UK Settlement Visas for Fiancees, Wives, Partners, Children - For UK Visa Advice Please Call 08712886930 or 013272 210361-2 or 07956059792 - Business - http://www.orchidofsiam.com/orchidofsiam/UK_Settlement_Visas

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UK Settlement Visas for Fiancees, Wives, Partners, Children

For UK Visa Advice Please Call 08712886930 or 013272 210361-2 or 07956059792

Orchid of Siam are authorised to provide immigration advice and services by the Immigration Services Commissioner Ref. No. F200500016. Members of the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association. Now in our 20th year of business.

We offer a full visa service with friendly, initial advice or visa assessment available 9am-6pm Monday-Friday by telephone, E-mail or through our online forms. Please do not hesitate to contact us.

NOTE: On 29th October 2007 new, very detailed visa application forms were introduced. All applications submitted MUST be made on the new forms. The Embassy now requires the details of the adviser and the languages used to be included in the application; this is to deter unqualified and unregistered agencies. We are very pleased to supply this information by stamping applications with our registration number and OISC Kitemark which will help our clients as the Embassy are well aware of us and our professional standing.

Before examining the various types of settlement visa usually applied for it is worthwhile looking at the following chart which explains the steps to be taken in order to make a successful application and how we work on your behalf.

TYPICAL VISA PROGRESS FLOW CHART.

Stage 1.

Initial Consideration.

Free of charge.

To discuss client's requirements.

To gather background information on both the sponsor and the applicant.

To ascertain if the application is likely to succeed.

Stage 2.
Consideration and Preparation

To take client's instructions.

To receive payment for our services.

To issue detailed questionnaire to sponsor.

To issue sponsorship letters as necessary.

To issue list of documentary evidence required.

To issue mock interview questionnaire.

To conduct Land Registry search if necessary.

To speak at length with visa applicant in Thailand to gather personal information, explain the process and to check documentation.

To prepare the Affirmation of Freedom to Marry for British nationals wishing to marry in Thailand.

To translate any documents as required by the Embassy.

To arrange TB testing.

To prepare a letter in support of the application for the Embassy.

Stage 3.

Submission

Having received the documentation and information from both the sponsor and the applicant the application form is completed by a qualified consultant and sent electronically to our Bangkok office.

Sponsor's evidence is sent to Bangkok by Royal Mail International Signed For Post.

On receipt our Bangkok office will collate the sponsor's and applicant's evidence and arrange to meet with the applicant to sign the application and go to the visa centre to have the applicant's biometrics taken and submit the form and the evidence supporting it.

Stage 4.

Await Embassy's Decision.

To arrange mock interview and interview briefing session if the applicant is called for an interview. This is done as near to the actual interview as possible.

Please note that sponsors are NOT permitted to attend the interview.

Children over 10 may be interviewed and an appropriate adult or parent is NOT allowed to attend.

Any further advice or action as necessary following the decision.

General Information.

Advice for clients is available seven days a week from a named case manager.

Messages left on our answering service during busy periods between 9am and 6pm will be answered the same day.

E-mails received between 9am and 6pm will be answered the same day.

Out of hours advice is available to the sponsor in the UK or the applicant in Thailand via a supplied mobile telephone number.

There is unrestricted access to your qualified registered immigration adviser.

Immigration advice and guidance is given in Thai to the applicant and in English to the sponsor.

We deal with potential problem cases such as previous refusals, living with parents, sponsors in receipt of public funds, self-employed, parents or other relatives acting as co-sponsors at no extra fee.

We supply special considerations for child settlement applications and child interviews.

Our service includes free advice after the visa is issued on further leave to remain in the UK following marriage, permanent leave to remain (indefinite leave to remain or ILR) following two years of leave to remain and applying for British Citizenship one year after receiving ILR.

Our advisers are all qualified members of the UK Immigration Law Practitioner's Association and are all registered with and accredited by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner in the UK. One adviser is a Thai national.

The UK SETTLEMENT VISA also referred to as a Fiancée or Marriage Visa, is an entirely different type of visa to a tourist visa. Here the emphasis is on the UK national who is sponsoring the applicant to be able to join him/her as a fiancée or husband/wife. The sponsor must prove that he/she can support and accommodate the applicant adequately without recourse to public funds, you must also prove the fact that you are married or intend to be in the near future, and that there is an existing and substantial relationship.

