Uk Visit Visa For My Thai Girlfriend

[ear8jp]

Hi

I (28yrs.) have been with my Thai girlfriend (26yrs.) for 2 years now and we plan to go to my home in the UK together during her university holiday period. I intend to be a sponsor for her UK visit visa application. We met at a Thai restaurant in Singapore where she was working and having spent a lot of time with her at her home and met family & friends so I know she is very much not a bar girl.

She is approaching her final her at University. I have no problem in proving that our relationship is genuine and continuous. I have kept all the e-mail correspondance, many phone cards, the odd phone bill. We have numerous photos from trips around Thailand and also in Singapore. One set of photos includes my sister who came out to visit us in Thailand. My sister and g/f got on very well and occasionally call each other. I visit Thailand regularly (about every 2 months for 3 weeks at a time) as I work offshore in SE Asia so I have all the passport stamps including the matching stamps during our 2 times we were together in Singapore. I stay with her at her house mainly but I have not kept any hotel receipts from when we have travelled around.

My main stumbling block is the 'reason to return'. We can get a booking for return flights. I will act as sponsor and declare my resposibility as such. We will say that we are serious about our relationship and thus wouldn't want to jeapordise any future visa applications. She is top of her year at University (English and Tourism) with a 3.7 g.p.a. and can get one of her teachers to write a character reference along with her intention of completing her degree and term dates (for holiday times). The main issue however is that she does not really have anything in the way of savings, which I gather is a good reason to ruturn. She recently sold her house (to pay off mums lotto debts) but does do some part time jobs at her friend's travel company. She works a little during the term time and during holidays and I support her for some living costs too.

We will apply around Feb.2009 when I next visit so I will be in Thailand. But from what I have read, only the main applicant can submit the application and attend any interview. Is this correct - even if I am a sponsor ?

It's for a genuine visit and we have everything in order. But from what I read it seems there are no hard rules to convince the entry clearance officer of our intentions.

Does anybody have any advice from a similar situation ?

Cheers,

JP

[7by7]

My main stumbling block is the 'reason to return'

I think you have that covered, but let's have a look.

We can get a booking for return flights

The UK does not consider a return ticket, by itself, to be a reason to return. Indeed, the embassy advice applicants not to buy their tickets until they have the visa.

I will act as sponsor and declare my resposibility as such.

It is the applicants intentions that concern the embassy more than the sponsors. Any undertaking by a sponsor would not be enforcable in a UK court.

OK, that's those two out of the way, now for the positives.

We will say that we are serious about our relationship and thus wouldn't want to jeapordise any future visa applications.

Excellent, many couples with less of a relationship history than yours have got visit visas for this reason. Provide as much proof of the relationship as you can and in your sponsor's letter write a brief history of the relationship and what your future plans are together once she has finished university.

can get one of her teachers to write a character reference along with her intention of completing her degree and term dates (for holiday times).

Excellent, but make sure you say that she does intend to finish the course and what her and your plans together are once she has graduated.

The main issue however is that she does not really have anything in the way of savings

Not necessary as you can fund the visit. You will need evidence of your ability to do so, pay slips, bank statements etc.

But from what I have read, only the main applicant can submit the application and attend any interview. Is this correct - even if I am a sponsor ?

This is correct. For security reasons only the applicant can enter the VAC office (unless a chold or disabled). As said above, it is the applicant's intentions that are of interest to the visa officer, so if an interview is required then it is the applicant that will be interviewed. On rare occassions the interviewing officer may wish to clarify some point with the sponsor so may wish to interview him/her too, either in person or over the phone.

what I read it seems there are no hard rules to convince the entry clearance officer of our intentions

Applicants have to satisfy the visa officer that, on the balance of probabilities, they meet the criteria for the visa they have applied for. These criteria are laid out in immigration rules and to assist them the visa officers use the Entry Clearance Guidance. (Each link will take you to the section relevent to visitors.)

From what you have said, I see no reason why the embassy would even want to interview her, let alone consider refusing her. Simply prepare all your evidence, present it neatly and cover the main points in your sponsor's letter, as you have in your post above.

[torrenova]

Type any letters in a conventional font, not pretty !

KISS principle.

[ear8jp]

Thanks '7by7' for the constructive comments. You have been most re-assuring. Maybe I have been over worrying.

I just want the oppurtunity to show my girlfriend my home country the same as she has done for me.

