Uk Embassy - A Simple (?) Procedural Question

[Captain Chaos]

My TGF is about to apply for a VV to go to the UK for a family occasion near Christmas.

I think I have sufficient evidence of 'proof to return' but my question is this:

I am confused by the initial procedure. Do I send the forms plus the files of papers I have built up (plus the fee and GF's passport of course) down to the embassy by courier, and then wait for them to summons her / us for an interview?

Or do I have to take the whole lot down in person?

Embassy website says to apply by post, but then seems to suggest that only if you can meet certain criteria (which we do not).

Thanks in advance.....

[BIG SPUDS]

Me and the GF have the same problem. She is taking all her papers, fee etc in person on wednesday. She has done this before. If she gets there to be within the first 75 in the que, she will get an initial interview same day, if not, given a date to come back (2-3 weeks). If every thing is ok she will be granted the visa same day after an interview. If all is not ok she will be given a date to return for another more in depth interview, again 2-3 weeks. She does not pay for her initial interview if she is told to come back or advised she propbably wont get the visa.

Speaking from previous experience, GF went for vv, told too many people and given a day to come back, 2 weeks later. Went back and was told she probably wouldnt get it due to "them thinking she would not return" but was given the option to pay and have another interview. At that time she did not.

She is going back wednesday and i suppose will go through roughly the same procedure, unless things have changed. However she is going to take it as far as possible until she gets the visa or gets refused. Even if her initial interviewer has doubts, she will pay the fee and hope for the best, that she can prove she will return in the more in depth interview. She just risks the stamp of refused visa !!! and losing the fee!!!!

[the scouser]

You can apply either in person or by post. If in person, as the previous poster says, you have to be in the 1st 75 in order to be seen. If by post the embassy will write to/phone the applicant within 5 working days either to say come and get the visa or come back on such and such a date for an interview. The certain criteria that you allude to apply to the use of the drop-box facility.

Cheers,

Scouse.

[andyadam]

I would suggest going in person, if there is a problem you may be able to sort it there and then.

If you go there, arrive early like 5am!!!!!! you will be about 1/2 way down the queue!!!!! The girl at the embassy told me 5.30, I arrived at 4.45 and got number 36! But a friend went on a friday at 9.00 and got number 66! As they say here "Up to you"

Good luck

[Captain Chaos]

My understanding was that the '75 callers per day' rush was for those who wanted / needed to have their application dealt with same day?

As we're not travelling until late in the year, I was quite happy to send the file down with one of our company drivers, and wait to be called for an interview in 6 weeks or whatever.

Said driver has just come back with the file, and told me that the embassy gave him the '75 callers per day' spiel and would not accept the file as he was later than the appointed time.

So can anyone tell me sending a file with a driver is considered different to a third party courier? If not, am I really expected to entrust passport + various other important documents to the local mail service (who I may be doing a disservice to, but I wouldn't trust the UK mail with this)

I can feel a period of 'jai lon' in my life coming up.....

[the scouser]

Hi Captain Chaos,

The visa section will see the first 75 personal callers per day irrespective of whether they need the visa urgently or not. You do not need to lodge the application in person; someone can do it on your g/f's behalf. However, your driver would be included in the 75 they see. If he's out of hours or number 76 he doesn't get to lodge the application. So, yes, entrust your valuable documents to the postal system.

Cheers,

Scouse.

[dr. kc]

We went at 7:30 on a Friday at were in the high 60's... But they went down the line canvassing to see who was eligible for the drop box / postal option, and filtered several people out from in front of us....

Advice - Get there early!

[jayenram]

DON'T send the passport!!!!

Send the original application together with copies of everything else. Keep a copy of the application. Send copies of relevant pages of the GF's passport. The only reason the BE require the original passport is to stamp in the visa which will (I hope) be done once approved.

Keep additional copies of ALL documents (plus originals) with you when you attend the interview (if required).

[fisherd3]

I have (bad) experience in applying for visa for girlfriend in Jamaica I doubt if the underlying attitude of consulates varies worldwide, it is only modified by the 'face' they put on their deliberations.

