UK visitor’s visa
Applying for a UK visitor’s visa for a Thai friend to go to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland can be very stressful. I am also certain that it is more difficult for people from some countries than for others and Thailand falls into this latter category. This is because the staff is concerned about the applicant’s ability to support him/herself when they originate from a Third World country. This is UK government policy and you must not hold it against the British embassy staff – they are only carrying out orders! It is worth your while remembering this when you speak to the embassy staff about a UK visitor’s visa.
Please remember that if you are successful in obtaining a UK visitor’s visa in Bangkok, it is valid for multiple entries into the UK over a period of six months. However, the embassy is loathed to give a UK visitor’s visa to a Thai the first time round as they know that not many Thais could afford to stay there that long without working. So you will be asked to state when you will arrive and when you will leave. You have to sign this note and it will be stapled into your passport. You must abide by this self-inflicted limitation, although your visa is still nominally good for six months.
Official government policy
Your UK visitor’s visa strenuously forbids you from claiming any money from the state, free help from the hospitals or doctors, or working. It is not a work permit! Many Thais are refused a UK visitor’s visa because they dither when asked why they want to visit the UK. You must be clear about why you want to go there. If it’s to visit a friend or lover, say so. It really is not a problem. But you must be prepared to prove your relationship. It must have lasted at least 6 months although this is not really ‘official government policy.
So, how do we provide proof of a ‘continuous long-standing relationship’? well, it’s not that hard if it is true. Keep photos, mementos, hotel bills, bus tickets, ATM receipts, phone cards, letters, and such. Don’t exaggerate how long you have known each other besides the stamps in his passport there are other ways of becoming suspicious too. Do you know the names of any of his family? Do you know what he does for a living or where he lives? Is his father still alive? Get the picture? You must prove to a doubting Thomas that you are having a relationship (of over six months to be safe). They have seen many Thais try it on over the years.
Visa application
After having gathered all your proofs you can get the visa application form (VAF) from the embassy or its website, which is really very useful for explaining what should be enclosed with the form and what the fee is (3,800 Baht or thereabouts). This is your last real chance to make a good impression, so get it right. You will only get an interview if you make the application impressive.
So the sponsor is very important here. It is really up to your sponsor whether you get your first UK visitor’s visa on the first attempt. He has to guarantee that he will take care of you and provide you with somewhere to stay and the embassy staff will have to be convinced that he is up the job.
Therefore, the sponsor has to show a letter from his company proving that he has a steady income or a bank passbook or statements proving sufficient funds to be able to cover his guarantee of taking care of your welfare while in Britain. But not only that, if you have said that you will stay in his house, you must provide a letter from the mortgage provider, the council, or something similar proving ownership or lease. Proof of marriage or divorce does not appear relevant although the applicant may be asked. Sometimes seemingly strange reasons are cited for a refusal of a UK visitor’s visa:
Thai applicant for a UK visitor’s visa
“This Thai applicant for a UK visitor’s visa has never been outside the country before ” this is an easy one, just pop over to Cambodia for a weekend.
“ The applicant for a UK visitor’s visa does not appear to have strong social or economic ties to Thailand”: they don’t trust you to return to Thailand. The solution is to get your boss and /or the buyer Bahn (village elder) to write a letter saying that you are a responsible employee/family member.
Do not be tempted to hurry the application for a UK visitor’s visa. Ensure that you have a ‘valid reason’ for wanting to go to the UK and remember it; ensure that you can prove everything that you say. Pretend for the day of the interview for a UK visitor’s visa that you are a lawyer and provide solid written proof.
Go over and over the details you have provided to the embassy until you really know them – as if for an exam. Your sponsor will not be with you, so get used to that. You will be asked some simple questions in English, but the main body of the interview can be in Thai if you prefer.
Tip: ask for a longer stay than you need because the visa runs from the day it’s granted and you will have to book flights. You could be delayed coming back too. If you have to cancel your UK visitor’s visa, don’t arrive back on a Friday unless you want a few nights in Bangkok.
