LB visa. Anyone know the real deal?

[chenposeb]

Hi,

 

This seems to bring up different answers from different departments. Anyone know what the real deal is with our Visa options?

 

Me and my partner have had an online relationship for about a year already. I came to LOS last month and married her. Now the problem is that it couldn't be registered because legally we are both male. I intend to marry her in UK this year under a same sex civil registry which is legal in UK. I obviously also want to live with her as in both our eyes we are married regardless of what the law states.

Now our problem is we have been advised to go for a Marriage Visa from one department, then a fiancee settlement Visa from another department. To get married in UK we need to have permission to do so on the visa we apply for, so a tourist or student visa isn't going to cut the mustard (wouldn't want to go that route anyway).

We went to Embassy in Bangkok and they really didn't know what to do, first they kept telling us to do what a normal man/woman couple would do then after much explaining about the situation they said to get a Marriage Visa. Then we also had the VFS tell us to apply for a fiancee settlement visa (although we haven't been together for 2 years...which as I understand it is the set amount to prove your relations)

The other problem I have is that we have also been told that on a 6 month Marriage visa she will have to return back to LOS then apply to come back again after we are married...is this correct? We are also planning on living in Thailand in about 5 to 10 years time anyway so it's not like we want to stay in UK for ever.

 

It has already felt like someone has ripped my heart out that I have had to leave my partner back in LOS while I am here in UK, this is the second time we have been apart and I'm not sure that either she or I can handle having to part again after 6 months. Any info will be really helpful. Thanks

[7-Eleven]

Hey buddy... I have no idea about your visa issue. There are plenty of guys here that do know though so I will leave it to the experts.

 

All I wish to say is good luck pal and I hope it gets sorted out as quickly as possible.

 

Regards

 

IHM

[Matrix]

As IHM all ready stated,there is a couple of guys on the board that does help out people with visas for a living(and for a fee of course),do contact any of them...i think that is your best bet on the board.

Otherwise i am afraid that all you are going to get is speculations and guesses.

[Matrix]

Best of luck to you bro. Once you make it all work and are living together in the UK post a report, it will be interesting to see how ladyboys integrate into western culture as opposed to girl-girls.

I do know quite a few living in Denmark,and they seems to have adjust very well.......since there income has multiply about 4 times for a st

......so i have heard *)

[Thai Visa Express]

We do same sex applications and we are regulated and operate from the UK here is some guidance :

 

 

13.4 - Fianc

Edited January 24, 2009 by AZZZEY68

[som nam na]

Forn UK if you have been in a relationship equivalent to marriage for 2 years then your LB can get an unmarried partner visa. My TGF applied and was succesful. We could have gone the married route but I was married before and once before was enough.

 

See for civil partner http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/ukresiden...fecivilpartner/

and for unmarried or same sex partner http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ukreside...marriedpartner/

Your unmarried or same-sex partner may come with you to the United Kingdom, or join you here, if you:

 

- currently live in the United Kingdom and are settled here; or

- are returning to the United Kingdom with him/her to live here permanently.

 

The relationship may be a heterosexual or same-sex relationship, but you must not be related by blood.

 

You must both be able to show that:

 

- any previous marriage or civil partnership that either of you was in has permanently broken down;

- you have both been living together as if you were married (or in a civil partnership) for at least two years;

- you both plan to live together permanently;

- you both have enough money to support and adequately accommodate yourselves and any dependants without help from public funds

- you and your partner are aged 21 or over.

 

Your unmarried or same-sex partner must obtain permission to enter the United Kingdom before travelling here. We call this permission 'entry clearance'. It will be in the form of a visa or entry clearance certificate. To obtain it, he/she should apply to the British diplomatic post in the country where he/she lives. For information about visas, see our visa services website.

 

If you have followed the procedures correctly, when your unmarried or same-sex partner arrives in the United Kingdom, he/she will be given permission to live and work here for two years. Near the end of the two years, if you are still in the relationship and both plan to live together permanently, your unmarried or same-sex partner may apply to live here permanently. See Settlement for details of how to apply for permanent residence.

 

In some cases, we can give your unmarried or same-sex partner permission to live permanently in the United Kingdom as soon as he/she arrives. To qualify for this, you must:

 

- have been living together for at least four years as if you were married or in a civil partnership;

have spent those four years outside the United Kingdom;

- now be returning to the United Kingdom to settle here together; and

- your partner (unless aged 65 or over) must have sufficient knowledge of the English language and about life in the United Kingdom.

Edited January 24, 2009 by som nam na

[Thai Visa Express]

You would need to pass the KOL requirement to gain ILR in the UK,the 4 year rule is a waste of time as you cannot take this test in the Kingdom.

