GarryUK

for skype calls, i copied the whole conversation and put that into notepad. deleted all the actually written conversation and just left the parts that said "call to blah blah 43.32mins etc"

so it showed the amount of calls and length. then went back onto my skype and took random screen shots of the calls in skype so the ECO could marry them up and see that they match.

the good thing about using skype is even if the person changes there phone number it still comes up with there name, so they wont see different numbers if your partner changes it

Yes I've found Skype was easier than I'd anticipated it was going to be to export the chat log, unlike Facebook Ctrl-A works to select all (just the conversations). I started to edit it down, leaving just the odd conversation here and there, we'll see how many pages it reduces to when I'm done. Perhaps I will try to explain in the new letter how it's near impossible to copy FB history so I wasn't able to include it, but that I was able so have now included my Skype call history.

we waited over a year before reapplying, But used the time to build up the relationship. One thing to do, Is to Build up a folder with all the evidence that you need as you go along, this will save time when putting together your next application.

I'm not living in Thailand with her, so while we're on different continents we're not building anything, just missing each other like mad. I have realised from all the responses that every time I book a hotel on the Internet and pay on my credit card, it's appearing only in my name. We're hoping the two hotels we used in March will be able to give copy receipts with both our names on as we both had to give our ID, thus showing we actually stayed together, and going forward I'll be making sure I book under both names. I've also told her to keep the receipts for phone top-ups and monthly Internet time, she might not be able to show calls she makes to me in the same way as I can show calls to her, but it all helps right...

Can't fault the Ukba in this instance.

The Op doesn't come near the requirements,for a visa.

Wait a while and reapply,maybe a year or so.

Thank you for your input, but I disagree with you. We missed a few pieces of supporting documentation which we're working to address. We'll be reapplying again soon and hope you don't have any influence on the decision, hehehe.

I did an HSBC to Kasikorn Bank transfer the first time I sent the GF money. I only did it once! I don't recall exactly but it cost about £20 in the UK, then Kasikorn Bangkok charged 900B (worked out about the same again), and finally her local branch charged another 110B or so. I sent GBP and was told that's why Kasikorn charged me 900B. Her bank told her I should send from Barclays or Llyods TSB I think, but when I went in to see them both their charges seemed just as bad.

Since then I've withdrawn cash from an ATM (when in Thailand), otherwise use Western Union. Heard many horror stories, but not had any problems myself. Usually costs me £6.90 and takes around 3 working days, and it costs her 110B each time so about £2.55 in todays money.

Not as far as this forum is concerned, but it wont hurt, may help to say so in his sponsor's letter; which I assume he did.

Not implying anything about the lady in question, but before JLCrab or someone else asks; it doesn't matter what an applicant's past employment was or if s/he met their sponsor 'professionally.' But they should be honest about it.

To be blunt: Ex bar girls do get UK visas; liars don't.

Hopefully that will stop any further uncalled for speculation about this lady's past.

I did indeed talk about when and how we met, and about both subsequent visits including where we went together in my sponsors letter. This was also replicated in the many photos provided which included her meeting me at the airport, me meeting her family, our trips to Bangkok and Cha Am, and me meeting her aunt in the UK.

the main hurdle she needs to overcome is the 'reason to return' at the end of the visit....in the sponsors letter you could write that she wanted to visit the UK and continue relationship before moving onto the next step which would be marriage.

Good luck

I've known from the start that if the application was refused it would be because we struggle to prove she'll go home. In addressing the points raised by the UKBA I've got to provide more proof than 3 pages of photographs and 3 trips to Thailand that the relationship is genuine, and I've got to convince them that we fully intend to return together to Thailand in October to get married.

Paying sinsot and her parents using that to buy her some land is a waste of time as far as any UK visa application is concerned. It will be seen for what it is; an attempt to artificially bolster her application.

From your OP you seem to know where the problems lie, lack of evidence, and how to deal with them, provide it; but will say a couple of things.

Firstly, you should have explained that you use a low cost card/access number to call her and that this is the number shown on your phone bills.

Had you done that, then I'm sure that you were unable to provide Skype logs etc. would have been accepted.

The ECOs are well aware of modern technology.

However, it may be worthwhile exchanging some emails and including print outs of the headers (the contents are none of the ECOs business) in her next application.

Secondly, if she says she is going to visit her aunt while she is in the UK then include a letter from her aunt confirming this. A copy of her aunt's British passport whilst not essential wont hurt. Her aunt can self certify the copy.

You may find UK Visit Visa Basics helpful.

