Not as impossible as everyone would want you to believe.

You don't need to put money in her account.

Although employment and financial obligations to Thailand (therefore a need to return) are important, it's possible without.

My girlfriend has been to the UK with my twice now. The first time, she had no official employment. She just sells doll accessories on Facebook and Instagram so her only "employment" proof was screenshots of her business pages and some transactions.

We didn't put any money in her bank account either.

We just filled out the paperwork with obsessive attention to detail. We provided sponsorship screenshots and said she would be sponsored for £100 a day. So the sponsors bank account needs to show that they could easily afford to sponsor the Thai citizen for £100 per day. If she's staying for a month? Sponsor needs to show that £3000 is no problem for them to spend.

A good invitation letter is imperative. Explain why you want her to come, provide plenty of photos as proof of relationships. Provide an itinerary of what sort of things you want to do.

It's a long and arduous process but it's well worth it and the requirements on your girlfriend's side are nowhere near as difficult as people say.

My girlfriend's been with me to the UK on two visas now.

@Luigi **********

My girlfriend's first UK visa was when her income was from her online business selling doll accessories. It was all through Instagram and Facebook and was far from "Stable" and she got the visa without me putting money in her account.

I might be mistaken but I think you need to spend 1 or 2 nights in Laos now before border bouncing. Maybe it's only certain borders, I'm not sure. But worth checking out because it might not be as simple as bouncing with a broken foot

That's a massive SIM card

@Clive *****

Yup. My girlfriends come with me to the UK twice now and we did it all ourselves. Not sure why people are so keen on using agents when it sounds like they still have to do all the same things we did (Invite letters, financial info, proof of housing etc). Not entirely sure what the agent does?

@Mikhail ********

as I leave Vietnam on Friday 11th, I wouldn't get the visa in time anyway. Thought I was in luck for a moment there though!

@Tod ********

Ah might not have enough time then. We'll see!

I'm flying to Vietnam tomorrow. My original plan was to get a tourist visa at the Hanoi embassy but the available appointments for next week all disappeared when it was time to book (I moved too slowly!). Decided to go Vietnam anyway and return on a visa exemption.

Does this mean I might actually be able to apply for a visa? My return flight is on Friday 11th so I realise I may be cutting it too short

@Gary ******

I've not heard anything about only getting 30 days at a land border ?

People come to Thailand on more than 2 visa exemptions a year. I know the website says that but it doesn't reflect the reality of what people are doing all the time here.

The general rule (written or not) has in recent years been 2 visa exemptions via land border a year, and unlimited visa exemptions by air BUT you'll always be at the mercy of the immigration officer and can be turned away if you're thought to be abusing the visa exemption scheme.