Thanks again for your help and advice, much appreciated.

Cheers,

JP

[TenDreams]

I am going through the same thing at the moment.

I have made copies of my Thai bank account, 2 UK accounts, and my fathers bank account as well as copies of everything else I thought might be useful (must be over 30 pages by now!)

I still am not sure about this issue:

Does my girlfriend need to show a sizeable sum in her bank account? If for example, she has 20K in there now, would it be wise to copy the book at that point or transfer 150K (a figure i have heard suggested) into her account and then show her book? That seems a bit suss to me...

Cheers.

[Petesear]

When we applied for my now wife's first tourist visa we did not even show her bank details, they were only interested in mine as the 'sponsor'. We found that as long as you could prove your relationship to be genuine, a good reason to return to Thailand and work/education history there was not a problem. The only ridiculous thing asked for was email evidence, we both live in Bangkok, so we sent a few emails and they accept it all..... Good luck

[CharlieB]

I am going through the same thing at the moment.

I have made copies of my Thai bank account, 2 UK accounts, and my fathers bank account as well as copies of everything else I thought might be useful (must be over 30 pages by now!)

I still am not sure about this issue:

Does my girlfriend need to show a sizeable sum in her bank account? If for example, she has 20K in there now, would it be wise to copy the book at that point or transfer 150K (a figure i have heard suggested) into her account and then show her book? That seems a bit suss to me...

Cheers.

If you feel the need to include her details, then show them as they are now. Don't add a huge sum to her account and then copy the balance to them. They're not stupid, they will know that this is a sum put in by you to beef up her account. They do this work every day and every dodge that you think you can do has probably been seen before.

[TenDreams]

Ok, thanks guys. There are a lot of conflicting experiences and bits of info out there, but u both set my mind at ease. first time, bit nervy about it. Murphy's Law and all that! Anyway, cheers!

[ear8jp]

Well I am pleased to announce that my girlfriend's UK visit visa was issued yesterday. .

Thanks to all who have posted useful advice on here.

I see there are many recent postings on similar topics where people clearly have not done their research. My advice would be to read carefully the procedures and instructions given on the visa application centre website and to take the time in preparing the application in order to submit a well organised set of documents.

I would be willing to post my covering letter if people wish.

Cheers,

JP

[CharlieB]

Well I am pleased to announce that my girlfriend's UK visit visa was issued yesterday. .

Thanks to all who have posted useful advice on here.

I see there are many recent postings on similar topics where people clearly have not done their research. My advice would be to read carefully the procedures and instructions given on the visa application centre website and to take the time in preparing the application in order to submit a well organised set of documents.

I would be willing to post my covering letter if people wish.

Cheers,

JP

You can post it, but whether or not anyone will actually ever use the search function and find it is the question.

[ear8jp]

Attached is a rough template of the covering letter we submitted. We printed it out and put each section in a separate clear leaf folder along with a separate one for the attachments for that section. All were put into a card wallet folder for submition along with the application (which was filled out online previously and printed out), applicant's passport and photos.

All the documents were original apart from my passport.

Make sure everything you write can be verified and cross referenced, e.g. dates of visits and passport stamps. Don't make claims that can't be backed up.

The applicant's photo needs to conform to the requirments. Most passport photos in Thailand include the shoulders and have a blue background, which will get rejected. The visa application centre has an approved passport photo machine but best to get it right first time.

The covering letter from college (or employer) is important. It shows good reason to return.

Take the time to prepare the document in conjuction with your circumstances and submit it all in an organised way on the scheduled time.

My GFs visa got issued within 4 days of submission without interview.

Hope it helps.

JP

_UKvisa_letter.pdf

[stupotuk]

Thanks JP that is a great help to me

your a star

Stu

[peterpop]

Thanks JP that is a great help to me

your a star

Stu

My girlfriends visa [tourist] also just approved after previous refusal last June.

Reasons given were

1. Lack of sound economic footing in Thailand hence good reason to overstay

2. Not enough evidence to prove an 'established relationship'.

Sounds like you.

All the above advice correct. Show good history of relationship. Genuine letters establishing length of relationship. Rent agreement. Shared insurance etc etc

On second application I showed nothing had changed with her economic situation, that is, still nil income, nil posessions, nil work in the offing. This time this was ignored because I had shown her bank account with a regular payment in from me over best part of a year.

Don't worry you will be OK this time.