Entry with visit visa if already on Spouse Visa?

[gretnadawn]

Hi All
I'm asking for a friend of mine, who married a thai woman, she came over on Spouse Visa last year, didn't settle, so went back to Thailand. has been back once, so in total has spent about 1 month in UK.
she now say's she is coming back, but to work in London, her husband (my friend) lives in Wales!
she is now saying if the husband informs UKBA that the marriage is ending, she will just get a tourist/visit visa
my questions are:
would she be able to enter again at all considering she has spent so little time here?
if she has a spouse visa, or if the spouse visa is cancelled, would she get a visit visa easily?
my friend now feels that the woman had no real intention of living with him, just strung him along to get a visa for the UK to work
any constructive comments would be appreciated..(he know's he's been a fool)

[Lucapooka]

Depending on when she arrived, left and returned, she may or not face questions. So, assuming there are no probing questions and she can keep a straight face, everything hinges on whether the UKBA know (have been informed) about the split. If they do, she will be refused entry on arrival and returned to Thailand. Otherwise, she can, (conceivable rather than appropriately!) re-enter on her current leave. What will she gain by spending a few more months in the UK before her spouse leave expires? She can't switch from that into another status!

[gretnadawn]

yes, this is as I thought.
I think she is intending to enter and go to London to then work (legally at first), and just stay here illegally when her Visa expires.
I have advised my friend to write to UKBA to tell them the marriage is over, and they will then hopefully cancel her Visa, he was just worried that she could then get a visit visa to come over anyway....don't think they would grant that though, in the circumstances?

[Lucapooka]

She would only get a visit visa if she had evidence that she qualifies for such a visa under the rules. Her chances of getting a visit visa would be good if there were court dates booked for divorce proceedings and she had to attend and she has good social and economic ties to Thailand and wanted to visit the UK to wrap up her affairs. Otherwise it is unlikely she will be granted a visit visa if it's not clear and obvious that she will leave the UK.

If your relationship ends:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas ... ship-ends/

[gretnadawn]

Thanks very much lucapooka, I have passed on the info, and my friend will write to UKBA about the relationship ending. They were married in Thailand, so any divorce proceedings will be done in that country, not in UK, so as she will not have to attend any court proceedings here, and she has little economic ties in Thailand, hopefully she will not be able to get a visit visa, and further exploit the UK. It seems she doesn't want to live with her husband, but has realised she could earn far more money here than in her own country, even if that would involve living / working here illegally!