Feel free to ask any further questions.

As always 7by7 a very helpful answer with guidance. Yes you're right, on some of the points I know we have to include new supporting documents or clarify the information already provided, we're on the same page re the WorldSIM phone and invitation letter & passport from the aunt.

Thank you for your input on the sinsod/land question, I've been having the same thoughts that it might just appear to be a move to address the visa refusal. As it happens we've been talking about it for a long time, but they don't know that.

I have manually copied our chat log from Facebook but think there's far too much information and things said I wouldn't want them to read. Not sure what to do with this information - do I filter it, do I include the odd page or six showing regular consecutive dates and explain there are 360 pages of chat? Although I've not copied the Skype chat it does look better as it shows video call start and duration so perhaps better than Facebook.

Garry - it's a hard knock but your attitude does you no favours, if I'm honest.

The refusal states, on more than one occasion, a lack of evidential documentation. Then you sit back on blah blah blah.

The trouble with email is that one person can read something one way, while another reads it completely differently. The "blah blah blah" wasn't attitude, it was failing to see how it would help copying the entire text from the refusal letter, especially given that the girlfriend copied it rather than mailed it to me so there are clearly some mistakes, would help other than to double the length of the original post making it too long to read.

Yes, I accept with hindsight that it's easy to see things that could have been included that were not, I actually told my GF we wouldn't need a letter of invitation from her aunt as she was coming to see me not her, we'd just visit occasionally, but as they picked up on that I was clearly wrong. And I incorrectly assumed (as picked up on by rawhod) that when I said in the sponsor letter don't hesitate to contact me if you need anything else that they might phone the WorldSIM to confirm I own it, and that they might phone the aunt to confirm she was aware of her neice's visit, as why else would they require her contact details. We won't make that mistake again.

Met my girlfriend in Oct 2012 As per topic query, what next? Maybe wait until you've established a relationship other than via long-distance on the telephone, of which she may (in theory) have several concurrently.

I've visited her 3 times, we intend to marry in October 2013. As it's so expensive to keep going out to Thailand and difficult to keep getting time off work, we decided if she can visit for a few months that will give us time to develop the relationship even further than it has, as well as help her decide if she wants to move to the UK. We talk on video twice a day, every day. We don't have and don't want one of those relationships where a Falang visits his Thai GF once a year and doesn't know what she does the rest of the time. And moving to Thailand for a few years isn't an option at the moment as I have a decent job here and am far from old enough to retire.

Brief history: Met my girlfriend in Oct 2012, returned to Thailand Dec 2012 for Christmas and New Year following which my GF moved back home to her parents, and I returned to Thailand for a third visit in March when we applied for a tourist visa for her. It probably won't shock most of the people that offered advice in my original posts, but had the decision back end of last week which was a refusal. The letter stated "You have applied for an entry clearance to visit the UK for 24 weeks. I have consided your application under paragraph 41 of the UK immigration rules. blah blah blah. I have therefore refused your application because I am not satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that you meet all of the requirement of the above paragraph(s) of the Immigration Rules".

Breaking down the letter, the blah blah blah seems to come down to four points:

1. "you have provided a call history log from worldsim which shows calls to your mobile but it does not match the mobile number given by your sponsor, and a call history log from Orange showing calls made to your number between December 2012 and February 2013". Okay, so the internet printouts of the WorldSIM logs don't bare my name, but I thought it was obvious when you see a 10 minute call on Orange cost me £14 that I bought/use a WorldSIM exclusively for calls to the GF, only using my Orange phone when absolutely necessary (because WorldSIM VoIP is pretty unreliable at connecting and not always very clear). Would including a printout of the page baring my name and a clearer explanation in my sponsor letter as to the existence of a second phone help, or how do I fix this?

2. "Your sponsor letter states that you met in October 2012 and are in daily contact via FB and Skype however you have provided no evidence of this contact. This casts doubt over whether your relationship with your sponsor is as stated which casts doubt over your intentions in travelling to the UK". In the sponsor letter I stated that you cannot export logs detailing calls made via FB video, or Skype video (paid calls are logged, free Internet video chats are not). I have painstakingly copied over 15000 lines of conversation from FB chat which took many hours but as it's in the format time, person, conversation and blank each on new lines so even setting for font size to 8 it's a whopping 360 pages long - I wish I could somehow import it into Excel having time, person and conversatio in 3 colums on a single line, that'd reduce the number of pages immensly. I hope to produce something similar from Skype which, unlike FB, at least shows video call duration, but again there's no export function or simple logs I can print. Are these going to be any good, or will I spend hours producing something they'll not accept?

