UK Visa for Thai Partner

Sponsor a British Visa for your Thai Fiancé(e)

If you are a British citizen engaged to a Thai partner and plan on marrying and living with them in the United Kingdom, you can sponsor them for a UK Fiancé Visa. The visa is valid for 6 months upon their entry into the UK, and you must marry them within this period.

Continue reading to find out more about how to sponsor your fiancé(e) for this UK Visa and what requirements you need to meet.

UK Fiancé(e) Visa Eligibility

To qualify for the UK Fiancé(e) Visa, you and your partner need to satisfy the following eligibility requirements:

• You must be a UK citizen or permanent resident.

• You must be engaged to a partner who is a foreign (Thai) citizen.

• Both you and your partner must be over the age of 18 at the time of the application.

• Both you and your partner are permitted to marry legally in the UK under British law.

• You must have met your Thai partner in person.

• You must be able to marry your partner within 6 months of their arrival in the UK.

• You must meet the minimum financial requirements*.

• You must have suitable accommodation for your partner to live in.

• Your partner must meet the minimum English language requirements (i.e: passed the CEFR at A1 level or higher).

• You must complete a medical exam to test for tuberculosis.

*NOTE: Financial requirements for the visa include a minimum gross income of £29,000, or having at least £88,500 in savings (this has to be maintained for at least 6 months after applying). You can earn this income from employment, self-employment, pension, maternity allowances, or bereavement benefits.

UK Fiancé(e) Visa Required Documents

To sponsor your Thai partner for the UK Fiancé(e) Visa, the following documents are required:

• Completed and signed Appendix FM application form

• Valid Thai passport (and any previous passports if applicable)

• Two recent passport-sized photographs (in color)

• Provide proof of finances (i.e: bank statement)

• English language examination certificate (as proof that they satisfied the English language requirement)

• Proof of your address in the UK

• Proof of relationship documents (i.e: photographs, letters from family members, shared bills)

• Divorce certificate (only applicable if you or your partner have been previously divorced)

• Proof of biometrics (i.e: fingerprinting results)

• Tuberculosis medical testing results

How to Apply for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa

Once all the required documents for the application have been gathered and all the eligibility requirements have been met, your partner will have to complete and print the online application form as well as any additional forms needed. When ready, their application must be submitted to a UK Visa Application Center (VFS). It should be noted that a UK Fiancé(e) Visa application can only be completed while outside the United Kingdom.

VFS, a government-contracted service provider, will assess your partner’s biometrics for the application. They will then pass it to the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) which will review their application and determine if they should be approved. Upon approval, they will forward the application to the British Embassy in Thailand, and your partner will receive their passport from them with a visa stamp in it.

What to do After Receiving the UK Fiancé(e) Visa

Once your partner has acquired the UK Fiancé(e) Visa, they will be able to fly from Thailand to the UK and reside there for up to 6 months from their arrival date in the country. You must marry your Thai partner and register your marriage during this time.

After getting married, your partner must then apply for a UK Spouse Visa if they want to continue staying in the United Kingdom after their Fiancé(e) Visa expires. This allows them to stay for up to 2 years and 9 months and also gives them the option to work in the country without any restrictions.

Once your UK Spouse Visa expires, assuming you are still married, your spouse will be able to apply for a UK Spouse Visa Extension, which enables them to continue their stay for an extra 2 years and 6 months. Staying for the full duration of this extension then allows them to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and acquire permanent residency status in the UK.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Timeline for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa?

The processing times for the application are 24 weeks on average. If your partner applied for a priority service, they can receive the visa within 7 days up to a month.

Can My Partner Work on a UK Fiancé(e) Visa?

No, the UK Fiancé(e) Visa does not allow your partner to work locally in the country. If they want to be able to work in the UK, they can apply for a UK Spouse Visa after getting married.

Can I Bring My Children With Me if They Are Over the Age of 18?

Children who are at least 18 years old will need to apply for their own visa if they want to join you in the United Kingdom. If your child is at this age but also has a mental or physical condition that requires them to be dependent on you, then they qualify for the UK Adult Dependent Relative Visa.

You can sponsor your Thai fiance’s children, allowing them to join you in the United Kingdom. It costs £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for any additional child afterward.

What Can I Do if My Partner’s Visa Was Refused?

In some rare circumstances, your partner’s application for the visa may be rejected. They will be notified by immigration services of this refusal and be provided with a letter highlighting the reasons for the rejected application.

If this happens to your fiancé(e), then reach out to Siam Legal. We will assess the reason why your partner’s application was rejected and provide them with the most cost-effective solutions on how to reapply.

What Is the Cost of Your UK Visa Service?

If you choose Siam Legal to assist you with the fiancé(e) visa application, we charge around 49,755 baht plus value-added tax (VAT) for our end-to-end visa services. The visa fees, English language test fees, tuberculosis test fees, Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fees, and VFS fees are all charged separately.

Is There a Document Checklist for the Visa Application?

Yes, if needed, we will provide a detailed checklist outlining all the key documents required for your partner’s visa application.

Can the Process Be Expedited?

Your partner can request their application to be expedited if they apply for priority service or super-priority service. Using the priority service costs £500 and they can receive their visa as early as 5 working days. For an even faster application, they can spend £1,000 for the super-priority service, which will provide the visa within a single working day.

Does My Partner Need to Be in Bangkok to Submit Their Application?

Your fiancé(e) can only apply for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa outside of the United Kingdom. As a Thai citizen, it is recommended that they apply in Thailand to avoid delays.

If applying from Thailand, they can only do so in Bangkok or Phuket. They can prepare their documentation outside of these territories, but they need to travel to Bangkok or Phuket when requested to complete their biometrics. If they choose to apply in Phuket, they have to pay an additional fee to VFS.

What Siam Legal Can Do For You

If you want to further streamline your partner’s UK Fiancé(e) Visa application, then reach out to Siam Legal’s UK Visa team. As a full-service law firm active for over 20 years in Thailand, our foreign visa staff has a wealth of experience dealing with UK Visa applications. We have the skills and expertise to guide your partner seamlessly through their application, help them meet the requirements, and minimize delays along the way.

Siam Legal’s UK Fiance Visa services ensure your partner has the best chances for approval, and you can strike immigration issues off the list of things to worry about when planning your wedding in the UK.

Our services include:

• Full assessment of your partner’s eligibility for the UK Fiancé(e) Visa

• Consultation sessions to provide advice and address any concerns about the visa

• Comprehensive checklist of required documents for you and your partner

• Thorough preparation of your Thai partner’s visa application

• Submission of your partner’s visa application to the UK Visa Application Center (VFS)

• Careful arrangement of all correspondence with the relevant government agencies

• Unlimited assistance over the phone with our Visa specialists

Contact Siam Legal today and secure the easiest way to bring your Thai fiancé(e) to the UK.