Example Sponsorship Letter

[J0HN]

Hi all,

I'm just starting the proccess of trying to get a visitors visa for my TG. She is currently finishing her studies at university in BKK and is hoping to visit me after completion for a couple of months, before returning with me to Thailand in December. I'm now starting to write the sponsorship letter and wondering if anyone has any examples of letters or know a good site that does.

My TG does not have a job, property etc.. in Thailand as she is a student so I'll welcome any advise that will help get the visa approved. I'm reluctant to pay an agency 300 - 500 pounds for something that I'm sure can be done with a little hard work and research.

Thanks in advance for any help

John....

[Mighty Mouse]

What country are you applying for?

[the gent]

300 - 500 pounds

...... and probably not Egyptian.

[Nicko]

Hi MM & John,

You sort of took the words right out of my mouth...

I just wrote one and it's a 5 page word document.

My question is "is it too long"?

Reading it back to myself it's quite fast paced, flowing and doesn't mention absolutely everything.

I'm actually wanting to add a few more things.

Just looking for some feedback as well...

Mine going to go to the Australian Embassy.

Cheers

[sumrit]

Hi all,

I'm just starting the proccess of trying to get a visitors visa for my TG. She is currently finishing her studies at university in BKK and is hoping to visit me after completion for a couple of months, before returning with me to Thailand in December. I'm now starting to write the sponsorship letter and wondering if anyone has any examples of letters or know a good site that does.

My TG does not have a job, property etc.. in Thailand as she is a student so I'll welcome any advise that will help get the visa approved. I'm reluctant to pay an agency 300 - 500 pounds for something that I'm sure can be done with a little hard work and research.

Thanks in advance for any help

John....

Are you returning to Thailand with her to live here or just for a holiday? If you're coming here to live it would make her 'reason to return' much stronger.

[sigmondfreed]

My wife and I wrote a sponsership letter for our female Thai friend to go with us on a three week tour of Australia. We ended up writing a 1 1/2 page sponsership letter oulining our relationship to her (friends for over 3 years), that we were taking responsibility for all costs for her for the trip, and that all three of us were planning on returning to Thailand, where my wife is a student.

Even after including financial records (for me and my wife), copies of return tickets, a letter of intent to return to Thailand from our Thai friend, copies of birth certificates, and a letter from the tour company we booked through, we were still required to do THREE personal interviews before the Australian embassy in Bangkok would agree to issue our friernd a visa.

Granted, this was the first visa she had ever applied for and her work documentation was spotty, as she worked for her father.

So, bottom line from me, I guess, is it's possible, but not easy. Also, I would think a four-page letter was a bit too long, but that's just my opinion. Good luck!

[Mahout Angrit]

Write a letter which covers the points in the Sponsors Guide applicable to your g/f's case.

[J0HN]

Thanks for the comments and help so far. Just to clear up a couple of points. My Thai Girlfreind is applying for a visitors visa to the UK. When I return in December this is only for a holiday.

I've been 2 times already this year so unfortunately used all my holidays so can't return till December. Because of this she is trying to get a visa to visit me.

What I'm looking for really is some pointers from anyone who has wrote one and succeeded.

Should I keep the letter short and factual (but obviously polite) or write a more informal letter?

What points should I include in the letter?

Cheers John

Edited June 28, 2007 by J0HN

[the scouser]

John,

You should write a letter which details the purpose of the visit, your relationship, the length of time you have considered yourselves to be in such, how long you have actually spent together of that time, and refer to the supporting evidence. You should also cite your girlfriend's circumstances in Thailand; i.e. where she lives, what job she does etc. and then move on to your circumstances in the UK, concluding with the reasons why you believe she qualifies for a visit visa.

Scouse.

[Mahout Angrit]

For a visit visa she needs to show

1) enough funds for the trip (fare and spending money)

2) suitable and available accomodation whilst there

3) a compelling reason to return to Thailand at the end of the visit

Thats all, the first two you can provide for her if you wish as her sponsor, the third is always the most difficult and the reason for most failures. Ideally to satisfy she should have a job or further uni course booked to return to and some assets and ties to Thailand.

