhere that he needs 100,000 Baht in savings in order to prove he has funds for his trip. Can you shed any light on this? Fact or fiction?
        I am sponsoring him and intend to give my bank statements showing I have enough money. I have only known him for two weeks in Thailand and that was six months ago. I want to get him over for a holiday to thank him for all he did for me. Do you think this is a good enough relationship?
        Thank you. A great site and once again I’m sorry to hijack this post.

        Reply

  43. Hello. I must say what great information you have provided on this page. I’m just about to start the process of applying for a UK holiday visa for my Thai wife. We have all the necessary paperwork etc. but I’m a little concerned about her employment. As she will be coming for 3 months, she will have to leave her current employment and find employment when she returns to Thailand after the 3 months. What would be the best way to go about this?

    Reply

    • Hi Simon, there isn’t a best way to go about it as such. It’s problematic, particularly if this is her first visit visa. The first consideration for immigration would be whether she will leave the UK when she says she will, because she will have no job to return to. They will consider why she wants to come for so long and risk her livelihood by giving up her job. So the onus will be on her to provide enough evidence that she has good reason to return to Thailand once her visit is over. Is there a reason why she couldn’t stay in employment and come for a shorter visit the first time? This might make things easier for you.

      Reply

      • I also have the same problem. As my husband wants me to come for 3-4 months. Our job cant keep us as an employee cz its such a long term to be off work. The reason we dont go for a short period cz UK is too far. long flight makes us not willing to return sooner although we dont intend to overstay. what a situation! husband and wife cant be together just cz of stupid rules from theresa the prime minister.

        Reply

        • It is not a rule that you can’t come for that long, and you might be given a visa, as every situation is assessed on its own merit, but as I’ve said above the applicant has to prove that they have good reason to leave the UK at the end of their visit — a job to go back to and financial assets to take care of are good reasons to return.

          Suddenly quitting your job to visit the UK raises an alarm bell, because there are a lot of people who come to the UK on a visit visa and then never leave. It can take years and a lot of taxpayer money to support them and then deport them.

          The immigration officer looking at your application will ask themselves “what will she do when she returns home if she has no job?” “Why would someone with limited financial resources, who lives month to month, quit their job?” “Why not just come to the UK for 3 weeks, or a month, and keep your job? Your husband can then visit you after in your country”.

          You can still get a visa without being employed, but it makes it a bit more difficult to prove that you intend to leave at the end of your stay, especially if you are not financially well off.

          Reply

      • The idea is for her to eventually come to the UK on a settlement visa but at present her English isn’t good enough, so we thought we would start with a visitor visa. And while she was here, study English.

        She has a 12 year old daughter in Thailand. She also owns approx 3 rai of farmland. Perhaps the immigration officer would look at this as good enough reason for her return back to Thailand?

        Reply

        • Hi Simon, does she live with her daughter? If so, that is a genuine reason to return. You should elaborate in her personal statement as to her responsibilities to her daughter and why she needs to go back (school, take care of her day to day needs, etc). Land ownership is a reason too (asset), but you must translate any land ownership documents for proof of this, as simply saying she owns land won’t make a difference.

          Reply

  44. Hi
    Just a quick question. My daughter will be studying in college in the UK and we have decided to go for the long term visitor visa for her mom. My daughter and I will be living there (as British citizens) but my wife needs to attend to business obligations here in Thailand. Obviously it make’s sense to go for the 5 year visa as we won’t need to keep resubmitting the docs every year. The thing is we will be travelling over together so I’ll be putting down my sisters address for the accommodation part. This will change once we find somewhere to rent. Not sure if I should mention that it not or just get the letter of invitation from my sister. We’ve been married for 16 years and she’s already been granted a visa several times. Think it’s possible for the long term one this time?

    Reply

    • The fact that your wife has to return to Thailand to take care of business interests bodes well for the application, so I can see no issue with the 5 year visa. It makes absolute sense that she should be granted this because she will want to travel at will to see her daughter. One thing I will say: regardless of having been granted visas before, each is treated under new circumstances. So make sure you provide new and up to date information that reflects your circumstances since your last application. All the best!

      Reply

  45. Hello there,
    your website has given me a lot of information 🙂
    I am going to tell u bout my situation.Please give me some advice.
    Im married to a british citizen on 2 october 2015. Im indonesian and currently working for the past 5 years.
    Its been a year I havent seen my husband due to his work. the reason being my husband has been working really hard to meet the financial £ 18600 per year so that we could prove the ECO his wage slips and bank statements show his monthly income. we were organizing the spouse visa unfortunately it turns up his wage slips have shown different amount from his bank statements. We decided to apply for the family visit visa for me instead. Im planning to stay with him for 5 months in the uk whilst my husband sorts his another 6 month wage slips so then when I returb back to indonesia we could go for the spouse one. in the meantime Im well-awared I need to satisfy the ECO that I will leave the UK before my visa expired. As I mentioned Im currently working. The thing is Im not sure if my job would keep me as an employee during my visit to the UK. I most likely have to resign. I have family here. My parents live with me. I dont own any properties. Im planning to ask my employer to write me a letter confirming im still an employee however they wont keep me if i ll go for that long. please what should I do to satisfy the ECO that i will leave the uk after 5 months. As my husband and I intend to apply for the spouse visa when I come back home.
    we really cant wait to see each other again. its been a tough year being apart. visa issues r blocking our way to be together.

    thank u for ur time to read my story

    Reply

    • I think it would be in your best interest to remain employed and visit your husband for a shorter time. This would bode well for your future spouse visa application. Could you negotiate 2 or 3 months with your employer and get a letter confirming that your job will be left open for you while you visit your husband?

      Reply

      • im not too sure yet I havent spoken to HRD staff at my work,,,
        I would like to ask about the application form.
        its asking * how much do you spend each month on living costs?
        how do I calculate it? based on my bank statement which my money in and out? sometimes I spend most of my money sometimes not in a particular month.
        *The cost of your accomodation and living expense? since my husband will be accomodating me could I just write none?
        *The cost of tickets? if 1 ticket costs £ 734 and the return one £ 500 should I add them all?
        *additional information.
        what do u think I need write to convince them to grant my visa in that section??
        also, I need to submit my husband’s payslips and bank statements. Do u think he just needs to scan and email them to me or he needs to post it to my country?
        in his bank statements it shows that his salary every month but different penny in his wage slips ( thats why we didnt continue to go for the spouse one) do u think it ll be a problem in applying family visit visa? or does he need to explain in a cover letter? do we need to mention about our situation that we were organizing the spouse visa but got problem in his payslips???

        thank u very much im sorry for asking to much

        Reply

        • You are correct on all the questions. Just give an approximation of the living costs. The cost of your accommodation and living expenses will be none if your husband is paying. The ticket cost is whatever it is, but note in the notes section at the end of the application that the financial cost of the trip is zero to you. Your husband needs to submit original bank statements and salary slips. Any discrepancies should be explained in a cover letter. All the best!

          Reply

          • thank you again for ur reply. my husband would like to know if i mention in my application form that i ll stay for a month and when im already in the uk i stay over a month. would that affect my next visa? say i hv my return ticket on 3rd march which is 1 month stay. thr fact that i leave the uk on 3rd may which is over 2 months yet less than 6 month stay. would it be a bad idea?

            Reply

            • I would strongly advise that you return when you say you are going to. The visa is for 6 months, but this allows you to re-enter within the 6-month period without having to apply again. You are still expected to return on the date you state on your application.

              Reply

  46. Hi There.
    My Girlfriend and I have just submitted our first Visa request for a Standard 6 month Tourist Visa (She plans to stay for 5 months). I have noticed on the Visa Document checklist it asks for documents on plans you have made for your visit (Tour details / Flight details/ letter of invitation / evidence of sponsor’s immigrations status).
    We have not booked the flights yet and didn’t intend to till after the Visa was confirmed. I have had a look online at reserving flights / cancelling booked flights however they all seem to charge a fee. Is it necessary to provide flight details or can I just show what flight we intend to book if successful (i.e, a print screen of Skyscanner)?

    Reply

    • You don’t need to book your flights first, in fact they advise against this. You are only required to put in your proposed travel dates on the application. Once the visa is confirmed, you can book the flights.

      Reply

  47. Hi buddy.. me and my thai girlfriend went to Nana today, to see if we she can get accepted for a UK Visa. This is the first time we have applied, the first lady at booth, said to my thai g/f, that she had all the correct documents and that she could travel to UK on 2nd Feb 2017. Is this usual for the lady to say this to my thai g/f, even before it goes to be justified by her senior? (Taking 2 weeks for a reply of yes or no). As she built up our hopes already, for no reason? Great sight, what is your verdict please?

    Reply

    • Hi Ben, you mean you went to VFS at Trendy Building?

      VFS is just a processing centre. They can’t, and shouldn’t, give you any advice on your application or its potential outcome. They don’t have access to any of the information on the decision either. They just take your application and then it is sent to the UK.

      An officer at UK Immigration and Visas will decide on whether or not your GF’s application is accepted. They then courier it back to VFS. VFS then contact you by text/email to confirm it has arrived and you can pick it up. Or if you have paid for the home courier service, they’ll send it to you within 24 hours.

      Reply

      • TTL You are a Legend! Your advise is so very much appreciated, Thought i’d let you know, i am registered disabled back in the UK, i had a terrible work accident a couple of years ago. so now i have been declared unfit for work by DWP in England. Do you think due to my disability, it will affect on my decision. I declared in my sponsor letter that my thai partner would not be applying for any benefits, ie my carer. I get about a grand a month and my rent mostly paid for. I am worried because of my disability,it will affect the decision. I have £3k in bank.

        Reply

        • Hi Ben, your GF would have “no recourse to public funds” as part of the visa terms anyway, so no benefits would be available under any circumstance during her visit . That’s why they need to know that you as the sponsor can cover all trip expenses.

          They will not discriminate against your disability. Your application will be treated the same as any. If they believe your relationship to be genuine, and believe that your GF will return to Thailand once her visit has finished, and that she is who she says she is, and you have proved that you have adequate finances to support her trip, they will give her a visa.

          Best of luck!

          Reply

  48. Dear TTL,

    The girlfriend and I applied for a UK visitor visa for this Christmas, but sadly were refused. I’m not looking for sympathy, but simply advice on where to go next. In the notes attached to the refusal it read:

    ‘You applied to travel to the united kingdom for 13 days to visit your boyfriend *name*.’

    ‘You state you are a student and in support of this you have submitted a letter confirming that you are a student of *university* however you have submitted no evidence nor stated how you are supported. You state your sponsor will bear the cost of your trip alongside his mother *name*, and whilst I appreciate they have funds to bear this cost in making my decision it is your circumstances i must consider. It is your responsibility to satisfy me that your personal circumstances in thailand are such that if granted leave to enter, you will comply with all of the conditions attached to any such leave and that you will leave the UK on completion of the proposed visit.’

    ‘In light of the above I am not satisfied on the balance of probabilities that you are genuinely seeking entry as a visitor for a limited period or that you intend to leave the united kingdom at the end of the visit. Appendix V 4.2 (a) and (c).’

    Appendix V 4.2 (a) and (c) read:

    (a) will leave the UK at the end of their visit; and
    (c) is genuinely seeking entry for a purpose that is permitted by the visitor routes (these are listed in Appendices 3, 4 and 5)

    As you can see we included a letter from the director of her university and also her bank statements from the last 6 months. We also included her passport, birth certificate, tabien baan as part of the application. I am lost to what else we needed to include, as a student she has no job and the income she receives is from her father which we stated in the application and the phone interview. This money also can clearly be seen a monthly basis on her bank statements,. The only thing I can imagine we missed was perhaps a letter from her father confirming his financing of her life in thailand. Nevertheless I am still at ends to what we missed, and would greatly appreciate any advice on where to go next on future applications.

    Thank you,

    Callum

    Reply

    • Hi Callum,

      It seems they need better clarification on her personal circumstances.

      This is what I can think of:

      I would submit a letter from her father explaining how much money he gives her each month and which bank account he pays it in to. State the account number and bank name. You could then print photocopies of the statements and use a highlighter to show the corresponding payments.

      Did your GF include a personal letter from detailing where she lives (apartment rental or student accommodation – if so provide a rental agreement) what she studies, how she is supported at university, how you met, how long you’ve been together etc?

      Did you provide a personal letter of support too?

      Was the Tabien Baan translated to English?

      Lastly, perhaps the university letter wasn’t very convincing. Was the letter written on university headed paper and all contact details provided?

      Reply

      • Hi TTL,

        We included her Tabien Baan in Thai alongside a certified translation of English as well. Her university letter was counter signed by her director, including her full university details, photo and contact details. She also provided a letter of support with the full details about of our relationship and her university life, but where I do think we could have done better, was disclosing clearly the full information about how and where she gets her money in Thailand.

        That becomes another issue entirely though as she has a rocky relationship with her father. I understand the embassy need to see evidence from him in a form of a letter and bank statements with clearly highlighted transfers, but this may not be easily acquired and he would not necessarily be keen to disclose his personal information- especially finances. Is there anything else we could do to not rely so heavily on his input? I do realise though as my girlfriends financial provider in Thailand, this will almost indefinitely be difficult.

        Thank you so much for your reply, it really means the world.

        Callum

        Reply

        • Hmmm, difficult one. I guess she could write the letter on behalf of her dad and have him sign it. This, along with highlighting the payments coming into her account as from him, would go a long way. If not that, even if you could get a copy of his bank book with the account number on it, this would then correspond with where the payments are coming from on her bank statements.

          As long as they understand how your GF is supported and have some tangible evidence of this, plus your adequate financial sponsorship, I can’t see a problem.

          Whatever you do, don’t say her father doesn’t want to disclose his profession or details, as this is a huge red flag.

          Reply

  49. Really helpful thank you. Does the situation change for me? I am an Australian and British citizen. We live in Australia and my Thai wife had been granted a visa to live in Australia permanently. It is not officially permanent resident yet. That happens automatically after 2 years. Do we still have to travel to Bangkok twice to obtain a visitor visa to the UK. I also have a sister in London where we would stay and who would sponsor my wife.

    Reply

  50. Got my partners Uk VISITOR visa today. The VFS process was very impersonal and systematic. We submitted our folder with the application with a clear contents page as nearly similar to this site. The VFS staff did not take anything out of the folder. Remember every situation is circumstantial and its better to provide too much documentation than too little. If I were to take a guess as to what would be the most important aspect for a successful application I would say its the letter from your GF’s employer and contract. From the experiences of others providing marriage certificates means little and having ANY dependants from either yours or your partners previous marriages will most certainly have a negative effect on the success of your application. Just thoughts.

    Thanks a lot for your time. @thethailandlife

    Reply

    • Indeed, a letter from an employer stating your position, time at the company, contract conditions, salary and the fact that your job is being left open for you while you go on holiday is proof of your intention to return to Thailand, which is an important aspect of qualifying for the visa.

      Having dependents isn’t an issue, because having a child is a reason to return to Thailand once your trip has finished. A marriage does show a genuine relationship, but only if backed by proof of a considerable relationship (duration) prior to the marriage (or after). Simply getting married quickly in an attempt to show that your relationship is serious isn’t going to help.