3. "You have stated that you will also visit your aunt in the UK but have provided no evidence of your aunt's immigration status in the UK, or that she is aware of your intended visit, which again casts doubt over the circumstances of your proposed trip". Easy one to fix, the aunt will email us both inviting her to visit, and is obtaining certified copies of her English passport showing her as a British Citizen, and her marriage certificate. I'm assuming I don't need the husbands passport or any documentation from her gaining ILR due to the fact that she has British citizenship?

4. "You have described yourself as unemployed and have stated that you are wholly financially dependent upon your sponsor, however you have provided no evidence of this regular support. I must also note that you have no evidence of assets or property, which might encourage your presence in your county and you have submitted no evidence of your current financial cirucmstances". Okay the first bit was an oversight so I'm putting together bank statements (already given) highlighting ATM withdrawls in October, December and April, a bank transfer in November, and Western Union payment summaries and receipts for payments made 25/01, 31/01 and 27/02. We'll also copy her bank book which will show corresponding receipts for the Western Union payments (less fees), but when paid in cash she never put it in the bank so there's no real proof that I gave it to her, just that I withdrew fairly large sums on the last day or so of my trips. What can we do about the assets and property remark though? She's 26, prior to me was single, living at home with her parents (now at least), so what assets is she likely to have? We've talked about paying a sinsod for which her mum will sign over land ownership to my GF, but I learned today that doesn't include the house, just the land it's on. Aside from the financial risk to me is this wise, will having the land signed over help the visa, and should I involve a solicitor to make sure it's really given to her?

So... sorry it's a long post, but thoughts please. Is a clearer explanation about the WorldSIM number, including that number in my contact details, and showing the registration details page enough to address point 1. Are manually exported conversation histories going to be okay, and should I remove, black out or leave any personal/rude conversations as she says <deleted> an awful lot, and will these address point 2. Is the aunts passport enough to address point 3 now she's a British citizen? And I'm sure the bank/WU transfers are okay but what about the ATM withdrawals, but of more concern should we buy/transfer the land into her name to address point 4?

Heeeeeeelp

It pretty much looks like they don't think she'll go home, so what else can I do to make them believe it's in both our interests for her to do so. In the sponsor letter I said "We are applying for a General Visitor Visa as we feel this best fits our circumstances. We understand its conditions and limitations with regard to the fact that she must not take any form of work whilst in the UK, she must return to Thailand before the visa expires, and that she is not entitled to free healthcare during her stay". I also wrote "The primary purpose of her visit to the UK is to meet my family before we return to Thailand to marry". Would it help to add something I found in another post "We hope to apply for a Settlement Visa at a later date and do not want to jeopardise xxxx"s future application by failing to comply with all visit visa conditions, including leaving the UK at the end of the visit"?

Just looking for flights for the girlfriend to fly from BKK (Bangkok) to BHX (Birmingham, UK) Monday 18th March, returning Friday 23rd August, booked via the UK. Cheapest is Emirates at 597GBP for 15hr coming, 34hr return. If I want 16hr return it increases to 653GBP. If I change the return date to Thursday 22nd March I can get 536GBP and 628GBP respectively for long/short return flight. At 47.3THB exchange rate that means the cheapest flight I can get is 25,368.88THB.

Strangely the first time I did the latter search prices were coming back considerably higher, as much as 1200GBP. I just hope in 3 weeks time if/when her visa is approved that prices haven't changed significantly. Very pleased with these prices considering that it cost me 672GBP to go to Thailand in October and 1036GBP in December.

Just looked for 3 weeks in the UK in September, or seven weeks June/Aug, flying BKK-London-BKK on Emirates own website, and was being quoted B46k-B48k, so wonder where you're finding approx B26k ? Does that include taxes/extras ?

Yes the flights soon disappeared. Plans have changed so I'm going back to Thailand in March instead of her coming here, and I can't even get those fares BHX to BKK any more, 673GBP I think when I looked yesterday for half decent flight times. I'm planning to fly on the 17th, wanted to go on the 2nd or 3rd but that added 100's more to the cost.

Thanks for the advice that has been given, a few changes were made as a result. I didn't have time to give more information about my property beyond what was mentioned above - I added "(a 3 bedroomed property in which I live alone)" to my sponsors invitation letter and a mortgage statement was already part of the supporting documentation. However, I've already started to put something together should the visa be refused and it looks like expanding on this in the re-application will help.