The documents required to prove all this will vary from case to case but we will inform you accordingly and discuss the best method of satisfying the requirements. These types of visas need to be very carefully prepared and managed as they are often completely life changing applications and the consequences of failure can be disastrous.

This type of visa should be regarded as one that can lead to settlement in the UK.

MARRIED PARTNER VISAS

This visa is for people who are already married. If you have been married for over four years indefinite leave to remain in the UK may be granted. In all other cases a probationary visa valid for two years from the date of issue will be given after which further leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain will need to be applied for in the UK.

FIANCEE VISAS

In order to obtain a fiancée visa a wedding in the UK may be booked at either an Anglican Church or a registry office.

Often a local registry office will offer a provisional booking and this is accepted by the Embassy.

After your marriage in the UK form FLR(M) must be completed to allow your wife to start her two year probationary period and allow her to remain in the UK before the expiry of her fiancée visa.

Please note that a pregnant fiancee is not allowed to use the National Health Service other than as a fee paying patient and therefore you may well be asked to deposit a large amount of money with your local NHS trust before a visa will be granted. After you are married and her two year visa has been granted she is entitled to use the NHS.

CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS

For same sex couples wishing to have a civil partnership ceremony in the UK the requirements under the immigration rules are exactly the same as for a fiancée. Civil Partnerships are not possible in Thailand.

UNMARRIED PARTNERS

Any couple who can prove that they have lived together for a minimum of two years can apply for a UK settlement visa for the non British partner.

CHILDREN

For all the above visas a child or children can be admitted to the UK at the same time as the parent but a separate fee is payable to the Embassy for each child. Children over 10 years of age may be interviewed, this is not a formality. Children aged 10-14 may be interviewed in the presence of a responsible adult, either a parent, guardian or a designated OISC representative. Children over 14 are not interviewed in the presence of a relative but as an OISC registered firm we can attend the interview and discuss the case with the officer. The interview is to asess the current situation of the child compared to other Thai children and to determine if there are any compelling or compassionate circumstances as to why the child should be allowed to enter the UK. It is not enough that a sole custody order has been isuued to the sponsor or that the sponsor is a parent or other relative. We will fully advise clients on how to meet the requirements.

For children under 10 the Embassy may interview a parent or guardian. Again we can attend the interview with the interviewee.

It should be noted that the Embassy has very different requirements for children under 12 and those over 12 years of age. A 'child' over 18 years of age can apply as a dependant relative in only the most exceptional compassionate and compelling circumstances.

TUBERCULOSIS

Applicants for visas of six months duration or longer from Thailand and some other countries require a TB test conducted under the supervision of the International Office of Migration before they can apply for a visa. Our Bangkok office advises applicants on this and can book an appointment on their behalf.

INTERVIEWS

Generally an interview will be required for all settlement visa applications. We prepare the applicant with a mock interview/briefing session in Bangkok as close to the interview as possible. Children over 10 are often interviewed and an appropriate adult is not necessarily allowed to be at the interview. Sponsors, friends or family are NOT permitted to attend an interview and will be refused admittance. As an OISC registered firm we are entitled to attend the interview of any applicant and to address the entry clearance officer about the case after the interview. If an interview is required it can take up to 12 weeks from the date of application but it is usually quicker.

ACCOMMODATION REQUIREMENTS

In all cases it is necessary to show that there will be adequate accommodation for the visa applicant and everybody else living at the same address. For this purpose bathrooms, kitchens and toilets are excluded from the room total. A baby under 1 year old does not count as a person and any children under 10 years of age count as only half a person. At least one room must be for the sole use of an adult visa applicant but this obviously may be shared with a spouse or fiancee or partner. The following table lists how the requirement is calculated.

Number of Rooms

1
2
3
4
5

With an additional 2 people
for each room in excess of 5

Number of
People

2
3
5
7.5
10

FINANCIAL SUPPORT REQUIREMENT

In all cases there must be proof that adequate financial support is available for both the visa applicant and any other members of the immediate family. The minimum income requirement is the same as the income support benefit level after the deduction of taxes, rent, mortgage, council tax etc.

