If married, don't need loads of photos for visitor visa. My wife has a record from Malaysia. 2 applications, 2 visas granted, no issues. Simple one pager of invitation. Thai people like the idea of the uk, but the reality is a let down. My wife came over for 6 weeks last year in September/October. That made her mind up. Too cold and terrible food. A spouse visa is expensive. For the first 2.5 years, it's costing you £1500 in home office fees, not refundable, and £3000 in NHS fees. Plus you need a decent salary. Plus she has to go an English test in Thailand, and a medical examen, so another £500. After 2.5 years, rinse and repear. After 5 years, she can apply for indefinite leave to remain, the first step to a UK passport. But that's moot, because the current government is proposing to change that from 5 to 10 years. And by then, you will need a salary of £5000 per annum. She can get a job in the UK, but unless it's in the NHS or care home, she has to pay £1000 a year for the NHS on top of NI and tax. If you marry in Thailand, that's automatically recognised in the UK. It's advisable to get the certificate translated, but not essential. I suspect getting a UK marriage certificate recognised in Thailand is a faff. We're are content with visitor visas now. The UK has become too hostile.

@Wannikea ********

obviously it's live now given the op has submitted it.

@Christopher *******

A German teaching English because he picked up a bit aged 14 is not a native speaker. There are certainly different levels of spoken English in India, with Hinglish emerging quite frequently, much like how American English can be a screwed up version.

@Christopher *******

A lot of TEFL teachers did not grow up speaking English. A lot of Indians grow up speaking English.

You've still not specified what currency, bht, GBP, AUD, USD, Euro, Yen, RMB, Rub. They haven't reduced the Tourist Visa. They have said they might revert Visa exemption from 60 days back to 30 days from July. But I wouldn't be surprised if that's put on hold following the earthquake. And you can still get a 30 days extension for 1900 Bht when there. The 500k Bht is effectively surity that you will be able to take care of yourself and not end up begging on the streets. You need to show at least 500,000 Baht in your account for a cntinuous period of at least 2 months before application. So even if you find someone to loan you the money, you ain't going anywhere until June. Meanwhile, you can go now for 60 days without putting yourself in hock. And as others said, its not a digital nomad visa. The DTV is a 5 year tourist visa.

I think the OP is referring to 500,000 baht in the bank. If you are having to borrow 15,000 bht you are probably a mule. And if you don't have the 500k, you're one of the reasons why some Thais want this visa gone.

@Benjamin *******

All relationships are temporarily. Eventually one partner ends it by dying. He's married, and had been married for a substantive period. Sounds to me they had dotted the i's and crossed the t's but were unlucky in that the embassy official had met their quota and got to keep their own job. They too will have measures about how well they are doing their jobs.

@Cris *****

I've been told that the UK looks upon favourably Singapore, Hong Kong and, surprisingly, Vietnam travel. My wife has an essentially criminal record for overstay in Malaysia, but, least last year, for the UK, that wasn't any issue. We ignored the UK lawyers who told us to lie about the past.

LTR visa is free of Thai income tax

In the unlikely event of a new member ever reading this thread, a suggestion would to start a question by "I have searched the archived postings but cannot find the answer I need. (Blame Facebook, etc). So.....". You don't have to actually search, just say you have.