      Reply

  51. I haven’t been to the UK with my wife for over years 5 years and we are currently in the process of applying in time for a Christmas visit. On previous visits the visa starts from the date of issue but a friend of mine said that there is now a ‘date issued’ and a ‘date valid from’ on the VISA (usually the date of travel as mentioned in the application). The problem we have is that our dates are based on my work schedule so I am unable to confirm an exact date yet. But I don’t want to delay the process especially as flights are getting full and the prices rise considerably as a result. I am tempted to put 01 December 2016 on the basis that we will fly sometime in December. If I have work commitments it could be as late as the week before Christmas. Do you know if this is ok?

    Reply

    • Hi Gordon, they will (usually) provide a valid from date on the day you state on the application that you want to fly. If you don’t know then you can give an approximate date. I don’t think there is a time frame you have to fly within, though there is for a settlement visa (30 days). A couple of weeks will be no problem.

      Reply

      • Once she is issued the standard visitor visa (6 month multi entry) can she visit the UK again using the same visa even if she does not state on the application? The reason I ask is that we may go to the UK again in April 2017 for our son’s 1st birthday and the visa will still be valid until May 2017.

        Reply

          • I have almost completed the online application. I have now reached the part to book the appointment (Step 3). If I book an appointment can I change it in the event that I have to postpone? All being well I plan we plan to go next Tuesday but I am waiting on one final document from my employers on Monday. If for some reason there is delay I’d need to postpone the appointment a day or two.

            Reply

  52. Hello, I’ve been seeing my Thai gf for only about 2 months now and have been living with her all those times. I feel like she’s the one and planning on marrying her to get the marriage certificate soon. My plan is to get a 6 months tourist visa for her to the UK so she could come meet my family but as I’ve left my job in the UK to travel, do you think it’ll be tough to get a visiting visa due for her due to me not being able to provide financial statements that show incoming payments to my bank?
    PS. Do you also think the marriage certificate will suffice as enough evidence as we’re in a genuine relationship, on top of pictures and messages we already have?

    We will be living with my mum and sister, I assume I will require a invitation letter from my mum and my sister has told me she is happy to sponsor my girlfriend too. Should I get my sisters bank statements and a letter too?

    Thank you in advance.

    Reply

    • Tricky situation.

      Do you not have adequate savings to sponsor your gf/wife? 2 months is pretty short and it all seems quite rushed, especially getting married so quickly. They may see this as suspicious, prompting a refusal on the basis that she may not be a genuine visitor (won’t leave at the end of her stay).

      Your sister would have to provide evidence of her income and provide a letter. The owner of the property would need to provide proof of ownership and a letter too.

      The issue with your sister being the sponsor is that your sister doesn’t know your GF, or has she met her before/spent time with her? So essentially you are the reason for your GFs visit but you are nominating someone else to be the sponsor. I don’t think this would be a big problem – because she is blood related – but the fact that you have no job/income, no accommodation and have been together such a short time could raise alarm bells on the application.

      That’s not to say you can’t get a visa, just that you will have to be very thorough and transparent with your evidence.

      Is you GF in work? Does she have an income? What reasons does she have to return to Thailand?

      Reply

      • Hello thank you for the prompt response. My gf is currently in full time employment in Bangkok and her manager will gladly provide a supporting letter. She has savings in her account but not enough to last 6 months in the UK. Which is where me and my sister can sponsor. I have about £2k in my account but can request my family to transfer up to £8k in my account if required as proof that I have the adequate finance to support her while I seek employment once I return to the UK in January.
        Her mother can also add a supporting letter to confirm our relationship is genuine as I have met her whole family during a 5 day holiday at her home city.

        My sister has not met her yet but knows of our relationship as do my mum. I am able to get any documentations from my family no problem. I would have assumed, being married would seem like the relationship is genuine instead of just a girlfriend coming to visit for 6 months. Either way I understand it all sounds too shady and rushed but at the end all I can do is try and hope our evidence will suffice at the embassy.

        Thank you for any input you may have still.

        Reply

        • So will your GF be quitting her job, or will her employer provide a letter stating that he is going to keep her job open for her return. I very much doubt you will get the visa if it is the former, as they will be concerned about the lack of time you have known each other and the fact that she is giving up her work. If the latter, this is a better scenario.

          2k on your side is not much for 6 months, though her savings could contribute to a greater overall amount. One issue with your family transferring you funds is that they will see the sum come in on your statement and may presume that you have borrowed this money just to show them and that the funds aren’t really yours to spend.

          Being married doesn’t mean much in reality unless you have proof that you have lived together for a substantial period of time. Anyone can get married in Thailand, and believe me a lot of people do for the very reason of trying to get women abroad for not very nice reasons — if you get my meaning.

          The fundamental things you need to prove are:
          1. Genuine relationship.
          2. Funds to cover the trip, as her sponsor
          3. That she has a genuine reason to return to Thailand (job, study, property ownership, substantial savings, business, kids, other assets)

          It might be sensible to just go for a shorter trip the first time around. If your GF can keep her job open and get a letter from her boss to prove that, I don’t see it being a issue.

          Reply

          • Thank you for the input, we can prove our relationship is genuine as we have photos and messages from the day we met. By the time we apply, I’d lived with her for 3 months. If we applied just for a 1 month visa but I understand the visa is up to 6 months. If she does get the visa and over stays here 1 month visa but returns within the 6 months, will this cause implications in future visa applications? I plan to inform the home office in the UK of the extension of her stay, if they say this will be a a problem then she will return on her stated date of 1 month.

            Just a note, once I’ve settled and worked in the UK for 6 months, she will be applying for the settlement visa instead of the tourist visa. Hopefully if she stays longer then a month on her tourist visa, it won’t affect her settlement visa in the future.

            Thank you for all your help.

            Reply

            • The visa is 6 months as standard, though you still have to provide dates of travel and return for the initial application and first trip. In my opinion it is unadvisable to stay longer than you say you will. If your GF says on her application that she has to return to Thailand for her work, and then stays another 3 months, this brings into question whether she was lying just to get the visa. Will your GFs job be left open for her, and can her boss confirm this by letter? This is an important part of your application and proving your GF has a legitimate reason to return to Thailand.

              UK immigration are no fools. It will be pretty clear to them if someone has lied about their intention to return on a specific date, if they suddenly decide to stay an extra 3 months. If you have a genuine reason such as illness, that’s a separate issue.

              My advice is to keep it honest, above board and wholly transparent, especially if you are considering a settlement visa.

              Also consider that a settlement visa requires the English language exam, and for you to meet the financial requirements.

              Reply

  53. Hello

    I am a danish national with family on my fathers side in England. And I would like to bring my thai girlfriend over to visit my English side of the family for Christmas. We will be flying to Denmark first with the shengen visa for her, she as been to Denmark 3 times before.

    Since I am not an English citizen what is the easiest way to apply for the English visa for her?

    I was thinking to have my cousin send a letter of invitation for Christmas. We will be able to stay at her place. If my girlfriend has enough cash in her account to easily cover her trip and expenses is it still recommended that my cousin sponsors her financially?

    In total we will be in England for about 4 days, before returning to Denmark.

    Besides the invitation letter I will submit all the same ducuments as we usually do to apply for the Shengen visa.

    Does that sound like the way to go, and any thoughts on my plan so far?

    Thank you

    Reply

    • If your GF has the funds to cover her trip then your cousin can provide the letter as host (accommodation). Your gf should explain the situation — that she has secured her Shengen visa but wishes to take this trip as part of her visit to Europe. In addition to finances, you (your gf) will still have to provide evidence of your relationship, your relation to your cousin/family in the UK and details of your plans to leave the UK afterwards (back to Denmark or Thailand).

      Bear in mind that the UK visit visa requirements are stricter than the Shengen, so provide as much evidence as you can and cover all bases. Include your own personal letter too, as well as that of your cousin. Your cousin will need to provide evidence of property ownership/rent too.

      Reply

      • Thanks for the advice its very much appreciated. I was wondering if It might be a good idea also to include a copy of my fathers English passport. So they can see he is in fact English.

        Also is it enough if my cousin writes in the invitation letter about our relationship and I do the same or will I also have to submit photos of us together as adults. Because I don’t seem to have any for whatever reason.

        Reply

        • If your father is English, don’t you have citizenship? Your cousin can say that your relationship is genuine and offer up any facts like the first time she met your GF and where, etc. Try to provide evidence of communication during period apart: Facebook or Line chats, copies of emails, telephone records, that sort of thing. This will prove your relationship is genuine.

          Reply

  54. Hi Peter,
    Great site by the way,
    I’ve approx got 2k in my personal bank acc as I’ve just put 10k into my company as personal loan has I’m applying for a sponsor visa would it be appropriate for my accountant to put this in a letter explaining this, just happened to come at the wrong time as we in the process of applying
    Thanks Carl

    Reply

    • Hey Carl, I’m not sure the accountant letter would matter because regardless of the legitimacy of what the money has been used for it isn’t available, but there’s no harm in putting a letter in. Will you have 2k available after paying for the flights? How long is the trip?

      Reply

  55. Hi, really useful blog. I have been with my Thai gf for 3 months and been together in Thailand for 2 weeks together. I have a secure job, mortgage and cash funds. I was planning a trip during her university break. Do you think I have much of chance?

    Reply

    • Yes, you have a good chance if you can provide evidence of a genuine relationship and good reasons for your gf to return to Thailand post her visit. If you wade through the comments here you will see a bunch of replies covering this area.

      Reply

  56. Hi
    I have received a visa for 6 months,on the application was advised to say a stay of 8 weeks.
    This was by friends and a legal team.
    The legal team said when i have the visa i can extend the length of her stay,not the length of the visa for which they are asking approx £200.
    My friends are saying this is not necessary as long as she goes home within the 180days of the visa.
    Legal team was going to send me a link to do it myself butt so far i haven’t seen it.
    would like your input
    Thanks

    Reply

    • The visa is for 6 months, but to ensure a clean visa history going forward your GF should return on the date she stated on her application. Trust me on this: Staying longer will call into question her evidence given for having to return when she stated she would on the application. I’m not sure I understand how the legal team can extend her visa? Visit visas are for 180 days, and that’s it.

      Reply

  57. Lots of great information on here thanks!

    I’ve been having a read through the ‘Visitor: supporting documents guide’ pdf document on the gov.uk website. Interestingly section 4 lists what not to include in an application including: Photographs, hotel bookings, flight bookings, utility bills from sponsor etc…

    Starting to prepare for an application and wondering if to add photographs and flight bookings etc as proof or not.

    Reply

    • It’s interesting because I’ve known visas turned down on the basis of “not being able to prove a genuine relationship”. For some, the only way they can prove this (if they don’t live together/same country) is to provide photographic evidence of holidays/time spent together, and of course digital communication. We have always sent in pictures of us dating from the time we met to present day.

      In addition, what if your accommodation plans are a hotel and not a home? Part of proving your worth as a sponsor is to show that you can adequately and safely support the visit of your GF/friend. So at the very least I’d recommend including details of what hotel you plan to stay in.

      If it’s your own home, you would prove ownership through mortgage payments on your bank statement.
      Similarly for those renting, payments to a landlord would appear on your statement.

      Flight bookings are not necessary; though a planned date of travel is requested on the application form.

      Reply

  58. Hello,
    I was hoping you could help me, my wife has had a refusal letter along with my step daughter, mostly they think she will not return to Thailand (she is a full time house mum (so unemployed)as step daughter is 10 and my son is 3 who lives with her in Thailand but has a uk passport also),we have been together for 5 years and married for 2 years, She applied for tourist visa (25 week trip) which has been refused do you think shorting the trip to 3 or 2 months would help?
    Also they said we didn’t show evidence that I have been sponsoring her even though we sent both of are bank statement of where the money I send her is transferred. But really I was hoping I could have your email/send you mine or something to talk with you privately and go more in depth with my situation. And can send the the letter of refusal so you could read and say what you think.

    Look forward to your reply
    And many thanks

    Reply

    • Hi Tom,

      This is not uncommon. Where kids from previous marriages/relationships are involved it is more difficult to secure a visa because to deport a woman and her child can take the system years if they protest at going home on welfare grounds.

      Shortening the trip may help a tad, as you are going for the full 6 months I see, which they may be concerned about as it suggests she has nothing urgent to return for. Could you not get a letter from your step-daughter’s school to say that she attends there (how long has she been a student, etc) and is expected to return on x date. Does your wife own her house? A car perhaps? Land even? These are valid reasons to return and if evidence is supplied for ownership of these things it will make it easier.

      Were the bank statements on her end sent in Thai? Perhaps they couldn’t understand them or it wasn’t clear who the bank credits were from. Have you adopted your step daughter?

      If you scroll to the bottom of the site you will see a link to a contact form. You can send me a message there. I will reply and then you can attach the letter for me to read.

      Reply

    • I would be intereted to hear any new onfo on this case as i am making an application for my wife and stepdaughter for a uk visitor visa . I wondered if it would be wise to apply for my wife only in the first place . Once she has her visa i would then apply for my stepdaughter … thoughts ?

      Reply

      • It would be best to apply for your step-daughter first, but it makes sense to apply at the same time so they can submit on the same day.

        The official line for under 18’s is this:

        When travelling to the UK with an adult (someone over the age of 18), you’ll need to identify them in your visa application.

        If the person you’re travelling with isn’t your parent, you’ll need to provide specific information about them in your application.

        Their name will appear on your visa, and you’ll be refused entry to the UK if you arrive in the UK without them.

        You can identify up to 2 adults in your visa application, and your visa will only be valid if you travel with at least one of them.

        The adult can apply for a visa at the same time, but you must each complete separate applications.

        Reply

        • Hello,

          Thanks for taking your time to help and it’s a very good and helpful article.

          I’ll try to be accurate as possible,
          My wife’s daughter is my step daughter but at the moment not adopted just step daughter by me marring her mother and my Step daughter biological dad isn’t on her birth certificate my wife is the solo parent.
          My wife owns some land and we include this in the documents provided for the visa application
          We have been tighter for nearly 5 years and married since March 2013

          On the phone interview they asked why we hadn’t done this before and haven’t really had the chance we where together for about 1 year went couple times to Thailand few weeks at a time,then went to stay with her and daughter in Thailand for about 2 year in that time we have my son and have been back in U.K. For about 2 years now, with a stable enough paid job to fully meet salary requirements.
          We did plan on doing a spouse visa but though it would be nice to get the kids and my wife over for xmas and see the family etc then on their return to Thailand start preparing for the spouse visa.

          But, As I previously said my wife and wife’s daughter applied for a uk tourist visa and got refused.

          They intended to travel to the uk for 25 weeks.
          My wife, wife’s daughter and my son who has both Thai and uk passport.

          I currently live with my mum in her 4 bedroom house, so everyone will there own room.

          The document provided are:
          Marriage certificate, birth certificate, land paper etc have been translated.

          From my mother:
          – invitation letter
          – Bank statement (last 6 months)
          – Council tax bill
          – Water bill

          From myself:
          – all pages of my passport
          – Birth certificate
          – Bank statement ( last 6 months)
          – Pay slips (last 6 months)
          – Invitation/sponsorship letter
          – Phone bill
          – Photo of the house

          From my wife/wife daughter:
          – all pages of passport
          – Copy of ID card
          – Bank statement ( last 6 months)
          – Marriage certificate
          – Birth certificates
          – Land paper (ownership of the land)
          – House book
          – Letter from Winnie’s school giving permission to leave and return in the 25 week period
          – Photos of are relationship

          We applied for my step daughter visa shortly after after my wife, so step daughters got refused for the main fact my wife didn’t get her visa I think.

