Key facts
- Baby William Cross was born in Thailand on April 30.
- William's great-grandfather, George Kerr, 74, has multiple health problems and cannot travel to Thailand.
- The family spent £400 on travel and biometrics for the visa application.
- The family estimates the next application will cost £3,000.
The UK Home Office has refused a visitor visa for Khin Thant Zin, a mother from Myanmar living in Thailand, preventing her British son, five-month-old William Cross, from meeting his ailing great-grandfather in Lancashire. William's father, Matthew Cross, a British expatriate who runs a restaurant on Koh Tao, stated that officials were not satisfied Zin was a genuine visitor and lacked evidence of significant ties to Thailand or sufficient income. The family had planned for Zin and William to travel to the UK for Christmas to see George Kerr, 74, who is too unwell to travel to Thailand. The visa application process has already incurred significant costs and travel, and the family faces a warning that future applications may also be refused.