How to Obtain a Settlement Visa for the UK (Revised July 2012)

[Darren]

I read it had changed too, as of 29th March 2019 there is no mention of Sheffield and a fee of £75 has now been added

"All supporting documents can be submitted by your sponsor or an agent at any of the following locations in the UK

1. London: 66 Wilson Street, London, EC2A 2BT
2. Birmingham: 5 -14 South Road, Smethwick, Birmingham, B67 7BN
3. Belfast: Merrion Business Centre, First Floor 58, Howard Street, Belfast, BT1 6PJ
4. Leicester: C/O Peepul's Centre, Orchardson Avenue, Leicester, L E4 6DP
5. Cardiff: Temple Court – 13A Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9H
6. Manchester: 50 Devonshire Street North, Manchester, M12 6JH
7. Edinburgh: 1 Rennie’s Isle, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6QT
8. Liverpool: SUITE NO 207,Second Floor, Graeme House, Derby Square, Liverpool, L2 7ZH
9. Bradford: Skipton Chamber 16-18 North Parade, Bradford, BD13HT

"

[Mark W]

The definition of a deposit, as far as I know, is that you can ask for it back.

Most of the supporting documents etc have to be sent directly to an address in Sheffield as the decision is made there.

Here is what is needed for VFS in Bangkok:

https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/th/en/vacs/what-to-bring-with-you

If that is all that was on the refusal notice it should be fine. He will need to address it in his sponsor letter for this visa though.

This has recently changed, you can either scan your docs in or take them to a number of locations in the UK.

[bifftastic]

My wife only changed her name after we registered our marriage. However, many Thai people change their names (sometimes more than once) for other reasons than marriage (for luck, for fun, for whatever reason) and if they're then going to get married, they would need to bring that paperwork with them so that their current documentation (ID card, House Book etc.) will all match up with the Amphur office details they have on them. It's during this process that the officials determine that the person is free to marry (not currently married) and why we, as foreigners, need to provide the Affirmation of Freedom to Marry documentation from our embassy because, unlike the Thai person, we are not in their system.
The marriage certificate details the names of the people marrying, and will have your fiance's maiden name on it. It is after that process, if you both decide she will change her name to yours, that the name change takes place. That is the part that would need to be done at the Amphur office she is registered with which is why I suggested the trip back there after you marry. Obviously if you decide to marry at her local Amphur office, then both can be done at the same time. It doesn't take long, it's just a form, a couple of signatures and a new ID card.

[Baz M]

Hi Biff,

Thanks again for all this information. Can I just clarify that about the name change certificate, that she doesn't need to bring it with her to the Amphur officer before we get married.....I know you've said that we can get it all done in Bangkok and then head to her local Amphur office for the Name change certificate and issuing of new ID card......the reason I am asking is because I've seen on a couple of Getting Married in Thailand sites under the 'What your Fiance' needs to bring'.....


National ID Card
House Registration Book
Original Divorce or Death Certificate (If applicable)
Name Change Certificates

Are they referring to the one that the Amphur would issue or a name change certificate from say a previous marriage?

Sorry for this, but just want to be have a good understanding of it...

Thanks in advance

Baz

[bifftastic]

The affirmation of freedom to marry (which you obtain from the British Embassy) needs to be translated and then the translation is stamped at the MFA, which is the Thai government verifying it. So I'm not sure what other form of verification any Amphur office would need. Maybe some people didn't do that last step and had theirs sent to Bangkok for that to happen?
Her ID card needs to be done in her local Amphur office as that's where it comes from. We did our marriage registration in our local office so that's why it took five minutes, it's just one more form to fill out and then they produce the name change document. It is a Letter of Certification which says:
This letter of certification is issued to certify that Miss <name> Identification number <number> residing at <address> has presented the evidence of the marriage document Registration number xxx/xxxxx dated <date> issued at <Amphur office that issued it> before the registrar, she would like to use the title of 'Mrs' and wishes to use the family name of the male party.
The registrar has checked and found that the statement is correct. Therefore this letter of certification is issued as evidence.
Given on <date> signed <name of registrar> <signature>
Then with that letter a new ID card can be issued.
So, if you want to do everything in Bangkok up to and including getting the marriage certificate, then you can do the name change and new ID card in her local Amphur.
Then go back to Bangkok and get a new passport.