In the end I didn't get everything sent until Monday as DHL didn't seem to cover her region near to Cambodia. For a while I was looking at sending everything to a relative in Bangkok and getting her to collect it from there, but I found UPS could deliver so used them. A bit expensive for a few documents, but I was going around in circles and had to get it sent. All being well it should be there Friday.

I'm still open to any advice as to things to put under additional info in Part 9. We've requested the visa start date is delayed to March 18th and I think I'll get her to add a note to the front of the document pack as well as suggested. At this stage I didn't add anything about what she'll do when I'm at work, but it'll be a week before she does the application online so plenty of time to add anything if we need to...

Thanks again everyone, sorry it's all so last minute. I'll be following up this post with a "Thai Gf First Visit To Uk (Part 3)" in a few weeks when we get our decision, hopefully detailing everything we did to get the visa approved to help others applying rather than looking at what we need to do to overcome reasons given for refusal. Fingers crossed.

Just looking for flights for the girlfriend to fly from BKK (Bangkok) to BHX (Birmingham, UK) Monday 18th March, returning Friday 23rd August, booked via the UK. Cheapest is Emirates at 597GBP for 15hr coming, 34hr return. If I want 16hr return it increases to 653GBP. If I change the return date to Thursday 22nd March I can get 536GBP and 628GBP respectively for long/short return flight. At 47.3THB exchange rate that means the cheapest flight I can get is 25,368.88THB.

Strangely the first time I did the latter search prices were coming back considerably higher, as much as 1200GBP. I just hope in 3 weeks time if/when her visa is approved that prices haven't changed significantly. Very pleased with these prices considering that it cost me 672GBP to go to Thailand in October and 1036GBP in December.

Garry

As I, and others, pointed out in your previous thread, five months is an awful long time for a hoilday in the UK, that doesn't mean your girlfriends visa would automatically be refused, but the ECO will most certainly be looking at the application in detail. What does she intend to do when your at work?

Good luck to you both.

Do you think we should add something into part 9? "While my boyfriend is at work I intend to spend some of my time with his retired mother, walk his brothers' dogs, listen to music, cook, and chat with friends back home via the Internet". Open to suggestions as I'm not sure what she'll do but she assures me she'll be absolutely fine. The wife of my best friend is very much like her, knows everyone, will talk to anyone. She works at a hairdressers in the village so I'm sure the girlfriend will go to see her from time to time too.

Thanks for the best wishes, lets hope we're lucky and get a yes (much to some peoples surprise I'm sure).

As that is the reason for the visit, that is what you should put. In answer to Q8.4 you can either say "See Q 9" or "See sponsor's letter," depending on where you put this information.

Despite Chivas' response, this is a perfectly reasonable reason for visiting one's boyfriend in the UK, and as it is a visit then a visit visa is what she should be applying for.

The only possible problem is that saying you intend to marry in October may lead the ECO to believe that you intend to do so in the UK.

So, you should make it clear that:-

• it is your intention to marry in Thailand,
  
• that you understand that if the intention were to marry in the UK then she should be applying for a marriage visit visa, not a tourist one and
  
• you understand that if you were to marry in the UK whilst she was there as a visitor she would still have to return to Thailand in order to apply for settlement.
  

Thanks for the various answers, but this one covered what others have said so seemed the best one to quote. I appreciate the deadline was too tight so didn't DHL it in the end. As there's a DHL collection point in WHSmiths I'll take it later today (so technically it'll ship Monday).

In my covering letter I had written "The primary purpose of her visit is to meet my family ahead of us marrying in Thailand on 10^th October, but it will also be an opportunity for us to spend much more time together as even though we video chat for 3 to 4 hours every night, this is no substitute for being together". I'm thinking, however, because of what's been said, that I should stop after "more time together"? This paragraph also talks about meeting my friends, tasting our food, experiencing our weather "all important factors ahead of her having to make a decision as to whether she would want us to live in the UK or Thailand after we’re married". I've infered that she'll be returning to Thailand by the fact that we will marry there, but do I need to state it more obviously? I do say "In line with the terms of the visa she will not work while in the UK".

In 8.4 I went for "Meet boyfriend's family and friends, visit a relative, tourism (visit London)".

For 8.7 I put "With boyfriend Garry xxxx at his home: (address here)". I haven't, however, described the house in any way, but I have sent my mortgage statement for 2012 as part of the financial evidence as I have over £8000 overpayment as a contingency. In my covering letter in the section explaining I'll be paying for absolutely everything I do mention "provide accommodation in my home", maybe I should expand by including something like "(a 3 bedroomed property in which I live alone"?