 

- have been living together for at least four years as if you were married or in a civil partnership;

have spent those four years outside the United Kingdom;

- now be returning to the United Kingdom to settle here together;

 

The biggest hurdle for most couples is proving you have been in a subsisting relationship however in most cases a fully prepared application can meet the criteria.

Edited January 24, 2009 by AZZZEY68

[Thai Visa Express]

Perhaps if you would like to give me your relationship background etc i could perhaps give you my thoughts on your application.

 

Or pm them to me if you prefer privacy on this matter.

Edited January 24, 2009 by AZZZEY68

[chenposeb]

I don't mind putting it up on here but we only met through an online dating agency.

we exchanged mails and SMS and online conversations for up to 8 hours a day sometimes, we sent so many emails and SMS over the year that we deleted a load of them, which we now realise wasn't such a hot idea.

 

We met for real last month and after a week we decided the marriage ceremony was a good choice as we are truly head over heels into each other. We have both had all the 'advice' on rushing into things too fast but have both deided that it is real between us and it was worth it to get partnered.

 

I have been married before, and have the decree nisi to show the dissolved mariage, she hasn't been married before.

 

All the 4 year relationship and 2 year relationship stuff really frightens us though. also the money thing, I have my own business over here in UK and what with all thats been happening in the world, although I will get through the rough patches, I'm not sitting on a load of cash or assets in the bank, so I'm worried that even though I can support us both I don't have enough for what they want to see. Also I'm not sure I can afford her to take too many trips back and forth just on my salary alone if we only get 6 month max stay.

 

I have worked out the expenses of 2 of us living over here and she wants to work, but even without work I can afford the running costs of 2 of us.

[Matrix]

Well, that's a good adjustment for them- not so good for their partners LOL. So basically the same issues as with the girl-girls?

Guess so,but i dont think all of them is in the p4p biz.

I did meet some in a bar,witch i understand was living there with there bf´s/husbands.

[derrylad]

although i've never been through this myself i know someone who is currently in the process of trying to get a uk visa for his thai girlfriend. i'm sure their are many ways of going about this but my friend went through the Visa Application Centre at regent house bangkok. as far as i know they are the only agency that will work on your behalf to obtain a visa that actually have any ties with the british embassy. from what i hear they have a pretty good success rate and they will talk you through the entire process at length and explain the potential pit falls before you make your application, insureing you give your self the best possible chance of your application being successful.

[Thai Visa Express]

VAC do not prepare your application that is where you submit the application?

[chenposeb]

ok, maybe i should have been in contact sooner, but it has been total mayhem the last month trying to get work here in UK again plus flat hunting and all the usual things you have to do on return to Blighty.

 

anyway, we have absolutely no money left for an agent (as we spent it all on the wedding in Thailand and the fact that we both weren't working for a month while I was out there). We just about scraped together the Visa fee at the last minute, my partner had to pawn her phone to get the bus fare...it's that bad until payday.

 

we just dropped all the documents they asked for into the VFS plus more, only problem was the guy at the VFS gave back some of the important documents to my partner, so we are hoping that faxing them is an option.(we find out tomorrow

my partner also got hounded by loads of agents on the way in, the one I spoke to gave the impression he was part of the VFS to begin with then said there was no way we would get the Visa unless we paid him £2000 to get it, aparently they are in the same building as the VFS so please beware of this guy.

I kind of wish we had the money to get an agent now, but just hope that this is ok. Needless to say we are both going to our respective temples daily to make as much merit as possible to give us a helping hand.

 

I will try to keep you guys updated on the events as they unfold, but lets just say it has been one of the most stressful experiences we have had to go through together so far....Let's just hope it is all worth it

Edited February 22, 2009 by chenposeb

[Thai Visa Express]

2 K WTF. These guys are a joke , visa world operate in the UK/Vac building keep away. We are not an agent we are immigration consultants totally different.

 

But good luck.

[Newton]

I was told by Azzey what to Expect , I walked in and they pounced on me , Same as you tried to imply they were part of the Visa Service people. Why they are not stoped I dont know.

[chenposeb]

I know, I really would have gone with you Azzey if we had any cash, but we are so skint we don't even have the air fare yet.

 

I was totally shocked as I didn't even know who this guy was when I realised it was a scam. I was sitting here in the UK crapping myself that some dude was going to mug the missus for her Visa fee for about 20 mins until she came out of the real VFS and explained the whole thing to me. (But then again she used to be a competition Muay Thai boxer in her youth so I shouldn't have worried too much ;) )

[coolman]

Good luck to u both.

[chenposeb]

ok, so we got the VISA YAY!!!!

I am so excited/happy think I'm gonna piss my pants for the next year!...haha

 

Now we only have to get the travel sorted and we are done....thanks for the advice and good wishes everyone.

Don't think I'll be back in Patts for a while

But as they say...you have to give something up to gain something else...

Edited March 13, 2009 by chenposeb