Uk Visitor Visa - Advice Please

[Kissyalips]

Dear Forum,

I need some advice, I'm hoping that you can help.

I met a Thai girl in early October last year, she had recently finished her job in Bangkok (jewelry factory) and was visiting her sister. Since this time she has gone back home to her parents place, I have send a modest amount to her to help support her costs each month.

I went back to see her over Chrismas and now that we are into the new year would like to sponsor her to come to England to experience life here. I am hoping to do this from April.

I have done some research on this site and would want to apply for a visitors visa and if possible would like her to stay for the full 6 months. However I am well aware that the possiblity of her getting this visa without a full time job and employers letter stating her absence is acceptable and why would be detrimental to her application. She owns no property or land, and has no children. However, I have read that visa's are granted if the ECO believes the relationship to be genuine and that she would return to Thailand in good time so as not to jeopardise future applications.

I believe that I can arrange the visa form and supporting evidence without an agency and my question really is what chance to you think we have of being approved, or what other options do I have?

Many thanks

[thailandbluegrass]

Might sound stupid but have you thought about picking up the phone or going into your British Government office and simply asking them?

[mark515]

My Girlfriend got a 6 month visit with no job, land etc.

We used the reason to return was our relationship is genuine and we dont want to jepodise any future applications with overstaying etc.

Also she does have a daughter in Thailand so not 100% the above.

Also as she was coming for 6 months we said she would have to of given any job she had as very unlikely to be given 6 months from work. I also said I was supporting her before the application and would do on returning to Thailand until she found employment.

As you are supporting her now you are 1/2 way there.

We started seeing each other in May 2009 another visit in June 2009 another visit in Aug 2009 when we submitted the Tourist application and we returned to the UK together a few days later.

We returned to Thailand in November and Married.

Back to the UK and Just landed today and submitted settlement applications.

[britmaveric]

Why is she not working?

Certainly no job will not look too good with the ECO.

[mark515]

On my girlfriends application we covered her Job history from starting work and to why she gave up her current job.

[Kissyalips]

Thanks for your input, I am especially pleased to hear that visa's are granted without a job in some cases.

She has no job at present because I am supporting her financially, when I left Thailand in October, it was only a short time until I returned and I have only just left again, there has not been a reason for her to seek employment since she met me. She can prove her work history in Bangkok at the jewelry company up until August last year, for a couple of months she lived off her savings.

I think that the ECO should see this as it is and hopefully approve the visit as long as I can provide a good letter of explanation.

[britmaveric]

Well hate to inform you - but normal people work for living and do not give up their job just because they recently meet someone. This is how the ECO will look at it. Supporting her only makes it look like she has no reason to return to Thailand.

[CharlieB]

Thanks for your input, I am especially pleased to hear that visa's are granted without a job in some cases.

She has no job at present because I am supporting her financially, when I left Thailand in October, it was only a short time until I returned and I have only just left again, there has not been a reason for her to seek employment since she met me. She can prove her work history in Bangkok at the jewelry company up until August last year, for a couple of months she lived off her savings.

I think that the ECO should see this as it is and hopefully approve the visit as long as I can provide a good letter of explanation.

I think what you hope the ECO sees and what he actually sees when he looks at the application are going to be somewhat different. Your girfriend has had no job since before she met you and has been living off money supplied to you since you met. She has no job, no land/house, no major assets in Thailand and you relationship is only 3 or 4 months old. You need to realise that it's not easy getting visit visas for young men/women to come to the UK when they have no reason whatsoever to really go back to Thailand.

If I were you I would get her to get another job and wait until you have known each other for a bit longer before applying. I know that some people have managed to get visas in what seems to be impossible situations, but they are rare cases and not the norm. Look through this board for the people who say they've had visit visas turned down with stronger cases than your own. You can apply and see what they say, but I suspect the words no evidence of reason to return to Thailand will probably be on the letter you get back.

[7by7]

To obtain a visit visa she basically needs to satisfy three criteria:-

1) This is a genuine visit for a genuine purpose.