Her aunt is detailed in the appropriate sections regarding visiting relatives.

In part 9 marrying in Thailand on October 10th 2013 was repeated along with mention of the possibility that land may be purchased by the family as a wedding gift.

Sorry the short notice annoyed some people, totally understandable, I'm trying to balance getting my finger out to give us as long as possible to decide what to do if they say no, with trying to get everything as right as we can first time round. It's always been said that a 5 month trip when we'll have only been together for that time if/when she comes is a big ask, but I've got to try...

People will try and advise when they can, but with greatest of respect you have imposed an unrealistic deadline, you posted this at 17.42 Thai time, on a Saturday evening, not everyone is sitting by their computers.

Maybe you will be lucky.

I appreciate that, but many people go out quite late. Perhaps I was hoping someone might get it on their smart phone and decide to reply

In truth I'm not sure whether to just go for it and get it sent now, or send it Monday evening. Would be a shame if it gets refused on something I asked about rather than something more important like one or more of the criteria not being met in their eyes. But then we want her to come in 9 weeks time so the sooner she applies the sooner we'll get a decision and can decide what to do from there.

The application must actually be made online, and the online form is slightly differently worded to the paper form. Paper forms are no longer accepted for applications in Thailand. You could have a dry run with the online form, but using a different name and details to your girlfriend's just to get a feel for it, if you like. Then questions will be more appropriate to the actual form that you need to complete.

We're aware the application is done online, printed and taken with all supporting documentation to the visa application centre in Bangkok (having made an appointment during the application process). I'm not going to be there with her when she applies, so a completed VAF1A helps her remember things like her and her aunt's addresses that have to be written in English. She's not going to be a happy bunny when she realises she can't copy everything directly, ooo am I gonna get some agro after she's applied She's already worried about paying the visa fee at Bank of Ayudha prior to her appointment as she doesn't quite understand getting a cashiers cheque and taking it with her to her appointment (that's right isn't it?). What does she tell the Bank, that she wants to pay the UK visa application fee of 3900B, is that enough?

Okay I know it's only been posted a short while, but nothing at all? No-one that sponsered their girlfriends visitor visa application and had it approved in the last 12 months that can remember what they put on theirs? Pleaseeeeee.

Another one as well. 8.4 What will you do in the UK? Basically we want to experience living together for longer than a holiday to make sure things stay good between us, and to see if we still want to marry in October at the end of it She'll meet my family and friends, we'll visit her aunt, go to London for a couple of days and other tourist stuff so she gets to see some of the UK. She needs to understand the reality of living in the UK before she agrees to move here once we're married. All of that, though, is too much to fit, so what do I write, and do I add more in Part 9 (additional information).

Okay guys, 2nd visit to Thailand and meeting the family went well enough for us to want to apply for her visa to visit me, but a few questions about application form VAF1A:

(FYI I printed a copy of this form and took it with me to Thailand where we did a dry run filling it out in English. I'm now filling out a new one so she can basically copy the answers as she's not good with computers and doesn't handle pressure, but I'm not sure about what specifically to write in a few sections.)

1. Introduction "How long do you intend to stay in the UK?". I've put "Approx 5 months" indicating start and end dates of 18th March to 23rd August. Should I put "Approx 5 months (see part 9)" and explain that if approved the actual dates will depend on the cheapest flight we can find with the return date being anywhere between 29th July and 23rd August?

2. Parts 5.15 to 5.19 regarding income and expenditure. In 5.1 we've already indicated her personal circumstances as being "Supported by boyfriend, Garry xxxxx" so for 5.15 What money is available to you for your trip? is "Boyfriend will be meeting all costs" ok? And both 5.16 Who will pay for your travel to the UK and 5.17 Who will pay for your expenses is "Boyfriend" enough of an answer? Then 5.18 If someone other than yourself is paying..how much and why can I put "Boyfriend will be meeting all costs" as doesn't this cover how much and why?. Finally 5.19 What is the cost to you personally, "None" or "Nothing".

3. 8.7 Where will you stay in the UK, answer will be "Boyfriend's house + address", so do we mention me again in 8.8 as a friend in the UK?

4. Part 9 additional information: Delay visa start until 18th March

I've been reading all morning and even re-read my original post but haven't found anything specific to these questions.

I'll be shipping the application form for her to copy along with all my supporting documentation later today, so answers after Saturday 26th (on UK time) will probably be too late to help, but thanks in advance for any advice.