[Nicko]

John,

You should write a letter which details the purpose of the visit, your relationship, the length of time you have considered yourselves to be in such, how long you have actually spent together of that time, and refer to the supporting evidence. You should also cite your girlfriend's circumstances in Thailand; i.e. where she lives, what job she does etc. and then move on to your circumstances in AUST, concluding with the reasons why you believe she qualifies for a visit visa.

Scouse.

I feel like I've done this but maybe waffled on a little but its all good stuff when I read it back.

Do you reckon 5 pages is still to much?

[the scouser]

I feel like I've done this but maybe waffled on a little but its all good stuff when I read it back.

Do you reckon 5 pages is still to much?

If the circumstances are such that a five-page letter is warranted, then so be it. However, if you're prone to a florid turn of phrase, using five words when one will do, you might consider paring it down to the bare essentials.

Scouse.

[paully]

I feel like I've done this but maybe waffled on a little but its all good stuff when I read it back.

Do you reckon 5 pages is still to much?

5 pages for a visitor visa sponsor letter is way over the top unless she has a very complicated and tortuous previous immigration history to explain, eg previous visa refusals. Keep it to 1-2 pages and don't waffle. Make your points clear and succinct.

[toasted]

Nicko - I don't know if you're in Thailand with her, but when I've applied for English visitor's visas for my wife and kids, the relevant authorities have been equally interested in proof that I'd return. To the extent that they wanted to see my Thai work permit renewed before granting the visas. So if you're in Thailand, proof of your return could also help. I imagine our embassies work along vaguely similar lines.

[CbrLad]

Just keep it simple, remember this is a sponsorship letter. As someone mentioned there is a guide to the UK which gives a good idea of what is needed. The basics are stating your relationship, the letter is not the place to prove that btw. You also need to address your own status in the UK (this is where mine got complicated), your financial status, why you have invited your friend, what you intend to do (length of visit) and most importantly what you are going to pay for. As I said keep it simple. I know people who work in immigration (my old neighbours in aus) and I can tell you the more you waffle and try too hard, the more sus they get. Keep it simple, let the facts speak for themselves and you should be right. One other important thing remember it is her that is applying not you.

In my case my GF applied just the other week on the monday. Checked the net on Thursday and collected it Friday with a nice 6 month ME entry visa. This was the week before they shut shop so not sure if they rushed things through, guess we will never know.

[Nicko]

I feel like I've done this but maybe waffled on a little but its all good stuff when I read it back.

Do you reckon 5 pages is still to much?

If the circumstances are such that a five-page letter is warranted, then so be it. However, if you're prone to a florid turn of phrase, using five words when one will do, you might consider paring it down to the bare essentials.

Scouse.

I've cut it down to 4 now and again it doesn't sound like i'm waffling on or trying to prove things that my paperwork doesnt reflect.

I am writing to prove my elegibility to have my gf come to Australia on a prospective spouse / fiance visa.

It is the first visa Im appling for as well, straight to fiance visa not for a visit.

I think the UK visitors visa is very different to the visa I'm appling for.

I've got a stack of supporting paperwork that does address the critera, I guess I just want to cover all the bases.

I think i read somewhere else that more is better in this sort of case?

Supporting paperwork i mean; not covering letter.

Another question I have is about my girls covering letter?

Should she do it in Thai and have it translated or can I type it for her on a PC in English so she can just sign it?

[the scouser]

I don't know about Australia, but the British embassy wouldn't expect to see a covering letter from the applicant as they will have completed an application form which will comntain the relevant information.

In relation to your letter, it is just that - your letter. If you feel that the 4 pages is quality rather quantity, then fine; I'm sure it'll do the trick.

Scouse.

[Nicko]

I don't know about Australia, but the British embassy wouldn't expect to see a covering letter from the applicant as they will have completed an application form which will comntain the relevant information.

