Schenghen And Japan Tourist Visas Ok. Uk Refused !

[Krub]

My thai friend (male, 20yr, fairly new passport with a few Singapore/Indonesia stamps, unpaid leave with job letter starting 1 Dec next, low bank book history), applied and got a one month Shenghen multi enrties visa and also a simolar visa for Japan.

We have known each other for nearly 2 years, travelling together in Asia.

He has workedpart-time for my company in local expos around Asia. Has been regularly employed as a cook for 10k baht a month not leaving much for a balance in his bank account.

I am going on leave to Europe and have invited him along for 2 weeks in Europe, 1 month in Japan and 1 week in Hongkong. Air tickets booked, travel insurance paid for, Shenghen and Japan visas received.

As I will have a rent-a-car and wil be driving around Europe including Switzerland, I though why not crossthe channel for a few days.

Submitted all the papers to the UK visa shop and was refused with the below reasons.

I am not sure what I could have given more to show we are genuine 2-3 days tourists

Comments welcome

[the scouser]

Was the British embassy aware of your plans to travel around Europe and Japan too? How do you know your friend and in what circumstances do you normally meet him; i.e. do you just casually see him when you are in Thailand or do you also write/phone/send e-mails when you are in Japan. Do you have any evidence of previously having employed him?

If you still intend to visit the UK, it may be worth applying again as the embassy appears to have taken the UK element of the trip out of context, believing it to be only the UK that is to be visited.

Scouse.

[Krub]

Was the British embassy aware of your plans to travel around Europe and Japan too? How do you know your friend and in what circumstances do you normally meet him; i.e. do you just casually see him when you are in Thailand or do you also write/phone/send e-mails when you are in Japan. Do you have any evidence of previously having employed him?

If you still intend to visit the UK, it may be worth applying again as the embassy appears to have taken the UK element of the trip out of context, believing it to be only the UK that is to be visited.

Scouse.

Thanks for your suggestion. all the evidence was in the file but maybe not presented in a way that the ECO would easily find what he/she was looking for.

I travel extensively in Asia and my friend is generaly part of the trip (a few days every 3-4 months for local exhibitions in the region.On thoise occasions he worlks part-time to help aprund, yes i supplied pictures showing him/us working in different contries. Also on holiday together in his village in Isaan where we spend some weeks toegther. All that was explained in my cover letter which was obviously too long and not read or believed...We also exchange e-mails and SMS on a daily basis but it will be his first trip to my home in Japan.

I do not think I want to go through compiling the file again as we are leaving on 11 October.

It just would have been nice to cross the channel for 2-3 days, never mind next time maybe I'll mkae a better structured stronger file

Hopefully having being to Europeand Japan will help next time.

I am however not happy that the UK Embassy has stamped his passport as it might have a bad impact on other applications to other countries

[itsbill]

Was the British embassy aware of your plans to travel around Europe and Japan too? How do you know your friend and in what circumstances do you normally meet him; i.e. do you just casually see him when you are in Thailand or do you also write/phone/send e-mails when you are in Japan. Do you have any evidence of previously having employed him?

If you still intend to visit the UK, it may be worth applying again as the embassy appears to have taken the UK element of the trip out of context, believing it to be only the UK that is to be visited.

Scouse.

Thanks for your suggestion. all the evidence was in the file but maybe not presented in a way that the ECO would easily find what he/she was looking for.

I travel extensively in Asia and my friend is generaly part of the trip (a few days every 3-4 months for local exhibitions in the region.On thoise occasions he worlks part-time to help aprund, yes i supplied pictures showing him/us working in different contries. Also on holiday together in his village in Isaan where we spend some weeks toegther. All that was explained in my cover letter which was obviously too long and not read or believed...We also exchange e-mails and SMS on a daily basis but it will be his first trip to my home in Japan.

I do not think I want to go through compiling the file again as we are leaving on 11 October.

It just would have been nice to cross the channel for 2-3 days, never mind next time maybe I'll mkae a better structured stronger file

Hopefully having being to Europeand Japan will help next time.

I am however not happy that the UK Embassy has stamped his passport as it might have a bad impact on other applications to other countries

I have never quite understood why a Brit can not guarantee a visitor financialy If you provided eveidence of net worth they could say ok your worth 50 grand we want 20 grand and if the person does not leave on time you forfit the money and that will pay for finding him?

[gregchambers]

You really answered your own question, the covering letter has to clearly state everything related to the visa application - do not assume that because you have included all the documents that the visa officer will spend the necessary time deducing the relevant facts.

[Krub]

You really answered your own question, the covering letter has to clearly state everything related to the visa application - do not assume that because you have included all the documents that the visa officer will spend the necessary time deducing the relevant facts.

