Visitor Visa

[owl1971]

Hi,

In July 09 my girlfriend successfully obtained a 6 month visitor visa and she came to the UK for a 6 week holiday ( 6 weeks was originally requested on the application form)

I would like my girlfriend to visit me in the UK for the full 6 months , and she is especially keen on spending Christmas and new year with me.

I'm not sure if we should request the full 6 months on the application as I feel this may be frowned upon, I may request 2 - 3 months , but she will probably stay the full 6 months (we have known each other 5 years we do intend on getting married in LOS in 2011 , so we wont be be applying for another visitor visa)

My questions are.

1) If my Gf stays in the uk for the full 6 months could It affect our chances of getting FLR after we get married in 2011.

2) What are the chances of getting a multi entry 12 month visitor visa , the reason I am asking this is because I am in BKK 20 june for a couple of weeks,and we intend going to regents house to submit the application form, My worry is that they could process the application really quick , say in 1 week, and the visa could start from say 29/6/2010 and this would resut in my GF not been able to spend the new year with me.

I'm not sure if the best policy would be to put on the application that my GF wishes to stay in the UK for 6 months and advise them that we intend getting married in 2011,

Your advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Dave

[CharlieB]

You can pre-date visa applications for up to 3 months. So you can specify that it starts some time in September.

If she is going to stay for 6 months, lying on the application form saying she's only staying 2 wouldn't necessarily stop her getting a settlement visa in the future, but it might tip the balance towards a rejection if the ECO processing the application has doubts and notices that 2 months was asked for and 6 months were taken. Basically, don't intentionally lie on application forms or it may come back to bite you.

[yeesipha]

OWL1971

on my g/f now wifes first ever visit visa application we told them that she would like to stay in the uk for the full six months,this was not

a problam and visa was granted no questions asked,

[7by7]

As she has only visited the UK once before, it is unlikely that she would get a one year visa this time unless she can demonstrate that she needs to regularly travel to the UK during that time. To say that she wants a one year visa to ensure she can spend Christmas and the New Year in the UK is, I'm afraid, likely to get the response that she should apply nearer her date of travel!

Remember that a one year visit visa does not allow the holder to spend one year in the UK. Regardless of the term of a visit visa, the holder cannot spend more than 6 months in the UK on any one visit nor more than a total of 6 months in any 12 month period. (Except for certain categories of business visitor.)

As CharlieB says, the start of the visa can be postdated for up to 3 months; but she would not be able to enter the UK until the start date of the visa, i.e some time in September.

If you do request the visa to be post dated; check it immediately she receives her passport back. Such requests are sometimes overlooked and mistakes cannot be rectified later.

[owl1971]

Hi ,

Cheers for the advice, this Visa lark is a complicated issue, I think I will be using this forum a lot in the future.

My Provisional Plan ( this will probably change though)

When I visit my GF in June 09 we plan to submit the Visitor Visa application on about the 5th July and hopefully if this is approved approximately in 4 weeks this would mean the visa would be valid from maybe 1/8/2010 to 31/01/2011 and this would mean she could stay Christmas and new year.

I will Provide in depth evidence like I did on the previous successful visa (our five year relationship history, statments , photos in thailand and the UK ect ect) , and State on the application that she wishes to visit for the full six months , and advise that we are engaged (submit photos of the engagement party in issan) and intend to marry in 2011.

My Question is :

1)Should I state that we are engaged and plan to marry in 2011 , could the ECO think that if we are engaged she will not return the LOS

2)Should I put on the form that she is visiting for say 3 months , knowing that she will stay the full 6 months, not sure how this could affect a Fiance visa in future - I think this may be a bad idea but not sure

on our previous Visa success we did everythig by the letter I.E on the application form for we asked for six weeks and she only stayed 6 weeks, hopefully this will look good to the ECO

3) is t better to get married in thailand, somebody told me that it works out cheaper, he said somethig about translation costs but I did not fully understand .

4)Once married in thailand , what visa would my GF have to apply for

Many thanks in anticipation.

Dave

[mark515]

Hi ,

Cheers for the advice, this Visa lark is a complicated issue, I think I will be using this forum a lot in the future.

My Provisional Plan ( this will probably change though)

When I visit my GF in June 09 we plan to submit the Visitor Visa application on about the 5th July and hopefully if this is approved approximately in 4 weeks this would mean the visa would be valid from maybe 1/8/2010 to 31/01/2011 and this would mean she could stay Christmas and new year.

I will Provide in depth evidence like I did on the previous successful visa (our five year relationship history, statments , photos in thailand and the UK ect ect) , and State on the application that she wishes to visit for the full six months , and advise that we are engaged (submit photos of the engagement party in issan) and intend to marry in 2011.