Good Point...

In relation to your letter, it is just that - your letter. If you feel that the 4 pages is quality rather quantity, then fine; I'm sure it'll do the trick.

Hope so. thanks.

Scouse.

[Nicko]

One other important thing remember it is her that is applying not you.

I tell you what though, it certainly doesn't feel like that!

I feel as though I have to prove myself just like she does...

The amount of paperwork that I've had to pull out has made me take a long long look at myself.

Don't know if others feel this?

[Eff1n2ret]

Nicko, there's only so much you can do. What sponsors often forget is that it is the applicant's intentions that are under scrutiny, not theirs, and once you have supplied evidence that you can support and accommodate the applicant for the intended period, and of the claimed relationship, that's it. Flowery declarations or "guarantees" are not worth the paper they're written on, and are best left out.

Edited June 30, 2007 by Eff1n2ret

[CbrLad]

Nicko, there's only so much you can do. What sponsors often forget is that it is the applicant's intentions that are under scrutiny, not theirs, and once you have supplied evidence that you can support and accommodate the applicant for the intended period, and of the claimed relationship, that's it. Flowery declarations or "guarantees" are not worth the paper they're written on, and are best left out.

Well put that was what I was trying to get at. Provide what is relivant to show your support and sponsorship. Which is the reason why (Ie you relationship), what you are going to pay for and you own situation. The rest is all up to her.

One other important thing remember it is her that is applying not you.

I tell you what though, it certainly doesn't feel like that!

I feel as though I have to prove myself just like she does...

The amount of paperwork that I've had to pull out has made me take a long long look at myself.

Don't know if others feel this?

Yes I know what you mean. When my GF applied a month or so back she had a pile of supporting documents relating only to me. Copies of 2 passports, 6 months phone records, banks statements from both the UK and my aussie home, payslips etc about 150 pages, plus my 2 page sponsorship letter. The thing is I provided nothing they didn't ask for and didn't tell them anything they didn't need to know (not that there was anything to hide, it gets back to not saying too much and making them ask the question what has this person got to hide). The only thing that was asked of my GF when she dropped it off was how do we know you know this guy. I still laugh at that one and though when she told me that the chances were slim. There were no pictures they didn't ask, but it was no problem, as iot turned out the other facts made the case clear. UK tourist visa in 1 week and no interview and no futher questions of either myself or my GF.

Oh the one thing I didn't realise was the orginal post was in relation to a perspective marriage visa.

[Nicko]

Oh the one thing I didn't realise was the orginal post was in relation to a perspective marriage visa.

No worries mate... it's all good.

I've just reviewed all my documents and am pretty pleased with them.

I'll be going over to LOS from Aust in the next few days to work on the rest.

Thanks for your feedback guys.

Let you know how it all goes.

I'll be asking for more advice here if I hit a wall though...

Cheers

Nicko

[J0HN]

Hi All,

I've finally finished the letter and gathered all the info and documentation I can (bank statements, wage slips, passport photo copies and also copy of my flight confirmation to BKK in December ). Thanks for all the help so far. Just one quick question, Can I photo copy these documents and email the to my GF, or do they have to be originals. I know how slow the post can be to Thailand so I want to get them there as quick as possible and also don't want to run the risk of loosing them

Many Thank

John

[the scouser]

As far as possible, the documents have to be originals. If you are worried about losing them, then you can have copies certified as true.

In my professional capacity, I have to send packages to Thailand quite often and Royal Mail "International Signed For" has taken as little as four days and as long as ten. Alternatively, you may choose to send your documents to your girlfriend by, for example, DHL which takes three-four days but costs more.

Scouse.

[endure]

Have Royal Mail international signed for always got through to the recipient?

[the scouser]

Touch wood, yes. I must admit I was beginning to get a bit concerned about the parcel which ultimately took 10 days, but as I was about to re-send it with DHL, it arrived.

Scouse.