After reflection, yes I culd have structured the covering letter to adress more specifically the points raised by the ECO given to refuse the visa although all the evidence was in the supporting documents attached (fully paid air tickets to Europe via Japan, visas for Schenghen and Japan for corresponding dates, history of travelling and working together with applicant with fotos in different countries as evidence,workhistory of applicant and reason for not being employed at the moment - unpaid leave with work letter stating re-starting of fulltime job held formore than a year previously from next december 1, evidence and pledge of financial support, the fact that the UK trip will nly be for 2-3 days within 14 days spend in the Schenghen countries, rent-a-car reservation for corresponding dates)

It is a pity that you need some sort of special skills in the english language in presenting the evidence on top of the application form which should in my opinion serve that purpose, to obtain that the ECO start considering the evidence presented. The average tourist wanting to spend a few days travelling around the country should not be judged on his/her ability to write a 'good' covering letter.

Lesson learned, next time i'll spend more time on the form of the presentation of the evidence. I pity the average Thai tourist with no access to writing skills in english.

[s.pylos]

You really answered your own question, the covering letter has to clearly state everything related to the visa application - do not assume that because you have included all the documents that the visa officer will spend the necessary time deducing the relevant facts.

After reflection, yes I culd have structured the covering letter to adress more specifically the points raised by the ECO given to refuse the visa although all the evidence was in the supporting documents attached (fully paid air tickets to Europe via Japan, visas for Schenghen and Japan for corresponding dates, history of travelling and working together with applicant with fotos in different countries as evidence,workhistory of applicant and reason for not being employed at the moment - unpaid leave with work letter stating re-starting of fulltime job held formore than a year previously from next december 1, evidence and pledge of financial support, the fact that the UK trip will nly be for 2-3 days within 14 days spend in the Schenghen countries, rent-a-car reservation for corresponding dates)

It is a pity that you need some sort of special skills in the english language in presenting the evidence on top of the application form which should in my opinion serve that purpose, to obtain that the ECO start considering the evidence presented. The average tourist wanting to spend a few days travelling around the country should not be judged on his/her ability to write a 'good' covering letter.

Lesson learned, next time i'll spend more time on the form of the presentation of the evidence. I pity the average Thai tourist with no access to writing skills in english.

It's clear from the ECO comments the s/he did not believe that your "friend" (sic) was genuinely applying ONLY for a tourist visa. This is most common (been there before...)

IF, and I say IF, your "friend" is more than that, you would better say it, and if you can prove that you know each other for more than two years, then you will have more chance/rights to get your visa see (http://www.uklgig.org.uk)

Does your friend has land? It helps, even one "rai". Does he have a family? Join a copy of his family book (they ask for this info in the application form anyway). Does he have education? join copy of his GPA results if yes.

Money is normally not a problem, my "friend" got his tourist visa twice with only 70,000 baht on his account.

Structure your letter well but don't make it too long. Do say that this is part of a bigger trip. I believe there is another box in the application where you can sum up the content of your cover letter. They scan it more than they read it in my experience. Add original picture (with him and his family if you have some, or of your previous travel together), add copy of his other visas. Add a page with the full content of your "evidences" in front.

Don't forget that the visa centre application has been subcontracted (ain't the Brit great!) and is staffed by Thai, who only "tick the box". You could always appeal the decision but that would take weeks, better start again.

For more info PM me (no email I never check it).

Regards

[sandy]

[the scouser]

Whether the OP's friend is just that, or whether they're in a relationship, is pretty much incidental to this visa application as, whilst in Europe, they just wished to take a side trip to the UK for a couple of days: the visa officer has evidently failed to take on board that the friend already has visas for the Schengen area and Japan.

Additionally, the OP has stated his desire not to pursue the matter, and evidently, even if they are gay, don't want to seek an unmarried partner's visa as they simply intended to visit.

Scouse.

[Krub]

Whether the OP's friend is just that, or whether they're in a relationship, is pretty much incidental to this visa application as, whilst in Europe, they just wished to take a side trip to the UK for a couple of days: the visa officer has evidently failed to take on board that the friend already has visas for the Schengen area and Japan.

Additionally, the OP has stated his desire not to pursue the matter, and evidently, even if they are gay, don't want to seek an unmarried partner's visa as they simply intended to visit.

Scouse.

Hi, thanks for trying to clear things up.

I agree that the kind of relationship we have as friends SHOULD be incidental for a visitor's visa (especially as it was for a 2-3 days side trip to a 2 weeks, already visa obtained, trip in Europe and 1 month in Japan + 1 week in Hongkong) but the ECO pointed out that he/she did not believe we were 'friends' for 2 years and she pointed out that my friend never visited Japan in the 2 years although I provided evidence that we travelled on several occasions to Singapore, Jakarta and obviously in Tahiland especially to my friend's home town region, fotos were provided as evidence as well as copies of our passports with matching entry and exit stamps. My friend also provided a letter from his employer giving him an unpaid leave of 6 months with a re-start on 1 December next so when the ECO says he is unemplyed, it is true he is not working now but he cannot be classed as unemployed with all its implications of no source of funds, AND a further reason to return to Thailand

For the record, yes we are building slowly our relationship and one of the evidence, it is I am happy to say getting stronger, isthe fact that we have managed to fit our schedule to be together the next 2 months during my home leave and side business trips to Europe, Japan and Hong Kong.

I might also have pushed the fact that we are building a relationship as it would have given one more reason for him to come back home with me to Japan or Thailand and not 'seek employment in the UK'.......as the ECO said he/she was not convinced he would not do.

Cheers