          I feel from what they say in the refusal letter I need a more in depth bank statement for times I send my wife money ( each time I send money have more details like my wife name,amount, card no xxxx-xxxx345 for example)

          And a better reason for her to return to Thailand on , I feel maybe saying something like,on the land she owns she spent x amount of money on raising the ground with soil ready to build a house on but need to let the soil settle before building, she has the receipt of payment for the soil (somewhere) also photos but we don’t have any drawing plans of what he house will be as not sure how many rooms,bungalow etc

          Maybe on her return date I will buy a return flight ticket to go back with her and the kids for 2 weeks etc to get kids back settled in school etc and put he flight ticket in the the next application and say to help kids settled and help my wife along the journey back to Thailand

          I letter from my wife’s dad saying she will return to Thailand and wants to go visit England for xmas and the kids to see the English side of the family

          As you also said maybe shorting the time to only a couple of month

          Many thanks

          Tom

          Reply

  59. Thanks for writing this article, it’ll be useful in the coming weeks before my friend attends her visa appointment in Bangkok.

    I met her in April this year (at her place of work, a hotel) and spent three individual weeks with her over the course of the following three months while I was travelling. Since we met we’ve spoken most days via the Messenger app and have spent a lot of time on the phone, all of which I’ll document as evidence.

    I also wanted to ask, since my final week in Bangkok, at the end of June, she’s spoken to my mother most days, again both via Messenger and telephone. Should I to include this as evidence too? or will it not be relevant as she won’t be her main sponsor. She’ll likely be staying with us (in my parents house) as part of her trip.

    I have around 8k in my current account as accessible cash, I’m hoping that amount will be enough.

    Thanks again for the help TheThailandLife.

    Mick

    Reply

    • Hi Mick, it might not be relevant but I’d include it. Reason being that because you have only known her for a short time and spent just 3 weeks together, the case for a visit visa isn’t that strong. 8k should be enough, but then it depends on how long you want her to visit for and what your financial commitments are: they will consider mortgage, loan repayments, etc. You should provide wage slips (6/12 months if possible) and bank statements to show your income and expenditure.

      Hope this helps.

      Reply

      • Hey TTL

        Firsty would like to say how helpful this site has been 🙂

        Me and my gf are in the process of applying for her visitor visa to come to the UK for Christmas.

        I can supply 6 months bank statements and payslips showing my weekly income no problem. But I don’t have any real savings, will this be a problem? I will be supporting her stay with my weekly salary.

        Thanks
        Daniel

        Reply

        • Hi Daniel, glad the site is helping you.

          It does help to have some savings, because this shows you can cover emergencies. Do you think you could show 12 months statements and wage slips? Going the extra mile on that might help compensate for lack of back-up money, so to speak.

          Reply

          • Yeah 12 months statements and payslips is no problem.

            Me and my gf will be staying in my dads house which owned by him, would he just need to provide proof of owenership and a cover letting saying he gives consent for her to stay?

            Many thanks
            Daniel

            Reply

            • Exactly that. A letter stating if he owns/rents and giving you permission to to stay there. He can vouch that you live with him and he knows of your relationship (you met when, how many times you’ve seen each other, etc) — a character statement and a confirmation of stay in one, if you get what I mean.

              He can provide you with a photocopy of the deeds, a utility bill(s), and pictures of the property and room you will be staying in too. Cover all angles and try to provide as much evidence as you can that:

              1. Your relationship is genuine
              2. You can fund the stay and have proper accommodation
              3. Evidence to convince the officer your GF intends to return to Thailand.

              Reply

              • Hi,

                So my girlfriend had her appointment on Saturday just gone and received telephone interview yesterday. Today I have received an email stating a decision has been made etc. Is that a good thing or bad think that the process has been so fast? Waiting for her passport to be delivered and we are both nervous of the outcome!

                Many thanks
                Daniel

                Reply

      • Hi TTL,

        Do you have an email address I could contact you on? My gf received her refusal letter today so both really down in the dumps about it! I would like to show you the letter and hope you could direct us both in the right direction on what to do next.

        Many thanks
        Daniel

        Reply

      • Just a quick update, and maybe a question you’ve not been asked before.

        Thanks to the information on your blog and I imagine to some degree of sheer luck, my Thai friend was granted a full 6 month UK Visa. I thought this would be impossible due to her being made redundant shorty after her Visa interview and her having no tangible proof as to why and when she would return. It’s crazy that people who are married get rejected, and I’ve spent a total of 3 weeks with this girl and somehow they approved.

        Now’s time for me to ask something that I’m just wanting to be more safe than sorry with. I put a lot of effort into getting everything right for this girls application, this 46 page document took me 3 full days to prepare. Despite this she has been despondent with me lately, mainly as I’ve not told her what she wants to hear, I have little time for harping on about how much I miss somebody and how much they mean to me, which has raised doubts in my mind as to wether or not she’s going to do exactly as we’d planned in the Visa application. After talking with my Mum, I thought I needed to ask if we, as her sponsors would be held liable if she came over here and didn’t return within her 6 month period, or if she didn’t visit us as she has specified on her application and we’ve vouched for this. This is all worst case, as I don’t think she’s stupid enough to try something like that.

        Reply

        • If they had made the decision after her short interview, the redundancy wouldn’t have had any impact. All visit visas are for 6 months, but the applicant is asked to stipulate how long they intend to visit for, as this is a factor in deciding the intention of the visit and the how feasible it would be for the applicant to return to employment/responsibilities in Thailand after the said amount of time.

          In answer to your question: I couldn’t find any specific legal liability relating to a sponsor of a visit visa, but on a settlement visa the rules are clear:

          I hereby undertake that, if the sponsored person named above is granted leave to enter the UK on a
          permanent basis, I shall be responsible for his/her maintenance, accommodation and care in the UK. I am further aware that the sponsored individual will have no recourse to public funds for five years from the date of their entry to the UK.
          Or;
          If the sponsored person named above is granted limited leave to enter the UK, I shall be responsible for
          his/her maintenance, accommodation and care in the UK without recourse to public funds for the duration of
          that limited leave to enter. I also understand that the Home Office may take appropriate action to
          recover from me amounts attributable to any support provided under Section 95 of the Immigration and
          Asylum Act 1999 (support for asylum seekers) to the sponsored person named above. I further understand
          that I may be committing a criminal offence and liable to prosecution if, after I have given this undertaking, I
          do not support the sponsored person named above and income support or income-based Jobseeker’s
          Allowance (under social security legislation) and/or support for asylum seekers (under immigration
          legislation) is provided to or in respect of the sponsored person named above.

          So I assume that yes, if she went missing, or tried to claim asylum, the state would seek to recoup the associated care and legal costs from you.

          I would certainly rethink your position if you have such doubts.

          Reply

  60. hi all just to say great web site ,ok just to give you a bit of info been seeing my thai grirlfriend for 3 years i stay with her for three mounth of the year and come back to the uk for 9 mounth for work over this time she went to college and then holiday with me, this year she got a full time job and doing well so all is good,so we tryed to get a visa for just two weeks here in the uk but did not get one, ok did all the paper work and put it in a listed folder when my girlfriend took the folder to apply for her visa the thai guy took all the paper work out and said no good arrrrr all that hard work i dont under stand way he took all the paper work out ? refusal of visa was lack of work history which i can under stand because she only gave the 3 years she has been at collage and 5 mounth of full time job i did say to her all histroy of work ,thay have said that her personally cost for her two week holiday dose not commensurate to her income from her job but she is useing sum of her savings that is in her bank and that she will use sum of that for personally use i dont get it way thay are saying that we will try to do agen when i go back out there for christmas holiday and re do the visa

    Reply

    • Hi Andy, as you have probably read in the comments, the taking out of documents by processing staff is increasingly becoming a problem. The first thing you must tell your GF is to be firm with the staff and tell them that nothing is to be taken out. Tell the staff that she had a visa refused because of the documents that were removed and given back to her.

      A work history of 3 years wouldn’t be a problem, the issue would be because she has not had a regular income for long due to being a student, and her savings probably aren’t substantial enough. to cover the trip — even though no specific amount is required/listed. If you can write the official refusal reason down here in the comments section I can advise further, because I need to know under what clause they refused it.

      It would be far easier if you guaranteed her visa as her sponsor, and provided evidence of your income and savings to fund her trip. Her savings could be available for her spending money, but you could cover flights, accommodation and daily expenses such as food.

      Bear in mind that the officer isn’t just considering money she will spend, but whether she has enough funds to cover an emergency, like needing to book a flight home suddenly, or pay for a hotel for a few nights, etc. They have to be absolutely sure that she will not need to turn to the state for help. They have to absolutely sure she will return to Thailand too, so providing a letter from her employer, and details of assets she owns, will help the application. Then there is the proof of your relationship. Because you don’t live together in the same country, you will need to provide evidence that your relationship has existed for the duration you say it has.

      Reply

      • Hi there yes we did all paper all my bank statements and savings I have here in the uk she got a letter from her boss to say she has work there for 5 mounth and is giving her two weeks leave for a holiday with me did all the photos of are holiday together over the last 3 years all skype chat and facebook chat as you know lots of paper work I did for her here in the uk and sent it over to her,on the visa form it said about saving that she has got she put down what she has got which is not to bad for a thai person so were it said your personal spending money for your trip she put xxx amount which is more money than she needs for a two week trip but thay are saying what she earns dose not add up to what she is going to spend ? On the form it says is eny one sponsoring you yes me and gave all the details so I am at a bit of a loss

        Reply

    • There seems to be no reason really sometimes. My wife and i lived in the uk for 3 yrs and then came to thailand . We applied for a visit visa . All our paperwork looked good and in order but the visa regused . They said that there was not enough evidence to show we were still together and no real way to see that she could support herself in the uk … over 8 million baht in the bank in an account in our joint names … maybe it was not our turn that time …

      Reply

  61. Hi just a quick note to say this is an excellent source of information and thanks. Just got my gf 3 month visitors to the UK. Totally agree don’t waste money on agents. Was worried at first as my gf doesn’t work and in the eyes of UKV&I not have a real reason to return, but if you are honest and put all the relevant facts it helps your case. Now all I worried about is how much her new winter wardrobe is going to cost me!

    One extra document I added to your list, was a letter from her parents confirming our relationship (as well as the things you mention, photos, metadata (date/location of photo), flight tickets together, messenger extracts dated from each month), also saying about her character and returning home to take care of her daughter, I wrote it from them in basic English and they signed.

    Reply

  62. Excellent article . One or two questions . I pretty much live in thailand on a variety of visa’s non im o . And thai wife . And currently a b visa as i am here working as a teacher . I have no home in the uk and any visit would be a mixture of my sisters house and hotel . Should i just say staying with family and give their details ? Also . I have little personal money in the uk but have joint and solo ( wife and i ) accounts in thailand . My wife has two businesses in thailand providing more than enough income . Despite my wife and i living in the uk for 3 years ( returned to thai 2010 ) we were refused a visitor visa 3 yrs ago because we could not demonstrate an ongoing relationsgip and they doubted my wife had access to a joint account holdin 8 million baht … advise would be fab … we are not planning to go until april 2017 ..is it to early to apply now.?

    Reply

    • If staying with family, you will need to the host to provide a letter of agreement and details of the property and their home ownership status. Any hotel accommodation booking info should also be provided. Provide statements for your accounts in Thailand, and it would be a good idea to a get a letter from the bank to confirm your account status is legitimate. Proving a genuine relationship should not be difficult. If you live together you can provide pictures of your home, holidays, family outings, etc., over the last few years.

      Reply

      • What a good artical. wish I stumbled up on it before my husband submitted his yesterday! However I am now rather worries as a didn’t submit of any photos of our relationship or anything. We are newly married (since January 2016 actually) but he has been with me once before in 2014 and we didnt submit photos then either. My husband owns a business and recently bought us a house which we submitted all the original as well as translated versions of these documents along with his 6month bank statements (but not mine as he has much more money than me anyway haha!) and our wedding certificate/registration. But i have an anxious feeling still. As well we submited a letter for my work from my boss just saying when I am needs back at work and an email and hand written letter and bills to prove address of my mother and friend who we will be staying with. My husnand submitted it at the new vfs office here in chiangmai and the lady made snide comments on how it’s too much stuff… but surely the more the better right? When we went last time we went and came back on the dates we propsed. Just the comments of this lady has really got me worried this time. She didn’t look at the documents properly and kept asking what is this for, what is this for… and I haven’t come across anyone I know submitting it at this new vfs place yet either so I am worried. The staff didnt really seem to know fully what she was doing and she has original documents too…. he hasnt had a phone call yet either… does this sound a little off to you too? Am i worrying over nothing… or am I right to be worried?! Every one keeps saying how we are married now and how he has been before but again, this lady has made me panic!

        Reply

          • Hi David, this is very worrying and something I have notified UK immigration of in the past. I get numerous emails from people saying that when their partner went for the appointment the VFS counter staff told them to take out certain documents. This is absolutely against VFS and UK immigration policy. The Home Office advises that proof of a genuine relationship is provided by way of supporting documents, and pictures have always been one way of doing this.

            No member of staff should ever try to give you advice on your application. They have no idea what they are talking about and are in no way qualified. They have a small essentials check-list of the basics that must be submitted, which they run through with you, but in terms of supporting evidence, this is your/your partner’s call.

            I advise everyone reading this post to NEVER let VFS staff interfere with your documents.

            Here is the official line:

            VFS Global staff does not play any part in or influence the outcome of your visa application. If VFS Global staff claims to be able to influence your application, you should notify in writing to the Head of Visa Services at the British High Commission in Thailand.

            If any member of VFS staff says “you don’t need this document” and advises you to take it out, take their name and report them. It is very serious, because taking out one piece of important information could cause you to get a refusal and cost you time and money. If the document/evidence is not required/not of interest then the officer in the UK will simply ignore it, but it’s up to the officer to decide, not VFS.

            Reply

            • The VFS lady told my husband to remove something actually, in which he explained to her he submitted it last time but she made him take it out. I have her first name. I already want to email a complaint but do you think I should wait until we receive the decision?

              Reply

              • I would wait. If you get a refusal and it turns out that the document you were advised to take out could have made a difference, then phone up and report it. Even if you pass, I’d still report your concern via an email and point the recipient to their own policy as I listed above. It almost happened to us last year, but luckily my wife called across the room to me where I was sat and said “he said I don’t need x, y, z”. I dashed over and told him sternly not to remove anything because it was all necessary evidence. I am willing to bet that not one member of VFS staff has even read through the UK Immigration website to see what it says regarding supporting documentation. While they advise some staple inclusions, they purposely leave supporting documentation open to individual interpretation because each applicant is an individual case and as such different documents may be required. If you think something is relevant, submit it.

                Reply

        • Hi Charlotte, pictures are one way of showing a genuine relationship because they can provide a timeline and prove you have spent time together in Thailand, and help corroborate other similar evidence. but if you have a strong enough application in other areas I don’t think this will be a problem. However, I advise you to never listen to anyone who says “You are married so you will get a visa easily”, or “You got a visa before so you’ll get one again”. After 4 visit visas in a row, my wife was suddenly declined one. I hit the roof and reapplied immediately with a 6-page letter! We were issued one after that. No one knows why these things happen sometimes; perhaps they work to quotas, perhaps it depends on how strict the officer is, or perhaps they just test you sometimes by refusing one so that you submit newer evidence. In any case, make sure every application you make covers all angles and leaves no stone unturned.

          Reply

          • My thoughts exactly, I dont want to assume he will get it just because we are married now. We submitted everything we did last time and more. I feel we have submitted everything and they would have no reason to say no, but the VFS lady didn’t seem to know what any of it was. She was useless and rude and its really made me worry…. as I just mentioned before she made my husband even remove some documents, which she shouldn’t have done.

