hi, can anyone give me any help & advice as to getting a visa for my girlfriend to come to the uk for a holiday.
i met her at xmas & will be returning in may to see her for a month & will be back in thailand again in december/january.
in between i am hoping for her to come to the uk for a month for a holiday this summer, probably in august.
the visa situation seems a bit over the top with a lot of rules & regs.
i am not looking for her to have a 6 month or permanent residency visa, just a months holiday.
would appreciate any help & advice. ?
holiday in the uk
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redzonerocker
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redzonerocker,
You have a hell of a job ahead of you after knowing her for such a short time. I can probably help you - up to a point. If you want my assistance, PM me, telling me what you know already, and I'll try to fill in the gaps.
It will not be easy, it won't be cheap either.
You have a hell of a job ahead of you after knowing her for such a short time. I can probably help you - up to a point. If you want my assistance, PM me, telling me what you know already, and I'll try to fill in the gaps.
It will not be easy, it won't be cheap either.
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DawnHRD
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Keep records of all communications between you - emails (print out some from random dates), birthday cards, letters, phone bills (itemised). The consulate will want to see evidence of continuous contact between the 2 of you. Photos are good too (of the two of you together)
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As BB has said, it's not going to be easy, but not impossible.
The Embassy are going to focus in on a number of things:
Is the relationship genuine? As has been said, the length of time you've been together and in touch with each other will affect their view of that. Keep all papers/letter/emails etc that you send to each other and records of any telephone calls. They will help. Photos etc etc.
She'll have to demonstrate that she can take care of herself financially and with accommodation whilst in the UK - can't be a burden on the state. Or you'll have to show it as her sponsor.
She'll have to satisfy the ECO that she has sufficient reason to return to Thailand. A job that's held open for her and letter from employer will help here as will her financial status, including any property she may own. Quite often, this is the most difficult point to prove/satisfy.
Visas issued are normally for 6 months and if she's successful and has said she only wants to stay for a month, make sure this is honoured. Although she won't technically be in any breach of imm law if she stays longer, the fact that she did may well adversely affect any future application.
I'm sure you've looked at it before, but if not search the Brit Emb, Bangkok website. It's quite helpful on visas and there are some useful links.
Likewise, if I can be of any more help, just post away. My wife was back for a month last year and had to go through the process that your g/f will encounter. I prepared the application, so it's all pretty fresh in my mind. Our circumstances were different to yours' though.
The Embassy are going to focus in on a number of things:
Is the relationship genuine? As has been said, the length of time you've been together and in touch with each other will affect their view of that. Keep all papers/letter/emails etc that you send to each other and records of any telephone calls. They will help. Photos etc etc.
She'll have to demonstrate that she can take care of herself financially and with accommodation whilst in the UK - can't be a burden on the state. Or you'll have to show it as her sponsor.
She'll have to satisfy the ECO that she has sufficient reason to return to Thailand. A job that's held open for her and letter from employer will help here as will her financial status, including any property she may own. Quite often, this is the most difficult point to prove/satisfy.
Visas issued are normally for 6 months and if she's successful and has said she only wants to stay for a month, make sure this is honoured. Although she won't technically be in any breach of imm law if she stays longer, the fact that she did may well adversely affect any future application.
I'm sure you've looked at it before, but if not search the Brit Emb, Bangkok website. It's quite helpful on visas and there are some useful links.
Likewise, if I can be of any more help, just post away. My wife was back for a month last year and had to go through the process that your g/f will encounter. I prepared the application, so it's all pretty fresh in my mind. Our circumstances were different to yours' though.
That's the theory but it can also work against you.DawnHHDRC wrote:Keep records of all communications between you - emails (print out some from random dates), birthday cards, letters, phone bills (itemised). The consulate will want to see evidence of continuous contact between the 2 of you. Photos are good too (of the two of you together)
If you have too many photos, too much correspondence and generally demonstrate that you know each other too well, your gf may be refused the tourist visa on the grounds that the relationship is so strong that the embassy do not believe she will return to Thailand.
That is exactly what happened to me & mine the first time around. It's a fine line.
In my experience, this is the most crucial piece of 'evidence' that you will need to present to the embassy.Lomuamart wrote:She'll have to satisfy the ECO that she has sufficient reason to return to Thailand. A job that's held open for her and letter from employer will help here as will her financial status, including any property she may own. Quite often, this is the most difficult point to prove/satisfy.
Lomuamart has given you the advice about what to provide and ecpect.
You have to remember that the ECO's (Entry Clearance Officers) have to deal with many applications a day, most applications are genuine though many are not, and they have very little time to make a decision and maybe at a later stage justify it, they tend to err on the side of caution.
Given the time the ECO has to make the decision I would supply the evidence that you have a substainable relationship and evidence that as a sponsor that you can easily support your girlfriend and, as has been pointed out, evidence that your girlfriend is likely to return is probably the most crucial as is the need to make the application as compact and punchy as possible.
I think that it is very likely that your girlfriend will be required to attend the Embassy for an interview, in the meantime good luck.
You have to remember that the ECO's (Entry Clearance Officers) have to deal with many applications a day, most applications are genuine though many are not, and they have very little time to make a decision and maybe at a later stage justify it, they tend to err on the side of caution.
Given the time the ECO has to make the decision I would supply the evidence that you have a substainable relationship and evidence that as a sponsor that you can easily support your girlfriend and, as has been pointed out, evidence that your girlfriend is likely to return is probably the most crucial as is the need to make the application as compact and punchy as possible.
