Is it better for my Thai girlfriend to apply for a UK visa from Thailand or from the UK?

Mar 19, 2024
8 months ago
Phil *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I live in the United Kingdom , my girlfriend lives in Thailand , I want to bring her back to the U.K. with me for 3 months , is it better to get her visa from Thailand or is it better to get from United Kingdom ?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A user seeks advice on whether their Thai girlfriend should apply for a UK visa from Thailand or the UK for a three-month visit. Community responses emphasize that the girlfriend must apply herself from Thailand, typically through the UK government website. Comments detail the necessary procedures, including the importance of providing proof of her intention to return to Thailand, such as employment verification or property ownership. Users generally advise against using an agent, citing the application process can be completed easily online and encourage gathering adequate documentation to support her application.
Albert *****
Please I need a sponsorship to come work at UK
Bill *********
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Gareth *******
Best way is to put sufficient funds into her bank account and then no need for you to be involved.
John ********
@Gareth ******
I would think long and hard about that bit of advice. You are right, he most likely will not be involved much longer once he gives her the money
Paul *******
I have got 3 visas for uk for my girlfriend. First a 1 year using an agent. In year 2 I did it myself and got a 2 year visa for her. Then on the next application did a five year. That’s just ran out. I’m applying too. Things have changed a bit.

Most of the docs and photos you need are downloaded on to the uk gov website but some must be with her when she goes in person at VFS Bangkok for Biometrics.

Any tourist visa is valid for a year but they can’t stay more than 6 months in that year.

You need to show a reason she’ll return and you need to show your relationship is real- phots, hotel bookings, phots with family etc

A letter from you explaining the relationship and why the visit and the fact you’ll pay. Photos of where you live/ will stay.

I’d make sure she can provide a bank statement with a grand in. I’d say she is only coming for a month- you book flight after visa for longer.

Get familiar with docs required for both web sites and start accumulating everything. Make a list. You’ll know when you are close. Good luck
Mark *********
Reason to return seems to be the big one. People talk about back to her high-earning job. I would say that it is important to also talk about caring responsbilities she has to come back to and can only be away from for a few weeks. Caring for her dear old Dad who has all manner of health problems. Cousins can only step in for her doing this work for a few weeks.
Michael *******
@Paul ******
yup! Correct!👍
Ian ********
Get a small boat in France and a free house in UK
Michael *******
@Ian *******
yea! Might aswell!
SP *******
Never Westernise them .
Michael *******
Just done it in Thailand through agent. Lots of paperwork from 5 year relationship. Financial info from both parties. Flew to BKK for her fingerprint scan. And biometric scan.

She has good job here. Which helps enormously on application. Plus a letter of leave from her employer. Agent was first class, good news we got the visa! 6 month. But due to her work. Returns in 45 days!
Jim ********
@Michael ******
You'd find you don't need an agent as the online process is so simple, but it's each to their own. My lady has done it six times herself with zero problems
Michael *******
@Jim *******
i know. Ive retired here. So did it quickly. So she comes back with me for quick visit!
Kev *********
What seems to be misrepresented is that a third party cannot apply for a visa. ( except in the case of a parent applying for an infant) The visa applicant is the person who requests entry clearance. Sure, a third party can fill forms but it will be signed by the applicant. The document receiving centre ie VFS have no influence on the outcome.
Bobby *********
Ian *********
You just have to provide the documentation asked for. They need to know she has somewhere to stay and enough money for the trip or you will and she’ll return when you say. I got mine medical insurance for the uk as well for the trip. They make money from visas so as long as you satisfy the requirements there shouldn’t be a problem.
Cassius **********
It's not as difficult as people say, and don't waste your money on an agent.

There's a lot of paperwork to fill out, that can be arduous. But last year we got my girlfriend a visa and she had no official job on paper. She handmakes doll accessories and sells them on Instagram and provided screenshots of that, but that's all. No official job. No land, no house to pay a mortgage on.

What I think was most important was the sponsor bank statements as well as an invitation letter detailing how much she would be sponsored with each day. Proof of relationship (Photos, etc), as well as a letter from her stating why she wants to go and what she will do there.