Garry.

All the programs installed are 32bit and we've experienced no compatibility issues with this.

Just to clarify, one guy wanted to run Office 2010 64bit hence my experience in this matter, but in general we are still using Office 2003 32bit under Windows XP 32bit, or Office 2007 32bit under Windows 7 64bit. We are of course working towards deploying Windows 7 64bit along with Office 2010 32bit throughout the business in the near future - no plans for Office 2013 in a corporate environment as it's too new to risk.

If you upgrade Office to 64bit version you have to make sure all Office modules are 64bit. By this I mean we use Office Standard, Visio Standard and Project Standard, all must be 64bit, you cannot install 64bit Office along with 32bit Visio/Project, you'll have to remove all the 32bit versions before it'll let you install any 64bit versions. As a volume license customer when I go to download Office 2013 Microsoft actually says: "Important: Microsoft strongly recommends the use of 32-bit (x86) versions of Office 2013, Project 2013, and Visio 2013 applications as the default option for all platforms. Learn more about the deployment considerations for x64 and x86 at TechNet."

In the UK all the Windows 7 systems I buy are dual-core i3 64bit and come with 4gb ram. I would certainly recommend all systems run no less than this, but for "power users" I buy quad-core i7 64bit with 8gb ram (my workstation runs 32gb ram but then I run it as a VM server too). All the programs installed are 32bit and we've experienced no compatibility issues with this. A 4gb upgrade costs me £11 which is nothing here.

Gary most asian newsagents have cards, when i was in uk i used connect cards 1200 minutes to thailand for £5 brilliant , if you use pay as u go mbile no connection charge , 1 card lasted me for more than 3 months

On your advice I bought a WorldSIM which costs me 6p per minute to mobile or landline. There's a slight delay the same as we experience when we video over the Internet so we have to wait a second after we've said our bit, but just talked for an hour without any major problems.

Anyone use any other SIM that's cheaper mobile to mobile? I was originally going to go with Vectone which cost the same 6p, but I was able to buy the WorldSIM locally so didn't have to wait for it to arrive.

I say good luck to Gary, despite the risks.

And on the subject of risk - and this is important. I hope you have had the tests before you start a proper natural relationship if you know what I mean.

My best friend caught the Big A from a street walker going bareback. One poster who is well known on this forum.

Keep safe Garry mate.

Thanks and yes, I wore wellies most of the time and got tested the minute I got back.

The title of this topic is "Thai Gf First Visit To Uk, Lots Of Questions." not "My girlfriend used to be a prostitute, what do you think?"

Her previous occupation may have some bearing on her application, but certain posters seem more concerned with showing what they consider to be their moral superiority rather than actually offering any useful advice on his girlfriend's visa application to the OP!

This is EXACTLY where I'm at right now, couldn't have said it any better. I wonder if perhaps the thread should be locked as, like you say, the majority of posts seem more concerned over whether I should have fallen so quickly for someone with her background (albeit she stopped working in a shop in September and I met her in October so she's not battle hardened after years of working Beach Road like most others maybe are).

There has been some useful advice, and generally it's looking like I'll probably have difficulty getting her here for a 5 month stay as soon as April. I'm therefore left with a decision to make, do I hope to write an amazing letter and get a sympathetic immigration officer on a good day, or do I maybe delay her visit a few months and shorten it accordingly. My plan is still to marry her in October 2013 (basically the anniversary of the day we met) *IF* everything between now and then works out. So far so good but let's see how meet the parents goes in December.

I'd like to say THANKS to those who have contributed useful advice, even that which doesn't help me secure a long visit from April, and an even BIGGER THANKS to those that offered their best wishes to the two of us.

As for all those that posted negative views or downright abuse, well I'm sorry you got screwed but it doesn't mean everyone does.

cant help but think its the UKBA that are going to piss on your party, just by reading your posts, your asking things that are easily found on the UKBA site. I was succesful all the way through to ILR unmarried,by using the UKBA equivalent site. If you dont like the answers dont ask the questions.

It's not that I don't like the answers, many posters have given some good advice (both with and against me), but for some reason you seem to think I'm too stupid to look there first. I did look but it didn't give me answers. Show me where it tells me how long I need to have been seeing her, or how I can prove our relationship exists. It tells me I need to, but nothing about how hence why I'm here.

If you don't wanna give constructive helpful advice then don't contribute. Tell me what I need to have the best chance of her getting a visa, don't tell me that falling for an ex-prostitute is a stupid thing to do.