UK Home Office Blocks Lancashire Great-grandfather from Meeting Grandson in Thailand

The UK Home Office has blocked a great‑grandfather from Lancashire from meeting his five‑month‑old great‑grandson, a British citizen who resides in Thailand.

William Cross was born in Thailand on 30 April. His father, Matthew Cross, 31, is from Burnley, Lancashire, while his mother, Khin Thant Zin (known as Jue Jue), is a 31‑year‑old refugee who escaped persecution in Myanmar and settled in Thailand.

The family lives on Koh Tao, an island renowned for its diving schools and turtle‑conservation programme. It is a popular tourist destination, and Mr Cross, a mechanical engineer, opened a steakhouse there 15 months ago. The couple met on the island, are now engaged, and she assists in running the restaurant, handling social‑media and human‑resources duties.

Mr Cross’s parents have travelled to Thailand and have already met their grandson. However, William’s great‑grandfather, George Kerr (74), who resides in Clayton‑le‑Moors, Lancashire, suffers from serious health issues that prevent him from flying to Thailand. A large family gathering was therefore organised in Burnley for Christmas.

Cross added, “My grandfather’s health is too fragile for travel, and it’s heartbreaking. We have shared a close bond throughout my life, and I desperately want him to meet his grandchild.”

The family have recently signed a lease on a new home and have purchased land on the island for future development.

They assumed a brief trip to the UK for the Christmas gathering would be simple. However, the Home Office refused Jue Jue’s visitor‑visa application, preventing the family from travelling.

Officials concluded that she was not a “genuine visitor”, noting a lack of evidence that she would return to Thailand. They highlighted the absence of substantial family ties on the island and insufficient proof of her income.

Cross explained, “Jue Jue has never held a bank account. Her brother and sister both reside on Koh Tao, and her mother intends to relocate there once her younger sister completes school in Myanmar.”

The visitor‑visa process is costly and bureaucratic. Cross described the requirements: “We needed financial‑guarantor documents from my family, passport photos of my grandfather, my mother, my father and me, typed letters from each of us confirming sponsorship, and a formal invitation letter from my parents stating they were comfortable having my partner in my home.”

He added, “We had to travel to Phuket— a two‑night, three‑day journey from Koh Tao by ferry and bus— costing £400, solely to complete the biometric screening required for the visa application.”

The decision is final with no right of appeal, prompting the couple to prepare a fresh application. The Home Office’s refusal letter cautions that subsequent submissions are unlikely to succeed unless the circumstances of the case change.

Applicants must produce proof of return flight tickets, even without certainty of approval, and undergo a second biometric enrolment—a repeat of the lengthy ferry and bus journey from the island.

Cross estimates, “Our total outlay will reach £3,000 by the time we submit the next application, with no assurance of acceptance.”

The family remain hopeful that baby William will finally meet his great‑grandfather at Christmas. Since Koh Tao’s temperatures seldom drop below 25 °C, relatives in Burnley have purchased warm baby clothes in anticipation of a potential visit.

A Home Office spokesperson stated, “We do not comment on individual cases. Each visa application is assessed on its own merits, in accordance with immigration rules and the evidence supplied by the applicant.”

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