Advie for a father please - Laos gf and daughter

[i_hate_theo]

I am going to have to bite the bullet and write this thread. The longer i procrastinate and put this off, the longer its going to be before i can be with my family.

PLEASE HELP!!!!

I will give a brief synopsis of my situation, I have said it in a previous thread but will detail it again. Went to Thailand in November 2009, met a girl, first night of my first holiday in Thailand, fell in love. Went back in February 2010 and again July 2010 specificaly to be with her, no other reason. She became pregnant on the trip in July, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl end of March 2011. She is a Laos national and has been back home in Laos since she discovered she was pregnant. I went to be with girlfriend and baby in Laos for 5 weeks just after the birth. We are unmaried.

I want to get mother and child back to the UK to set up a family here, I am trying to use this site to guide me, but I just cant see the wood for the trees . I need to get the ball rolling asap but just dont know where to start

Im unsure if my situation is sufficiently unique that I cant pull information and advice directley from other threads on this site, I suppose each individual case is unique, I am just wandering whether my daughter, and a Laos instead of a Thai girlfriend, change much.

I have a million questions to ask but dont know where to start, can anybody just push me in the right direction, help me with the first steps of my long journey. I need to focus my energies somewhere, my daughter is 10 weeks old today and I have not seen her for 5 weeks

Thanks for reading

[richardb]

Im unsure if my situation is sufficiently unique that I cant pull information and advice directley from other threads on this site, I suppose each individual case is unique, I am just wandering whether my daughter, and a Laos instead of a Thai girlfriend, change much.[/SIZE]

All the threads and advice in respect of Thai partners are applicable to you too.

As a starting point are you planning to marry in the UK?

Richard

[the_link]

theo, can you please elaborate on what you want to happen, i.e. be more specific as to the outcome, then the good folk here are better placed to assist you in attaining your goal.

[deland]

I want to get mother and child back to the UK to set up a family here,

This is his goal .

I'd say going for a marriage visa would be the best bet.

[the_link]

As Richard's question, Sean, married or unmarried etc, which route.

[Tobias]

Given your legal predicament marrying away from Laos is probably the safest. Are there any specific legal requirements/formalities that must be met (permissions etc) regarding marring a Laotian female?

[deland]

Only joking mate

But i think maybe theo is asking witch way to go? and with all the probs he had before i'd say the best bet is the marriage visa, saves on going back to laos and maybe risking the same as what happened before, even if he was only going there to get married, they'd probably get him again with the help of the yank!!

[deland]

Maybe this thread will help you theo.

[the_link]

Only joking mate

No probs, Sean. Though, I read on a link attached to one of the other threads that permission is still required for Laotian girls marrying abroad, so not as easy as it sounds. As Theo and his girlfriend will certainly return to Laos sooner or later.

[deland]

yes i've been looking around and seeing conflicting things on marrying a laos girl

[the_link]

There are certainly more Laotian cultural and legal considerations, Sean. But once married and the relevant permissions sought, should be a trouble-free journey.

[lamai]

She is a Laos national and has been back home in Laos since she discovered she was pregnant.

Just a thought. Is there anyway why your G/f cannot get a Thai passport. Is so, then It would be cheaper and safer to marry her in Thailand.

[KhunIanB-UK]

If you can get around to it, it would be worthwhile looking at the language requirements and discussing this with your girlfriend to make sure that she can pass them when needed and keeps on brushing up on English skills. I would also then research all the evidence needed for a Fiancee/Settlement visa and start gathering it. Getting your daughter sorted out with her British Birth Certificate and Passport and then going the marriage in Laos/Thailand route (unless you decide that the Fiancee route is the way you really want to go), then submit applications with all evidence. Good Luck.

[ddwjg]

Theo.

Regarding your daughter. With the laws in Laos, I can't see how your daughter can get a birth certificate with you named as the father. It could open up a legal nightmare scenario, re your future returns to Laos. Maybe one of our immigration legal eagles has experience of this problem and how to overcome it.

One of our members, (married to a Lao national) who is on holiday in Thailand, and not online at present may be able to advise you, although he does not have a child, to my knowledge. I believe he is flying back to the UK on Sunday next, so should be on here soon after. His forum name is Gary&Nok. If you send him a PM he should see it quite quickly.

Dave.

[i_hate_theo]

Good afternoon all,

Am sorry I have not been on sooner to respond to the questions. I do logon when at work, sometime I am logged on here all day with a browser in the background. Trouble is if I am busy I never get the chance to read threads let alone write a reply.

are you planning to marry in the UK? No. If marriage is a prerequisite of my girlfriend getting to and staying in the UK, I will marry her in either Laos or Thailand. I think with the logistics and cost involved it makes more sense to do it out there. I am all ears though if people have different opinions on that.

Deland – thanks for the link, was a good read.

Theo and his girlfriend will certainly return to Laos sooner or later – I am flying out to Bangkok on the 19^th August. I will be spending 2 ½ weeks with girlfriend and daughter. They will be staying with family in Vientiane. I am trying to sort something out so we can meet and stay in Thailand not too far from the Laos border. Girlfriend is struggling to understand or appreciate my concerns about returning to Laos. She is still saying that the police are not an issue in the big towns and cities. I am trying to convince her otherwise.

It would be worthwhile looking at the language requirements and discussing this with your girlfriend – I purchased her a laptop which she has had for several months. I was able to install a very well known piece of language software on there. She was using it daily and I did notice improvement in her English. The only issue at the moment is finding time to use it (busy with baby). I have asked her to try and find at least 30 minutes a day on there. At what point would she be tested? I thought it was at the end of 2 years? If she is going to be tested before any visa is granted, we are going to struggle L

I have been in contact with an agency on the weekend, just sent them an email summary of my predicament and asked if they could assist. I appreciate that this forum exists to provide the information that the agency will charge me handsomely for. I just don’t think I am sufficiently competent or organized to be able to see this through by myself. I haven’t even started anything yet and already I am confused and getting stressed by it all.

I have been in contact with Gary(&Nok) before and he has been very helpful. I will pester him on his return.