            Reply

  63. Got visa all sorted from start to finish in 7 working days,we both did ourselves ,
    Just a visit visa for girlfriend,
    So simple and straight forward if your relationship is genuine,you supply as much info as possible in a well presented folder on submission at Bangkok.

    Just tell the truth on your application as she will get a telephone interview within the next 2 days asking random questions,

    So sit down and make sure she understands all your info yours are submitting.

    Hope this info helps ,and good luck.

    Reply

      • Hi
        My husabnd recieved a call too asking random questions
        But i could not provide documents proving that i ll b back
        Else i provide everything as u described
        One thing more i dint provide my husband travelling history ?
        I ll get my passport back on monday
        I dont know what will b the result

        Reply

        • Interesting that they called you both. It seems calls are standard these days, at least for first time applicants. I really couldn’t say. Your husband should have provided details of his visits to Thailand to see you since your relationship started, but perhaps they asked him about that on the phone. There is no telling what the outcome will be as I have no idea of the background. All the best.

          Reply

          • He was with me since last october nd got back to uk in march ’16
            He gad visited me twice after our marriage
            Now he applied for my visit visa as settlement visa for spouse requirements are not meeting up the standards till now
            He needs more time for that requiremnts thats y we decided to go for visit first..
            3months pay slips,bank statements,tenancy agreemnt,bills pictures of marriage nd chat details i have attached with my application
            But i have no documents to show that i ll b come to my country after my visit bcz i have no job
            My husband is sponsering me..
            Do u think it will effect the decision??
            Thanx for reply

            Reply

  64. All information submitted at Bangkok,very busy building but straight in and out within 45 mins.
    My partner had a telephone interview the next day also,asking random questions.
    5 days now and not heard nothing,any ideas how long it takes,
    15 working days I have heard and sometimes 3/5 working days,
    Was a tourist visa for girlfriend.
    Any guide times would be great.

    Reply

    • Hi just looking for little advise on ways I can do this, I am financially secure my bank statements are in overdraft but my company statements show large amounts going in and out could I possibly use my company statements, thanks

      Reply

      • If you are your GF’s sponsor, they will be looking at the personal available funds you have to support her trip, not how much money is going in and out of your personal or company accounts. They want to know that you have ready funds to support her stay: accommodation, food, flight home in case of an emergency, etc.

        Reply

  65. Hi, really helpful page.
    My wife of 9 months ( 6 year relationship, which we can prove ) and I wish to visit the UK for a two week holiday which also co-insides with my father’s birthday. I live in Thailand on a retirement visa . If she applies based on her job and her savings , she has no family left nor assets apart from a motorbike. All she wants to do is visit for two weeks and come back to work and life here. I can sponsor her but have no property, nor income in the UK though I do have savings but I would prefer her to get her visa on her own. Any thoughts or advice, thanks

    Reply

    • It depends how much she earns and if they find the funds available to her for the trip to be satisfactory, and if they believe she intends to return to Thailand — which they should since she has a job to return to. Because she is your wife and you will be traveling together (I assume), by default you will be part of the visa application and your details will need to be provided. I assume you will be staying with your father too? If so, then you’ll need confirmation of this from your father by way of a letter and documents proving ownership/rental. Technically you are a default sponsor anyway because you will be responsible for her accommodation and traveling together; so you might as well make your savings available to her as your wife and further guarantee her trip.

      Reply

  66. Hi TTL
    I know this is a thread for girlfriends wanting to visit UK but I have invited a female friend to visit me over Christmas and New Year. As of today, we have only ever chatted via line or facebook either by text or video since my initial visit to Thailand at the start of July. I have booked a holiday to visit her at the start of December for 2 Weeks as this coincides with 2 consecutive long holiday weekends where she will have vacation from work. She is only planning to come here for 2 weeks holiday as she has to be back at work. She is self sufficient, owns her own house where her parents live with her and her 2 children. She also owns a condo and 2 cars. I think all very good reasons to return to Thailand.

    My question is really how much information should I supply? It is only a holiday where I am prividing somewhere to stay and be a tour guide. Hopefully this will develope into something more over time, but baby steps first lol

    Thanks

    Steve

    Reply

    • Hi Steve, if she is financing her own trip then the onus is on her to prove she has the funds for the trip and sufficient evidence she will return to Thailand, which could be in the form of a letter from her employer, her house deeds, details of her children, etc. You will need to provide a supporting letter and details of your property: deeds, mortgage details (statements etc), pictures of the property and where she will stay and anything else you can think of.

      Regardless of whether she is your GF or not, you will need to provide evidence of your relationship in some detail: how you met, the time you have spent together and proof of that, the communication you’ve been having when you are physically apart (email print outs, phone records, Facebook/Line messaging, etc.)

      I can’t tell you exactly what they will want to see, but the list in my post, plus this information, will put you on the right track.

      Reply

      • Hello,
        I have stumbled at the very first hurdle!! In step 1 where you register an account, whose details do I put? Mine or my thai girlfriends?
        I have known my friend for nearly two years, met her when travelling two years ago as friends only! but things have developed since then online. I realise the first process is the visitor visa to see if British life works for her. I must say it’s not an application I’m looking forward to! I am going to thialand in October 2016 and am trying to get the ball rolling ..
        Must say without this site there would no chance!!
        Thanks.
        John

        Reply

        • Hi John, your GF has to apply in her name as it’s her application. If you are setting up the account for her, you can use your email address if she hasn’t got one, but make sure it is in her name. All correspondence going forward will be sent to this email address.

          Reply

  67. Hi there – great information and very useful. Takes the headache out of it. Just a couple of things if you could help. We are in the process of making our travel visa application and we have a number of photos as well as the relevant documentation. However, our correspondence has all been done through Messanger and LINE since January 16 – this equates to over 50000 messages. Do i need to print all this off and submit?

    Secondly i assume it is better to apply for the Travel visa at this stage then after my partner has been to the UK apply for a Fiancee visa. Do we have to be together for two years before we can do this? We have been together for almost a year. I hope she will be able to come back with me in October then we will return to Thailand in December where I believe she must remain for 6 months. How soon after this can we apply for the Fiancee visa?

    Thank you for all your help

    Reply

    • Hmmm, option A, yes. Option B, no and hope they don’t do a phone call to check. Option C. Try and phone up and get the right number to them. I’d call the embassy for advice. Surely you don’t have to submit a whole new application for a typo.

      Reply

  69. Hi TTL,

    I’ve had a quick search through the article and the comments first, but couldn’t find the answer to my question, so forgive me if you’ve already said this.

    My question is about passport history and how you would go about obtaining it. My girlfriend has her new passport and her old one, but this only dates back 5 years (we plan to photocopy all the pages), but where/how would we obtain her full passport history for the last ten years? Furthermore, I lost my previous passport and only have my new one, so I planned to photocopy my passport pages (luckily all my trips to Thailand are on the new passport), but where/how would I obtain my passport history for the last ten years as well?

    Thank you so much and I look forward to your reply.

    Callum

    Reply

    • You will only need evidence of your travel to and from Thailand since knowing your GF, so your current passport history covers that.

      Your GF will only need to provide details of travel on the form. It also asks if the passport referred to is lost, in your possession, or in the possession of the issuer (some countries/governments required old passports to be returned). If she doesn’t have more than the two passports she has, this isn’t an issue. But where possible, she should detail all travel within the last 10 years (I think it is 10 years) that is asked on the applications form. Then, with the documentation, provide copies of the passports and their pages she does have.

      Reply

  70. We’re engaged, she’s Thai and I am of course British. We been together in Thailand for 4 years. I been in Thailand since 2005. We got engaged this year in February 14th. 😉

    I work as a teacher, she works as a cash planner for SCB for over 5 years. She earns 1.2 MB per year. She owns 3 condos, rented two. She has investments and savings. I don’t have anything other than 200,000 saved for the moment. We plan to get marred next year in February 2017. She also does network marketing and will earn up to 1MB per month in the next year or so, (hopefully). If all goes well, how can we move to the UK and use her passive income from network marketing as a way of income? Do I still need to prove income and savings of 18,600 GBP per year? Or can we just apply and use her income and savings to prove we have enough to support ourselves in the coming years while in the UK?

    Andrew

    Reply

    • Hi Andrew, I assume you’re referring to getting a settlement visa after you are married, and not a visitor visa. You won’t be able to use her income at all. You, as the British national (financial sponsor), must prove net earnings of 18,600 per year, or savings of 62,500 GBP.

      Reply

      • Thank you for the reply. However I have more concerns about this as most of the information from GOV.UK appears twisted and out of date, contradicting and confusing.

        According to your reply I would need either 18,600 per annum income from employment in the UK. This is out of the question because I do not aim to work for an employer but to live with my future wife on a passive income paid into a bank in Thailand of which we will use in the UK. I am confused to where 62,500 in savings comes from based on the citerea of 18,600 per year as a means of supporting / sponsoring.

        I have ever read in the financial requirement document available online from GOV.UK that savings can be either in the applicant, partner or joint account for a minimum of 6 months. So the information you are providing to me above is contradictory to the information online.

        As I mentioned, I plan to get married in Feb 2017 and want to have a clear mind to the procedures and requirements.

        Thank you
        Andrew

        Reply

        • You simply can’t do that. Your partner’s income doesn’t come into the equation. Either you meet the minimum income requirement or you use 62,500 in savings instead.

          See the requirements here.

          It will be harder for you too, because you aren’t married. Here’s an overview for settling an unmarried partner:

          You and your sponsoring partner must both be 18 years of age or over.
          You and your partner must intend to live together on a permanent basis.
          You must show that any previous relationship that you or your partner were involved in (whether it be as a married or an unmarried couple) has ended.
          You need to show that you have been living with your partner for at least two years in a relationship similar to marriage. You will need to provide documentary evidence confirming this.
          You and your partner must have sufficient funds to support yourselves (and any dependants) without claiming public funds.
          Your unmarried GBR or settled partner must be earning at least £18,600 per annum or savings to be able to sponsor you. If also sponsoring children as dependents then the financial requirement will increase.
          You must have suitable accommodation available for you, your partner and any dependants.
          You must also satisfy the English language requirements

          It’s not easy, that’s for sure.

          Reply

  71. Hi

    Great information here, it has really helped my girlfriend in her application.

    One quick question – do all documents, passports, bank books, house deed have to be the original from the sponsor or will copies be ok? Also I take it all documents are returned when picking up the visa?

    Many thanks

    Richard

    Reply

    • No, not all originals. Your GF will need to provide her real passport when she applies to have the visa put inside it, but all other documents can be copies. Though remember to get certified translations of any Thai documents. Bank statements, if print-outs, must have the bank’s logo/details on it them, and of course the details of the account holder . If possible send photocopies of original statements. For important docs go for colour photocopies as these look more legit.

      All documents are returned, though sometimes they keep a few bits (I don’t know why). They never keep originals though.

      Reply

  72. Hi,my Thai girlfriend came to the uk in 2004..
    Want to bring her to the uk again for a short holiday with our daughter.
    We have a daughter together who is 10 and has British citizenship and British passport. No problems for her.( I hope) her 1st visit.
    Will embassy have details of her last visit 12 years ago as her old passport is not available to proof this.
    Many thanks.
    Do I just give all details as normal as been together 14 years and we all want a short holiday in the uk.

    Reply

    • They will have a record of her previous trip, but each application is considered on its individual merit. Do you have a photocopy of the old passport with the number on it? If so, this is fine; because you can select the box on the application form that says the passport is no longer in your possession. However, the application asks you to detail all holidays outside of Thailand made in the last 10 years (I think it’s 10 years), so that doesn’t include that trip anyway.

      You should have no problem obtaining a visa, but just make sure you provide all the relevant documentation, as even for genuine long-term couples with kid(s), they will refuse if information is left out.

      Reply

      • Hi,so i met a girl in samui just 3 weeks ago and she is telling me that if i want to bring her over il have to pay over 30 thousand baht for visa,translation of documents and travel insurance.that seems abit expensive and and i asked if there was a possibillity to shop around with different certified translaters,whats youre opinion?and its 60.00 euro only for 90 day holiday visa to ireland.now,im no mug and i find crazy that the surcharge is so much.can u please enlighten me

        Reply

        • Translation is inexpensive; approximately 400-500 Baht a document. But consider there maybe 10 or more documents that need translating; so already thats 2,500 Baht. Good travel insurance like WN (see here) is going to be 100-150 Euros. I assume she is going to use an agent to help her apply, which is fair enough because the application is difficult for a non-native speaking person. A visa agent is going to be 20,000+, so her estimation is about spot on. You could help her apply and only spend on the translations, but then if you are physically in Thailand and able to help her put the supporting evidence folder together, you have a higher risk of leaving something out and therefore a higher risk of refusal.

          Reply

          • I think there’s also a few difficult realities you might need to face up to and I don’t want to assume anything.
            Does the girl have a recognised job with a history of salary in a bank account?
            Will she have the job to return to in Thailand.
            If she is working in a bar- and I’m not saying she is- then job legitimacy comes into play.
            You’ve only just met the girl so honestly I think you’d be best not getting your hopes up.
            You probably need more time together, documented by photos, mms, travel documentation.
            Sorry if it looks like I’m pissing on your parade but they don’t make it easy…

            Reply

            • Good information on your site. UK Visitors Visa requirements are way over the top. Ridiculous. Visitors Visa just refused for my wife of 2 years. Didn’t believe she would leave the dump after her visit. If you are applying make sure you go to town on the “I will return to Thailand” part – they seem paranoid about this. Why would you want to? You could have grey rainy weather every day, high taxes, a crap government …….

              Reply

              • It does happen, even to people with a wife of many years and children together. It also happens to those who’ve been issued a visit visa previously. It can be very upsetting for those involved in genuine relationships and who have good intentions. My advice would be to apply again immediately with more documentation and a huge covering letter explaining every detail of your situation. Hopefully you’ll get a more sensible person going over your application this time. All the best.

                Reply

  73. Hi there, thank you so much for sharing such a great information and advise from your experience!
    I’m planning to visit my UK boyfriend and his family in October this year and stay there for 3 months and a half, this is gonna be the very first time I travel out of my country. I’m not a Thai girl , I’m Vietnamese but I guess 2 countries are quite similar. I’ve been looking into it and there are some questions which I’m concerned about, really hope you or anyone here has been in the same situation could help me.

    So I’d like to tell you about us, maybe it could help you understand more about my circumstance. I met him in Dec last year whilst he was traveling Vietnam with a tour and after that we kept in touch for about month. After finishing the tour, he came back and visited me for a week and we had a wonderful time together. we decided to have long distance relationship. From then he has visited me and my family twice, one in March and another in May, each trip lasted in 2 weeks.

    I have a job at my parent’s company and it’s quite flexible for me to get days off work and I’ll continue working for them when I’m back. My boyfriend is going to support me with all expenses and his parents accommodate me while I’m there too. I have a bank account but I rarely use it and the important thing is I don’t have income coming in the account as the company pays by cash. That means bank statement doesn’t show my financial flow. I don’t have much money, enough to pay for the ticket and a bit saving for emergency (all by cash). I don’t have a saving account neither but my parent say they can give me an amount of money (~$9000) to put into saving account if necessary.