I was lead to believe it was not at all likely she would get the visa because she has no job 'on paper', she has no land deeds or financial obligations that mean she needs to return to Thailand. We was over the moon when she got the visa through. Not too long after a friend of mine (Who's girlfriend is in a similar situation) also a visitor visa to the UK.

People talk like it's impossible without certain things but I think they might be talking out of their arse.
Martin ******
I'll repeat this here, just for others reading who might not spend the time and effort if they think it is easy.

My girlfriend had visited UK once before, with me (and had left after 6 weeks exactly as stated), had gov job of >10 years in home country, was pregnant with my son, they rejected her because we didn't provide a letter from a doctor stating how long delivering our son would take. After many months they accepted this was ludicrous and issued the visa (but by then we'd moved to Thailand, so not all bad!). They get about 5 minutes to review each application, absolutely no accountability at all (safer to refuse), all it takes is to catch someone who got out of bed the wrong side. I've many friends who've been refused for utterly stupid reasons. You were lucky.
Us *****
Why would you torture her like this? Bad food, bad weather, expensive, and I am not even going to mention the amount of racism she will face. I have been to England more than 10 times. If I could travel back in time, I would tell the Vikings to go straight to France. England is a sh**ty place to live.
Jonathan **********
@Us ****
Us Nek yet you've been back more than 10 times🙄 Sucker for punishment🤣
Us *****
@Jonathan *********
I have family there so I was forced to visit.
Michael ********
@Us ****
Rollo the Viking did go to France (normandy) and then they became the Normans and invaded anyway
Us *****
@Michael *******
if Rollo were alive today, he would invade too. They have a weak king that cannot lead his people.
Steve *********
You can do it on her behalf. The key is that you need show she will return after visit, A letter from her employer. Show she owns house if possible. Show you have funds to keep her , overkill on the Info you give
Ste *******
You have to apply in the UK for tourist visa. She needs a couple of legitimate reasons to return. I.e. House, kids, job (Proper job not massage or bar) She also needs to take a TB test in bangkok. Or youll have no chance. Oh and you need to prove your single, house owner and earn more than £38,600 per year. With evidence. Also...lol you need to prove your relationship is over 24 months with photos travel tickets etc. Good luck
Jeffrey ************
Save your money...
Bart **************
How much choice you have? 🤷
Josh ******
hi mate , apply through the uk government website you can complete the whole application for her but there will be a section where you say that you completed it. Make sure you have all your documents ready before applying , I can dm you a list of what you will need and don’t use an agency what a waste of money! I had my girlfriend accepted on a 6month visa last week.
Colin **********
You will find it difficult to get a visa unless you can prove your in a relationship AND she as good reason to return to Thailand, such as she owns a house, has money in the bank, has a job where the employer gives a letter saying she will return and any other evidence she will return.
Cassius **********
@Colin *********
My girlfriend got the visitor visa last year with none of that.

No job 'on paper'. She provided screenshots of the Instagram through which she sells hand made doll accesories though. So no employer letters, nothing official.

Doesn't own a house. Our rental contract is in my name.

Very little money in the bank.

She does have a car, but the lease is in her brothers name so we didnt use that.

We just had proof of relationship, all the paperwork adequatly filled out, sponsor bank statements couples with a sponsor invitation letter than outlines how much money she will be sponsored with every day, and a letter from her saying why she wants to come and what she intends to do here.

And a few months later a friend in a similar situation also managed to get a visa.