I think that it is very likely that your girlfriend will be required to attend the Embassy for an interview, in the meantime good luck.
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redzonerocker
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thanks
hi all, thanks for your replys & comments. i know it will be a difficult process but i must admit i find it hard to understand why.
yes, there are a lot of not so genuine cases & immigration is becoming a bit of a serious problem in the uk at present.
i would like to add that my situation is a genuine one. yes, we only met a short while ago but i 'm sure about the situation. i only want my girlfriend to come to the uk for a holiday.
long term, my future would see me spending more time in thailand than the uk & hopefully, in the not to distant future, more permanantly.
again thank you all for your help & i will seek further advice on the subject shortly. regards rrr
yes, there are a lot of not so genuine cases & immigration is becoming a bit of a serious problem in the uk at present.
i would like to add that my situation is a genuine one. yes, we only met a short while ago but i 'm sure about the situation. i only want my girlfriend to come to the uk for a holiday.
long term, my future would see me spending more time in thailand than the uk & hopefully, in the not to distant future, more permanantly.
again thank you all for your help & i will seek further advice on the subject shortly. regards rrr
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Nisakiman
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I live in Greece, and when my gf wanted to come visit last September, she had to show the Greek Embassy a bank statement with (I think) about 50,000 on deposit.
She drew it out of the ATM on her credit card, put it in the bank, and got the stataement.
Once she had the statement, she paid it back to the credit card.
She also had to have a letter from her employer, stating length of service, position, salary etc.
And a return ticket.
She got a month visa (tourist) and at the end of that month, I was able to extend it for another 4 months (at a price! And I had to open a bank account in her name, and put a few thousand euros in it...)
They really don't make it easy....
She drew it out of the ATM on her credit card, put it in the bank, and got the stataement.
Once she had the statement, she paid it back to the credit card.
She also had to have a letter from her employer, stating length of service, position, salary etc.
And a return ticket.
She got a month visa (tourist) and at the end of that month, I was able to extend it for another 4 months (at a price! And I had to open a bank account in her name, and put a few thousand euros in it...)
They really don't make it easy....
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My experience was nothing like the difficulties explained here. You go to your work and get proof of income, (a letter from your employer and pay slips), a bank statement and proof of your address, (a letter from the city council), together with a signed photo copy of your passport (imagine how many of them are in Thailand).
Write a letter stipulating you want your g/f to come over for a holiday and send all this stuff:
Write a letter stipulating you want your g/f to come over for a holiday and send all this stuff:
- Proof of earnings
proof of address
letter
Holiday in the UK
In theory what you say is correct, that all you need to do is supply bank statements and proof of your address.
In practice you need much more. You have to convince the ECO that you have a substainable relationship and not only can you support your girlfriend but that she will leave the UK at the end of her holiday.
Unfortunatly there are a lot of less than honest applicants, both girl friends and sponsors and the ECO has to make a judgement on the evidence to hand, so I fear proof that the sponsor has a job and sufficient funds to finance the holiday will not, on their own, be sufficient for a visa to be granted.
More visa are granted than refused but you really do need to convice the ECO that it on the balance of probabilities it is a genuine application.
Good luck.
In practice you need much more. You have to convince the ECO that you have a substainable relationship and not only can you support your girlfriend but that she will leave the UK at the end of her holiday.
Unfortunatly there are a lot of less than honest applicants, both girl friends and sponsors and the ECO has to make a judgement on the evidence to hand, so I fear proof that the sponsor has a job and sufficient funds to finance the holiday will not, on their own, be sufficient for a visa to be granted.
More visa are granted than refused but you really do need to convice the ECO that it on the balance of probabilities it is a genuine application.
Good luck.
Its not just the UK and its not just g/fs that cause problems.
When we bring family members to Australia for a holiday ie No Work, No Study,
we have got to provide heaps of info.
One time we brought my Sister in Law for a 3month holiday. She is middle aged, two grown up sons, a home buyer in BKK.
We had to put up a $5000.00 security deposit, despite us previously sponsoring family members with no overstay problems.
When we bring family members to Australia for a holiday ie No Work, No Study,
we have got to provide heaps of info.
One time we brought my Sister in Law for a 3month holiday. She is middle aged, two grown up sons, a home buyer in BKK.
We had to put up a $5000.00 security deposit, despite us previously sponsoring family members with no overstay problems.
You only live once.
In the past when I've applied for holiday visas to the UK, I've been honest with the Embassy, and told them that the applicant does not have any spare funds for the holiday, which for most Thais is very true. I have gone on to say that I will be funding the visit, and have set aside X number of pounds in a seperate bank account for the visit - I have always presented a statement showing the funds in the appropriately named bank account.
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Being straight forward and truthful makes life very easy!Big Boy wrote:In the past when I've applied for holiday visas to the UK, I've been honest with the Embassy, and told them that the applicant does not have any spare funds for the holiday, which for most Thais is very true. I have gone on to say that I will be funding the visit, and have set aside X number of pounds in a seperate bank account for the visit - I have always presented a statement showing the funds in the appropriately named bank account.
I would have liked to bring my now wife to the UK for a holiday before we got married and she got an SV, bit makes sense to do so, but I didn't bother once I learnt what the embassy wants. All was okay for me but the biggie we couldn't overcome, as Jaime said, was the evidence that she would return. Usually, a letter from an employer and/or ownership of land is needed plus evidence of a bank account. The last of those 3 was okay, but not the other two.
Talk is cheap