Thai Spouses of UK citizens who wish to join their partner and settle in the UK are qualified to apply for a UK Spouse Visa in Thailand. The UK Spouse visa will allow the holder to live and work in the UK for two years. Near the expiration of the allowed time to stay, if the couple is still married and living together, the Thai spouse may then apply for a permanent residency in the UK. There are three significant issues to consider before filing an application for a UK Spouse Visa in Thailand. These are as follows:
1. The Legal Marriage and genuine ongoing relationship.
This can be supported by submitting the original copy of the Marriage Certificate along with other documents. Another way of proving the marital relationship is by showing pictures or recorded videos taken during the wedding ceremony or the actual Marriage Registration. You must be able to show exchange of correspondence such us letters, postcards, chats, emails, telephone bills, photos together and even receipts of money transfers. Plane tickets, boarding passes and hotel bookings can also be used as proof to show that you have done things and traveled together. Both the applicant and sponsor should also write a letter about their relationship stating how and when the first meeting took place, how the relationship developed and express each eagerness and desire to be with each other to spend life together as family.
2. The Sponsor's current Financial Position and Accommodation in the UK.
The UK Embassy in Bangkok and its commercial organization partner, VFS, will check if the sponsor has the capability to support the future spouse's stay in the UK without asking help from the public funds. To affirm and establish this requirement, the sponsor must provide his/her latest six months bank statements, employment certificate, at least 3 months recent pay slips, house title deed, mortgage or contract with the landlord. To strengthen this requirement, a photo of the sponsor's house in the UK (including every room) is a must.
3. Age requirement is at least 21 years old.
This is very simple. If the applicant is below 21 years of age, the sponsor must wait until the applicant is 21 before applying for a spouse visa. This rule applies the same way to the sponsor. Thus, none of the couples must be under 21 during the application. Both of them must be of legal age for the Thai spouse to be issued a UK Spouse Visa in Thailand.
Jose Darrel Bella works as a Consultant for Siam Legal International, Thailand's largest legal service network with offices in Bangkok, Manila, London, Los Angeles, Phuket, Samui, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin. Contact Siam Legal at +66 (0) 253 8100 or info@siam-legal.com to learn more about UK Spouse Visa Thailand or UK Visa Thailand in general.