    My boyfriend and I have been preparing all documents and going to submit my application in July, here are some questions that I’m concerning about:

    1. Because he’s going to pay for all expenses while I’m there ,which is 3 months and a half, should he need a specific amount of money in his bank account/saving account?
    2. Is there any other way I could do to prove my finance? (I don’t have bank statement), I have pay slip from the company but I guess it’s not good enough. I have money to put into a saving account but it’s not my money. Can I say it’s a gift from my parents? and if I put the money into the saving account, how long should I do it before I submit my application?
    3. I have family, friends and a job in Vietnam, but don’t have any assets, properties. and willing to leave UK after the trip ends, is there any other documents I should support to make my application as strong and convincing as possible?

    I would really appreciate your help and thanks again for the amazing post!

    Cheers,
    Sophia.

    Reply

    • Hi Sophia,

      1. If your boyfriend is going to pay for all expenses while you are there then you’ll only need enough money for your flight. As I have mentioned previously in the comments section, there is no set amount of money required; it is up to the person processing the application to decide whether the sponsor has enough funds to cover the applicant’s trip. He should provide 6 months pay slips and evidence of savings from bank statements from the same period.

      2. You should just explain your circumstances in a cover letter. Tell them you are paid cash and get the owner of the business to confirm this and the amount in writing. Do you not have a bank account for which you can provide copies of your bank statements? Your parents can put money into your account if you want to do that, but you must explain that this lump sum of money has been provided to you by your parents to fund your trip (flights, spending money, etc.) In this regards, your parents will be a sponsor of your trip (in addition to your bf).

      3. Your job is enough of a reason to return to Vietnam. Make sure your boss (whether that’s your father or mother) writes a letter to confirm that your job will be left open for your return. The letter should state how long you have worked there, your role in the company, salary and any other details you think are important.

      Reply

  74. Hi TTL,

    Your post is incredibly informative and has made the process look a lot less daunting, but I have a few questions.

    If I give you the back story it will probably help. Met my girlfriend online in July 2015, and went to meet her for the first time and spent 9 days with her in January 2016. I returned again in April for 12 days, and I am going to meet up with her again in the next fortnight, to stay with her for 17 days. We text, we video call, have sent parcels and letters to each other, and we do all the sorts of things a couple would. We were hoping next time she could come and visit me and finally meet my parents and friends, and have set our hearts on the Christmas new year period.

    The only issue is we are both currently students at university. She would visit for only a month in the break between her terms and would be required back at university which is a plus as she can get a letter from her principal, but I’m worried about our finances. Naturally as a student, she has little to no money, and no income, so I have financed all of our trips, and I would finance her coming to the UK. I work part time and have done for 3 years, so have a regular income alongside my student finance. I rent a house with my flatmates and have done for over a year now, with the tenancy contract already agreed for the upcoming year. Whilst I can easily finance her visit (plane tickets, day to day costs, travel and food) as well as keeping myself afloat, would it be an issue that I don’t have savings or a full time job? Is there any minimum amount of money one would need to make a strong application? Furthermore, other than the checklist in the article, are there any things we could add to application as it is a bit more specific than other applications?

    Thank you so much, looking forward to reading your response.

    Callum

    Reply

    • Hey Callum,

      There’s no set amount of earnings or savings required, it really is up to the officer processing the visa to determine if the sponsor has adequate funds available to finance the trip. An alternative is for your mum or dad to sponsor her trip and provide evidence of income and savings to support her application. They would need to write a covering letter for this and provide the relevant bank statements and proof of income. Read this PDF to see how officers are instructed to judge the sponsor’s financial situation.

      I think they’d probably consider not just how much you earn but if you are likely to run out of money if supporting two people for this duration. If you are living month-to-month with no savings in the bank at all, this might be a red flag for them. For a 2-week holiday I’m sure a couple of grand in addition to the flights and accommodation paid for should be enough.

      One issue you may come up against is the accommodation. They may not think your living space is suitable because you share with flatmates, and I assume she’d be staying in the one room with you? If this is the case, make sure you provide pictures of the accommodation; the bedroom and other rooms in the house to which she will have access.

      In terms of other documents, see the reply i gave to Jason below regarding the University. Provide anything that you think will prove your relationship is a genuine one: photos from holidays (dated), emails, texts, Facebook messenger conversations (all dating back across the last year), phone records.

      The officer will want to see evidence that she has good reason to return to Thailand, and not go missing! Having a job to return to, studies, land ownership, business ownership, a ton of money in the bank, owning a car, etc, are all good reasons to come back.

      Hope this helps.

      Reply

  75. Hi TTL

    I have just submitted an application for my partner, they say to take flight documents but if I pay for flights and it is rejected its a waste of money, so can you do anything about this?

    Also my partner has just finish Uni and waiting of her paperwork before she can apply for a job as a teacher, should she mention this?

    I have said that I will sponsor her, I have put some money into her account to leave as savings to show, is this ok to do?

    When I submit my mortgage statement and pay slips, do they have to be the originals ?? as my pay slip comes via email these days.

    We shall be staying with my mother for a few days she owns a guest house, do I need a letter from her and her mortgage statements as well ??

    Great info on this page been a great help.

    Cheers Jake.

    Reply

    • Hi Jason,

      The flight documents isn’t actually a requirement anymore, as detailed on the website. However, I still give a printout to my wife to include as you never know.

      You don’t need to book the flights, in fact they say not to do that in case of a refusal. Instead, go onto the flight operator’s website and get a quote for the return trip dates you are planning to book. For example, with BA you can have the quote emailed to you and then print it out. Include this with your GF’s application. On your GF’s application it asks the question “When is your proposed trip date” (or something like that). Whatever date she entered for this question is the date you should get the flights quote for. It also asks how long your trip will be on the application, so the return date should correspond with that.

      Definitely include information on your GF’s university status. If she can get a letter from her teacher or head of Uni, explaining that she has just completed her course in whatever subject and is awaiting her results, this will be a real plus. If not, put in a cover letter detailing her study history and present status. Include any evidence too, like a copy of her uni ID card, acceptance letter, or whatever you can think of.

      Putting money into her account is not going to make much difference, not least because they will see from her statement that this is a recent deposit; she isn’t working, I assume, and therefore they will assume you put this money in there. If you are detailed on her application form as her financial sponsor, then it is your finances that will guarantee her trip. On the application form there are questions such as who is paying for your trip, how much is the trip going to cost, and, how much money is available to you for your trip.

      So you need to provide a minimum of 6 months pay slips, bank statements and evidence of any savings you have. They don’t need to be originals, but get colour copies if you can and makes sure your personal details are listed at the top. Also provide a copy of your mortgage statement.

      If your mother’s house is not the primary residence for your GF’s stay then no, you don’t need a letter. If your house is the primary residence then you should state this in your supporting letter and explain about your property. If possible, provide pictures of your property (inside and out) as evidence that there is adequate room for your GF to stay there.

      There is a section on the application form that asks what you will be doing in the UK, and a place to add additional info at the end. Your GF could mention that you will be visiting your mother on the trip, but you don’t have to specifically say that you will be staying there for x number of days.

      Reply

  76. hi we have just checked the folder handed to my wife after submiting her visit visa application, and found all our bank statements both uk and Thai.
    my pension statements from the DWP and a statement from my private pension,
    The letter confirming our our address while in the UK and the invitation to stay at a family members property.
    the letters from my family confirming our relationship and marital staus
    (ten years) and how much they and especialy my grandkids are excited at
    finaly meeting the step-gran they have spoken to but never met.

    is this normal that they do no take the documents that are submitted to confirm proof of funds and earnings as well as the other important papers.
    i asked my wife and she said the people at VFS4UK handed her the folder
    after going through the papers .

    they have kept the translated marrige certificate and house papers
    and my passport and visa scans plus my sponsorship letter.
    i would of thought the bank and pension documents would have to be kept
    or is this standard procedure. or have they made a misstake
    how can they make a positive decision without proof of funds

    if anyone can shed any light on this seemingly strange situation. cheers.mick.

    Reply

    • You mean they took stuff out and didn’t send it? If so, this is wrong but sadly not unheard of. This is something I intend to complain to UK immigration about. The last time my wife went for a visa the guy was trying to take stuff out saying it wasn’t needed. Luckily I was there and said tell him not to touch anything. It clearly stipulates on the UK immigration website that you should provide any evidence you think will support your application. It also states that VFS staff cannot advise on any aspect of the application. They have a check-list of basic documents they check-off to make sure you have the essentials, but they should not be advising you to take out anything extra. This could easily led to a refusal for you not having provided essential evidence.

      Reply

        • What were the reasons for the refusals? Has she been applying with your son as the financial sponsor of her trip? If so, sending her money won’t make a difference because the onus is on him to prove that he can support her trip. If he doesn’t have the financial means, you could act as the sponsor when she applies again. in this instance you’d need to provide a letter detailing your support, and 6 months pay slips and evidence of savings. Remember though, it isn’t just about finances. They want to see a valid reason for the applicant to return to Thailand, such as a job or asset ownership. They also want to see evidence of a genuine relationship.

          Reply

  77. I live in the BWI and would like to fly my Thai girlfriend out to come and visit for a few months. I understand that the Visa would be for a British Overseas territory, but don’t know if different rules apply to get one? She does not have a job but she does have a bank account and is supported by me currently I don’t foresee a problem with other paperwork but she does have a criminal record..would that preclude her from getting approval?

    Reply

    • Hi Tony, I don’t know if the same rules apply. All I could find was information saying that you need to speak to the BVI embassy. Here’s the contact details: Phone: +66 (0) 2305-8333 or email: Info.Bangkok@fco.gov.uk

      The criminal record may be an issue depending on what it is for. They will decide whether or not they think her history presents a threat.

      Reply

  78. Hi, I met my girlfriend whilst on holiday Dec/Jan during that time we was together throughout the whole duration of my holiday (didn’t plan any of all this happening) she works full time so was only restricted to days out on her days off but spent every evening and night together that being said we became very close and the rest is history so to speak, she’s been to the uk before and I aim to bring her over for a 6 month stay until I go back again in December.
    She applied for a visa recently and it was refused, the reason was pretty obvious really, she tried to get it funded by her brother and for 2 wks and then once she had visa was going to stay 6 months as this is what she did last time, that being said it was refused because on her last visa she said she would stay one month but actually stayed 5 months, but didn’t send anything to say why she stayed longer or any proof.
    So as disheartened as we both was the same day she booked a ticket to Bangkok for her to start the whole process again (she’s paying for all this) so we have decided to do it properly this time and apply for 6 months with me as the sponsor, now I know we have only been an item for just under 6 months but our relationship is genuine and we have been in contact with each other all day everyday since I left from the minute we wake up to the minute we go to bed, our plans are to meet her family etc when I return in December, all that aside, my questions are,
    1, my mortgage, I split with my ex in July last year and her name is on the mortgage as we are keeping the house as a joint investment to which she pays half every month, she obviously don’t live with me anymore and has no problem with my girlfriend coming to stay.
    But when I send paperwork (mortgage statements) her name as well as mine is on them, is this a problem?
    2. Records of Facebook calls and messages, it would be completely impractical to print every single message as there is litterally thousands, so I have screenshot snippets of conversation from every 5 days to break it down but still shows dates/time.
    Also I only have video call records from May 20th to present as I got a new phone and I assumed the Fb video call records would be the same on my new phone, however I was wrong. I have screen shot the ones I have May 20th onwards but I have non previous to that.
    My girlfriend also has land and a motorbike in her name which she is going to supply document to support her reasons to return, now I know the agencys are here in abundance but she is using one to sort the issue of her last visit in which she stayed longer than the time she said all be it was still within the 6 months she was granted.
    Any advice would be great regarding the 2 issues I’m having would be greatly welcomed.

    Reply

    • Hi Mike,

      A UK visit visa is granted for 6 months, so technically they can’t refuse another visa on the basis that she stayed longer than planned, as long as she didn’t overstay. However, she should have explained why, as she stayed considerably longer — not just a couple of weeks.

      I think the issue is more likely to be around how she could have stayed on for 5 months if she had a job that she needed to get back to. I’m assuming her first visa was granted with evidence of employment, and part of the reason it was granted was because this fulfilled the criteria for the ECO to be happy that she had a valid reason to return to Thailand. The fact that she stayed on for 5 months will have set alarm bells ringing that her application was fraudulent, in that she didn’t have a job she needed to be back for, or at least not in the capacity she had stated. In light of this, they would expect a full explanation.

      Also, her brother had sponsored the trip for 2-weeks. The funds he showed/provided satisfied the 2-week stay, not 5 months. So technically this was a breach of the conditions that the visa was granted for. This has now made getting a new visa that much more difficult.

      Your intention to bring her over for a 6-month stay is quite a big ask for the little time you have known each other and spent together. Again, I refer back to her job. How could she just up and leave for 6 months? She will need to justify this and show evidence that she intends to return to Thailand.

      Three things are fundamental to a visa application:
      1. Prove intention to return to Thailand
      2. Prove a genuine relationship
      3. Prove funds to cover the trip and all associated expenses (and accommodation)

      None of this can be satisfied by hearsay. It must be backed up. So if her boss is giving her a 6-month sabbatical, he/she must provide a letter to prove this and be prepared to talk with the ECO when he/she calls to verify this.

      In terms of your questions:

      1. Your ex will need to provide a letter verifying her consent for your GF to stay there. She will need to provide some sort of ID such as a copy of her passport photo page too, along with full content details.

      2. You don’t need to provide every single conversation, but if it was me I’d show one or two from each week spanning the period you’ve been in contact.

      3. Providing the land documentation and proof of bike ownership is fine, but you’ll need to have the documents translated to English.

      On the application from your GF will be asked whether she has had a visa refused before. She will need to answer yes and explain why. The box to explain only allows for a small sentence. However, at the end of the application form she has the opportunity to provide other information that may support her application. I suggest that in this area she explains what happened when she extended her stay to 5 months and how this led to the refusal on the next visa. She could also write an accompanying letter to explain further and include this in her application’s supporting documentation.

      Leave no stone unturned!
      Best of luck.

      Reply

      • hi thanks for the reply, we tried again and stated she would only be staying one month, but unfortunately it was refused again, the reason being the obvious one of her applying for a week last time with no mention of me and on the new application she said I’d be the sponsor and she’d be staying a month, also her letter from her employer didn’t state she walks granted leave for a month, so was refused for that. since she applied she has since give her job up for various reasons and now plans to find a new job. we’ve give up on getting her this year however I return to see her in december for a month and plan to re-apply then whilst I’m there, to try and return with me but I think she would want to come for 6 and give her job up to do so, so my question is could she still get a visa if she has no job as being a reason to return, however she has land and a motorbike as previously stated. of coarse she wold be returning after 6 month but how could she prove this with no job? here are what she failed on her current application
        v4.2 a and c of appendix v
        v4.2-v4. 10 of appendix v

        any help will be greatly apprieciated.

