Sponsoring Girlfriend For Trip To Uk

[Bardamu]

Hi,

I've just got the details from the British Council about what my girlfriend and I must do so she might get a visa to stay in UK for two weeks.

Most of it is not a problem. She has a good job, her employer is going to write her a nice letter, etc.

The only problem is . . . ME! As her sponsor, i must show details of my bank statements and wage slips and evidence of accomodtaion in the UK.

Well, I don't have much money in the bank, my Thai bank, and i only earn 40,000 a month, not exactly that dependable. I don't have a residence in the UK as i have lived in Thailand for 8 years.

Now my friend in the UK is going to put us up for two weeks, i have all the money i need for expenses. He is a teacher and has his own house, he's also got a considerable amount of saved cash. Can he be the sponsor? If so, how do we get around her never having met him? There needs to be evdience of a relationship between sponsor and the sponsored. Do you know what we can do?

Do we have to have the plane ticket before the visa?

Cheers

[bsided69]

Hi,

I've just got the details from the British Council about what my girlfriend and I must do so she might get a visa to stay in UK for two weeks.

Most of it is not a problem. She has a good job, her employer is going to write her a nice letter, etc.

The only problem is . . . ME! As her sponsor, i must show details of my bank statements and wage slips and evidence of accomodtaion in the UK.

Well, I don't have much money in the bank, my Thai bank, and i only earn 40,000 a month, not exactly that dependable. I don't have a residence in the UK as i have lived in Thailand for 8 years.

Now my friend in the UK is going to put us up for two weeks, i have all the money i need for expenses. He is a teacher and has his own house, he's also got a considerable amount of saved cash. Can he be the sponsor? If so, how do we get around her never having met him? There needs to be evdience of a relationship between sponsor and the sponsored. Do you know what we can do?

Do we have to have the plane ticket before the visa?

Cheers

The truth is you can have everything that is required for a visa, but they can still turn around and say no. However it is highly unlikely that you would get one by useing your friend as a sponsor unless he has met her and spent time with her. You could always get him to put his money in your bank account and sign his house over to you. Thats what friends are for.

[happyjackthe4th]

One of the main things Immigration will look at is her intention to return to Thailand at the end her trip , A deposit on a return ticket helps and proof that she has a reason to return to Thailand i.e - work commitments, own business , property , family etc,

[the scouser]

Provide evidence that both you and your g/f have employment to which to return and sufficient funds to pay for the trip, and that, along with evidence of your relationship etc., should be good enough. Your friend with whom you will be staying should confirm in writing his offer of accommodation and demonstrate through council tax/utility bills that the house is his to make the offer.

They're not looking to see that you've got a lot of money in the bank, just that you can pay for the trip and you've got something to come back to.

Scouse.

[Bardamu]

Provide evidence that both you and your g/f have employment to which to return and sufficient funds to pay for the trip, and that, along with evidence of your relationship etc., should be good enough. Your friend with whom you will be staying should confirm in writing his offer of accommodation and demonstrate through council tax/utility bills that the house is his to make the offer.

They're not looking to see that you've got a lot of money in the bank, just that you can pay for the trip and you've got something to come back to.

Scouse.

Thanks a lot Scouser, that's a weight off my mind.

There is one more thing i am a little confused about. After we have all the required documents, she must then go to BKK (we live in Chiang Mai) and submit her application. It says on the form i have that she may be called for an interview. Does that mean the same day? Or does it mean returning to BKK at a later date. If so, is it possible to submit the application at CM British Consulate and then go to BKK later for the interview, or does it mean two trips?

Cheers

[happylarry]

Hi Bard

although it was back in 2005 when my wife (then girlfriend) applied for a 2 week visa, this may be of help.

She went to the British Embassy and handed all her documents into the front office to be checked as complete, then went into the waiting room and took a queue number and paid money up front.

Then when it was her turn she went into a private room for her interview and she was told straightaway that she was successful. (Apparently if the application had been unsuccessful she would have been told to reapply in three months.) She was given a receipt card and told to return in three days to collect her passport.

Hope this is useful for you but have to point out that I think there is a different office location for visa's now and a lot of things have changed.

Good luck

Be happy....Larry

[the scouser]

Visa applications are now made at a discrete application centre. This office then passes the papers to the embassy for consideration. Your girlfriend will have to travel to BKK to apply in person as she will have to give her fingerprints and submit to having a digital photo taken. If she then has to attend for an interview, it will be on a later date.

Scouse.