I think people overstate how unlikely it is. It's not easy, and you need to be dilligent with the paperwork. But it's not as hard as people like to pretend it is.
Martin ******
@Cassius *********
my girlfriend had visited UK once before, with me (and had left after 6 weeks exactly as stated), had gov job of >10 years in home country, was pregnant with my son, they rejected her because we didn't provide a letter from a doctor stating how long delivering our son would take. After many months they accepted this was ludicrous and issued the visa (but by then we'd moved to Thailand, so not all bad!). They get about 5 minutes to review each application, all it takes is to catch someone who got out of bed the wrong side.
Jim ********
@Colin *********
Yes. My lady has been twice to UK and she always has to provide (1) position and length of service from her employer (2) payslips (3) bank account statements (4) land title deeds.
Josh ******
@Jim *******
thats good to hear as i thought that would be the case , cheers mate
Josh ******
@Jim *******
not had the same experience at all , don’t think this is entirely true. My girlfriend is 22 and falls into very few of the categories people say they need to , to be accepted.
Jim ********
@Josh *****
It's totally true because it's what happened. They weren't interested in my income at all, although they wanted to see proof of relationship. You do it once and others are easy to follow. She's now had 2 x UK visas, 1 x Schengen and 3 x Australia. It's all very easy now
Colin **********
@Josh *****
the more evidence you have the stronger your case, no one said you had to have them all
Josh ******
@Colin *********
ye I agree sorry mate maybe just the way I read it. I think the quality of the evidence , I have a fairly high income and our relationship is genuine so wasn’t much work for me to do.
Ari **********
It’s not easy I can say. Need so many documents so probably she need help from agency. Even every documents, bank account , invation letter, workplace testimony, support, personal application, interview in Bangkok and so on are clear and payments done, UK can deny visa ( mostly so).
Michael **********
have you met her in pattaya?
Carter *********
Is she Buddhist?Will she live with you not married 4 three months?
Metty *******
Get a thai agent does all the work with your girlfrind in Bangkok. They will take her to consulate for interview fill the forms etc.

She can have 6 mouths visiting visa with no proplems if ,you fit to the requirements from your end .income and accommodation is important.

Good luck 👍
Henrik *****
Take control over you life and do the necessary things yourself, instead of being dependant on others.

You will have to deliver then samme informations to the agent as to the authorities.

Then better to cut out the middleman.
Kev *********
@Metty ******
She'll be interviewed if necessary at VFS not the consulate.
Stuart ***********
@Metty ******
are these agents from the UK? if not why pay a Thai person to do a UK process?

Is there a guaranteed pass or no fee?

I don't understand why anyone would use an agent for this task, surely it's just a case of organising and providing the evidence the UK government request.

If they have insufficient evidence the agent can't bribe someone in the UK to approve it.
Kev *********
@Stuart **********
100% bang on Stuart.
Jim ********
Jim ********
@Metty ******
There's no longer forms to fill in at the consulate. The application is done online. An agent is a total 100% waste of money. Very easy to do online
Eroll *********
@Metty ******
they get her to vsf? Which agent?
Eroll *********
Do any of them have a money back guarantee if they don’t succeed?
Michael ********
@Eroll ********
there are a few agents in trendy building. Which is same place as vfs
Metty *******
@Eroll ********
' siam legal ' is a good one tel +6622548900
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*****
*****


Cost a round 30.000 .you can shop a round on line there are other companys
Henrik *****
Think again about taking her to Europe for the maximum 90 days.

If she can be away from her family and work for 3 months, and during that period not generate income for the family, while at the same time there is a large expense per day, then it can be seen that there is no need, that she returns to Thailand as soon as possible.

In a country where the annual holiday is 1-2 weeks and with a 6-day working week, it would be more realistic for her to be on holiday for a maximum of 4 weeks, if the employer is very accommodating, before she returns to her obligations towards the rest of the family, especially if there has not been a large amount in the bank account for a long time before the guarantee money was deposited.
Will ************
She has to apply via the UK government website and make an appointment at VFS Global in Bangkok to submit documents and get her biometrics taken. The visa costs around £110 and there are charges for biometrics, translating any documents and also for any copies needed.
Ron *********
Good luck
Shaun ********
This will give u info on what u need to do
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ฉันเป็นทางของประชาชน *********
Don’t do it. I had to mate take his Thai girlfriend to the USA and she told him you’re not handsome in your country you only handsome in Thailand
Roberto *********
She must apply through this website. It's the only way

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Brandon ************
Your girlfriend is the one who has to apply for a visa. You can't get her anything. She would need to apply from where she is since her passport isn't in the UK to get any visa.
Josh ******
@Brandon ***********
not entirely true mate he can apply for a visa on her behalf it’s probably the best way of doing it
Dennis **********
@Josh *****
josh is 100% right. I did it from UK. You can be her sponsor. Google what infor you need. She will have to email you some that's required. I tried once while in Bangkok I was financially sponsoring her. She was turned down for not earning enough money.
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