You may know there is no appeal from their decision and in my experience they interpret facts to suit the policy towarda the country in question, although there is a clause in the act that says the applicants welfare can be provided for by the sponsor, in fact they are far more interested in the applicant who has to prove to their satisfaction what she is saying is true, it is absolutely no good thinking I am big man with lots of money so application will be approved. e.g. I provided UK consulate in Jamaica with bank statement with US $100,000 on it and this immeadiately made me drug runner trying to recruit girlfriend, as I do not work. (Money inherited) no further enquiry and no reference to me.

In my second applicaction I provided evidence that I had bought a house close to my girlfriend , so I could look after her better and be closer to her, quite a big deal you would think , but no , the consulate told her that my relationship with her was not what she thought it was, my girlfriend spoke of being ' frightened' during the interview. It is obviously very easy for a sophisticated diplomat to make a maybe not so well educated lady with limited English look anyway he wants her to in the application.

I don't think the Consulate is looking to be accommadating in these matters they really want to say no.

I strongly advise going to visa application expert because it is true that saying one thing wrong will blight your application possibly irritrievably, in my case in Jamaica I said in the application that 'naturally my girlfriend has asked if I will take her to England' which you would think anybody would and this was a big issue that I am sure had big effect on application, and although it says on form refusal will not affect future applications I believe this to be utter bullshit. I do not believe anyone identified as 'ladybar' will get visa and would like to hear any good experiences in this regard.

[sua yai]

I'd definitely go in person. It's a good while since I sponsored my ex for a holiday visa to the UK, but in those days, it was a nightmare. My being able to support her was never in question, just her satisfying The Embassy that she would return.

We demonstrated we'd been together for 3 years at the initial stage. She demonstrated her outright ownership of a house, land. Plus, death certificate from the Thai husband and birth certificates for her three children. Still this wasn't good enough.

I took the matter to The House of Commons and probably caused the HO, FCO and Embassy all kinds of problems. Don't reckon they'll like me too much now.

The last visit I made was 7 years ago. Yes, they saw the first whatever number, but only to lodge papers. She was given an interview date 3 months later.

Also, assuming you're a Brit, and you're in Thailand, always remember that the consular/visa section cannot refuse to see YOU. That's law, although it may not help your case overall.

These experiences were some time ago and I've heard it's not quite as draconian now.

Good luck.

[Captain Chaos]

Seems like we're making progress.....

The embassy called my GF last week and a confirming letter arrived in the post this week. That's about 3 weeks since the application was mailed down there which seems fair enough.

Said letter assesses her as a Tier 2 application (which I think from a different thread is generally positive). They have only asked her to:

1 Attend in person, any Mon - Thurs between 13.00 and 14.00

2 Bring the originals of her Tabien Baan, ID card etc etc

3 "Provide evidence of contact with the sponsor (ie me)". As we have about a million photos, that shouldn't be too hard.

I will accompany her, wearing office attire. I know they probably won't want to talk to me but they might sneak a glance at me, right?

Am I being hopelessly over-optimistic, or does it seem like we have a chance of getting this sorted relatively smoothly?

[the scouser]

Hi CC,

At tier 2 the visa officer is looking to issue the visa but just wants that little bit of proof. Providing that your g/f doesn't put her foot in her mouth and you can provide what is asked then things are looking rosy.

Scouse.

[Captain Chaos]

Went to the embassy yesterday. Got stuck in traffic so got there just before 13.00, ie. at the back of a moderate queue. Sat in the visa section until about 14.30. GF was then called to one of the little bank teller style counters at the back. The only thing they asked to see was a few photos of us together. Passport came back with visa about 15 minutes later.

No interview, no questions, nothing. All a bit of a letdown really given that we'd carted about 300 various documents down there and the GF had spent about 48 hours memorizing my life history, where my folks live in the UK etc etc.

Anyway, job done. I am pleasantly surprised by how smoothly it all went. If anyone is interested in my advice on this, it is that preparation is everything. I took a day or so to create a file to send down with the initial application form. That seems to have done the trick. 'First impressions last'?

Thanks to all those who replied, much appreciated.

CC