[Baz M]

[QUOTE=bifftastic;280109]The new ID card takes less than five minutes and is done in the same Amphur office where you get the marriage certificate, assuming you do that in her home town where she's registered (in the blue Tabien Baan/House Book). Passport takes about a week to arrive after she has applied for a new one.
QUOTE]

Biff, Stu......Thanks

Good info on the passport details and same day option, will definitely go for that.
Regarding the ID card Biff, any idea it how long it would take or if its possible to get one at an Amphor in Bangkok? Reason being if I can get the Passport and marriage certificates and ID all done in Bangkok that would be ideal. I've just heard that some Amphor houses in the smaller provinces potentially send the affirmations etc back to Bangkok for verification.....which could waste a lot of time. If she can get her ID card done in Bangkok that would be so much easier. Is this possible? I will get her to speak to her local Amphor to find out if indeed they do send the docs back, if they don't then that's good as she's only 3 hrs drive from Bangkok.

Thanks again....

Baz

[sisaket]

There is a same day service available for 3000 baht which my wife used in January but it’s only available at the Cheang Wattana passport office in Bangkok. Basically we got there about 9am. It took about 30 minutes to apply and have photo taken. We were told to go back at 2pm which we did and walked out 10 minutes later with a new passport. Normal renewal costs 1000 baht.

Really good to know for anyone with no time to spare, Thanya Park Passport Office, Suan Luang (BKK) using normal service is 3 days, posted out to a BKK address after filling application and mugshot etc which took about 30 mins.

[Mackem Stu]

Passport takes about a week to arrive after she has applied for a new one.

There is a same day service available for 3000 baht which my wife used in January but it’s only available at the Cheang Wattana passport office in Bangkok. Basically we got there about 9am. It took about 30 minutes to apply and have photo taken. We were told to go back at 2pm which we did and walked out 10 minutes later with a new passport. Normal renewal costs 1000 baht.

[bifftastic]

The new ID card takes less than five minutes and is done in the same Amphur office where you get the marriage certificate, assuming you do that in her home town where she's registered (in the blue Tabien Baan/House Book). Passport takes about a week to arrive after she has applied for a new one.

To be honest, I wouldn't have advised my wife to change her name at all, but during the marriage registration process she was advised to do so by an official in the Amphur office. My Thai language skills at the time weren't great so I missed the conversation where a 19 year old who had never been out of the province advised my wife that it would be 'easier' to obtain visas for the UK if she had my name.

It would have made no difference at all.

Still, it's done now.

The main thing is that if names are going to be changed, it's better to do it at the beginning of the process rather than during it.

Good luck with everything.

[Baz M]

Biff thanks,
I think I'm going to change my trip to a month rather than 3 weeks and give myself plenty of time to sort her new passport and ID card out and get all the tests done in her new name. Smash the wedding stuff in the 1st week and do the rest in the remaining 3 weeks and get her through the VFS door before I fly back......should be more than enough time....I hope haha

[bifftastic]

She doesn't have to have a 'married name' there's nothing in the laws of either Thailand or the UK that says name changes are needed for marriage. However, it's important to keep the same name and not change it if you're going with the name she already has. Changes during the process (of this visa, the next one, the ILR, and citizenship, if you go that far) will cause problems down the line.
If your partner does wish to change her last name to yours when you marry, then everything she has should reflect that change. She will be given paperwork at the Amphur office that shows the name change, that will need to be translated into English. She will also get a new National ID card. She will need a new passport too. Then you should change the name on the visa application as well. You can start another application quite easily. You can also open an account at Visa4UK in your name and click the 'I'm applying for someone else' option.

[sisaket]

If you have time I advise your Mrs change everything into her Married name, it does nt take too long and can save problems later on.

[rasg]

Thanks Rasg,
Just to summarise that answer then. Shall I just continue with her maiden name for everything. Except the marriage certificates and then look at changes when she eventually gets here. I just read on that post that it's a quick process to change passport and ID card, like 4 days or something..certainly a lot quicker than over here...

For me it would depend on the expiry date of the various things. My wife's passport runs out in 2020 and it was fairly new when she applied for her settlement visa and we got married in the UK too. Her ID card runs out in 2022.

I've read about a couple of people in the last few years where the Thai GF or wife has decided to change their name in the middle of, or close to, a visa application and that must be a nightmare.

[Baz M]

Thanks Rasg,
Just to summarise that answer then. Shall I just continue with her maiden name for everything. Except the marriage certificates and then look at changes when she eventually gets here. I just read on that post that it's a quick process to change passport and ID card, like 4 days or something..certainly a lot quicker than over here...

Cheers

Baz

And Gary, just read your reply, thanks

[Gary & Nok]

Like rasg, we married and Nok kept her maiden name right up until she did her Citizenship application when we were advised to do it in her married name.
We had no problems up until that time (not that changing it then was a problem).

One thing you will need to watch out for further down the road (but will not affect your future wife for some 5 odd years, and only if she decides to go for Citizenship), the rules have changed since Nok came here and apparently (someone please verify) you can no longer have passports in 2 different names, her Thai and UK passports names must match.