        Reply

        • sorry to post again but i was hopino you could try to give me some futher advice.
          on my girlfriends application we plan to do when I return in december I plan on helping her rectify the problems on her previous 2 failed application, the first being where she stayed longer than the 45 days she said she would stay on her first uk visa that was approved , i think this will be easy enough as she can just say that her then boyfriend decided to fund another 4 months in the uk (as her brother sponsored the original stated 45 on the application) the other problem on the failed form was she didn’t supply evidance of her brothers funds again this will be easy to rectify as I will get him to do a statement and show his bank statements. so that should address the issues on the first failure, the main problem to rectify is her recent failed application because as stated previously on her first failed application she said she was coming to the uk to stay 7 days and stay in a london hotel again funded by her brother (bad advice from the agency not to involve me) now on her recent failed application she said she was now coming for a month and will be sponsored by me, she sent a letter with the application sayang she had no intention of meeting up with me on the previous application. again bad advice from an agency (which I told her not to use). so that brings us to the main problem i will habe to try and explain for her….the recent on the refusal letter it states “on your previous application you stated your brother would fund the trip and this raised concerns that there was no evidence of his funds. I note that you have not chosen to address this issue in this application and now state your sponsor will pay for this trip. I also note that you did not mention Mr….(me)…… on your previous application that was refused. you state that you had no intention to meet Mr……(me)…..during this visit and intended to stay in a hotel but I note that his letter of support states you became boyfriend and girlfriend during his visit in december 2015 and this raises futher doubts about your intentions in the uk.”

          this is now the problem we find ourselves in trying to get her out of that one.
          any advice or help would be greatly apprieciated. also I don’t think she will be working when I go back so the other problem is reason to return other than her land and motorbike. I can’t help but think we face an impossible challenge.
          yours thankfully
          a very worried Mike

          Reply

          • I was thinking of saying in her statement that she was badly advised by the agency (which she was) but I don’t want her to get a ban for deception and I can see no other way than to tell the truth and that would be saying she was badly advised anything else is just going to raise more questions.

            Reply

          • Hi Mike,

            The biggest problem you have is that your GF has lost all trust from the UKBA. They see a clear pattern of lying and therefore do not trust that she has good intentions in the UK, and indeed that she will leave the UK once her trip has finished. The agency has really messed this up for you.

            In this case, honesty is the best policy. The only hope you have is to tell them on your next application that your GF was ill-advised by the agency. You can say that you had nothing to do with it and that they directed and dealt with it for her on the promise that this was the best way to do it because her brother was the sponsor for her very first visit (before she met you). The agency should know that it doesn’t matter who sponsored her first trip, because every visa application is judged on its individual merit.

            But here’s the thing: even if you explain everything about the agency and how everything got in a mess, etc., they may accept this, but because your GF effectively lied on her application, they may say that on those grounds they cannot issue her a visa. It is illegal to lie on a visa about your intention or status.

            They are waiting for you to reapply and address the reasons for the refusal. But doing so means admitting lying, and I personally think they will just say, right, so you lied then? Well, sorry, we can’t issue a visa on that basis. Regardless of whether she has land and a genuine relationship with you, they will focus on the fact that she initially lied about who her sponsor was and who she was going to see and for how long.

            In my opinion, her now not having a job and wanting to come to the UK for 6 months, and given the history of the refusals, means it’s highly unlikely they will grant her that.

            The only way I see out of this is to get the agency to write a letter admitting they ill-advised her and made a huge mistake and that the buck stops with them. With this proof, I would then hire a lawyer with experience in difficult visa cases to help you reapply. I am pretty sure that doing it alone will only result in a another refusal. You need a lawyer who knows UK visa law inside out and can help you explain the previous mistakes and find legal grounds as to why your GF should be allowed to visit the UK. Personally I would try first for a shorter period than 6 months, as the trust factor is currently very low. I would also suggest your GF gets a job in the meantime and begins receiving a regular salary, as this will go in her favour and provide a good reason in the eyes of the UKBA to return to Thailand once her visit is over.

            One thing is for sure, you need professional advice and a professional to help you reapply. Use a lawyer, never one of these agencies. It seems really negative right now, but with the right lawyer this can be turned around. Keep the faith

            Reply

            • thank you very much for the reply, me and my girlfriend have been in touch all weekend talking about this, to be honest I’m not going to be able to afford a lawyer to kill this problem off. my girlfriend is going back to samui at the end off this month and she is getting another job so that will do her no harm I’ve also said to her rather than coming back with me at the end of January, she should apply for a visa to come in may for just 2 months as then that would be good as we could see each other between me going back next year. so no longer 6 months
              I’ve also suggested that I write a statement on her behalf to try and explain the previous problems.
              in the statement I would tell her to write something along the lines of….
              on my first application to the uk my brother sponsored my trip for 45 days as planned, however once in the uk my then boyfriend agreed to support me for a futher 4 months, I did not break any visa rules to fund my longer stay and returned within the dates of my 6 month visa
              it was also refused because I did not show funds of my brothers salary to support him being my sponsor for my then planned trip to London for seven days, planned for may 26th as this was the only time I could have off work.
              my second visa was refused because I stated that in my first application that my brother would be my sponsor for 7 days, but now my boyfriend is going to be my sponsor for a period of one month, my boyfriend was not mentioned in my previous application because I could not plan to be with him as he could not get time off work until july and my planned visit was for may.
              since that first application was refused I have since been able to have another holiday from my job from the end off July for the period of one month and knowing that my boyfriend now had holidays available from work he agreed to be my sponsor so that we could spend a month together and go to London during this period aswell as meeting his family and friends as we continue to build our relationship until his return to thailand in december………

              sorry about the length of this post but how do you think A statement along those lines would fair? I honestly think it would be rejected again for se reason but at least it will of cleared up the problems regarding the previous 2 applications and in doing so created a clean slate so to speak.

              Reply

  79. I have been married to my thai wife for 8 months, and lived with her in Pattaya for over 2 years, she has not worked since i met her, and i support her. will this be a problem that she has no job to return to when we return from the UK,? we only plan on staying in England for 4 weeks, with my parents at there home, will they need to prove that they own the property ? as i sold my house last August.
    Thanks

    Reply

  80. On a second interview does the person have to go again to Bangkok?
    The reason I ask is that my girl friend is using an agent, and her first try was refused, but the agent say’s that she will not have to appear again.

    Reply

    • I’m quite sure she does. Each application has to be submitted in person. This is a new application for a visa which means making a new appointment. When the form is filled out online, you submit and make an appointment to then present your application in person with all the relevant documentation.

      Reply

  81. Following your guide to marriage we successfully married in January this year and then applied for a spouse visa however i proved via bank statements and tax return forms my income was well over 18,600 required in an effort to show transparency and it was on my tax return form i told them i also had a property portfolio so they declined the visa stating they wanted copies of my property account, mortgage statements, tenancy agreements etc which was impossible, i had done this application alone. As i was leaving thailand soon i decided to use a well known pattaya agent to resubmit the application assuming it would be a simple reapplication with only my income on, however as i am part self employed and also a director he added my directors information to the application but assured me we had provided everything and once again refused this time they wanted CT 600 forms for corporation tax on the company but we could not have provided these as the company was only 10 months old. So I’m wondering before we re apply why won’t they just accept my self employment earrings together with personal bank statements and my tax return form? any advice greatly appreciated.

    Reply

    • You meet the financial requirement, which along with the standard documents and evidence of your relationship should be enough. I think t’s just a simple case of the fact that on the first application you mentioned the property portfolio, and if you mention it you need to provide evidence of it. Then, when you applied again, they could see that you retracted this but mentioned being a director, which requires the CT600.

      The rules are very unfair against those who are self-employed. We have to show net earnings above the amount instead of gross like those employed by a company, and we cannot combine earnings with cash savings to meet the amount either. I have no idea why the rules are like this. Personally I would apply simply on the basis of being self-employed and show the relevant tax return with net income over 18,600. The thing is, if your previous applications stated facts about being a director and having a property portfolio, then perhaps this is what they expect to see on the next application.

      Reply

  82. hi there, i am trying to get a visa for my Thai girlfriend. i read that you need to show bank statements as evidence of support. my bank statements will only recently show a nice healthy balance, would my father whom has the same surname as me be able to stand as financial guarantor ? as that would help me alot ha. and if not how much will i need in my account and for how long. also how long should i wait before applying. we havent been together that long only 3 months and its only a tourist visa im after, she does have family and children in thailand.

    Reply

    • If the applicant is unable to finance his/her own trip then the sponsor needs to show that he/she can properly support the applicant during the visit. In this case, ideally you’d provide bank statements that show a regular salary going into your account, and perhaps some savings too. There is no specific amount you need to have or a period of time it has to be in there, though you should show accounts covering a 6 month period. it is up to the officer who processes your application to make a decision on whether you are a suitable sponsor.

      Your father can be the sponsor, but if you go down this route I suggest he provides a letter stating that he is prepared to cover all expenses and any that may occur in unforeseen circumstances. You’ll also need to provide details of accommodation and the ownership status of the property your GF intends to stay in. If this is not your house, the owner will need to provide a letter.

      When you say “together”, do you mean in a relationship or actually staying together in Thailand? Perhaps the biggest hurdle of getting a visa is proving that your relationship is genuine. If you have only actually spent a couple of weeks with each other while on holiday, it might be difficult to prove that your relationship is genuine. If this is the case, perhaps you should consider making a couple more visits to Thailand to spend more time with her. You should document evidence of your communications while apart, and also while together in Thailand.

      Reply

      • im heading out there again in one month to go and see her again. in a few weeks, just had an incredibly expensive phone call with the embassy they are suggesting for a tourist visa that i dont need to supply details of our relationship but just a sponsor and some documents. and that she can apply when ever she likes. is this true? there is a lot of conflicting information. they said for a permanent visa id need to provide proof id lived with her for 2 years which sounds very stupid. either way at this point in time i just want to get her over for 6 months. its all very confusing.

        Reply

        • also what if her previous job was at less then reputable place. i mean she was just a cashier but it was indeed a girly bar. and she hasn’t been in her new job long. is it worth going through an agency? i heard they can help that sort of thing

          Reply

        • I’ve never heard of the embassy giving out advice like this. If you read the image in my post, it states on number 5 that you should outline the circumstances of the relationship in a letter. They also advise that you provide any other documents to support your relationship. Remember, they only stipulate the very minimum of what should be provided. It is up to you to provide as much supporting evidence as possible to show that your relationship is genuine and that your partner can be trusted to adhere to the terms of the visa and return to Thailand as expected. Every applicant I know has provided photo evidence of time together with their partner, and in some cases email correspondence, to show that a genuine relationship exists.

          An agency has no advantage over doing it yourself. Sure, the onus is on them to submit the application correctly, but they are not given any preference by UK immigration. It’s up to you if you want to pay the money.

          Your GF will need to provide employment history on the application, and also provide details of her current employer. If she is coming for 6 months, she will need to provide evidence that she intends to return to Thailand. Will her employer keep her job open, and if so, will the employer provide a letter to confirm this? This will show good intention to return.

          Reply

          • thank you very much, i also thought it was very strange but then again on their site it makes it sound a lot easier than what every blog suggests it is. we have chat logs and pictures so that should be ok. do you know how long they will have wanted us to have been in a relationship before we have a chance of getting the visa? the only reason id go with an agency is we would have issues with providing a work history the embassy would accept and had been told the agencies can sort that. sorry to bother you again, but you have been more helpful than hours of searching online

            Reply

            • There is no stipulated requirement in terms of duration for having know your GF, but a couple who’ve been together for 2 years, having lived together, or at least spent 1 of those years together in person, would naturally be seen as a more genuine couple than another who’d met on a 2-week holiday a few months back. I’m not sure how an agency could solve the work history issue for you. They can’t lie on your behalf; it would be illegal to do so. It’s not so much the work history as much as the job she has at present. It is a good sign if she has a job with regular salary payments going into an account. A letter from her employer confirming that she will return to her job in Thailand after her visit to the UK would be a good asset for your application. If she has no job, or can’t produce such a letter, considering the small amount of time you’ve known each other, it might be tough to get the visa. That said, as I always say, each case is decided on its merit by the adjudicating officer. No one can influence this decision or know exactly what additional documents to submit; though my post is a best-practice outline. Best of luck!

              Reply

              • thank you very much, i think the job will be the main issue. i spoke to uk visa people again yesterday and they suggest no relationship details needed for a tourist visa just proof she will return and proof she can fund it or i could etc. how every every single other source of information ive found including this site say other wise. very odd. not sure what i will be able to do about the job situation. im aware it would be illegal for them to lie about a job situation but i imagine it does occur. i think the only saving grace of the situation is that she has dependents. i imagine il go back a few times and see her some more then apply hoping it will be fine. how far back will they want to see pay slips for her?
                il just have to hope it is possible

                Reply

                • Hi Jake, what number do you use for the “visa people”? Do you mean in the UK or in Thailand. Would be good to have a direct contact number for asking questions, as occasionally there are questions from readers I can’t answer.

                  Reply

                  • i have spoken to a number of people. but with regards to them suggesting it would be easy and not having to provide proof of relationship its ukvisahub whom suggest it. they were saying just prove shell go back and also said my father could be a sponsor when ive spoken to many visa agencies in Thailand they have said conflicting things. so im very curious what the case actually is.

                    Reply

                    • Yes, your father can be a sponsor. That’s no problem.

                      Even though I have been married for 4 years and with my partner for 7, every time we apply for a new visitor visa we provide evidence of our relationship through pictures, our marriage documents, tenancy agreement and our daughter’s passport, etc. Evidence of a genuine relationship, particularly on the first visitor visa is absolutely essential.
                      I quote:

                      For visa applications, you should consider the evidence submitted, including the
                      arrangements for the marriage or civil partnership, the couple’s relationship, future
                      plans and living arrangements. You must be satisfied from the evidence provided
                      that the applicant is in a genuine relationship. If you consider that the proposed
                      marriage or civil partnership will be a sham, the application should be refused under
                      paragraph V 6.3 (c) of the Immigration Rules for visitors.

                      And…

                      To assess whether the relationship is genuine and whether the third party intends to
                      provide support consider:
                      • the relationship between the applicant and the third party sponsor
                      • the third party’s previous history of ‘sponsoring’ visitors-for example, previous
                      failures to support visitors may call into question their intention and ability to do
                      so for this application
                      For visa applications, you may want to check with the applicant or third party
                      sponsor:
                      • where they met
                      • how often and by what method they communicate
                      If the third party sponsor is an individual such as a friend or family member providing
                      financial support for the visitor, they must satisfy you that they have enough funds
                      available to adequately support themselves and anyone normally dependent on
                      them, as well as the visitor.
                      Where you have doubts around the intentions of the third party to provide this
                      support, you must refuse the application.

                    • hello, ive been reading some of the comments posted here, my thai wife and son have been refused visa’s, because I had been in Thailand for over six months, and my building society book had not been stamped in that time. I was telephoned by a thai person who worked at the embassy and told me the book was not good enough evidence of having money-about 15000 pounds, when they declined the visa they calculated it in thai bath.
                      Any way that was about 3 years ago, we have since had another child. I would like to bring my family over for a few weeks to attend my sisters wedding in the uk. any advice would be greatly appreciated. ps I’m self employed and work 6-8 months here, and travel to Thailand for 4-6 months. The children both attend the local school, we have a rice farm that I bought, 2 combines and a tractor. the wedding is in september

  83. I have just came back Vietnam after spending 6 months in uk for visiting my bf.I lelf my job when i got visa.The problem is my bf have a lung cancer and hee need to be taken care.That why i leave my job.And now i want to re-apply visa again for visitor visa again.But now i have no job to prove i will comeback Việt Nam again.I dont know what should to do now :))

    Reply

    • It’s a difficult situation because you intend on spending so much time in the UK (the full 6 months of your visa). But in another way, they might see that this is what you have to do and that no employer is going to keep a job open for that long. Remember, each application is considered on its merit. It’s up to the officer reviewing your application to make a decision, so don’t lose hope. I would get together lots of evidence about your boyfriend’s condition and provide that with your application. This will support your case.

