Uk Visit Visa Telephone Interview ?

[leedm]

Hi,

My girfriend submitted her application yesterday (Wed 3rd May) at the VAC in Bangkok. Today (Thursday) she has already received 2 calls from the UK Embassy (not the VAC) asking interview type questions such as when we first met, how many times I've been to visit her, why does she want to go to the UK etc etc.

The interview was also conducted by a Thai man who introduced himself as being from the UK Embassy.

I had understood that an interview, if required, would be carried out face to face at the UK Embassy but I could be wrong (this is our first time applying so its all very new). Am I correct in thinking this or has anyone had experience such as ours of an initial telephone interview ?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated

Thanks

Lee

[the scouser]

Probably just a quick chat over the phone to clarify a few points. It's indicative that they're looking to grant the visa.

Scouse.

[leedm]

Probably just a quick chat over the phone to clarify a few points. It's indicative that they're looking to grant the visa.

Scouse.

Thanks Scouse, now you've really gone and got my hopes up !! I never thought this process would be as stressful as it is. I really do hope you are right.

Cheers

Lee

[Gordons]

My g/fs first visitor visa application was followed the next day by a telephone interview. She got the visa granted (6 months multi entry) the following day

[sumrit]

When my girlfriend applied for a visitors visa last year somebody from the embassy phoned me, not her, to clarify a couple of things (I live in Thailand). She got her visa without any problems. Talking to other people it seems the embassy phone people in this way quite often instead of arranging a time consuming formal interview.

Good luck.

[brokenmoose]

My wife had 3 telephone interviews over 2 days( they asked questions such as " what is the age of your husbands mother?" Slightly pedantic maybe. We failed to get the visa ( although this was mainly due to lack of documents and maybe the fact that she couldn't remember my Mothers age!). Anyway, good luck. My wife has an interview at the embassy later this month for our second attempt.

[leedm]

According to the VAC web-site, the passport is ready to be collected from the VAC, I assume this means that the Visa result will be with the passport as well. Girlfriend is going to call the VAC tomorrow to check, and if so, she will be off to Bangkok on Wednesday, so 2 agonising days to wait !

For those of you applying yourself, she has had 2 telephone calls with an Embassy official, both lasting no more than 5 minutes in total asking interview type questions such as how did we meet, how often we talk, how many times I've been to see her and why does she want to come to England etc. She said that the official was Thai and spoke very nice and was friendly.

Let's hope the wait is worth while !

Lee

[stament]

According to the VAC web-site, the passport is ready to be collected from the VAC, I assume this means that the Visa result will be with the passport as well. Girlfriend is going to call the VAC tomorrow to check, and if so, she will be off to Bangkok on Wednesday, so 2 agonising days to wait !

For those of you applying yourself, she has had 2 telephone calls with an Embassy official, both lasting no more than 5 minutes in total asking interview type questions such as how did we meet, how often we talk, how many times I've been to see her and why does she want to come to England etc. She said that the official was Thai and spoke very nice and was friendly.

Let's hope the wait is worth while !

Lee

I really don't know why they can't put the result of the visa on the website too. It wouldn't be that difficult, I guess they're just covering themselves in case an error was made.

I know what you mean about the agonising wait.

Best of luck and let us know how she get's on

[BIGJIMMY]

Here here on that 1 squire, we applied for the visa Thursday and it was ready to be collected on the Monday, because of the on-line tracking (where I assumed we would also get the result) we buggered off to Koi Chang until the Wednesday - ha ha, it seemed like a long time I can tell thee - worth the wait though!!

I'm sure you will have it - good luck.

Jimmy

[andy1308]

My girlfriend had the telephone interview too a few weeks ago. No problems, although they do go in to quite a lot of detail about relationships, history, etc. It's a good sign though in my opinion. If they weren't sure you'd have the face-to-face interview. Good luck.

[leedm]

SHE GOT IT !!!! woohoo !!!

I can't believe it to be honest, and what an agonising wait, didn't sleep much last night at all.

For those of you trying yourselves, here's a little background info.

I met my gf last June, since then I've been back to see her in August, November, February and April. She lives at home with her family and I support her. She has no job, no property and only a small amount of money in her bank. She also applied for a settlement Visa about 18 months ago with an ex-boyfriend, but they broke up prior to her interview so she didn't go.

For the Visa application, we essentially just told the truth. I explained how we met and kept in touch, why I wanted her to come, explained about the previous Visa application, explained where she'd stay and requested a stay of 1 month, I included 6 month's bank statements, details of an ISA I have which I stated we would use to fund her trip, telephone bills, tenancy agreement to show evidence of where she would stay, photos of us together, her bank statements and her birth certificates.

I presented this all in a folder, with a contents page and also a heading page for each section.

I hope this helps those of you trying yourselves. I can't wait to see her arrive at Heathrow airport now.

Thanks to all those on this site, without here, I very much doubt we would have got it

Cheers

Lee

[the scouser]

Well done, Lee.

Scouse.

[markr]

Well done!