You should write a sponsors letter outlining the history of your relationship, how many times you have visited her in Thailand, how often you keep in touch with evidence such as phone bills and e-mail headers, the reason for her visit at this time and what your future plans are together. This will also help with point 3.

2) She will be accommodated and supported in the UK without working or claiming public funds.

If she is staying with you, then you should provide evidence that you can provide such accommodation; either evidence that you own, such as a mortgage statement, or if you rent a letter from your landlord confirming that she can stay in the property. If she will be staying with someone else, e.g. your family, then they will need to provide such evidence as well as a letter inviting her to stay.

Finances for the visit can come from her own resources, those of a sponsor or a combination of both. Whoever is providing the finances need to provide bank statements and pay slips (at least for the last 3 months) to show that the funds are available. There is no need to put money into her account as the funds can come from you. Indeed, sudden, large, unexplained deposits into an applicant's bank can cause suspicions in the Entry Clearance Officer's mind!

3) She will leave the UK when, or before, her visa expires (reason to return).

A job might help, but having a job is not a prerequisite to obtaining a UK visit visa. Indeed, if an applicant supplies an employers letter saying they are being given 6 months holiday it is extremely unlikely that the ECO will believe it!

Your relationship is a strong factor. Many couples have obtained a visit visa when the Thai partner has not had a concrete reason to return based purely on the strength of the relationship. If the ECO feels that the relationship is long term and may lead to marriage then s/he will feel that the applicant would not want to jeapordise any future settlement application by overstaying or otherwise breaching the conditions of a visit visa.

[Kissyalips]

Thanks for all your input. I feel I have nothing to lose by making an application based on the strength of our relationship and I hope to convince the ECO that this is the case with good supporting evidence and sponsor letter outlining the points 7x7 has made.

I'll let you know how we get on.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

If the relationship is genuine you maybe successful we have done many applications with this same scenario the ECO will use his judgment in this matter.

He/she deal with many applications daily and they will generally use their common sense.

[mark515]

I did just what 7by7 has posted above.

My girlfriends tourist application was very big with supporting documents. 8kg in paperwork.

The application was similar to settlement application just had to supply reason for return aswell.

Reason for return was always the hard thing to prove.

Just about anything you put or supply can be taken both ways. Even if you pay for the return ticket. They can be just thrown away and not used.

If you answer all the questions in 7by7 post above you should be ok.

We was. Lucky may be but the questions was answered and proved.

[Thongkorn]

Dont be put off. My girl now wife had 2000baht in the bank no job no land . she had been made redundant. she worked anywere to earn money. I got her a holiday visa first time, just put plenty of pictures in your application, Say she loves Thailand and you cannot see her not returning to her family which she is close too. Having a child is not a reason to return.

[Kissyalips]

Visa Approved as of last week !

Many thanks to all who gave me advice, especially 7x7 who gave me the hard facts regarding criteria which was exactly what I was after. I took all this on board and submitted my application accordingly to a successful conclusion. I was told by friends and even a visa agency that this visa would not be possible. It just goes to show you the value of this forum to people needing advice.

Another couple of questions then....

How many times will a visitor's visa be granted to the same couple? How long between visits would be acceptable do you think.

[7by7]

Congrats on the visa; trust she will enjoy her visit.

Other than the rule that visitors should not spend more than 6 months in the UK on any one visit, there is no official limit on how often a visitor may come to the UK; but there is a convention that a visitor should not spend more than 6 months out of any 12 in the UK.

From VAT1.5 Frequency and duration of visits

There is no restriction on the number of visits a person may make to the UK nor any requirement that a specified time must elapse between successive visits, The fact that a person has made a series of visits with only brief intervals between them would not, in absence of any other relevant factors, constitute sufficient grounds for refusal.

It is reasonable, however, for the ECO to consider the stated purpose of the visit in the light of the length of time that has elapsed since previous visits. A visitor should not, for example, normally spend more that 6 out of any 12 months in the UK

However, if regular applications are being made to visit a UK based partner, then the ECO may feel that they are using visit visas to bypass the settlement rules; in which case the applicant may be asked why they do not wish to settle in the UK.