      Reply

  84. Hi TTL, my girlfriend arrives in the uk this week. I’ve asked her to get another cover letter from her employer stating she has a job to return to in Thailand ( Embassy kept the original), dates are slightly amended to suit her updated travel arrangements although still fall well within our original timeline and visa validity.
    She also has medical cover insurance for her time here and a letter from her bank quoting her funds.
    In your experience, is there anything else UK Immigration will require from her regarding documentation.
    Oh, she also has my sponsor letter with her.

    Many thanks for your valued guidance in the past.

    Reply

    • Final update TTL, my GF arrived in Glasgow today. I booked a flight via Dubai as I thought Heathrow would be a bit too traumatic on her maiden solo trip to the uk.
      Immigration very pretty fair with her. Asked about length and value of our relationship, my visits to Thailand. Most of what he asked about her time here I’d included in my sponsor letter, which was fairly detailed. He then called me after talking with her to confirm we were above board.
      I’d advise anyone to just be completely honest with their info as the thought of the GF getting put back on a plane to LOS after the hurdles to get a visa is unimaginable.
      I was a nervous wreck after my phone call from Immigration and we were above board.
      You’re blog is a god-send for the uninitiated TTL and I’ll be forever in your gratitude.

      She’s out cold in bed- 2 blankets,2 sets of PJ’s on with the heating full blast. I’m on the couch melting with shorts and a T shirt on.

      The joys. Nerves are still a bit shattered….

      Reply

      • Hey Tommybhoy, sorry I missed your previous comment — but great to know she landed safely. I’ve never heard an account of immigration calling the partner, but thanks for posting back here to let us know that it does happen and to be prepared for that.

        Glad I could be of help. I hope she gets used to the weather! Have a wonderful time together!

        Reply

  85. Hi Ttl. I’ve commented on this post before and have a new question. Me and my girlfriend plan to get her in England for Christmas to meet my family and just bring her here for the first time. She has a good stable job at a large chemical products company in Chaeochongsao. Her boss is unreasonable to say the least regarding holiday. She thinks her boss won’t give her a supporting document stating her position and when she will return to work. My girlfriend doesn’t own any land or have any children, how else can we prove that she will return to Thailand after her visit. Thanks a lot for any help as I think we have everything else covered.

    Reply

    • If she has a regular salary going into her account from work then she can show that evidence on her application, so the boss’ letter isn’t necessarily required anyway. However, they might call her workplace to check that she does work there. If it’s just for a 2-week holiday you should be okay. If it was for a 1-3 months trip, then a letter would be required to confirm that her job would be open for her when she returned.

      Reply

  86. Hi TTL,

    I’ve just started this process as i met a Thai woman and have fallen deeply in love with her and her with me.
    One question on the type of documents required as shown in your list: Number 6 states ‘A copy of UK spouse/partners Passport which includes the bio-data and all immigration record pages’….how do i include the bio-data from my passport ?

    p.s. thank you for your support in all this. I’m going to struggle going through this process as i strongly believe its all a nonsense. I am a UK citizen with a family history dating back many generations yet i have to jump over hurdles and go through hoops so that i can invite someone into my home (England), i find it a little disgraceful….

    Reply

    • Hi Paul, the bio-data is on the page with your picture on and it’s opposite page. Photocopy every page of your passport that has information or a stamp on it from when you visited another country. I know it’s a pain. I can’t stand the red tape involved with visas, be it for the UK or Thailand, but that’s just the world we live in 🙁

      Reply

  87. Hi TTL, I just want to say a big thank you for all your help and guidance. My girlfriend received her holiday visa last week. All up it took 10 days for her passport to be delivered.
    With the help of your blog, a complete novice (me), was able to compile a dossier professional enough to get a visa. It does take patience and perseverance, but very do-able.
    Big thanks once again.

    HH

    Reply

      • Hi TTL,

        It such a great post. i’ve done the reapplication last Wednesday. Got 1st refusal as same as your case. They want to know what my husband is doing in Vietnam. These i didnt included on the very first. Only his passport with 5 years visa excemption.

        I have a concern about making them believe that I am not overstay or not leaving UK end of my trip whilst I have been sticked with the current employer since Sep 2015. I have no land deed, house or business. My ma and sister are in labour age.

        I got the swear from my sister in law, father in law and spouse that they will make efford for me to leave uk as proposed day.

        Thank you

        Reply

        • Since the first refusal was based on lack of information for your husband and not you, I’m sure if you reapply with the missing information you will be fine. If you are in employment, get a letter from your employer confirming that you are being given leave for the trip and are expected to return to your job at the end of your holiday.

          Reply

    • Hi, im from SLovenia and staying in thailand i have gf here that is a student and would like to visit my country for maximum 3 weeks, what is the requierments and documents needed in the case that my father is garantor, and write garant letter for schengen visa,? thank you
      and how long does it take

      Reply

  88. We followed your advice to the letter,and my wife was granted a 6 month visitor visa to the UK,we applied early also and it sailed through,so want to say a huge thank you,and for anyone who listens to advice on the Thaivisa forum please don’t,I was advised by a premium member to lie so we could get an early visa.
    Again thanks mate

    Reply

    • I can’t say for sure because it’s up to the adjudicating officer to decide on your individual case, but you should still provide your bank statement for the last 6-12 months. This will show your salary being paid in to your account, meaning you don’t have to show payslips as well. I don’t think providing payslips alone is enough. If you are a sponsor, you need to demonstrate that you have the financial means to support the person you are sponsoring.

      Reply

  90. Thanks for the very informative post.

    I’m in a bit of a pickle as I would like to take my Thai girlfriend back to Ireland where my parents live ( both now residents with Irish passports) for 2 weeks over Christmas, but during this time I would also like to take her to England for a long weekend and then back to Ireland before returning to Thailand.
    My parents will be acting as guarantors in Ireland but I have no guarantors in England…. How would I go about this?
    I believe I would have to apply to The Irish Embassy even tho I don’t have an Irish passport, is this right?

    Reply

    • I don’t see this as a problem since the trip to England will be a long weekend and not for the main stay. When you say your parents are guarantors, do you mean for accommodation or for her accommodation and funds to cover her trip? If you are using their house as a place to stay, you will still need to guarantee your GF in terms of covering expenses for her trip. You will need to show evidence of your finances for this. Or, if your GF has savings, she could fund her own trip. Will you be getting an Irish visa or UK visa for her? If you get a UK one I think she can enter Ireland under the short stay waiver program: . But if she has an Irish visa, she would need a UK visa to visit the UK, wouldn’t she? I’m not sure on the arrangements between the two countries and whether you are a UK or Irish passport holder.

      Reply

      • I’m in the middle of wrangling with the Irish embassy in Bangkok to get a visa for my wife under EU freedom of movement rules.

        They are supposed to issue the visa on the basis of marriage only, no other supporting documents required, at NO CHARGE, and to expedite processing. This is a special class of visa for spouses of EU citizens travelling outside their home country, eg a Brit going to Ireland.

        But of course nobody at the embassy knows the rules, so I’ve spent days on the phone to different branches of the Irish government to get it sorted.

        With this visa she can the theoretically travel to the UK too.

        I’ll let you know how it turns out.

        Reply

  91. Hi TTL, a quick question please.
    On my girlfriends personal details when it asks for her personal residential address we put in her condo in Bangkok as this is where she stays in Bangkok with rental agreement.
    Should I have put the address from her mums tabien baan where she is registered.
    If so I think I’ve messed up, and is there any possibilities of making amendments.

    Reply

      • Hi TTL, thanks for the advice. We had our visa processed on Wednesday morning. Of all days the BTS was out of action so the traffic was mayhem. Luckily we started off 3 hours before out appointment time from Bangna so 30 minutes weaving in and out of traffic had us there in plenty of time.
        My girlfriend was asked to return to the service desk downstairs 20 mins before her appointment. Only her allowed in the interview. She said the girl that interviewed was really helpful. Changing some details, address etc.
        45 mins later and she was finished.
        15 day turnaround at present for decision.
        She was told she’d be updated by text message and finally told my mail/email when to return for passport.
        I’ll give a run-down on all docs I provided once we’ve got her passport back.
        Many thanks for all your help and guidance.

        Reply

  92. When anyone does go be wanted,VFS global are terrible,they tried telling my wife today that if her visa starts today,her 6 months ends 17th July??Which is only 5 months,and they try to photocopy in colour there whis is 70฿ a sheet.
    Also told my wife YOU HAVE to stick to your proposed date of flying?

    Reply

    • The visa starts from the day of issue, not the day of application. That has always been the case.

      Always get your photocopying done outside of VFS and the Trendy building; it will save you money.

      It is my opinion that it is best practice to stick to your proposed day of flying and certainly your proposed day of return, as these are the details your GF has signed as being true to the best of her knowledge. However, if because of sickness, or another serious issue, the date of departure has to be changed, this is not a problem because the visa is issued for a 6-month period.

      Reply

  93. Thanks again for your guidance TLL. Again I understand your need to clarify your opinion on uk visa is just that- your opinion, based on your own personal experience with the current system. I’m guessing I’m not the only guy who feels like a fish out of water trying to complete a form and not 100% sure what’s expected fully. Added to that the relative language barrier, foreign documentation, family record system etc. Added to that the pressure of failure and the implications. I’ll happily tell you one thing for free though, I’m light-years ahead with the guidance on your blog than I’d be scuttling about trying to glean the info myself from the UK website.
    My eternal gratitude, pass or fail.
    Cheers

    Reply

      • I can’t thank you enough TTL. I’ve let the translation company know that you recommended them and she was delighted. Very reasonable price also. I pick up all my documents on Saturday.
        I was able to scan and send them all so no commuting thru BKK. She does a postal service for return but I want to go in person just in case anything needs amended.
        A quick question, do I need to photo copy every single page of my passport, old and new, or just the one’s with stamps on them.
        I don’t want to leave anything to chance.
        Also I have dual nationality, would I need to do the same for the old and new for these as well.

        Ps- TTL, my newfound bible for visa applications lol

        Reply

  94. Hi again. I meant to mention before TTL.
    My business is cash/self employed and I don’t put most of my income thru the bank.
    I was intending putting £4,000 into my girlfriends account.
    Do you think this would be enough for her not needing sponsorship?
    I will still be putting all my details on as her boyfriend and my apartment info where she will be staying.
    I’m just looking at possible pitfalls with my bank account not looking too great.

    Any advice would be appreciated

    Reply

    • The thing is, if your GFs bank statement shows a sudden deposit of £4k going in and no other salary or regular payments or this kind at any time, it is quite obvious that you have transferred the money to her. Not that this necessarily matters, but they may still view this money as your money, because for all the adjudicating officer knows you may take this money back once your application is successful. Therefore I would be transparent about this in my application. I’d probably write in an accompanying letter that you have gifted your girlfriend 4k as funds to cover additional expenses during her trip, and to cover any emergency, should one arise. You can still be her sponsor though, which you are anyway as she will be staying in your home. So regardless of this 4k gift, you should still act as the sponsor and stipulate what funds you have available to cover her trip. In the question that asks your GF what funds she has available for the trip, she will be able to put down the 4k amount, but as I said, be transparent about the money because this deposit will raise a question. Also, I wouldn’t say that you are self-employed and don’t put most of your money through the bank as a reason for not having a lot of funds. This is almost an admittance of tax evasion, and as a government body they may be legally obliged to report this.

      Lastly, I have to say as a disclaimer (for my own legal protection) that I can only offer my opinion through the experience of my wife previously having applied for visas. I am not a licensed agent, and neither do I have contact with any UK immigration officers or any insider information. Each decision is based on the individual circumstances of the applicant and at the sole discretion of UK Immigration.

      Reply

      • Thanks for your honesty TTL. I would never expect anyone who runs a blog for the benefit of others to be held accountable. My self-employed cash business is above board and I pay tax. I just don’t use my bank account regularly enough. Just paying bills etc. I was planning on explaining why I’ve given my girlfriend a £4000 gift. I’m hoping the evidence we provide will show she is a genuine tourist with enough funds to pay pay for w trip to the uk and a return to Thailand in the case of an emergency.
        If there is any doubt on behalf of the Embassy, is there some sort of bond £££ that can be deposited with them to safeguard her return to Thailand.
        Again your advice is taken only as helpful.
        Many thanks

        Reply

        • Can you tell me. Do they require a copy of everyone on the tabien baan.
          She has two sisters and her mums boyfriend on it
          Also her sisters two kids- she lives with her European partner in Bkk and my gf’s younger sister lives and works with my gf.
          Also is it advisable in her letter about us to include some information about her family
          Ie, sister studying for a degree etc.
          Or is this too much info.
          Im scared to put too much info yet not enough if that makes sense.

          If feel like I’m taking my College tests again only without having any reference books to check with. Lol

          Reply

          • Ps- sorry for being a pain.
            My first Thai immigration stamp is in my old passport. And the rest in my new passport.
            Do they need my passport or do I take photocopies. Also do the copies need proofed by an official so that they’re original and not doctored.

            Reply

          • The only person that is relevant on the Tabien Baan is your GF. This document is to verify her address. The application form asks questions about her immediate family: mum, dad, and her children. I don’t think it is relevant to include personal details about her extended family. Any supporting documentation, notes at the end of the application, and your letter, should you decide to include one, should focus on supporting her application. By this I mean evidence that your relationship is genuine, and evidence that she has the funds to support her trip, a place to stay and, if you are sponsoring her, evidence of your ability to do that.

            Again, I must stress that I can only offer my opinion here. My opinion is not necessarily correct and may not reflect that of the adjudicating officer processing your application. Every application is considered on its individual merit.

            Reply

  96. Hi, has anyone been in the same boat? I met my GF 2 years ago first visa was refused, 2nd accepted and spent a nice 4 months in UK. Since though, 2 further visas were refused last June and August for petty reasons as we put the wrong date on, no recourse to return. We are applying again, but they phoned my GF boss at work to verify she worked there, then asked to speak to my GF, her boss panicked and passed the phone to another member of staff pretending to be her. Can we expect another refusal? The agency we went through says she could be blacklisted. Has anyone been in the same situation. We’re actually getting married this year, are we to expect the same if not worse scenarios?

    Darren

    Reply

    • Hey Darren, so the other member of staff pretended to be your GF? Why didn’t they just put your GF on the phone? You may be refused because they haven’t been able to verify your GF’s employment. You can appeal though if you feel it is unfair. Have you tried bypassing the agency and doing the application yourselves? It is quite straight forward.

      Reply

      • Hi TTL

        Thanks for your reply, my GF was having a few days off as I’m over here at the moment. Her boss says she just panicked thinking they needed to speak to her (it turned out they didn’t) and said she was there and passed the phone to another member of staff who couldn’t verify her identity. All a stupid mistake and not our fault. With previous applications refused, we’ve done everything asked of us, checked and double checked everything and now this, it’s not even our mistake or fault. In the past, we’ve not been able to appeal, so we’re certain we won’t be able to this time. I’ve made complaints and suggestions to the UK home office, falls on deaf ears. We went through an agent this time to try to make sure everything was perfect, I’m afraid we didn’t encounter for her bosses stupidity!

        I was a long time serving member of the U.K. Armed forces risking my life for my country, I feel so ashamed sometimes of being British with the hardships people have to go through just to obtain a VISITOR visa.

        I read 2/3 years ago that Britains tourist industry is crumbling, it’s no wonder when they make it so hard to obtain entry. The article stated that in 2012, 150,000 visas were issued to Thai nationals in comparison to France issuing 1,500,000. Need I say more about the way UK is run!

