Another visa option for Thais in Europe

[lindosfan1]

This may be helpful to some members.
We moved from Thailand to Greece in January 2009.. My wife who is Thai travelled on a schengen visa. When we arrived in Greece we both got Greek residency permits cost was 20 euro for my wife and mine was free. With this my wife travelled from Greece to thailand 3 times with no need for a visa.
We decided to move to the UK, and applied as EEA residents for a visa for my wife. The visa is free. It was refused as I was retired and not working. This we appealed against on the grounds that if I was Greek it would have been allowed.
We travelled by car before the appeal was heard, when we got to calais the UKBA very helpful, gave her a 6 month visa while the appeal was being dealt with. Which they said may be refused.
We have just heard the appeal was allowed, on checking the UKBA site, there is now a new rule.
If you are english resident permit to live in an EEA country with a non european wife you are now allowed a family/spouse visa. The cost of this visa is nothing it is free. This rule was altered in February this year.

[Siani]

Thanks for posting this, I know someone it will be useful to and will tell him.

[chopsticks]

That is an interesting and possibly much cheaper option to the usual settlement visa needed when applying to move direct to the UK.

Was it necessary to provide a test certificate for the English language requirement or pass the Life in UK test and does it grant permission to stay in UK for an indefinite period ?

[lindosfan1]

I do not know about the english language test as my wife is exempt as she has an american masters degree. She will probably have to take the life in uk test will let you know when we get the final visa.

[ge3]

This may be helpful to some members.
We moved from Thailand to Greece in January 2009.. My wife who is Thai travelled on a schengen visa. When we arrived in Greece we both got Greek residency permits cost was 20 euro for my wife and mine was free. With this my wife travelled from Greece to thailand 3 times with no need for a visa.
We decided to move to the UK, and applied as EEA residents for a visa for my wife. The visa is free. It was refused as I was retired and not working. This we appealed against on the grounds that if I was Greek it would have been allowed.
We travelled by car before the appeal was heard, when we got to calais the UKBA very helpful, gave her a 6 month visa while the appeal was being dealt with. Which they said may be refused.
We have just heard the appeal was allowed, on checking the UKBA site, there is now a new rule.
If you are english resident permit to live in an EEA country with a non european wife you are now allowed a family/spouse visa. The cost of this visa is nothing it is free. This rule was altered in February this year.

Does this mean I could marry my Thai girlfriend in Thailand then apply for a free family/spouse visa?

Thanks for info?

[dtaai-maai]

Only if you were both legally resident in an EEA country or Thailand joined the EU.

[Virmand]

As European citizen I see no reason why Thais in terms of visas should be treated any different than the requirements we are subject to in order to stay in Thailand. That would be the norm in bilateral agreements between countries on how to treat its citizen.

[lindosfan1]

It is not the Thais being treated differently it was the English (in my case). A greek could take is Thai wife in free, a retired englishman resident in greece could not. Racial discrimination.

[Siani]

I am quite not following..Did you get married in Thailand? It may be easier if this was so?

[chopsticks]

I think the gist of the Family visa is for when one partner is a UK citizen and after living with their spouse and supporting themselves in an EEA country they then want to relocate to UK.

Greece seems to readily issue residency papers to non-citizens but other EEA countries may be more stringent in determining eligibility.

It does appear to be an alternative option to the usual settlement visa route for UK entry but you would have to first obtain resident status in the other EEA country to qualify.
eg. If you qualify for an Irish passport and go there first.
Not sure for how long though ?

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/eucit ... ly-permit/#