Tourist visa for wife to UK - easier second time?

[Batty]

Hi there.  I took my wife back to the UK 3 years ago for a couple of weeks.  My Sister acted as sponsor for the trip.  We are thinking of going back again this July/August, I just wondered if the chances of getting the visa a second time are much higher considering we have already applied successfully once?  I dont know if I want the hassle of getting my Sister to sponsor her again and was hoping to just apply without a sponsor?  Since we last went back 3 years ago we have got married (been together 7 years here though) and brought a house.  She has a few hundred thousand saved in her own bank - genuinely saved herself by putting some away each month.  The house is in her name so I guess that demonstrates she has a reason to come back to Thailand?  Along with her savings, her own business in Thailand (on line but with Thai customers).

 

Surely she could just apply as a straight up tourist without having to bother with a sponsor?  Or is it not quite as simple as I make it sound?

 

Thanks

 

Batty

[Isaanbiker]

I don't see a reason for them to deny her a tourist visa. 

She's already shown that she didn't do anything against the regulations and now being married, you shouldn't have a problem to be successful.

 

Her money in the bank and her house are reason enough to go back.

I wish you guys a nice trip! 

[theoldgit]

Most visa nationals traveling to the UK do so under their own steam without being sponsored, there’s no reason why your wife shouldn’t do the same.
As you’re living here together and have done so for some years, she has a property and sufficient funds in the back, she really should be fine.
Just take as much care with the second application as you did with the first, don’t cut corners and expect the decision maker to assume anything and you should be fine.


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[Batty]

52 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

I don't see a reason for them to deny her a tourist visa. 

She's already shown that she didn't do anything against the regulations and now being married, you shouldn't have a problem to be successful.

 

Her money in the bank and her house are reason enough to go back.

I wish you guys a nice trip! 

Appreciate the good wishes, cheers ????

[Batty]

47 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

Most visa nationals traveling to the UK do so under their own steam without being sponsored, there’s no reason why your wife shouldn’t do the same.
As you’re living here together and have done so for some years, she has a property and sufficient funds in the back, she really should be fine.
Just take as much care with the second application as you did with the first, don’t cut corners and expect the decision maker to assume anything and you should be fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Thanks oldgit, good to hear that.

[BLACKJACK2]

I have read on here, treat every application as if it's your first, I would agree with that.

[Batty]

11 hours ago, BLACKJACK2 said:

I have read on here, treat every application as if it's your first, I would agree with that.

Wise words I guess yah, thanks.

[globalThailand]

Sounds like very similar circumstances to me and my wife a few years back.  I wouldn't say it was 'easier' but certainly with proof of savings / property etc and the fact you both live together in Thailand (and therefore have a reasons to return) would likely mean a favourable result.  As I recall I 'sponsored' my wife for the cost of the flights as that was the biggest expense - essentially writing a letter as part of the application.

 

One thing that could make this potentially more difficult depending on your circumstances is the marriage certificate.  If you got married in Thailand and the documents are in Thai they will need to be translated to English and verified (We had ours stamped at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).   

[natway09]

If the UK immigration have a brain it should be a breeze if your information as given to this forum is correct.

I am from down under & same situation . NZ & OZ issued with long term visas easily(after the first time

 

[theoldgit]

4 hours ago, globalThailand said:

If you got married in Thailand and the documents are in Thai they will need to be translated to English and verified (We had ours stamped at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).   

Whilst a Thai marriage certificate needs to be translated into English, with the translators stamp on the translation, the the UKVI doesn't require verification by the MFA.

[cauldlad]

Similar circumstances to you married and living here in Thailand. Did it a second time last year. You do not need a sponsor from the UK.

I wrote a letter just like a sponsor I suppose explaining all the facts. I said Iwas paying for the flights and hotels.

My wife has a business here own money in the bank and a house in her own name.

Included all the evidence to proove what I was saying including details of her previous visit to the UK six years earlier.

No issues.

[sandyf]

18 hours ago, Batty said:

Wise words I guess yah, thanks.

"Surely she could just apply as a straight up tourist without having to bother with a sponsor?  Or is it not quite as simple as I make it sound?"

 

The sponsor letter is probably the most important item in the supporting documents, but it should be you, not someone else. What you refer to as a sponsor letter was a left over from the old days when an invitation letter was required for a family visitor visa. Most applications now fall under general visitor visa.

Your sponsor letter should be informative but concise and present a convincing case for your wife to return to Thailand. If you have a home in Thailand it should be highlighted and returning together would be a definite plus. It is worth stating that you accept full financial responsibility for the trip. At no time have I ever submitted any financial information regarding my wife, but not something I would advocate, each applicant should make the best use of what assets they have.

I have done it 8 times now and it does not get any easier, you must pay the same attention to detail as the first time round.

[sandyf]

For anyone that has not been recently the process has changed, documents are checked and categorised before being submitted for scanning. Once documents are categorised they must remain in the same position until passport has been returned. Partners can be present during this process but not allowed into the submission room.

People should download the barcode separators themselves otherwise it will cause a delay when you get to Trendy, I think VFS impose a charge to provide the separators. It should be borne in mind that the separators cover all forms of visa and not all are required. It is worth having the one for 'additional' documents even if you think it unnecessary as the checker may decide a document should be in this category, happened to us.

We arrived about an hour before the appointment and were allowed up straight away, my wife went into the submission room at almost same time as appointment and came out about an hour later. Enough time for a couple of pints in Breakers.

[SussexExpat]

If your intending to go July/August your not leaving yourself much time.

My wifes recent application, for her third visit to the UK, took 4 weeks to process.

[Almer]

Should be no problem, but they will still need to see an address of stay, a letter from sister saying you will be staying there will go down a treat.

I go back to UK each year for 6 weeks with my sister being the contact point.

The recent trip we took also included a 3 week jolly to France and Swiss and Schengen visa a formality with a UK visa akready in passport, that may not be the case if Boris is let of the leash !!!!!!! 

[cauldlad]

When we went last year I did not give any UK address as we were staying in hotels around the country.

I told them our travel plans in the UK but said nothing had been booked until the result of the application was known.

Not everyone stays with friends or relatives anyway so as I said earlier providing a UK address is not necessary to obtain the visa.

[MarkyM3]

18 hours ago, SussexExpat said:

If your intending to go July/August your not leaving yourself much time.

My wifes recent application, for her third visit to the UK, took 4 weeks to process.

This is true. My girlfriend, who visited the UK last summer without a hitch (has a decent job, studying for MBA etc.), has been waiting over 3 weeks for her UK visitor visa. She is due in the UK on the 7th July so we plan to contact them by the end of the week if it hasn't arrived. It seems tracking the application online isn't possible (at least that's what she told me) and it is quite costly to contact the visa processing team.