        Reply

        • Hey Darren, it’s unfortunate that this happened, but don’t panic yet as they may call again to confirm, realising that there was some confusion on the other end of the phone. Every application is considered on its individual merit, so I don’t agree with the agent about this blacklisting thing. I think that is their copout in case it is refused. The agent should have spoken with your GF regarding what to expect if immigration phoned her. This is a failing on their part.

          I agree it is harsh, and upsetting, especially when you are in a legitimate relationship and have fought for your country. If this visa is refused, I would write to your local MP and voice your concerns that as an ex-serviceman who fought for freedom and human rights, you are unable to obtain a visa for your girlfriend. To boost tourism the government have actually made it easier for Chinese tourists to get visitor visas. Why? Because they spend the most money. I guess they don’t see visitor visas for GFs from certain countries as important because they will not contribute much to the economy. As always, these things always boil down to money in some way. All the best.

          Reply

          • Hi TTL, thanks for your insight and understanding. Unfortunately for us they refused our visa because of the very reason mentioned, they basically thought we where lying about her job and any future applications MAY be refused under paragraph blah blah blah for ten years. I’ve known my gf over 2 years now and have never seen her as upset. There is no right to appeal, but I will write to MP on my return and seek legal advise from a solicitor.

            We’re getting married this year, we want to know if this will blight our future applications whether for visitor or settlement? I have a business in UK whereby I need to be there for 7 months every year, the rest I can stay in Thailand. But this mistake could keep us apart for that amount of time every year. The whole process is just wrong!

            Reply

            • Hi Darren, sorry to hear about this but I guess you half expected it. It’s a horrible situation because your girlfriend does work there, so you weren’t lying. While there is no longer the right to appeal on visitor visas, there is this exception to the rule: “unless the appeal is on human rights or race discrimination grounds”. I think you should appeal under the grounds of human rights. The reason being that your GF wasn’t given the right ( a fair chance) to prove that she worked at this job. The officer phoned once, the person who picked up the phone passed it to someone else who, for some reason, pretended to be your girlfriend, panicked and then put the phone down. No second phone call was made in an attempt to further verify this, or to your GF to gvie her a chance to explain. If your GF does genuinely work there, then the decision is unfair and under the human rights act, which states that public organisations (including the Government, the Police and local councils) must treat everyone equally, with fairness, dignity and respect. They should give your GF the chance to prove that she has provided the correct details and to explain what happened so that she does not have this go against her in the future. The reality is that this will affect future applications because case notes will have been logged. If I were you I’d go all out to prove that your GF does work there, that she wasn’t working on that day, and that a silly girl in the office did a silly thing pretending to be her as she was confused as to who was on the phone.

              Reply

  97. We just noticed we made a mistake on the online document,where it asks if anyone is helping you,we put the amount I would pay for a flight in baht instead of UK pounds,somit looks like I am offering 25,000 pounds not baht,does my wife write a note explaining this or tippex out?
    Also,will a mistake go against her application

    Reply

  98. Hi first off this is a great site very helpful thank you. I’m traveling in 2 weeks to see my girlfriend my mother is also coming with me this will be the second time she has come with me to meet my girlfriend.

    I’ve been with her 2 years we’ve traveled to Japan last year and this trip where all going to Hong Kong. I’ll be the sponsor for my girlfriend but we will be staying in my mother’s house should I get a letter from her staying she gives permission for my girlfriend to stay in her property. Will we need copies of my mams passport. Will we also need prof my mother owns the house.

    You also say we need 10 years of passport was does this mean my girlfriend only just got her passport to travel to Japan.

    My other problem is she doesn’t work and doesn’t really have any savings will this be a major problem.

    She has 2 daughters which she will need to return to thailand for.

    I was thinking of getting a letter from my boss to confirm I have a full time job is that a good idea.

    Thanks for your time

    Reply

        • Hi Joe, yes, you should get your mum to write a letter confirming that she is happy for your GF to stay with her for the duration of the trip. It would be a good idea to state whether or not she owns or rents the property. You could also provide a copy of your mum’s passport, as proof of ID. I have no idea if this will help your application, but it doesn’t hurt to include supporting evidence like this. Your GF will have to fill out the details of her children on the application form. If your GF has no savings then I assume you will be her sponsor for this trip. In that case it is up to you to prove you have the funds to adequately pay for her trip, and to support her in case any emergency funds are required. If I were you, I would show bank 6-12 months bank statement history. This will include evidence of your salary being paid into your account. I would also show a statement from your savings account, if you have one. A letter from your employer confirming your current position and when you started at the company would also be a good idea. Again, none of this will guarantee that you will get a visa, but the more supporting evidence you can provide the better the chance of getting an approval.

          Reply

            • In the application you will be asked to provide your travel history going back 5 years (I think it is 5, they might have changed it slightly, but certainly you have to give details of travel history). In my opinion, you should back this up by providing a photocopy of each page of your current passport and, if your old passport includes travel to Thailand at a time when you were involved with your current partner, provide photocopies of each page of this passport too. The reason for this is that we once had a visa declined and it was my fault! They wanted more clarification on the timeline of my travel to and from Thailand during the time I had known my wife (GF at the time). So in addition to providing photocopies of my current and previous passport, I also provided a document that detailed all the exact dates I visited (arrived and left) since I’d started coming to Thailand. Immigration doesn’t specify that you have to provide this information, but it is clear that you should provide as much supporting evidence as possible to back up the details in your application. It’s easy to say “I’ve known my GF for x amount of years”, but there needs to be some evidence of that, preferably through pictures and travel dates.

              Reply

  99. My wife has an appoinment next Monday,your post has been a great help,one question,she has an official letter in English from her employer statmg her salary tec.
    Her bank gave her a cover letter in English comfirming name and account number,but there is over 12 pages of statments each transaction in Thai,surely these do not have to be translated into English,on each stament you can see the word salary and amount in English,and her employer confirms this.

    Reply

  100. Hi TTL, and congratulations on a must-read blog for all things Thailand. I’m flying out to BKK next week to start my girlfriends holiday visa application and staying for a month so fingers crossed. Can you recommend any reasonably priced accredited translation agencies in this area please?

    Reply

  101. Hello there great site and very usefull info
    i am looking at getting a visit visa for my girlfrind and i have most of my docs in order already.
    it says on the gov website you can apply up to 3 months before your travel date so does this mean i can apply to leave in say a months time from submitting the visa application ?? how long does it roughly take for the decision to be made ??
    thankyou ..

    Reply

  102. I have been married for two years and lived here for just over that amount of time,we are hoping to go on holiday in July and for me to be best man at a friends wedding,To be honest my funds aren’t so great but my wife has land,a job and a home,as well as maybe 350,000 baht savings,my question is can she put down her funds alone even though I am traveling with her?Also my sister has wrote us an email with an offer of free accommodation for the duration of our stay.

    Cheers for the article

    Reply

    • With that amount of money she can comfortably finance her own trip and won’t need a sponsor. Her funds and a confirmation letter from your sister regarding the offer of accommodation should be acceptable. I’d get your sister to confirm whether she owns the property or rents in the letter. The more detail the better in all aspects of the application, in my opinion. They take a number of different things into account on each application so make sure you have all bases covered – as per my post. All the best with your trip.

      Reply

  103. I followed your excellent advice on how to arrange your own marriage and I’m pleased to report we are now married and the process was made simpler and cheaper with your advice. I used a translation tout called Tunnid 080-948-6060 who fully understood my requirements and was only 200 baht. Due to an error on my part I had forgotten to put my DOB on the embassy form I had to get s re type done but Tunnid assisted with this and sent the EMS reference so we could track our return post. There are plenty there but I found him to be very good if you use him tell him your Michaels friend.
    There is an issue with taxis not knowing which part of the building to take you to and I found the best place was to get off on the main road and enter via the food hall.
    Now my problem is getting the spouse visa, we’ve been successful on 3 occasions with holiday visas and my wife is getting a TB X ray next week but the application form doesn’t seem as in depth as the holiday visa so hoping you can advise me if I’ve got the wrong one or what do I need to provide they haven’t asked for.
    Thanks again

    Reply

    • Hi just wondering if you have any advice relating solely to a spouse visa and more importantly the question – do you intend to work in the UK i assume yes is the preferred answer but any advice would be gratefully received as a matter of urgency thank you

      Reply

  104. Hi,
    My girlfriend and I are hoping she can come to the uk for a holiday and we want to apply for a visa! She has stopped working as she has just had a baby and she does not have much saving left, I do have over £30,000 saving and a job where I earn over £130,00, if I transfer some money to her will this be excepted?

    Kind regards

    Reply

    • Hi Chris, there is no standard requirement as to how much money she has to have. If you are paying for her flight, paying for her accommodation and sponsoring her trip financially in full, then I would imagine that UKBA would just want to be sure that she has enough personal funds to pay for her own trip home should something happen between the two of you while she is visiting and she has to stay in a hotel for a while and then go home alone. In my opinion they heavily evaluate the validity of the relationship. The documentation provided should show that the relationship is genuine and solid, so to speak. They are obligated to protect the Thai woman by ensuring she is legitimately travelling to see a friend, boyfriend or family member, and the documentation has to prove that. I’m sure it would help if she has enough money in her bank account to cover her trip flight and expenses, but if you transfer this amount to her they will see that it came into her account as a lump sum on the statement she provides. Even if you drip fed the money over time, they know she isn’t working and that the money is coming from somewhere, This isn’t necessarily a problem or a bad thing, but it is best to be transparent and honest at all times and not try to pretend she has an income she doesn’t. If you were to transfer this money to her, I would write in your covering letter that you have done that so she has her own money for the trip and can pay her way if need be, even though you are going to sponsor her trip financially.

      Reply

  105. I have been married two years to my Thai wife,lived in Bangkok for about the same amount of time,she has land a home and about 400,000 baht savings,(myself only about 100,000)my best friend is getting married and want to go back for 3 weeks,my worry is my funds or lack of will hinder the application but I would say she has more than enough,also she work as a teachers assistant who have wrote a letter and we will saty with ,y sister when we go back rather than a hotel

    Reply

    • I think she has more than enough funds. That amount of money will cover her expenses and flights, and an emergency flight home if she needed one. Since you will be staying with your sister, I assume our accommodation costs will be covered too. Remember that it is a good idea to have your sister write a letter to be submitted with your application as confirmation of her agreement to let you stay.

      Reply

      • Can I ask?is a letter okay in the form of an email?also is it worth popping photos of y wife and sister as they met at our wedding?
        And one question more,Emirates have some great deals at the moment,I am worried if we wait until 3 months beofre to apply we will pay so much more,I have been told you can apply early and ask for the start date of visa to be deffered,any comments or knowledge in this would be very helpful

        Thanks

        Reply

        • Best to get a signed letter to make it look as legitimate as possible. The visa starts from the date it is issued. I don’t think you can back date it but check with the embassy. The U.K. May differ to other countries. You can book the flight while you apply on a reservation and pay once you have the visa. Or pay a deposit to minimise the risk of losing money.

          Reply

    • Hi Kitti, you will need to apply for a Schengen visa and a UK visitor visa. The UK is in the EU but has its own immigration/visa policy. You only need the TB test if you’re coming to the UK for more than 6 months.

      Reply

  109. Hi TTL,

    Thanks for the info and facts you have posted on this website, very helpful to many, I am sure.

    Would you know of a document translator ? that is located near to the AVAC center in Sukhumvit and that are reliable, once again thanks for all your informative help.

    BW

    Reply

    • There are translators inside the building on the ground floor. I assume they will be a little more expensive because they are based on site, but you pay for the convenience. I haven’t used any of the places so cant recommend one.

      Reply

  110. Hi TTL, This is really helpful and informative. Out of your experience how important is it to have 6 months of bank statements? As it states on the gov website that her and I should show 6 months worth of bank statements. The reason I ask is because I only just returned to the UK in September from working and travelling in Australia and don’t have 6 months worth of bank statements with money going into my English account. I started working a month ago and we are hoping to apply in mid January time. Would only 3 months be sufficient enough or are they strict on the 6 months? Thanks

    Reply

    • Hi Marcus, you can still get statements, even if no money was going in. What I would do is explain the reason for only 3 months salary in your supporting letter. I can’t see that this is going to be a problem, as long as they feel you have sufficient funds to sponsor your partner’s trip, if you are to be the sponsor that is. The key is not to leave anything to the imagination. So if there is a document they say to provide, or one you feel you should provide, but can’t for a valid reason, make sure you explain why in a supporting letter. As I said though, for this specifically, if you’ve had the account for more than 3 months but will only have 3 months salary having gone in by the time you apply, still provide 6 months worth of statements to show that the account has been open for at least that long.

      Hope this helps. All the best.

      Reply

  111. Hi ive lived hear for nearly 3years and only been back to uk about 3 times, i have a condo i bought aseel, i dont work and am not 50, but i get about 1500 pound a month,
    my mum n dad won uk lottery and was going to sponser taking my thai girlfriend back to meet my parents n family on a two week holiday with return flights for me n her back to my home in pattaya, WHAT DO WE DO TO GET A VISS PLEASE

    Reply

    • Hope you didn’t tell your GF your parents won the lottery. Just kidding, hehe. All the information you need to go through the application process to try and obtain a visa is provided above in the post. Just follow the steps. All the best.

      Reply

  112. hi can i fill in the application form for a uk settlement visa for my thai girl friend .
    i live in england and im traveling to bangkok in early january to get married and we would like to apply for a visa as soon as possible
    many thanks neil

    Reply

    • I don’t know the answer to this. My feeling is not without her being present, because she will have to sign the declaration at the end of the form. As far as I know, with a visitor visa, it’s fine to help someone who doesn’t write English well to fill in the form, but the applicant should be there in person so that all the questions can be explained properly and that person fully understands what it is they are signing. I’m sure some people do fill it in for their partners, but I wouldn’t want to tell you to do this in case it is illegal.

      Reply

    • Yes you can as long as long as when you go too fill the application out on the GOV website you click the link that says you are filling it out on someones behalf. I then printed the application and sent it via post too my girlfriend for her too sign and take too BKK with her. I hope this helps.

      Reply

      • They give no indication of how much money they’d like you to have, or even a hint as to how important it is. But in my opinion you should be able to show enough savings to cover the cost of your partner’s trip. I’m talking about daily expenses, accommodation, food, etc. Probably also enough in case she needs an emergency flight home. So if that’s a 2-week holiday, that might amount to 100 quid a day, plus the cost of a flight. You also need money for yourself, so factor that in.

        In terms of the money your partner needs: there is a section on the application form that asks how much money she has available for the trip, and what the cost of the trip is to her. If you are paying for the flights and accommodation and daily expenses, then she can say the cost is nothing. Though I think it is important for her to have some funds to show, because this lets them know that should you leave her stranded in the UK, she will be able to book her own flight home and cover her expenses in the meantime. So I’d say a good amount is enough for a flight and a week’s accommodation and daily expenses.

        I must add that these are just my assumptions based on logical thinking. Each individual application is subject to the decision of the officer processing the evidence. No one, not even visa agents, has a list of guidelines that the border agency use to decide applications, and there is no way of influencing the decision. All I can offer you is my advice based on my wife having successfully applied for visitor visas in the past.

        Reply

        • Thanks for that , that make a lot of sence , will be trying next year she had a job and a daughter I would like to think that would be reason enough for evidence of her return and I have been there the last 3 years 3 weeks a year so I think I have every thing covered, thanks again

          Reply

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