The April 2007 income support level for a married couple over 18 years of age is £92.80 per week. It is therefore necessary for the sponsor to prove that his disposable income after deductions is at this level or higher.

If a sponsor is in receipt of any public funds he must be able to clearly demonstrate that he will not have any need to claim extra funds for the visa applicant.

In the case of a spouse no permission to work is required and if the applicant can prove that they have skills or an offer of employment this will be taken into account in determining if adequate support is likely to be available.

RETURN OF DOCUMENTS

In all cases the Embassy will return all the documentation submitted in support of the application to the visa applicant along with their passport and the outcome of the request. Original documents will NOT be returned unless a photocopy is supplied along with the original at the time of application.

GENERAL

Being located in Epsom in South East England we are only approximately 30 minutes by train from London Victoria, Waterloo or London Bridge stations and within a few minutes of the M25. We welcome personal visitors although we appreciate that many people prefer the ease of dealing with us from the comfort of their homes via the internet.

We know that a settlement visa application is a life changing process for all parties involved and that people are concerned about the cost and the risk of being refused which is why we handle all applications with the greatest of care with our expert qualified advisers available to our clients seven days a week on a number supplied to clients.

We are well aware of various visa blogs on the internet but they are often not worth the risk of relying on as the average person cannot sort the wheat from the chaff and in such an important, life changing application personalised advice from experienced professionals who will see your case through to completion is generally invaluable.

We are a firm regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) which means that our advisers have passed the professional competence examinations and have the necessary post qualification experience to qualify for a public practicing certificate.

Additionally one of our staff recently joined us and he was previously a Visa Entry Clearance Manager who was previuosly employed at the British Embassy in Bangkok. He has over 30 years experience to contribute.

An OISC firm is required to undergo an annual external audit of their accounts and at least an annual audit of visa cases to ensure compliance with the OISC standards. A separate audited Clients Account is required to hold money on behalf of clients.

The OISC has a complaints procedure/ombudsman service to protect the public and all fees have to be approved by the OISC. We are obliged to undergo compulsory continuous professional development courses to keep abreast of changes to existing legislation and new laws.

As part of the Home Office ‘umbrella’ the OISC works in conjunction with UK Visas, the Borders & Immigration Agency, Home Office, UK Work Permits and the British Embassies around the World to ensure the highest standards of applications. You will probably have noted that all visa and related forms include a request for details of the OISC registration number in order that registered firms can be monitored.

As at 1st April 2008 only one Thai national is registered with both the OISC and the UK Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA) and she is one of our directors.

With our directly employed staff in Bangkok to assist the applicant and us in the UK we remove the nuisance of both the time difference between the two countries and the language barrier. With over 19 years of experience of dealing with visa applicants for Thai nationals and our legal registration in the UK we are confident that we offer a very specialist service at an affordable fee and we look forward to welcoming you as a client. Please telephone or E-mail us to discuss your situation.

The British Embassy obviously works in accordance with UK law and our professional qualifications to act on your behalf and represent you to the Embassy can be verified by visiting the websites of the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) at http://www.oisc.gov.uk or The Immigration Law Practitioners Society at http://www.ilpa.org.uk

APPEALS

In some cases the Embassy may refuse an application in which case they must supply a written notice detailing their reasons. Often we find that the Embassy have made a mistake or acted in an unlawful manner. For our clients we do not charge for launching an appeal and there are no further fees payable to ourselves or the Embassy. The cost of getting advice on making an appeal would be at least £500.00 so our clients are spared this possible extra expense. In the majority of cases the issue can be resolved without the need to go to a full appeal which can take at least six months.

Please also read our UK Visas page for important information. Please also see UK Visas or UK Tourist Visas or UK Student Visas For Thais To start the visa application process please complete our online sponsorship form On line Sponsorship Form

Visa Enquiry Form

Please use this form to submit visa enquiries but not to apply for a visa.

Please fill in the blanks. Fields marked with * are Required.

Your Name:

*

Your E-mail Address:

*

Nationality of the Visa Applicant:

*

Your Enquiry:

*

Your Telephone Number:

Orchid of Siam
24, Digdens Rise,
Epsom,	Surrey,	KT18 7DL
England.
01372210361-2
orchidofsiam@hotmail.com

Visitors: 20028

Page Updated Fri May 2, 2008 5:53am EDT