My Question is :

1)Should I state that we are engaged and plan to marry in 2011 , could the ECO think that if we are engaged she will not return the LOS Yes it would be another reason to return = It would be you intend to marry so dont want to jeopardize you next visa application.

2)Should I put on the form that she is visiting for say 3 months , knowing that she will stay the full 6 months, not sure how this could affect a Fiance visa in future - I think this may be a bad idea but not sure NO tell the truth As long as you cover that you or her have the funds for 6 month and accomodation. You will also need to cover the fact her current job most likely will not be there after 6 month and you would suport her until she found employment.

on our previous Visa success we did everythig by the letter I.E on the application form for we asked for six weeks and she only stayed 6 weeks, hopefully this will look good to the ECO Yes

3) is t better to get married in thailand, somebody told me that it works out cheaper, he said somethig about translation costs but I did not fully understand . My opinion Thailand easier for many reasons. So Yes marry in Thailand.

4)Once married in thailand , what visa would my GF have to apply for Settlement Visa

Many thanks in anticipation.

Dave

My girlfriend who I met in May 2009 for 12 days. Back in June for 10 days, Back in Augsut for 14 days with lots of proof of relationship. Got a 6 month visit and came back with me in August.

With the help of this forum reading everything I could find I answered every question I could think off. All truth.

We said we would return in November which we did

We also married in November. (This was the only thing changed we did not intend to marry in November but things can change)

Now we will return Feb 1st to submit settlement. Hopint to retrun to the Uk 3 weeks later.

MARK

[theoldgit]

Whenever you apply for a tourist visa the reason to return is one of the most important things the applicant needs to convince the ECO. I am not sure what your girlfriends circumstances are but if she is relying on employment for a reason to return a six month holiday could well ring alarm bells.

That said, the answers given by mark515 are sound and there is nothing to stop her applying but as he says be honest. It is particularly important that she gives the correct details of the trip, if she wants six months then say so, if she pitches up at Heathrow having indicated that she was coming for three months, still a long holiday, and the IO ascertained she was coming for six, she could be refused entry, it's unlikely but possible.

[7by7]

When I visit my GF in June 09 we plan to submit the Visitor Visa application on about the 5th July and hopefully if this is approved approximately in 4 weeks this would mean the visa would be valid from maybe 1/8/2010 to 31/01/2011 and this would mean she could stay Christmas and new year.

I don't know what the situation in July will be, but currently I believe visit visas in bangkok are being processed within a few days. So it may be a good idea to have the start date post dated, as explained previously.

When the time comes, it will be better to marry in Thailand, she would then apply for a settlement visa as your spouse; see Settlement; Spouses.

The reason for this is financial.

A spouse visa lasts for 27 months and after she has been in the UK for 2 years she can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

If she comes to the UK to marry you then she would initially apply for a settlement visa as your fiance; see Settlement; Fiances. This would last for 6 months and during that time you marry and she then applies for Further Leave to Remain. This lasts for 2 years at the end of which she can apply for ILR.

If following the fiance route, then you and she would have to pay for the extra, FLR, application. Also fiances cannot work until they have FLR, spouses can work immediately they arrive.

[owl1971]

Hi Guys,

Many thanks for the advice and information It will be very useful for me.

I think I'm a bit Sceptical about ECO's and there decisions now, as it seems as if sometimes they force peoples hand to marry quickly or in some cases lie to get that elusive VISA.

As I said in my earlier post my girlfriend had no problem in obtaining a visa last year, so I think were going to do as last year be 100% honest and upfront by providing lots of evidence of our 5 YR relationship, Photos and statements showing that I have supported her over the last few years and advise them that we are and engaged and intend to marry in 2011, I will also advise the ECO that the reason we wish to marry next year is that I want to pay for my close family to travel to Thailand and I will need time to save for this as It could cost me about 7K and when/IF my GF gets a settlement visa I will also need to Pay for a Party in UK, all very expensive.

My GF currently works on her family sugar cane farm and has a commision only job selling cosmetics + she looks after her little boy, so no contract of employment, but I do support her financially (Money sent every 3 months)

My only real decision now is how long we state on the Application form that she wishes to visit the UK for 1 month, 3 months or 6 months ??? (Decisions , Decisions).

I really hope the ECO take in condsideration our long relationship and how honest and up front we have been, and does't force us down the marrige route too earlier.

P.s I fully understand why the ECO's are so strict with the immigration problems we currently have in the UK, Its just frustrating for genuine people

Cheers